People who don't understand what a 'youngster' implies..

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BEUnderTheInfluence

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I have recently bought a 4yr old full TB gelding and moved it onto a new yard.
Its just over a couple of weeks since we moved in, and being a nervous jumpy horse + only being 4 and a TB, you can expect him to behave as he does. Nothing boistrous or rude, he's incredibly polite and sensitive and very friendly but can sometimes hit a panic button or is a little jumpy and sharp.

Those people that have dealt with young Thoroughbreds, or any young horse for that matter appreciate this. I just take it in my stride as do most others. Its young, its a blood horse and its in a new place...its not gonna be ''dolly the cob''.

There is a family up there (mum dad, 5 kids, grandmas grandads, uncles aunties) who all come up together and have about 7 horses in a feild. They're sweet people and I think have the best intentions but it would be fair to say absolutley no clue. Their kids run about the yard sometimes driving a pony and trap into things....which is erm...interesting.

The other night mine was tied up where I usually tie him and there were lots of people about which he seemed very happy with. I was stood talking to this family who had all theirs tied near us, their toddler sat on one of the ponies, all lounging around the place and my horse swung his quaters into me. He is very aware of people and never gets into your own personal space so this made him jump as he hadn't seen me. He sort of startled himself and ran backwards a couple of steps and yanked not only the bailing twine but the metal tie ring out of the wall :o He immediatley stopped and I tied him up elsewhere, he'd just frightened himself.

I went to tie him up again today and one of the family members came round the corner and asked whether she should move her huge hairy cob (happily asleep) that was tied well away from him, I insisted that it was fine and he isn't bad with horses or people. I washed him off and as I came back from putting his tack away, I looked in absolute horror at what he'd done. He'd managed to get his lead rope wrapped around the top of his neck like a noose and was standing their all chilled out, blissfully unaware. As he turned his head as I approached very slowly the lead rein must have tightened and I don't blame him for startling and clattering backwards, thankfully it came loose as i got to him and I gave him a pat and retied him up. It was a small scare and I'm thankful he didn't really hit the panic button.

To my annoyance one of the people came round the corner and I explained what had happened, she looked at me and said " Did he kick her?!" :confused: I replied "No? Why would he do that?", this horse is incredibly friendly and very polite, he's not going to do anything to anyone and I had reitterated the fact many a time?!! The only two incidents with him have happened whilst these people are about, but they cannot comprehend that he is YOUNG and not a sleepy gypsy cob, so yeah...hes going to be a little sharper but he's a baby! The other night i was grooming him and he was shuffling a little looking at all the activity about which i didn't mind, and one of the guys from the family went "He needs a good slap on the arse to stay still"....I turned, smiled and replied curtly "I don't think that would help him stand still really..."

Its very frustrating to have people treat your horse like it some hyper, flesh eating maniac ready to explode because they just don't know how youngsters generally conduct themselves in new situations (IMO he's been foot perfect, no kicking, biting, rude behaviour...just some innocent scares!) Pffttt....bleh!
:rolleyes:

some piccies and lemonade for all you guys that stuck out my rant!
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Annnnd breathe :)

Some people don't get that they're young, and may therefore be more unpredicatable. My 3yr old was labelled insane by someone at 2yrs old because she went for a mad blast around the field for no reason other than she felt like going for a mad gallop. I know she's not insane though so I just ignored them.

You know he's normal so take a deep breath and ignore them when they say things like that. :)
 
I've a young one so know what you're saying, perhaps they will learn something from being around a young horse. I'd politely explain, the age and breed aspect.
My 2 year old is always getting herself into bother, and my 5 year old is a total pillock, but everyone knows they are young, and thankfully the two other people in my row of stables also have young horses.

Oh and your horse is gorgeous :D
 
He is a handsome lad, some people just don't understand horses full stop. I know plenty of older horses who would, and have, done exactly the same kind of thing as your youngster :)
 
My 6 year old was labelled as this at our new yard for the first day because he (wait for it...) decided to turn around while he was tied up a few times. DUN DUN DUN. He was in a new place so being nosey, thats all. Needless to say everyone has now realised hes a big softie :)
 
rlhnlk said:
Annnnd breathe :)

Some people don't get that they're young, and may therefore be more unpredicatable. My 3yr old was labelled insane by someone at 2yrs old because she went for a mad blast around the field for no reason other than she felt like going for a mad gallop. I know she's not insane though so I just ignored them.

You know he's normal so take a deep breath and ignore them when they say things like that. :)
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Mine would all be insane by that standard then!!!! They regularly have a mad dash around for no apparent reason and have done so for the past decade :)
 
Can you get a quiet corner where these idiots don't need to get involved. it is a pain when peeps have views on your horse, and they just have no idea!!!!
It is not only families with bombproof cobs, I had my boy next door to a big bossy mare, and every morning she was getting a net of hay just outside his stable, in his "space", there was a bit of normal behaviour, so I suggested his owner just threw a bit of hay in to him when she was feeding her mare, no.... she thought I should "make him behave", anyway the mare stuck her head inside his stable so he "bit her face" no scars, again I was told he was badly behaved!!!
Stupid lady got in to a stew because her mare would not load, the mare had not even left her stable, so I said "let me try". I took the mare round the yard, walk, halt, walk, and straight in the trailer, some people have no idea about the temperament of horses, they expect them to behave like little toy soldiers.
 
You left your 4yo who clearly doesn't tie up perfectly unattended whilst you went and put your tack away? Asking for an accident IMO. Perhaps they worry he'll hurt them or their children because you aren't keeping much of an eye on him?

Whilst I agree that not everyone understands youngsters (lord knows people on my yard think I'm mad for having a constant string of them as they don't see the appeal) I think if you own one it is your responsibility to try your hardest to avoid these situations if you are on a shared yard. Wandering off and leaving him tied up with a rope long enough to wrap round his neck isn't really ensuring his or anyone else's safety.

Apologies if I have misread the situation.
 
jesstickle said:
You left your 4yo who clearly doesn't tie up perfectly unattended whilst you went and put your tack away? Asking for an accident IMO. Perhaps they worry he'll hurt them or their children because you aren't keeping much of an eye on him?

Whilst I agree that not everyone understands youngsters (lord knows people on my yard think I'm mad for having a constant string of them as they don't see the appeal) I think if you own one it is your responsibility to try your hardest to avoid these situations if you are on a shared yard. Wandering off and leaving him tied up with a rope long enough to wrap round his neck isn't really ensuring his or anyone else's safety.

Apologies if I have misread the situation.
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i refrained from commenting as I agree with Jess. Sorry, but, if anything had happened near my horse my first question would be did anything happen to her?

I have a youngster and am on a private yard so perhaps don't experience such prejudices but he was difficult to tie up when he was younger and I would never have left him alone, he was always tied up with one of those tied up safety things. If I was on a livery yard I'd hate it if people assumed Mr V was crazy! He is a nutter in the field, but soon as his headcollars on he shows his old head on young shoulders side (kinda! haha)

also - No offence intended .. but the things that this family have said to you (imo) isnt enough to warrant the title of this thread?

anyway - lovely horse :D
 
In a way I have to agree re the rope, it should be short enough to prevent him getting his head under it, too many peeps have "freak" accidents, and it is always a risk to leave a horse on its own, no matter what age.
 
Kind of agree with comments re tie up, you can avoid a lot of accidents by expecting the unexpected. Really sympathise though as young horses are generally misunderstood on livery yards. Mine was 4 when we arrived at current yard and you would think she was the devil incarnate, there have been demands for electric taping her door, weave bars, bite bars yadder yadder. She will always have a bolshy vein but at 6 she is maturing beautifully and the staff all say how lovely she is to work with - that means way more than anything misguided owners with less than perfect animals themselves have said. Your boy is stunning btw :).
 
I was surprised when you remarked that you'd left your new horse tied up on a new yard while you went off to the tack room and tied with a rope long enough to entangle himself.

Just because he's 'only 4 and a full TB' doesn't mean he is expected to be jumpy and sharp when tied up. Tb's are just as trainable as 'Dolly the cob', but even a 'huge hairy cob' can be jumpy with a new owner and on a new yard.
His age and breed aren't really the issue, while he's feeling unsure in his new environment it might be prudent to stay near when he's tied, particularly on a busy yard.
 
When youve got people around in a busy yard, id have to say a youngster like the one you describe on his own tied up, for any length of time isnt a good idea, simply because they can get themselves into reactionary situations through lack of life experience.
I know that you know he's fine, but look at his reactions when he's got a fright, caused by himself, never mind the folks around who dont know youngsters
Young horses require greater responsibility imo and while you felt he was ok after pulling the ring out of the wall, in the environment you describe his reactions could have been very different if kids or other horses had been wandering around and he'd got another fright from something they did.
Who would have been at fault if he'd bombed off and hurt himself or others who were just around, them for being there or the horse that having been left alone, broke off,took fright and accidently hurt someone.
 
In the OPs defence, we dont know if the tackroom was right infront of the horse. She may only have been gone out of his sight for 15 seconds. That's all it takes for a horse to put his head under his rope whilst nosing about. And it mightn't have been a long dangly rope, either! I've seen horses do the rope-over-the-head thing on a lead rope tied so short you wouldn't have thought it possible :rolleyes: Some horses are just good at getting themselves into 'situations' no matter HOW careful you try to be.

OP: I have a homebred TBxWB 4 year old which sounds similar to your boy temperamentally. She's not got a bad bone in her body and is sweet and friendly, but is innately sharp, alert and naturally exuberant and at 16.3 can be quite a handful when she gets herself worked up and over excited. She could never be described as a 'novice' person's horse but with careful and thoughtful management and handling it is possble to keep her on a very busy livery yard safely enough. For example, I have never tied her in the main yard, only ever in the confines of her stable attached to a rubber tie. When I have her in the main yard with other horses around I have her held in-hand or held in-hand by an assistant whilst I deal with her (ie hosing off at the main tap.) Hopefully she'll mellow with age, but I'm not counting my chickens :D
 
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Turn it all into a positive - your new boy will get nicely childproof!! My 4 yo is currently in during the day just to give him life experiences. After a few months he is now absolutely fine with the YO's young son driving his pedal tractor and trailer up and down the yard, riding his scooter in the yard, dragging his slide into the middle of the yard for a play...the last few weeks he recently got a space hopper which did cause a few snorts the first few times he bounced up and down the yard and my boy now tries to chew and play with it...so turn it into a positive, your boy might be young but if he can learn to tolerate / accept all the goings on in your yard right at the beginning then it will be good grounding for future work / experiences.:)
 
chameleon said:
Turn it all into a positive - your new boy will get nicely childproof!! My 4 yo is currently in during the day just to give him life experiences. After a few months he is now absolutely fine with the YO's young son driving his pedal tractor and trailer up and down the yard, riding his scooter in the yard, dragging his slide into the middle of the yard for a play...the last few weeks he recently got a space hopper which did cause a few snorts the first few times he bounced up and down the yard and my boy now tries to chew and play with it...so turn it into a positive, your boy might be young but if he can learn to tolerate / accept all the goings on in your yard right at the beginning then it will be good grounding for future work / experiences.:)
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I think this is sound advice as long as hes supervised properly
 
We have 6 babies, mine are chilled because they are used to the 3 kids I have, all under 8, take your time. Bomb proof your baby with the help of these children, without the parents knowing.I tend to be quite shocked at the amount of horses which have no idea what small people are.
 
marydoll said:
I think this is sound advice as long as hes supervised properly
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...the horse or the child!!!:D:D

Have to say mine is always in the stable if he is in the yard - I don’t tend to tie him up outside his stable as its not something that is done on this yard - but it makes no difference to his education, he has a chain across his door and occasionally he may get a football roll into his stable; he is in a safe environment and after the initial shock he can investigate the offending item in his own time!!!:)
 
It depends on the circumstances tbh my 10yr old tb still does the same things when tied up as yours did. But he is on our own private yard and in a secure courtyard with gate shut. When at livery I wouldnt leave him tied outside to go any distance in casr he broke free & got on the road/ galloped off to the fields and hurt himself. But if it was in a small secure area like at home I wouldnt worry as hes not a danger to other horses and would leave him to nip in the tack room for a minute but not to disappear for 5 or so still.

Its just a matter of common sense and none of us have any idea of the exact scenario at your yard so couldnt judge whether you acted right or not. :)
 
chameleon said:
Turn it all into a positive - your new boy will get nicely childproof!! My 4 yo is currently in during the day just to give him life experiences. After a few months he is now absolutely fine with the YO's young son driving his pedal tractor and trailer up and down the yard, riding his scooter in the yard, dragging his slide into the middle of the yard for a play...the last few weeks he recently got a space hopper which did cause a few snorts the first few times he bounced up and down the yard and my boy now tries to chew and play with it...so turn it into a positive, your boy might be young but if he can learn to tolerate / accept all the goings on in your yard right at the beginning then it will be good grounding for future work / experiences.:)
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^^^this^^^^
My tb exracer was a 9yo when I got him (now 13), all the other liveries said he should be shot!! No exceptions were made, re. new yard, owner, was straight off the track to a riding school and up for sale for 2 years with no turnout! No wonder he went a bit loopy for a while! (well actually 2 years, until I brought him home!).

This is him now, conditioned to my 1yo.......


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.....although she recently got a bright pink, electric mini cabriolet (courtesy of daddy!) so in time they will have to get used to that too!!!

Oh yeah and the yellow stuff is fly repellent, he took a chunk out of his head a couple of weeks ago!
 
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