nasty horse or not??

annunziata

annunziata

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Okay here goes do any of you think there are horses out there that just do not want to be ridden or do you think there is always an underlying issue.

My horse and I have done really well together,he is quirky but that is who he is....he however has stopped letting me get on and when I go I am getting a violent reaction, rearing bucking. My first reaction is it is pain related and we are off the the vets on Monday. But in talking to people who knew him before they all say he is jsut nasty and cant be bothered to do any work at all......So have you ever known a horse that just did not want to be ridden???
 
You're doing the right thing. He needs checked out to rule pain out of the equation. Don't let anyone else make you feel stupid.

Until you know what's going on give your horse the benefit of the doubt.

Terri
 
If he was fine before and it's just started now, the chances are it's pain related.

Nearly every 'nasty' horse i've met has turned out to have some pain issues somewhere. Bad behaviour is their only form of communication sometimes
 
Sure, there re some horses for whom a ridden career is just not an option.

However, your's sounds like it has a problem, so the best course of action is definitely the vet.
 
I know a pony who was fine being leaned on, great to lunge, but could be backed.

He broke 2 wooden gates leaving horse shaped holes when he had a roller put on, he was fine for a minute or do until he realised seething was around him, then panicked and ran... Took a day to get roller of his back!

It was considered too dangerous, so he's now a family pet/field ornament.

He hadn't had a bad start in life and still lives with the family who bred him, was well handled and cared for and still is.

Who knows he may have got used to it eventually, but there's only so many gates a pony can destroy before he causes himself or someone else a serious injury.
 
"No horse is born bad". I agree with this, whether it's pain, fear or bad/cruel handling, the horse can only make his feelings known by reacting more and more until someone takes the trouble to find out why.

You are doing the right thing taking him to the vet. Could be anything, but when my mare gradually got more reluctant to ride, then "silly" about being tacked up and getting more and more difficult to shoe we had her checked out and she had bone spavin in both hocks. She had steroid injections and all the "bad" behaviour vanished.

Hope you get to the bottom of it.
 
Thank you guys. He was aweful to handle when I got him two years ago. You could not get in him safely, so I did not ride for ages we built up a bond and worked on the ground first. Now he is a donkey and a gem to handle. We do his carrot sticking for fun (join up) and he plays football and all sorts. He has always been spooky and tricky but in the last 2-3 weeks we have upped the ridden work (prelim level to novice, so asking for more bend throught the hocks and for him to carry himself) and we have having so violent tantrums (or that is what we first thought) after the 9 consecutive rear on Monday (bonks inc) I got off. My instructor said it was not safe for me to ride him on my own as he is 17hh and could really hurt me if I came off. I have spoken to the vet obviously and we are taking him in for a xray and other stuff(well I am dropping him off and they will do their stuff)

When you get on he flinches away (never done this) and his tail is going round like a helecopter (someone said that this is temper?!) his tail swishing has happened before I am just so desperate for an answer before I give up properly on him as I cant ride a horse thate rears like he does
 
3 months ago and it is a bates with interchangable gullets. he has had his back done and his teeth done in the last month just find it all so upsetting and confusing
 
When it is a change in behaviour, as you describe, I would do as you are - vet investigation. It definitely sounds as if it could be pain related.
 
Tammytoo said:
Tail swishing is stress related and rearing is him yelling he wants you off his back, probably because it hurts. Kissing spine comes to mind.
Click to expand...

See this is exactly what I think hence going in. Everytime you up the work or make it harder he throws a tantrum, I have never wanted the vets to find something wrong with him horse before but this time I am desperate and clutching at straws now as to why he has changed so dramatically and quickly. He also seems a cold backed?!?! Again not normal for him at all :(
 
Have you worked him on the ground with the saddle on to see if he has the same reaction? Maybe saddle is pinching somewhere? Does he react when being rugged, groomed?
 
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