Problem Horse - success stories please!

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morgan4eva

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Have a lovely problem horse -knew all about him when I bought him 6 months ago. Has a SJ problem and gets really really stressed and then panics. Has been going well but today he was terrible for no real reason. Can anyone give me some stories about horses they know that have come good with patience and time. Sorry self indulgent but need some cheering up
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yes: slightly different, but a little 13.2hh pony that was TERRIFIED of jumping, wouldnt go near poles, and if he did would gallop at the fence then dump you in the bottom of it! so with ALOT of time and patience we worked on building up his confidence, it took me about 3 years ish maybe a little less, i sold him 1 1/2 years ago, he has never looked back to those days- jumps anything now, so you can do it but it does take time, and this pony was 12 when i got him so older aswell!!
good luck
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Although very different problem I had a little mare who chronically reared. (originally it wasnt her fault - back problem - but then it got into a habit) It took me 9 months to stop her rearing but I was patient because I loved her and she eventually stopped. Probably not helpful but what I'm trying to say is that it will turn out alright in the end if you put the time in.
 
Well, I have a few that may cheer you up....
Moo cow (the coloured) she had been totally written off as ''un-riadable'' her breeder sold her as a brood mare with a letter saying she must never be ridden. After being very unsucessfully broken in and dropping every one who sat on her.

Nezbit (the bay) I got him for meat money as his owner couldnt get him off her yard, never mind jumping ect.

Jayson (the chestnut) he wasnt a propper problem horse, but had his quirks when he came, and I have now found out from his old owner that a very good pro (olympic rider) couldnt get him over a x.c fence schooling after his first ode with her- hense why he was sent to be sold!

Cibelle (big black mare) meat money again, she was the same as nez- but really did NOT jump- couldnt even get over white lines on the road.

So as long as they are not nasty, just miss-understood and worried,with patience they really will come good!!!!
Sometimes it may feel like you take 2 steps forward to 3 back, but keep at it, it will happen
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Some piccies now they are good
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Lots of moo, nez and jay-
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=20534&id=1328596338

Cib is at the bottom on the right-
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=3379&id=1328596338
 
I bought sj for my daughter lovely to handle but very nervous.She only sj never schooled.She wouldnt walk anywhere in the school on the roads jiggy jogged all the time .Galloped instead of cantered didnt like our school and felt like she was losing her balance.After a really intensive 3 weeks of schooling and hacking, she hacks on her own which she has never done , walks on the roads and now does a collect canter .She understands verbal commands which helps because she panics if you dont have very gentle hands.She can cope with some leg aids without bucking and rearing another huge improvement. Mounting was a nightmare she used to run away as you mounted today she stood still the first time ever.She used to drip with sweat from anxiety which has stopped.Patience kindness and being very calm with lots of rewards has made a enormous difference.I did wonder if we had made a mistake but wouldnt part with her now.She had several homes before us and was just misunderstood. Her previous loaner started her sj and did a great job but we have linked up all the rest of the jigsaw.Its took 6 months for her to really settle and I had to change yards because she hated her stable.Hope you make steady progress i feel we have really turned a corner.
 
Redwings Pony- did everything at gallop or on 2 legs
Got eliminated at 1st fence at every comp and very sticky.
Wouldnt even go near an xc fence!
2 Years on this!
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The most honest pony i know!!
Just perservere and as i learnt shouting gets you nowhere!
Good luck and youll be having fun in no time
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I bought my horse Leo from the website Project Horses as he had major saddling/bucking/rearing issues. I used Parelli to retrain him and he is now eventing at Intro level. Very proud of him and his achievements.
 
Sorry to hear that you are having trouble, its SO frustrating. My check list for stressed horses is BACK, is there a problem? If they are suddenly doing more work they can get tight and tense. Saddle, does it fit perfectly? Teeth, when were they last checked? After all this expense, if you can still afford to go to a show(!) don't enter anything, just go and let your horse see everything ad if behaving well, do the practice jump, if that goes well, enter the clear round, use it as a schooling excercise and build up your horses confidence. At the first sign of stress, circle and wait until horse chilled, start again. Some sort of pain is usually the cause of stress and bad behaviour, after which they learn that they can be very naughty, then you may need to enlist some help - natural horsemanship or parelli can give you the tools for sorting this out. There are also some excelent calmers around - I don't know if I'm allowed to reccomend on this site, but if you use one each time you go out having done the above check list you may find things a lot easier! Good Luck!
 
I bought my cob at about 5 months on his way to Reading market. He couldn't be handled unless trapped in a stable (you couldn't touch him in the field). He was terrified of headcollars, if he heard the sound of a buckle he'd take off. He couldn't be led, he'd turn to face you then back away.
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I spent about four months just taking him feed and gradually getting him used to being touched. Another few months of getting a headcollar on - 9 times out of ten he'd disappear (often with the headcollar following him as I threw it!
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). I'd but the nose piece over a bucket so he put his nose in and then, while he was eating, gradually raise the headpiece (praying that it didn't make a sound!) then quietly buckle it up, hold him for a few minutes after he'd finished eating and then take it off (quietly!)

He was 18 months before he could cope with a farrier, wasn't cut til two (hence the huge neck!) and I didn't back him until well into his fourth year.

Now? We're 7 years on and got our first BD points this weekend. He loves everyone and is a joy to own. He still has his quirks - hates his front legs being washed or clipped and is extremely stubborn!
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It's so hard when theyre difficult but patience will win the day providing there are no physical problems as well.

Good luck!
 
Juno was a nightmare to even ride when I started with her back in october 08. For the first 4 months she couldn't keep her front legs on the ground. When she did she then went in to rodeo mode.
We got through this and started playing BSJA in feb this year.
First few shows were horrible. Warm ups were back to rodeo and rearing then when we did get in the ring she spooked at shied at everything including the course builder.
In her last 5 comps she has run BN double clear gaining 2 wins, 2 seconds and a third and has £156 act, £78 notional on her card.
We still have silly spooks but they are getting much less and i can generally ride through them now
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Another 6 months and she will be awesome
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Thanks to everybody -I feel positive again. Back and teeth were done when I first got him - there was a problem in the neck and he has definitely improved since then. He is so beautiful and has so much quality I would never have afforded him without his problems - goodness knows what happened originally to make him like he is but he's an Irish TB that moves beautifully and yet appeared in England with no papers 3 years ago! Who knows. Thanks everybody for your positive stories.
 
bought a pony from Beeston horsemarket as he was about to go onto the meat wagon.
Very very nice pony probably bred in the purple for showing. Had a temper on him like you wouldnt believe. Very quirky lad, and i think some numpty had gotten hold of him and attempted to beat him into submission with a yard brush For the first few years wouldnt trust him one tiny bit. within the first two months he had: Dislocated my shoulder when he picked my up by my elbow and shook me, kicked mum so hard in the stomach she was in hospital for a week as there was internal bleeding, bitten my father so hard that he required stitches, terrified my friend (who had more then 30 years of dealing with problem horses under her belt) when she went to skip out his stable round him and took a yard brush in with her to tidy up, that sent him balistic and he realy came for her feet, teeth and everything. She vaulted the door to get away from him.

Anyway within 2 or so years, with careful handling he had come right enough that i trusted him enough to compete him and have him in public without him attacking someone.

12 years after i first got him this is him now:
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and i can honestly say i trust him 100% in all situations. He is a saint with kids now, as bomb proof as your ever going to get a horse to be. saint whilst ridden, brilliant confidence giver and jumps like a stag.
 
mine was horrible when i first got him - wouldnt jump anything - would run out at a tiny x pole. We think that one of his previous owners let him get away with blue murder. Lots of hard work and tantrums later we seem to be getting somewhere.
 
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