New horse a mistake

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Mithras

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So Hoffy, would you not consider working with this horse, bearing in mind a lot of horses take time to settle and it is probably very fresh, getting it into a routine, riding it regularly, maybe getting a friend to help or some lessons? Or is there something else other than the spooking and difficulty to catch that is putting you off it?
 
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JM07

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Horse 14, yes its the one that wouldnt be caught. I have only just managed to find a saddle to fit him so he hasnt been ridden. He doesnt have feed, only been lunged and brought in and out etc to get into a routine. Have not had a so called confidence giver horse before that was so spooky all the time.

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Maybe if you try giving it a bit of feed when you catch it, or when you bring it in, it will be more likely to want to be near you? I wouldn't expect my horse to be willingly bounding upto the gate for hard work if there wasn't something in it for him (i.e. a bucket of chaff and a few nuts!).

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it hasnt even been in ridden work..just occasionally lunged
 
ester

ester

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Horse 14, yes its the one that wouldnt be caught. I have only just managed to find a saddle to fit him so he hasnt been ridden. He doesnt have feed, only been lunged and brought in and out etc to get into a routine. Have not had a so called confidence giver horse before that was so spooky all the time.

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Maybe if you try giving it a bit of feed when you catch it, or when you bring it in, it will be more likely to want to be near you? I wouldn't expect my horse to be willingly bounding upto the gate for hard work if there wasn't something in it for him (i.e. a bucket of chaff and a few nuts!).

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I don't expect mine to bound up to the gate but he is expected to stand still!- though he occasionally he doesn't gets growled at and then stands (I wouldn't stand for a growling me but it works for us!)
 
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teddyt

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They didnt ride it because it was sold without tack and they have been waiting for it to be fitted - a perfectly normal occurance I think.

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Yes, i agree. But the horse doesnt know that
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Good luck OP
 
AmyMay

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don't expect mine to bound up to the gate but he is expected to stand still!-

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I agree. And it was only when I went to remove a headcollar he was initially turned out in that I suddenly realised that the one question I had never asked was 'how is he to catch?'..........
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Ranyhyn

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OP. if you get a refund I have a lovely horse for sale, I rode it the day after he came, he can be caught by anyone and guess what, he'll come with tack too!!
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Only joking but you do need a different horse I think!!
 
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Scheherezade

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Really? I go to the gate, call him, he comes up (dawdling) he gets a pat, headcollar on. Then I take him out the gate, give him a couple of nuts or take him to the stable where he has hay, exercise, then a bit of feed as a reward.

He used to takes literally HOURS to catch, now he comes to his name and is quiet as a lamb, but he has a naturally quiet personality.
 
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competitiondiva

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oh sorry didn't see that post!!! I wouldn't have expected a suitable for novice 14 year old to be having such insecurity issues after 4 weeks of settling in, but then you never know what's happened to a horse in the past that can trigger reactions do you??????
 
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ecrozier

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oofadoofa, glad I'm not the only one who has done a search on old posts!
OP, from posts you made long before you rode this horse it sounds to me like you have made a mistake....whether it be the horse's fault or yours or the vendor, whatever. You haven't sounded happy since the day he turned up!

TBH, bearing in mind he failed the vet, I'm not sure whether that might be why the old owner is avoiding your call? Perhaps they did know something was up, hence happy to reduce price to get him sold, and taken fact you went against vet's advice as a bit of a bonus! Yes, they should answer, but if they are a private seller I'm not sure you'd be able to prove much?

If I were you I'd persevere if he was perfect when you tried him, but if you actively dislike him (vile?!) then maybe best to just look at getting something differsnt, you could go the route of part ex with a reputable dealer or something?
 
Kenzo

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I've known some mat hatters before, to the point they can't be ridden but if worked and handled the right way for a few weeks with a strict routine you can turn them around and they will portray themselves as a quiet steady horse (or at least someone may get that impression when viewing it) but give them a week off or even a day and boom! right back to square one again, your looking at something that needs a bullet. So it can be easy for a person to end up with something like this, a dangerous horse can its good days, just like a good one can have its bad, I think people forget this all to often when buying horses and presume that the horse must of been doped or dehydrated etc...when in fact its just different management.

So the only thing you can do now is crack on, work the horse everyday but making sure you spend some quality time together, if the horse is a total loon or was a genuine saint and fit for a novice, then doing this will only benefit either of the two personalities.

4 weeks is not very long some horses to adjust, some horses benefit from moving around a lot, others that have stopped in the same pad for a long time then suddenly move...well you'd think you've turned their world upside down, so give it a few months.

Give the horse some routine, let it know what he's going to expect, this will give the hores some reassurance, lunge it...if its got that much energy to be throwing its self around, burn it off....9/10 it usually works! Be calm and confident around him, don't get on him until you feel he's chilled, may take 20 minutes just walking him around after you have lunged him, put patience will pay off, then get on and just walk round for 10 minutes, if it spooks (providing your in a safe like a school) keep your cool, what the worst that can happen if your in the school? so re-assure yourself with this thought, the horse can't get anywhere if you come off etc, have someone around to watch you and tell you what to do, give your mind something to think about and focus on like a I duno...a dressage test, so you focus on riding movements rather then waiting for the horse to spook at something.

If you get yourself in a fluster and feel on edge around him expecting his next spook, then the horse will pick up on it, stick some music on while you ride in the school, ad some background noise, this often helps horses to relax and not be listening out for things, or have someone ride in the school/field with you, this will also help your horse to relax being the presance of another equine close by.
 
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When I got my 'bombproof' cob he was a complete nightmare for the first month. I could catch him, but he was bargy being led, barged out of his stable, reared up at people, kept shooting forwards out hacking and was just generally difficult. I think the main problem was that he was stressed about losing his fieldmate (they'd been together, just the two of them, for 3 yrs). I tried contacting the seller the first couple of weeks with no response - found out afterwards she'd gone on holiday.

A year on he's absolutely fine. I rode him yesterday in strong wind after a week off work and he didn't spook once, even when a tractor started up behind the hedge in the field next door.

I know there are some really dodgy sellers out there - but I do think it's a bit harsh to judge him on the first ride.
 
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ecrozier

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teddyt think what oofadoofa means is that there sounds like there has just not been a gelling of personalities from the start....does to me sound like a bit of a dodgy vendor from reading previous posts (won't detail as you can all have a look if interested) but that maybe there were a fair number of warning signs.....

Hoffy, could you get an experienced friend to ride a few times, see what they think, and then if necessary sell? If not, sure someone on here would help if you say where you are?
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KatB

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teddyt, exactly. This forum seems to label every seller as "dodgy" as soon as someone claims the horse isnt as sold. It may be the case, and the buyer may have done nothing wrong, but often there are other factors at play.

Kitsune, in answer to the "Surely they brought the horse at some stage so will know how it reacts" response, I brought my last horse as a nervous wreck 3yr old, and couldnt get on him for 3weeks.

I sold him as a super safe sane allrounder, which he is. However, was that bad of me because of how he was when i'd brought him 4yrs earlier?!! I had never put him in a situation where he would be moved, not ridden for a while, and then sat on by a stranger, so if the new owners had decided to do that, I couldnt guarantee how he'd behave, as I didnt KNOW
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Hippona

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Ok....my horse was sold as a 'novice' ride- I wasnt a novice but had lost my confidence a bit .....

....I couldnt catch the bugger at first, but thats because he had been kept in because of lack of grazing- so when I bought him and turned him out he went way-hay....see ya!

He is exceptionally well schooled and fab in the school.....so in that sense yes he is a novice ride...he can do the moves for sure
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BUT out hacking he is NOT a novice ride...not because he is strong or naughty, just very sharp and a bit lacking in confidence (even though he's an old git) so he does spook/startle and can get easily wound up.....

I have taken the time and trouble to sort out a diet that suits, give him a routine that suits him, not me and generally get to know him and his ways.

Now....he comes to call, waits for me by the gate- can be hacked out all over in company and on his own.....and is a star.....people think he's a quiet horse but actually...no way is he a novice ride, I just know how to handle him and perhaps thats all you need to work out......
 
Penny Less

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Dont know why Im still reading this, competition diva a few threads up Ive said the horse is 14! 1. Horse was not being caught for 10 days, yes Ive done all the things you do to catch him.2. He is not brought in and worked hard, he has not been worked and is soft so has 5 mins on lunge,. not every day.
3. He did not come with any tack and have been waiting for saddler to come up with a saddle.
4 Did not wait 4 weeks to contact owners, tried to contact
a couple of days after to see if they could give me any special catching tips.
Ok. finito. End of thread thanks
 
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Skippydo

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I have taken the time and trouble to sort out a diet that suits, give him a routine that suits him, not me and generally get to know him and his ways.


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I think the OP REALLY needs to take advice from you peeps that obviously have shed loads more expereince than me, I was lucky my saint only took a couple of months to settle in and that he vertually told me what he was expecting and looking for from me. On the other hand nutty chestnut, bless the old boy taught me so much because he was/is such a nutter and took a year to settle completely.
I'm getting the feeling from looking at other threads that you've never really bonded with him. Imagine being a kid at a new school and nobody likes or wants to speak to you, that's how he must be feeling, unloved and unwanted.
Give to him and he will give to you.
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marmalade76

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Horse 14, yes its the one that wouldnt be caught. I have only just managed to find a saddle to fit him so he hasnt been ridden. He doesnt have feed, only been lunged and brought in and out etc to get into a routine. Have not had a so called confidence giver horse before that was so spooky all the time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe if you try giving it a bit of feed when you catch it, or when you bring it in, it will be more likely to want to be near you? I wouldn't expect my horse to be willingly bounding upto the gate for hard work if there wasn't something in it for him (i.e. a bucket of chaff and a few nuts!).

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I totally agree with this. I always reward my horse after he has been ridden, even if it is just a bit of chaff and a few nuts in a bucket.
 
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Nando

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QR - Sorry to say Hoffy, but if you show the same lack of patience with the new horse as you have to people trying to help on here (and in my opinion asking pretty normal questions on the whole) then it's no wander you two aren't getting along.

Seems to me you have taken a negative attitude from day 1 with this horse and haven't given him any chance.

No matter how 'bombproof' a horse 'may' be, they are still living breathing animals that don't understand what is happening when they are moved into new surroundings, of course they are going to be slightly unsettled, as has been rightly pointed out they are not machines.

If you haven't got the patience and understanding to try and bond with the poor thing and give him a chance then I suggest you find a home for him that can.
 
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