Run over by a horse- how to handle from now on?

Shadowdancing

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 January 2016
Messages
505
Location
Newcastle
Visit site
So last night as I got my horse out of the field her field mate, a 15.2hh+ black and white cob started trotting towards us and literally came straight through the electric fencing gate and over the top of me without pausing, despite my spotting that she wasn't slowing down and growling at her as loud as I could. I hit the deck flat on my back and looked up at her belly as she trampled over my foot and away, taking my horse with her (the fence made a rotten crackling noise as it fell spooking both I think). I picked myself up slowly as another owner coming round the corner was asking if I was OK. Today I feel like I have whiplash and my poor foot is black and blue- but it could have been worse!

The owner of the yard has offered to move this horse back to the other mares but I know this will cause upset. As you may remember my horse had to be split from another mare, the most dominant member of the previous herd, due to excessive attachment, and the owner of this cob moved her over to join mine as she felt that her horse was being a bit bullied by this horse too. My horse takes or leaves the cob- the cob is the reverse. There are other horses in the fields all around them but still she wants to cling to mine.

The horse is a rescue case rehomed from a charity and has clearly not had the best start in life.

I am very reluctant to be too hard on her but I am thinking my only answer is to take a whip and use it sharp and firm if she tries again- and wear my hat of course even though it can make my horse reluctant to come to me as she senses work...

Any other suggestions?

**Edit to add** I'm not inexperienced by any means but this is the first time I have ever been completely bull dozed by a horse! Knocked aside yes. Foot trampled many times. But straight over me... nope!!
 
Last edited:

paddi22

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 December 2010
Messages
6,232
Visit site
i wouldn't be keen to stay in the same field as that cob until it has manners trained into it. We have had a few rescue cobs at times and they literally just tank over you when they want to at times. had a dreadful one here that was luckily only 13.2 and it sounds awful but there were times i had to batter her back with whips and scary stuff to get her away, and even then she will still just plough through you when she wanted to, so it's definitely not a case of giving it a little tap to keep it back with some of them. I had to absolutely go ballistic and really push her back to get her to respect any kind of space around me (and im usually a believer of the gentle groundwork training methods!)

It tooks weeks of very very firm and hard handling to get even basic manners into her. Even when she respected personal space she would still tank through gates and electric fencing to get where she wanted. Hopefully the one in your field isn't like that! But i wouldn't advise doing it alone as a horse that will tank over a person really needs a lot of work.
 

Equine_Dream

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 February 2015
Messages
973
Visit site
Oh my gosh you poor thing! If moving this horse into another paddock isn't an option then definitly take extra precausions bringing in. Wear your hat, take a whip but also make sure you have someone else with you.
 

skint1

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 February 2010
Messages
5,306
Visit site
That must have been terrifying for you. I can completely understand why you don't want to make a fuss under the circumstances but honestly, I wouldn't want to share a field with a horse like that. Hope you can reach a satisfactory conclusion
 

Shadowdancing

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 January 2016
Messages
505
Location
Newcastle
Visit site
Honestly very concerned about it as I've known a few bolshy cobs as you mention paddi and they can literally be just tanks... I would hate to cause more disruption after I had to ask for a move last time and am wondering about throwing all back in together again as my horse seems much happier now I am back from my two week holiday. But that was a nasty moment yesterday, probably one of my nastiest ever, and I'm just thanking god those enormous hooves landed well away from my head!
 

chased by bees

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 June 2016
Messages
121
Location
scotland
Visit site
You need to put up a corral using electric tape at the gate. Pull your horse into the corral whilst putting the tape back up. Any bargy horse then immediately runs into an electric fence. We have this on all our fields. Any horse that comes in rude and bargy soon isn't after the first big zap.
 

Equi

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 October 2010
Messages
13,246
Visit site
What a horrible thing! Definitely wear a hat and bp too (a friend nearly died after being hit in the liver by a horse in the field) and yes a whip. If it comes to it the horse will get a stinking good crack with it!
 

Gingersmum

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 August 2010
Messages
312
Visit site
Is there a field you can use with solid rail fence and a metal gate ? The cob won't be able to barge through that and you/the owner can train some gate manners into it.
The trouble with electric tape, as the only fence, is that the electric is on a pulse so a quick horse can generally barge through without getting a zap.
 

LadySam

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 August 2016
Messages
855
Location
South. Very south.
Visit site
To me, looking at the why rather than just the what might bring you closer to solving this. Tough situation though, because the horse with the problem isn't yours and fixing it requires two people on the ground.

So, the cob hasn't had a great life and was bullied by another horse on this yard. It looks to me like she's latched onto your horse as a herd-bonding security thing. While the cob doubtless needs to learn some manners, based on what you've said I think she more urgently needs to learn that it's not the end of the world if your mare leaves the field without her.

(What does the cob do when your horse leaves? Does she stand at the fence watching her walk away? Does she call out?)

How you do that by yourself I don't know. Somebody to hold the cob, maybe distract her with some food while you collect your horse would be a start. Positive reinforcement but it needs to be consistent. It's a pain because it takes a lot of work as paddi22 mentioned, and it's not your responsibility.

Safety when you're on your own has to be paramount. Is there somewhere you could tie up the cob to keep it out of the way while you get your horse? It doesn't hurt to take a whip with you when you go to the field, I'm just a bit dubious as to how effective it will be with a big clompus of a horse with separation issues who is determined to stay near your horse.
 

honetpot

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2010
Messages
9,058
Location
Cambridgeshire
Visit site
I think your safety is more important than any horse and the YO with the owner has to find a solution. If its bonded too much with yours it needs to be split up and perhaps put with a calmer less dependant animal. I have mains electric and once they have a had a good zap they never go near, but they have to be taught and the voltage has to hurt. I would be making a safety box round the gate.
 

Fiona

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 July 2001
Messages
10,150
Location
N. Ireland
Visit site
Gracious OP you poor thing :( Gentle hugs x

I wouldn't think a stick would make any difference in that situation :(

I'd suggest Adorable Alice's blue alcathene pipe might be a better deterrent if she comes straight for you again, or else could you possibly move your horse into her way so she runs into him (and he might kick her).....

Is the cobs owner willing to work with you on her horses separation anxiety, if not I would suggest a field move is the only way forward...

Fiona
 

Tiddlypom

Carries on creakily
Joined
17 July 2013
Messages
22,235
Location
In between the Midlands and the North
Visit site
Electric gates are the work of the devil. They are bleddy dangerous and insecure things if there is more than one horse in the field.

Well maintained leccy fencing is fine, but IMHO a proper gate is a must. It is so much easier to move a single horse through one when there are others who would like to follow.

Gald you are relatively unscathed, OP.
 

smja

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 October 2013
Messages
1,310
Visit site
My little sister got run over by a horse barging out of our field a few years ago. Thankfully she was ok, just a bit shaken and nothing a cup of tea/chocolate biscuit couldn't sort. I'm very confident dealing with other horses, happy to fend off bolshy ones (as is she), but that's where I drew the line. YO arranged to move that horse as soon as he heard (he's very keen on everyone being safe) but if he hadn't, I would have been livid.

It's not your horse, you should not have to train it not to run over you. You don't say in your OP, but I would expect the horse's owner to be extremely apologetic and to come up with a suitable solution - for both you and them. The horse's background should not factor into your side of things - it doesn't matter if it started life in a ditch or a stable filled with spun gold, that behaviour is dangerous and you could have been seriously hurt.

I'm glad you're ok.
 

Amye

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 August 2015
Messages
1,182
Location
Leeds
Visit site
It's not your horse, you should not have to train it not to run over you. You don't say in your OP, but I would expect the horse's owner to be extremely apologetic and to come up with a suitable solution - for both you and them. The horse's background should not factor into your side of things - it doesn't matter if it started life in a ditch or a stable filled with spun gold, that behaviour is dangerous and you could have been seriously hurt.

I'm glad you're ok.

This ^^^^^

I am so glad to hear you're ok. That must have been so horrible and scary. This horse is not your responsibility and it is up the owner to put this right. The horse either needs to be moved or the owner needs to train it to have some manners. You could try taking a whip but like others have said, if the cob is determined it might not make any difference. We have a bloshy horse in our field (thank god not like that though!) and he will run up the gate when you open it and barge through because he wants to come in. I have waited around for him to be brought in before because I felt bad with him barging onto the yard but then I think, this horse is not my problem, I am not about to put myself into a dangerous situation trying to stop him if he won't go away with the whip, and i'm also not going to ruin my plans by hanging around for ages until he's brought in to get mine in.

If it got to your situation where a horse was running me over I would have a word with the owner or ask to move fields (or the other horse to move fields). The owner needs to sort something out, you may need to help, but you shouldn't be training another persons horse for them.

Hope you sort something out quickly.
 
Last edited:

3OldPonies

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 March 2013
Messages
1,599
Location
Berkshire
Visit site
Didn't want to read and run. Glad to hear you are OK after a fashion OP. I've been run over in the past and it's seriously not funny. From what you've said I think you, the cob's owner and the yard owner need to get together and work out a plan that will benefit everyone before you either get hurt again or anyone else gets hurt. The poor cob is probably desperate to stay with its friend, so you're going to have to work together in improving fencing, on the ground manners and reducing the cob's anxiety about being left. It won't be easy and it won't be a quick fix, but it has to be done and before the situation gets any more out of control. Long term sorting the problem rather than dodging it by moving the cob or your horse has to be the ultimate gain - for the benefit of the cob in its future life otherwise the poor thing could end up being one of those that goes from yard to yard and owner to owner before finally really hurting someone or coming to a life shortening end itself. I don't have a miracle cure for you, but I think you need to start with a bit of fence and gate re-arranging, if you can have the cob's owner there too when you get yours in to help you and bear witness to what is going on, and definitely take a stick and wear your hat and some gloves when you catch up and turn out.

Best of luck!
 

poiuytrewq

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2008
Messages
17,392
Location
Cotswolds
Visit site
I think your safety is more important than any horse and the YO with the owner has to find a solution. If its bonded too much with yours it needs to be split up and perhaps put with a calmer less dependant animal. I have mains electric and once they have a had a good zap they never go near, but they have to be taught and the voltage has to hurt. I would be making a safety box round the gate.
This! You could have been seriously injured. Sounds nasty anyway but consider where a broken leg and being laid up for weeks/months would leave you.
Hope your foots feeling better x
 

Shadowdancing

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 January 2016
Messages
505
Location
Newcastle
Visit site
Thanks everyone. I really don't want to feel like that irritating demanding livery here... but yes I'd rather these two were not alone together, even though the cob apparently followed my horse around when there were others in the field too. Going to see how they were tonight in case it's a one off as the staff will have been dealing with them this morning... then decide from there. Going armed tho. Unfortunately our mare population at the moment seems quite highly strung overall!!

ETA we have an electric fence sort of corral but given her behaviour and a few of your responses I might be best just forgetting that and using the metal gate as a barrier instead. And use it hard if required.
 
Last edited:

FlashyP

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 May 2010
Messages
129
Visit site
That is awful and so dangerous! Glad you aren't too badly hurt. If you can't swap fields then I would put a plastic bag on the end of a schooling whip, or use one of the horsemanship flags you can buy and take it to the field with you (plus hat). It'd help to desensitise your horse to it first, but even if not, maybe just concentrate on gaining some respect from the bolshy horse and don't worry about catching your horse for a day or two, just to get it solved and get safe. If she comes at you try your best to walk straight towards her, confident, shoulders square and send her away with your flag, wave it as much as is necessary to get her to yield away from you, if she comes back at you send her off consistently, however many times is necessary. You should have absolutely no guilty feelings about being 'hard' on her, horses don't see it like that at all, just watch how they communicate amongst themselves. She would never ever just run over another horse higher in the her hierarchy to her, if she tried that she would have got a good booting and would not try it again :)
 
Last edited:

Sugar_and_Spice

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 June 2012
Messages
5,245
Location
the North
Visit site
Unless the cob is whip shy even a sharp smack might not be enough to stop you getting trampled again in future. As a temporary measure I'd be taking a 2nd person to the field, catch both horses and lead to the gate, remove your horse and shut the gate, then let the other one go.
 

TheOldTrout

Completely Unknown Member
Joined
1 March 2015
Messages
11,815
Visit site
Have you had your injuries checked? At the very least get the whiplash looked at, otherwise it could come back to haunt you in years to come (voice of experience speaking).
 

Sparemare

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 September 2016
Messages
627
Visit site
Human safety comes before the mental wellbeing of this mare. As much as it's nice for her to have a field companion, if it were my yard I would have her on individual turnout with companions either side.
 

Pearlsasinger

Up in the clouds
Joined
20 February 2009
Messages
44,733
Location
W. Yorks
Visit site
Unless the cob is whip shy even a sharp smack might not be enough to stop you getting trampled again in future. As a temporary measure I'd be taking a 2nd person to the field, catch both horses and lead to the gate, remove your horse and shut the gate, then let the other one go.

This is exactly what I would do and it will have the added benefit, that eventually the made will learn that it is not the end of the world whenbshe is left behind.

Stay safe, OP!
 

cbmcts

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 April 2009
Messages
1,801
Visit site
If you HAVE to do this on your own ( you shouldn't but sometimes it works out like that ) one option might be to bring a bucket with you, catch the mare, feed her as you remove your horse. Distraction and being left might become a 'good' thing.

Ideally, her owner should be there with you to catch her up before you remove yours and then she can be brought in before or after yours, not together. I also wouldn't rely on a whip to stop a panicky horse that doesn't respect fencing or people...
 

Shadowdancing

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 January 2016
Messages
505
Location
Newcastle
Visit site
Thanks all for the replies. Today I'm not too bad, but there is a clicking in my neck that wasn't there before, although not painful, and now my tummy hurts for some random reason, but relatively unscathed I think.

As of today the yard owner has put the mare that mowed me down back in with the others and my girl is alone but next door to them. She doesn't seem to be taking this too badly. Owner of the mare said mine must have been chasing her but yard owner has been bulldozed by the same horse in the stable so is aware of what she's like. Things are quiet for now. Shame my horse is on her own but if that's what needs to happen I'll go with it.
 

Shadowdancing

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 January 2016
Messages
505
Location
Newcastle
Visit site
Friend has suggested her old gelding could go out with mine, he's very laid back and she's such a hyper diva, may be what she needs. He won't get attached to her, but she might to him. Still could be worth trying!
 

Mince Pie

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 June 2011
Messages
9,760
Visit site
It does sound like you are having a lot of turnout issues at the moment :( Has a new horse come into the yard or the routine changed at all? I'd stick with keeping your mare on her own if she can still touch/groom/interact with other horses over the fence.
 

abbijay

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 April 2011
Messages
1,384
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
Shadowdancing, please get yourself to your GP or Minor injuries! I got run over by my horse last July and it took me 4 weeks to go to the doctors. My horse weighs upwards of 800kg and was doing around 20-25mph when he flipped me over the water trough - it's like being hit by a car and you would get checked out if that ever happened to you! I've ended up with an ongoing neck/shoulder problem that still causes me pain 14 months later because I didn't go to a&e straight away where they could have diagnosed a partial subluxation of the sterno-clavicular joint (kind of dislocation of the collarbone) and got it back on track before it became a real issue.
Human safety has to come before anything else on a yard! Wear a hard hat, solid boots and if you want to carry a crop do so. And if you're not in direct sight from the yard or if no one else is about keep your mobile phone in your pocket. I am usually the last one on the yard so frequently do these things when my horse is out with others that I don't trust.
 
Top