oh no! help with a youngster

[_daisy_]

Cant believe it. My friend has just rung me to tell me her OH has been put in hospital last night by her 2 yo.

Theyve just come back from holiday and fetched him from where he had been staying. He travelled well but when he took him to the field he saw some bulls in the next door field and stopped dead. OH asked him to walk forward but instead he reared up, lifted OH off the ground

(quite hard as he must be at least 16 1/2st and about 5'10) then lunged forward and smacked him in his head with his front hoof, splitting it open and knocking him out cold.

Thing is he hasnt been repremanded as the only person who was around apart from the unconscious OH was a friend who called the ambulance and put the 2yo in the field. Obviously the main thing was to get OH to hospital asap.

Doctor has said he is very lucky not to have smashed his skull in with the damage that has been done.

So what would you do to help stop him behaving like this. He has done this kind of thing twice before - last 2 times he has only just caught people and not caused any serious damage. Is it just babyness? or could it be an underlying problem?
Any info/advice would be very helpful

 

[exracemad]

Just wanted to say hope he gets better soon

 

[_daisy_]

thanks - i hope he makes a very swift recovery poor old lad!! (hell hate me for saying hes old!hahahaha)

 

[dingle12]

have they had a pressure halter on that could help or get a bridle on it, hope he gets better soon.

 

[_daisy_]

sorry forgot to say - the 2yo had a bridle on at the time!

Ive recommended her to get a rope halter and a 12 or 22ft training line so if he does it again she can get well out of his way - well that obviously when shes wearing her hat and gloves

 

[lisaward]

i know of someone that was killed by a stallion this way,only thing i'd do before i got help was always turn him out in a hard hat (well you wearing one i meant..)

 

[_daisy_]

yes they are certainly going to do this from now on. The thing is 98% of the time hes as good as gold and they have no problem with him - its just the odd 2% of the time when he can get like this. He has been cut so at least they arent having to control that behaviour aswell

 

[vicijp]

Chifney and right hook/blue pipe.

 

[JM07]

Agreed.. i love "mr blue-pipe"!

 

[_daisy_]

thats what I was wondering - chifney on a long long rope!
not arguing or anything but is it the right way to go with him? I understand he needs to be put in his place when he steps out of line (the blue pipe didnt hurt my horse and she learnt rather quickly what it was for and never had to use it again)

 

[_daisy_]

 

[vicijp]

A short rope is all thats needed, used properly they wont get that far up.
Blue pipes are grand, im sure its just the 'whizz' that shocks them.
If hes being colty then tap him lightly under the belly before he gets chance to do anything.

 

[_daisy_]

right - ill pass it on, sure theyll be able to find some blue pipe from somewhere

 

[mandy4727]

Glad to hear nothing serious but very worrying still the same. We have a few issues with our yearling/2 year old last year. She reared up and came down on my daughters head. No damage but a bad scrape. She now wears a hat whenever handling her, in fact we have instructions at the yard where all kids under 16 have to wear a hat whenever they are handling a horse/pony on the yard. We just persevered with handling her and leading her and kind of made our own pressure headcollar so horse knew it was wrong to rear in hand. Touching wood not had any issues at all this year with rearing at all even when first turning out after winter. You will get there in the end and it will all be worth it. And I hope your OH will soon be up and about.