Need some advice!

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charly48

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Hi

Basically about a year ago I started sharing an 9 year old ex-racehorse. He had spent most his life in racing and needed a lot of reschooling so I knew it would be a bit of a challenge.

When I tried him out (in the school and jumping) he was really well-behaved and at that time was being ridden by his owner and another sharer. Unfortunately he went lame soon after i started sharing him and needed a couple if months off. The other sharer left during that time.

We brought him back into work and let's just say he was a bit of a handful! He was prone to rushing, would hold his head vertically in the air, fall in and would try to gallop off at full speed, particularly when cantering. An instructor at the yard said he seemed to be tight in the base of his neck so I had a few lessons where we worked on relaxing and stretching him.

He gradually improved and began to start working in a round outline and generally carrying his head lower. In the last month however, a lot of his old problems have re-surfaced and he seems to be getting worse.

I asked his owner if his issues with his head could be to do with his teeth and to my shock, she said that he has a problem with his teeth but can't afford to do anything about it at the moment!

This really upset me, as I hate the thought him being in pain, and I offered to split the bill and contact a good equine dentist that I have used before (it be £17.50 each). She was quite rude and said that she would sort it out because it was her horse. I was fine with this and was still willing to pay half. The conversation ended with her saying she didn't have the money at the moment and would sort it out when she did. I also know that she has stopped riding at the moment due to lack of time, which means he is very fizzy when I ride! She has been advertising for another sharer for the last month but with no success so far.

I really don't know what to do- I'm not really enjoying riding him at the moment and am worried I am starting to lose my confidence. I don't like the thought of riding him when he is probably in pain but there doesn't seem to be anything I can do until she has the money and I don't know when that will be. His canter is uncontrollable at times- he just puts his head down and blindly runs off. I have been trying to work on my riding position but it is hard to know what the real issue is until he has his teeth checked and is being ridden more regularly.
 
oh also whats he like when you actually approach him with the bridle and whats he like taking the Bit?

as some race horses use to have the tounge strapped and the bit forced if you look in some of their mouths they have scars my friends horse has this and he sounds much like urs and he also bucks alot but he also has more issue IE his bach and hocks.
 
i would not be riding him if she has admitted he needs his teeth doing as this could cause more resentment and behaviour problems if he associates being ridden with pain if you really think he is in pain with his mouth
i had an ex racehorse who did the same and he would just stick his head up in the air and would not walk even in the school i would just fight him in the end he would start napping and spinning and bouncing on the spot threatening to go up after he had his teeth done he improved. for the sake of £40 it needs to be done she shouldnt have the horse if she cant afford his up keep whats worse is you have offered to pay or pay half and she refused....sounds like she has her priorities wrong!!
hope your ok hun you dont want to lose your confidence
 
So he needs re-schooling, she doesn't ride herself, she has two sharers who pay to ride and wont spent £17.50 on his teeth.

What a joke, but the poor horse.

Basically she is lucky to have one sharer, never mind two, prepared to pay to school someone elses horse. Around here she would have to pay you to do it.

Any work you are doing at the moment is a waste of time, its likely to make him worse not better.

I would be putting my foot down. Tell her you are not prepared to pay to share a horse which is currently unridable. You will be happy to put the next ** weeks share money to pay for the dentist. Tell her she wont get another sharer while he is behaving like he is.

If she doesn't agree then I would leave her to it. But somehow I think she will, she cant afford to loose you.
 
@marley and danni, that's a good idea, I was thinking of doing that. It would be interesting to see what he's like without a bit in his mouth. I'll ask the owner if I can try him in a hackamore too. He is ok to bridle- sometimes he puts his head up when i put the bridle in front of his face and sometimes he takes ages to open his mouth, even when i use my finger to encourage him.

@VJFREEDOM yeah I don't want him to start to associating being ridden with being in pain, that will take a long time to undo. I really want to just phone the dentist I know and book an appointment but I know she'll be annoyed and I have to respect that it is her horse. I was quite angry as she didn't even say thank you to my offer of paying half (I'd pay more if necessary!), which I thought she would've appreciated if money is tight at the moment. She's only 17/18 so I'm not sure if her or her parents fund the horse but I'm sure her parents could help her out? I've got no idea how long he's had a problem with his teeth, she only mentioned it to me a couple of weeks ago.

It's a real shame cos he's a lovely horse, very sweet-natured and tries hard for the right person. I took him to a dressage competition in April and he was so good- even got a rosette!
 
@Rockysmum it is a joke!

I'm currently the only sharer and I go up two days a week. She does ride but hasn't been recently due to a lack of time and new job. She hasn't said this to me herself but I know from talking to other people at the yard.

He's a relatively fit thoroughbred so needs more than 2 days a week exercise! Obviously with the present teeth situation, lunging exercise rather than ridden.

I pay £60 a month to share him so she could use that money? I'm sure if we sat down and talked about it we could work something out but she's not very communicative.

At the end of the day it's the horse I feel sorry for, he's the one that's going to suffer. You're right, everything I'm doing at the moment is a waste of time and it's just going to make it impossible for her to find another sharer.
 
charly48 said:
@Rockysmum it is a joke!

I pay £60 a month to share him so she could use that money? I'm sure if we sat down and talked about it we could work something out but she's not very communicative.

QUOTE]

If she wont talk to you then write it, an email, private message on Facebook or even a letter.

At the moment you are paying £60 a month for nothing. If she has to fork out £17.50 to keep your help and £60 she might listen.

Good luck :D If not there are usually plenty of far more caring and reasonable people around who would be happy for your help and the extra cash.
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Definitely agree with Rockysmum. Tell her you aren't paying for a horse you can't safely ride. Down here I feel lucky because I've got someone riding and having lessons on my mare who needs schooling, and she isn't paying anything apart from the cost of her lessons and the mare is on full livery. Sounds like your owner is taking advantage of your nice nature!

Be polite but be firm and insist you're not paying any more until his teeth are done and if that's not acceptable tell her you'll go elsewhere.

That poor poor horse :(:(:(
 
I agree with everyone else - lunging would be a great idea for now until you can ride him again. Does the yard have a horse walker by any chance? Thats another way of getting him to exercise a bit without being ridden.

And you really need to put your foot down with this girl - this is the horse's welfare here and if she cannot afford to ensure her horse is healthy she should not own a horse. Tell her that unless she gets this problem sorted, or allows you to go direct to the dentist then you will be terminating the share because at the moment you are paying for nothing. Just because it is her horse doesnt mean that you dont get a say, you are paying good money here so she needs to appreciate that.

I think she sounds like an immature little teenager that shouldnt really have a horse, but I'm sure if you make it clear that you are on the verge on leaving the share because of this then she will wake up and sort his teeth out. She wont want to lose the money, so if you tell her that you will leave on xxx date if it is not sorted by then, she will find the money from somewhere. I would maybe even report this issue to the yard manager/yard owner because this really is not fair on the horse, and no yard owner/manager is likely to stand by and watch as a horse's welfare is suffering. They might give her the kick up the butt that she needs!

Good luck!
 
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