Tapir
Well-Known Member
HI everyone. I advertised a horse of mine on the project horses web site last year. He was a biter and a serious one, no small nips but really going for people and knocking them off their feet with the force of his attack. On contacting his old owner I was told that I must have taught him to do it, not sure it's possible to teach a horse to attack other people in the two months I'd had him (at the time he hadn't actually bitten me). His old owner obviously knew about this behaviour and chose not to tell me.
I lost £2000 on his sale price and much, much more that I spent on blood tests, physio, saddle fitters, dentists etc. I was really at my wits end with him and spent a lot of my time in tears. Fortunately, a lovely lady took him on who said that even if she couldn't resolve his problem she had enough land that he could stay permanently anyway.
I am amazed at the people who have suggested that some of these horses should either just be sold as normal horses with no mention of their problems, or sent to auction. Do you really believe that that is a better option that passing them on to someone who know all their quirks and vices? That is what my horse's old owner did to me and I cannot say on a public forum what I think of her!
FWIW I have been riding for over 20 years, worked with TB and arab youngstock and racehorses, and just broken youngsters and have never had a problem that I couldn't resolve before. Perhaps some of you think that I should have persevered, but why continue with a horse that clearly wasn't happy and was making my life miserable? Surely it was better to admit there was a problem and that he would be better off with someone else?
I lost £2000 on his sale price and much, much more that I spent on blood tests, physio, saddle fitters, dentists etc. I was really at my wits end with him and spent a lot of my time in tears. Fortunately, a lovely lady took him on who said that even if she couldn't resolve his problem she had enough land that he could stay permanently anyway.
I am amazed at the people who have suggested that some of these horses should either just be sold as normal horses with no mention of their problems, or sent to auction. Do you really believe that that is a better option that passing them on to someone who know all their quirks and vices? That is what my horse's old owner did to me and I cannot say on a public forum what I think of her!
FWIW I have been riding for over 20 years, worked with TB and arab youngstock and racehorses, and just broken youngsters and have never had a problem that I couldn't resolve before. Perhaps some of you think that I should have persevered, but why continue with a horse that clearly wasn't happy and was making my life miserable? Surely it was better to admit there was a problem and that he would be better off with someone else?
