New horse, why do I feel disappointed?

Lydz13

Lydz13

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Hi, I think I know the answer to this one.. I just wondered what others thought?

I picked up my new horse today, I'd been to see her, knew that she had failed a vetting, had numerous conversations with various vets etc and have x-rays, she'll be consigned to happy hacker status for life, which is fine by me!

Up until this point, the old owner had been totally honest (I felt) and I get her home... She weaves.

Why has this upset me so much? It's a bit ridiculous really. I saw no sign of it on previous visits, so I am hoping it's a mild habit and it's the stress of moving to a new home that has brought it to light. Not being that experienced in buying & settling in horses, I'm hoping some of you might be able to offer some reassurance?

She will be turned out 24/7 and there are 3 other horses next door that she will be in with when settled. She can just about reach them over the fence and say hello so she isn't entirely on her own.

I had accepted the other problem, but was not prepared for weaving - which I've always found a bit heart breaking to watch despite knowing most horses aren't physically affected. Maybe I'm being a big baby?? :confused:
 
She may not have weaved at her other home as she felt relaxed. Give her a chance to settle in - it may disappear in a few weeks. Weavers are often nervous/stressy horses, so imagine how a new home may feel to her... Be nice to her and to yourself too - don't expect perfection immediately.

Ps. Even if she does still weave in a few weeks, its not the end of the world, and not something to worry about...x
 
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We used to keep our horses on a yard where one horse weaved... He competed at Bleinhem and Blair, won Intermediates, did Advanced, and pretty much always scored sub-30 dressage... None of the other horses picked up on it and he was always a cheerful soul to be around! Not the end of the world if she does, and she'll probably stop when she's a bit more settled down.
 
Dont worry too much, she will be a little stressed and should settle down. Besides its a stable vice so keeping hetr out with company will be the best thing for her
 
It might just be a temporary thing related to the stress of moving home. My horse started crib biting when I got him home a year ago, eventhough his old owner had assured me he had no stable vices. Within 4 - 5 days he stopped and he's never done it since. Fingers crossed your horse will soon settle in and the weaving will stop.
 
Don't worry too much - its probably just due to her being unsettled by the move and unsure of where she is.

My pony used to weave quite violently when I first got him. Now 2 years later I hardly ever see him do it. We moved yards in Jan and he started again for a few weeks when he felt a bit stressed, but has stopped again.

If she is living out you will have even less of an issue I'm sure. Just give her lots of love, get her into a routine straight away and i'm sure she will soon chill out. :)
 
yes don't be such a baby :p weaving isn't the end of the world ,its prob just because she's in a new home and may take a while for her to settle.
just try to get her in a good routine as soon as poss ,spend plenty time to get to know her and try to get her out the stable as much as poss

just give her time to settle and i'm sure she will be fine.
don't worry so much and just enjoy your new horse
good luck :)
 
angelish said:
yes don't be such a baby :p weaving isn't the end of the world ,its prob just because she's in a new home and may take a while for her to settle.
just try to get her in a good routine as soon as poss ,spend plenty time to get to know her and try to get her out the stable as much as poss

just give her time to settle and i'm sure she will be fine.
don't worry so much and just enjoy your new horse
good luck :)
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LOL :D yes I know, silly really of all the things to nit pick with. I spent a couple of months hunting, drove hundreds of miles to see her, ummed and ahhh'd, all the usual stuff people do... And then I just felt a bit gutted.

I suppose I had built it all up in my head... Took years for me to able to afford one and despite the issues I knew about, I wanted everything else to be perfect and I walked away from the yard just feeling a bit flat!

Thank you for the kind replies, I will stop feeling sorry for myself!! :D
 
I would phone the seller up straight away and email them so say that she is weaving and ask if she always did it. At least that way you have it on record that she did it form day one. I used to own a weaver , who would even weave in the field and use his field companion as something to weave along.

I would be seriously upset to get a horse home to find it weaved, there are plenty of horses around that don't weave
 
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I felt like this when I just got my current horse. I actually broke down in tears because my new horse kept barging out the stable door, when he seemed so polite when I went to see him. I think it's probably a fairly common thing for new owners or people who don't buy and sell regularly.

You see a horse being handled by someone who knows each quirk, in an environment that their used to. Consequently you don't see their flaws, so when you're suddenly hit in the face with them, it feels a bit overwhelming. You'll also be stressed - making the decision to buy a horse, dealing with moving and trying to settle them; it's an exhausting process. This makes every little molehill a mountain.

After a few days I found myself much happier again and able to deal with the problems. Give yourself and her a few days, and I'm sure the feeling will pass and you'll come to love her as much as I love my boy :)
 
As above - its probably her just settling in and being abit nervous. I don't know much about weaving but mine came with terrible manners - he'd try and drag me back to the field both ridden and inhand. He'd also refuse to leave the yard. What I'm trying to say is whilst there are many horses that don't weave, most will have some form of 'flaw'.

I think the main reason you're upset as it would feel like one thing after another. Correct me if I'm wrong!
 
Hiya dieseldog, yes have done this and so far... No response!!! I do understand that I have the right to return her for an undisclosed 'unsoundness' but I love everything else about the horse, I think I may have to lump it!

I am glad I am not the only one who finds it upsetting. It's not a comfortable habit to watch. She's also very sensitive to flies which i wasn't told, and the YO thinks I'm daft because I want to go out and buy a rug, mask and repellent, I got the 'what do wild horses do' response and all I can think is, she's not a wild horse.. And she's mine...

Errrr just a bit disappointed, wasn't quite how I had imagined it being!!
 
A weaver should be declared - in fact it is a reason to return the horse if the seller did not tell you. Most would have said, to cover themselves, "she may weave a bit when you get her home."

However, it can be something that they do all the time and it can drive you mad, or it is really is only temporary and just because it is a change of home. I had a mare that would weave when stressed/in a strange place/or a place she did not like. In her case it was an expression of being anxious and she would do it in the field occasionally.
 
LaurenM said:
As above - its probably her just settling in and being abit nervous. I don't know much about weaving but mine came with terrible manners - he'd try and drag me back to the field both ridden and inhand. He'd also refuse to leave the yard. What I'm trying to say is whilst there are many horses that don't weave, most will have some form of 'flaw'.

I think the main reason you're upset as it would feel like one thing after another. Correct me if I'm wrong!
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Yes you're probably right!
 
Lydz13 said:
was not prepared for weaving - which I've always found a bit heart breaking to watch despite knowing most horses aren't physically affected.
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Unfortunately severe weaving can effect a horse physically particularly if they shift the weight from foot to foot when doing so, but I'm not a great expert on this so someone more knowledgeable may be along soon.

I know how heartbreaking it is, I bought a foal a few years ago only to find he weaved when I got him. I took advice from many people including vet & a dealer and made the heart wrenching decision to return him as it would have caused problems long term.

It was pointed out to me that it could be due to the stress of the move etc and he may stop it in time but I have since found out he still does it 6 years later :(

However I'm sure that's not always the case and yours may stop once she has settled in but I would definately go back to the vendor as it is a vice which legally has to be declared.
 
sonjafoers said:
Unfortunately severe weaving can effect a horse physically particularly if they shift the weight from foot to foot when doing so, but I'm not a great expert on this so someone more knowledgeable may be along soon.

I know how heartbreaking it is, I bought a foal a few years ago only to find he weaved when I got him. I took advice from many people including vet & a dealer and made the heart wrenching decision to return him as it would have caused problems long term.

It was pointed out to me that it could be due to the stress of the move etc and he may stop it in time but I have since found out he still does it 6 years later :(

However I'm sure that's not always the case and yours may stop once she has settled in but I would definately go back to the vendor as it is a vice which legally has to be declared.
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Any suggestions as to what I should say? I've got a text in the last couple of minutes and it reads;

"No as never had her in box for long, and the box she was in was open fronted"

I spotted her weaving 2 minutes after she got into the field!!!!
 
I'm going to go against the grain a bit here.
I would say contact the old owner and ask if she has ever done it before and possibly its just a temporary thing due to the stress of moving home. A few days and a set routine from the beginning may help her ease into her new life and surroundings.
However if this goes on for more then a week I would consider returning her. I can deal with other vices as collars, lots of hay, antacids and sometimes medicine usually work a treat. They are vices that sometimes are habit...and thanks to the likes of collars can help break the habit. Otherwise medial treatments may help.
However weaving I would consider one of the worst vices a horse can have. I puts HUGE amount of unnecessary stress and strain on joints. It was in an aticle before that weaving is equivalent to the horse walking 10-20 miles a day (I can try root it out for you if you want). This will cause alot of wear and tear on the joints and can cut their riding and hacking life quite short. Added to this that weaving is an extremely difficult habit to break!
She also failed her vetting - I missed out on that thread but what did she fail on?
I wish you the best of luck as I know this must be heartbreaking. There is nothing worse then thinking you found a perfect horse and then something ruins it! Please keep us updated with her progress and I have my fingers crossed this is purely a temporary thing!
 
sonjafoers said:
However I'm sure that's not always the case and yours may stop once she has settled in but I would definately go back to the vendor as it is a vice which legally has to be declared.
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I was always told it was a ''buyer beware'' situation and they only had to legally tell you if you asked. Otherwise they do not have to disclose it to you?
 
I think it all depends what you want to do, do you want to keep her regardless or do you feel it may be best to return her?

I can't offer much advice because although I had a fight to return my foal I did eventually get my money back with the intervention of a mutual 3rd party ( very influential dealer).

My vet recommended returning mine as he was so young & the strain to his joints over time would have almost certainly meant lameness in later life. I also contacted the BHS for advice but as I'm not a member they couldn't really help, but they did say as it's a vice which legally should be disclosed I could take legal action against the vendor. They also said I must inform my insurance company if I decided to keep him.

It's difficult because if you think you may want to return her don't leave it too long but on the flip side it may disappear but it could take a while for her to settle by which time it's too late to return her.

I'm sorry you have such a difficult decision to make :(
 
Like everyone else has said it is proberly because she is stressed which is why she is doing it. My boy was a weaver - brought him as one - and he done BD and BS with no problem so its not some thing I would stay away from! I know it must be disappointing to see that she does this as theres been a few times ive got a horse home after viewing and they have done one thing or another but you must remember that they are animals and they all take stress in different ways! The main thing that bothered me the most was that your yard owner said about her having a fly mask etc - shes yours so its up to you what you do! Mine all have fly rugs etc and yes in the wild they have to deal with it but I dont see why they should when their pets and theres stuff out there to help with it! Im sure it will all be fine in the end :)
 
My horse started SEVERE crib biting when I got her, literally gnawed every beam and I had to replace it all!
She also began running around her stable, going bonkers.
She also acquired some weird lump on her nostril that my previous yard owner was convinced was stress related.

Two weeks later, the crib biting stopped completely, she didn't ever run around the stable and the lump disappeared.

Two and a half years later (including moving yards together), she has not crib bitten at all, not run around the stable again nor got any 'stress' lumps!

chin up!
 
ashlingm said:
I was always told it was a ''buyer beware'' situation and they only had to legally tell you if you asked. Otherwise they do not have to disclose it to you?
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You may be right ashlingm but the BHS did advise me it's a vice which legally should be declared which is why I had the option to sue. I didn't go down that route so I may have subsequently found out their info was incorrect!
 
ashlingm said:
I was always told it was a ''buyer beware'' situation and they only had to legally tell you if you asked. Otherwise they do not have to disclose it to you?
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No they have a legal requirement to declare because it constitutes an unsoundness rather than 'vice' due to the effects.

I didn't put a thread up about her vetting because I've joined since.

Please don't think I'm beyond mental but...

She has a fracture to her front right coffin bone joint. She is currently showing 1/10 lame on that leg when in a circle, but otherwise movement is good. I have the x-rays, I had her vet talk to my vet, she's had all sorts of tests done and she has also been completely rested for 2 months.

When I saw her I had a really good look round her. When on the right rein, it appears she is a bit stiff, and she 'head bobs' about 1 in 15 steps at trot on lunge (I realise she shouldn't have been lunged - wasn't my call though) but otherwise nothing. I could see it because of all the conversations but my friend who is more experienced than me (and I didn't tell on purpose to see if she picked up what I had missed) couldn't see it on the left rein and took a while to notice it on right. Not that my friend is infallible, she's not, but I'm trying to describe how light it is.

Because of this she would not pass a vetting now. My farrier is coming out to do some remedial work on her feet, and my vet is confident that with a SLOW return to work over the next 6 months, she will be fine as a light happy hacker, which is all I want.

She's a lovely looking animal, and her temperament is fab, even with my 3 kids running round her, she stands still and listens to her handler :)

I don't want to compete, I just want the occasional hack and for some reason this horse really struck a cord with me when we clapped eyes on each other. I've been around a lot of horses, I've met young, old, good, naughty, ill, hyped etc but this horse has done something to me!! I know I could have bought a sound/healthy one and I cannot explain my actions..... :rolleyes:

Anyway... Now she's with me LOL and after all of that, I find she weaves!! Grrr. Not going to help the horse recover if it turns out to be a persistant habit..
 
I think you may just have to sit down and weigh up the pro and cons with her. Personality wise she sounds lovely and placid, I know how hard it can be to get something you trust especially around kids!

But if it was me I would hand her back. She weaves, she has a fracture and shes sensitive to flies. Each problem is going to cost money and as we know with horses this can be quite expensive (especially with the remedial shoeing....did your farrier give you a time line of how long this may go on for?). There are hundreds of horses out there looking for homes who have little or no problems and ready to hack away happily with you from day one.

I really hope I don't sound harsh (and I know I do!!) but I think writing up a pros vs cons with her may be the best idea. And try to rule your head over your heart. I have been in this position before so I know exactly what your going through...its a horrible place to be! But whatever happens you decide I wish you the best of luck :D
 
I would give it longer than a week or so to be honest. I bought my mare last August and was warned that she may weave a bit as she had done when the previous owner bought her, but that it would gradually tail off over the course of a few months. In fact it was winter before she stopped. It is very sad to see but did not seem to do her any harm and although I take the point about wear and tear on joints, I would guess this is less than, say, banging the stable door continuosly (another horse on our yard does if there are people about and he is not getting attention).

The only thing that would worry me is that your horse has a pre-existing foreleg lameness which will not be helped by weaving. I would say get her in with the horses she is going to be out with asap, get a regular routine going, make sure she is fed at the same time as the others if you can, and above all, keep calm! As soon as she gets the hang of where she is and who her mates are, it should stop, or at least lessen.

Best of luck!
 
I think if you are going to give her longer than a week you need to put something in writing (not text) to the previous owner as otherwise you may not have a leg to stand on. Just cover all your options for now whilst you take time to think it through.

How long have you had her already?
 
Thank you for the advice - sounding harsh? No you're just saying what I'm thinking. I will think about it very hard.

My farrier is very good bless him. I don't know what anyone else's cost, but the girl who I bought from her farrier was £108.00 per full set of bar shoes every 5 weeks, mine is £60.00... And he is very confident about the fracture. It isn't money that's the problem here really (money is always a problem, I just mean that I realise horses are expensive anyway) it's the mare's happiness I'm truly bothered about!

My friend put a fly mask on her and she settled down quite a bit, so what I'm basically hoping is with a full fly rug, neck and all, she'll be happier, the weaving hopefully will settle down once she's familiarised herself, and I can carry on with my original game plan, hopefully ending up with most people's nightmare of a happy plodder that I can hug and escape the kids with :D

She's only 7, she was sold to me because the original owner upon finding out about the fracture just kinda gave up.. She wants an event horse and this girl won't be that. All said both my vet and my farrier said they have jumped/hunted horses who have recovered from this condition on good ground (I'm not jump shaped, more pudding shaped)

After being imported from Ireland, she landed in a dealer and the girl who sold her to me has only had her since December... Poor horse.

Have definitely thought with my heart and I know that. Question is can we cope? Would it be fair on her to return her? Is it fair on me not to return her? I don't know :( and it wasn't supposed to be quite this bad...
 
You bought her knowing about the fracture so you are obviously prepared to deal with that, and tbh I don't think the fly sensitivity is too much of a problem. Like you say she will be rugged, masked etc.

Taking those 2 issues out of the equation you have to think about the weaving which is something you weren't prepared for. Would you have bought her if you knew she weaved previously?

What you need to do is get some more info about weaving and the problems it can cause and look at the worst case scenario. Then ask yourself if you could cope with the worry and heartache if these problems materialised.
 
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