Life long nightmare riding fear realised today

[Mrs. Jingle]

Not sure why I am even putting this on here - I truly don't need sympathy but some reassurance that what happened to the colt was totally not my fault, although have to say right now I feel it probably is I am most defintiely nto the crying sort but I am struggling here tonight.
Over 60 years riding and never happened before and just to put my dread and fear of this happening into some perspective, I did know someone way back in the day who was killed in this situation- Feckin terrifying - riding a mare out on the lanes and a colt came over the hedge and ditch and starts trying to mount her!

managed to whip him across the head to get him down while she double barreled him - jumped off and managed to shove her in a very convenient empty field as she continued to double barrel him , shut the gate on him...
then he tried to come through the hedge into the field we were in - whacked him again over the head with my whip - he squealed turned and tried to jump a gate back into his field and got all mangled up in it - horrific.
All the time the colt's owner sitting in his tractor opposite of the UNFENCED field watching it all unfold.

Eventually he came over in the tractor and the and the colt got free and ran after the other horses dragging one back leg behind him.
I can honestly say I have been nervous many times riding horses but this afternoon I was terrified - and feel terrible has the colt a broken leg due to me beating shite out of it to scare it off us- feckin useless gobshite of an owner won't give a toss. Legs like jelly now 😧😥
Sent Mr Jingle down that lane later to see if he could find the colt and was it dead or just left with dangling leg (very possible knowing these owners) - he couldn't see it in the field but said the gate is so mangled he cant believe it is not mortally injured or by now dead. I feel so bad about it all, logic tells me not my fault, heart tells me I have never, ever beaten an animal like that in my life and look what happened to the poor beast.

 

[milliepops]

Oh jeez.
Doesn't sound like you had any other option in the circumstances. i had a terrifying encounter with a big stallion on the welsh hills when I was a teenager, I was riding a gelding who was entirely clueless but I was on my own completely out of communication with anyone and it scared the crap out of me.
No wonder you feel wobbly after all that but I wouldn't consider you responsible at all, just an awful incident that you handled as best you could at the time.

 

[Red-1]

I would back you that you did a reasonable thing.

Sadly you can't own them all.

I hope your mare is OK.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Not your fault at all - definitely the responsibility of the owner, who was watching. I'm not surprised that you were terrified. I watched a colt jump into a field with an elderly gelding and try to chase him down. That was horrific and actually neither of them was seriously injured before they were separated by both owners doing their best to solve the problem.

I hope both you and your mare are ok.

 

[On the Hoof]

OMG what an awful situation. You did the best you could to protect yourself and your mare. The owner of the colt is the one at fault, but I understand why you are devastated. The poor colt! So glad that you are ok.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Thank you Red-1 - mare is just grand I think - has his hoof marks on her rump but he has her shod hoof marks on his chest if he is even still alive now. Walked her for awhile to let her settle as she was understandably very wound up and then got back on and rode her home, unusually she stood like a rock to let me dither about and scramble back on board - very calm and sensible hack back (unusual for her to be honest!.) thank God I think she is fine.

 

[Mule]

He might be ok. Sometimes they do come out of situations that look awful. I don't think you could have done anything different. You had to protect yourself.

 

[Nasicus]

Oh Jingle, that sound bloody horrendous and it's no wonder you're upset and shaken! An awful thing to be caught up in, but it is NOT YOUR FAULT.
A colt, kept in an unfenced/insecure field, adjacent to a road which people ride along regularly, that's just asking for trouble and I'm surprised something hadn't happened sooner. That is entirely on the owner.

I actually witnessed a very similar situation, whereby a young stallion was turned out into a field adjacent to mares (god knows what the owner was thinking), he promptly flung himself over the gate to get to them, got tangled up in it and pulverised a hindleg and punched a huge hole in his side, and promptly had to be shot. Awful, AWFUL thing to see, so can't imagine being directly involved in it. Glad to hear your mare is okay, and even gladder to hear you came away from it unscathed as like you say, people have died from similar situations!

 

[paddy555]

I have been in this situation several times and you did what you had to do for your mare and yourself. It is as simple as that. You can only hope the colt is OK. If you hadn't done this your mare could have got hurt and you especially could have got seriously hurt. You could be writing this saying you are in hospital or your mare is waiting for the vet and may have to be PTS from her injuries. Don't feel bad, you had no choice.
I had this years ago from a very difficult full grown stallion who lived on the moor with his mares. I had it (as did several others) from shetland stallions living on the common with their mares, they were very agressive and I got too scared to ride through them.
I had it again riding through a bridle path on my gelding. A very large entire pony came straight at us. It was very scary even though mine was a gelding. That one however met his match as my OH was riding behind on his stallion which went for the pony whilst I got out of the way.

Your case begs the question as to why the colt's owner did not come to your rescue and try to help.

 

[MrsMozart]

The colt wasn't your fault lass. No way.

I hope you and your mare are okay.

 

[scats]

What an awful situation, but you couldn’t have done anything else under the circumstances- you had to protect yourself and your mare.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Your case begs the question as to why the colt's owner did not come to your rescue and try to help

If you arent familiar with the part of the world I live in and in a lot of cases ( a certain section of our society but not all) have a total disregard for any animals well being as they are very replaceable after all but you can breed anything to produce more horses, dogs whatever for little or no cost) it is difficult to understand this attitude - If I got killed well that would have been bad luck on me, if my horse was killed then no big deal, if his horse is now dead even less of an issue as plenty more where that poor beast came from
The irony is I spend a lot of time and money trying to make life better for exactly this type of horse in spite of its owner - seems today I beat him so badly he panicked and killed himself most likely, not sure how I will come to terms with that.

 

[Mule]

Duplicate

 

[Mule]

If you arent familiar with the part of the world I live in and in a lot of cases ( a certain section of our society but not all) have a total disregard for any animals well being as they are very replaceable after all but you can breed anything to produce more horses, dogs whatever for little or no cost) it is difficult to understand this attitude - If I got killed well that would have been bad luck on me, if my horse was killed then no big deal, if his horse is now dead even less of an issue as plenty more where that poor beast came from
The irony is I spend a lot of time and money trying to make life better for exactly this type of horse in spite of its owner - seems today I beat him so badly he panicked and killed himself most likely, not sure how I will come to terms with that.

Could you or your oh just go down and ask the owners about the colt? It might be worse not knowing, especially if you are already imagining the worst outcome.

 

[J&S]

This is truly shocking, I feel your pain and misery. I have been on the receiving end of a stallion's fury, woke up in hospital! Time will soften the trauma of this dreadful happening. Stroke your mare and hug your husband .

 

[MDB]

Awful situatipn. But just think how would you have felt if it had been your own mare or yourself that was seriously injured?. Your first responsibility is to yourself and your own horse. You did 110% the right thing. I can totally understand why you are shaken up, but it could ended very differently if you had not responded as you did. Glad your mare is ok. For your own sake it is best not to dwell on what happened to the colt. Everyone on here would have reacted in the same manner as you. Big hugs.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Could you or your oh just go down and ask the owners about the colt? It might be worse not knowing, especially if you are already imagining the worst outcome.

I have decided I am going to go to the house tomorrow mule and see if the colt is still alive - if it is, but injured I am going to offer to take it - I have room here to keep a colt separate and get it either treated and gelded or humanely destroyed, either way I will sleep easier knowing I have done my best by it.

 

[Domirati]

You poor thing, sounds terrible. You are very honourable but please do not go on your own. This person sounds like someone who will be either violent or try and get money from you. You need a witness. Feel for you, it sounds a very traumatic incident.

 

[Cortez]

Honestly, what else could you have done? The fact it tried to jump the gate back in is nothing to do with you, it's not your fault or responsibility. Did the owner go after the colt after it was injured?

 

[Mule]

I can definitely envisage them offering to sell you the colt. At least you'll find out how he is. I'd second domerati's suggestion about bringing someone with you.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

thank you Domirati I appreciate your concern very much, but I know the eldest member of this family for many years and he will not harm me I have done him favours in the past, he owes me and he is old school, rough but right if you know what I mean? He will not be happy with the son and grandson's care of the stock . Also one of my sons is home tomorrow and he will come with me, Mr J and myself are both too elderly and incapable of instilling fear in anyone these days lol!

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Honestly, what else could you have done? The fact it tried to jump the gate back in is nothing to do with you, it's not your fault or responsibility. Did the owner go after the colt after it was injured?

No he didnt Cortez, he drove it and a few of the others off the roadside field through a gate to join another herd he has up there, and shut the gate on them (pointless that field is even more badly fenced and open than the one onto the lane) and then went back down to the yard and I saw him 5 minutes later as I turned for home, taking fodder out to some cows in another field further down the lane. going by past experience the colt will be left on the back field and whenever they next happen to go there it will be dead or it will be alive, that is as far as the concern and care will go I am just hoping the elder member of the family who is more approachable and actually does care but is overruled by the young bloods coming up - will persuade them to let me do something if it is still alive.

 

[paddy555]

If you arent familiar with the part of the world I live in and in a lot of cases ( a certain section of our society but not all) have a total disregard for any animals well being as they are very replaceable after all but you can breed anything to produce more horses, dogs whatever for little or no cost) it is difficult to understand this attitude - If I got killed well that would have been bad luck on me, if my horse was killed then no big deal, if his horse is now dead even less of an issue as plenty more where that poor beast came from
The irony is I spend a lot of time and money trying to make life better for exactly this type of horse in spite of its owner - seems today I beat him so badly he panicked and killed himself most likely, not sure how I will come to terms with that.

sorry I have no idea where you live. Presumably not the UK?

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Southern Ireland - just over the pond form you but could be a million miles as far as some aspects of horse care go.

sorry I have no idea where you live. Presumably not the UK?

 

[Tihamandturkey]

So sorry you are going through this - I live in Southern Ireland too so I know exactly what you mean with regard to some horse owners 😖 try not to stress yourself out too much - easier said than done of course - sending hugs your way x

 

[Hoof_Prints]

What a horrible experience, you did all you could to keep yourself, your horse and the colt safe. It was completely beyond your control with what happened with the colt and you did your best to resolve it quickly ! You were lucky to get away without serious harm to yourself and your horse, so I think you should be very pleased with your actions. If it helps, one of the horses at a previous yard jumped a metal gate, totally crumpled and bent it in all directions . The mare limped off on three (almost two) legs out of shock and was battered and swollen, but sound a few days later, sound enough to jump it again in fact, if the colt is injured then it's terrible, but better him than you or your horse.

 

[oldie48]

What a nightmare. You did what was required to keep yourself and your mare safe, what else could you have done? I hope the colt is OK but if he's not, then it's none of your doing but I completely understand why you feel the way you do and if you were able to brush the colt's welfare aside, then you would be a different person and the less for it. Take care of yourself.

 

[Patterdale]

Horses that belong to less-than-scrupulous-owners always come through these mishaps unscathed, I wouldn’t worry.

Sounds like you did the only thing you could, hope you’re ok.

 

[meleeka]

Echo everyone else. If it hadn’t have been the colt getting caught in that gate it would probably have been your mare if you had done nothing. The colt may have not been hurt but I’m sure you’d be feeling worse now if you’d have done nothing and your mare was now pts. There’s only one person to blame and that’s the idiot owner who didn’t bother to fence him in and the person that didn’t bother to try and catch him to save him from harm. It was absolutely not your fault even one little bit x

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Many thanks for your reassuring and sympathetic replies. After a sleepless night mulling it all over I do now accept I couldn't have done anything differently to get a better outcome in particular for the poor colt.

Bit of a nothing to report, but expected update. Went over to the house on my own this morning as son who was to accompany me was being just a little macho and over protective about it all, but understandably I guess. I couldn't trust him to remain calm and diplomatic that was certain. So only found the son in, who was the guy on the tractor yesterday, and he just said 'sure the colt was grand' and wouldn't be pushed any further, definitely did NOT want to discuss it with me. No mention of fencing that field, or making sure horses aren't in it again unfenced, or even an apology for me!

So I guess that I will never know the true outcome, as I am certainly not walking over their land looking for the animal, and just have to cross that route of my hacking. Havent ridden today and do feel a bit nervous but will venture out somewhere else tomorrow weather permitting. thanks again for taking the time to respond.