Not sure if I have bought the right horse

This could be wildly irrelevant but I'm going to put it out there anyway! 🙂

I'm the sort of person who is 'good in a crisis'. Whatever life throws at me I'll keep going and keep going until the crisis has passed. It's often not until several weeks or even months later, after life has returned to normal that I will absolutely crash and burn mentally, and often physically too.

I wonder if your lad has been holding on to so much tension from all the changes in his life, and he's held on to it and held on to it until he simply can't any more. It's got to come out at some point and perhaps now, knowing that life has settled and he isn't being moved on again, he feels safe to let all the tension or emotion out.

Or it could be that he is anticipating and waiting for changes to come again. I don't think we really know exactly how their minds, emotions and instincts really work.

I'm sure he'll settle down again soon once he realises that he isn't going anywhere and you aren't giving up on him. 🙂
 
Glad to hear you are keeping him, sometimes these difficult ones get passed aound and just get more and more unsettled by life and it's so sad for them. I bought mine from the breeder but she had loaned him out and he had passed between several different homes and travelled the length and breadth of Wales to different yards and different expectations of work before he arrived with me, he was a real handful but I felt I had to keep him as he had been through so much in his 5 years I don't think he knew if he was going to spend a few days in a new home or a few months. I am sure with time yours will realise he has a more permenant home and he will be fine.
 
indie1282 said:
Cut all feed out and limit the grass. Work him plenty 7 days a week twice a day if you can. You dont need to ride him in to the ground but try and give him some routine and get his brain thinking.
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Who has time to ride 7 days a week, twice a day? :oops: That’s just putting so much stress on the OP
 
Pearlsasinger said:
And ime, the Welsh reaction to being over-tired is to be even more bolshy!
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Not only that but they end up physically worse off. Horses need rest days now and then same as any other athlete.
I don't think quick minded horses need knackering physically, repeatedly, I think they need stimulating and interesting work of any kind where they can learn how to give the correct answers to questions posed. That way you can teach them how to think in a useful way. and it doesn't have to be long sessions either :)
 
Summit said:
Who has time to ride 7 days a week, twice a day? :oops: That’s just putting so much stress on the OP
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A lot of people could manage it if they really wanted too - it doesn't have to be for long. If I was not feeling confident riding a particular horse I would try to ride it every day, even if its 15 mins. For me the more I ride the happier I feel.

But - that's only a suggestion, the OP doesn't need to take my advice if they dont wish to.
 
milliepops said:
Not only that but they end up physically worse off. Horses need rest days now and then same as any other athlete.
I don't think quick minded horses need knackering physically, repeatedly, I think they need stimulating and interesting work of any kind where they can learn how to give the correct answers to questions posed. That way you can teach them how to think in a useful way. and it doesn't have to be long sessions either :)
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I did say that the OP doesnt need to ride him in to the ground - 15 mins would be sufficient to keep him in a routine and hopefully would increase their confidence in small steps.
 
NooNoo59 said:
He is a rockbury. Grand sire was danaway tango also has some thorneyside and nebo
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mine was by Nebo magic and I was 30 years younger than you are at the time. Never, ever, ever again. He was a total nightmare. Very sweet horse but a nightmare. All the things you described. I kept him until he was PTS at 27 but he was a nightmare to ride, to box, and to do most other things with. He could do it if he wanted, he was perfectly capable but much of the time he simply didn't bother to engage his brain. He was a very beautiful horse and came to me at 5. His problem wasn't feed or grass it was simply him being him. By chance I met a welsh breeder who had the most lovely sec d's who would do anything. I asked why hers were different and was told with mine it was the breeding. I have no doubt that was correct.
When I gave mine what he really wanted in life ie a donkey to look after him and retirement at a very early age he was the happiest of horses.
 
indie1282 said:
A lot of people could manage it if they really wanted too
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Perhaps if they are 15 years old and don’t work , no children, no housework, no partner etc etc and as for twice a day...you’d have to have nothing else in your life :rolleyes:
 
Summit said:
Perhaps if they are 15 years old and don’t work , no children, no housework, no partner etc etc and as for twice a day...you’d have to have nothing else in your life :rolleyes:
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Not sure why your rolling your eyes - there are a lot of people that ride 2 or 3 horses a day...so I guess your saying that those people have nothing else in their life?

I'm an adult with a full time job, a partner, i do the housework and i can ride 2 horses a day. And I still have time for a life...😉
 
Summit said:
Perhaps if they are 15 years old and don’t work , no children, no housework, no partner etc etc and as for twice a day...you’d have to have nothing else in your life :rolleyes:
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I have to say I can ride/work horse about 5 times a week, I work and also have an elderly father and a husband who works very long hours and needs some attention at weekends! I think he will get enough work most of the time and I have back up with my professional rider if needed.
 
find a good western trainer and start some western ground handling exercises - worked a treat with a fiery Exmoor, there's no violence or sticks involved just pressure and release exercises - think like a pony stuff just based on Western techniques, you might be pleasantly surprised, there is a register of Western trainers on the web somewhere
 
Once he is off the balancer/ lots of grass take him out short trips for lessons at first, then some dressage when he is used to lessons in company.
The only Thorneyside stallion I knew had the loveliest temperament ever. I hope yours turns out just the same once he is settled.
 
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