Some advice please

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animalmania

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My 14 yr old gelding was on loan for just over a year. The loaner didn't say much but indicated he was turned out with a horse that was a bit of a bully.
when he came back off loan he had a huge haematoma on his neck with teeth marks and a few teeth marks over his body.
hes fine now six mths after being home but the problem is this..
i cannot turn him out in the herd anymore. He was always out with geldings only but I can't even turn him out with geldings only now. He's taken to bullying before he gets bullied. He's antagonistic and attack before he thinks he's going to get attacked. He will go in a field with one of two that he knows well, but not horses he doesn't know. He also has started to put his ears back in the manage when passing a horse he doesn't recognise..
whats going on here ?
He's always been a really lovely friendly horse but he's changed and I don't know what to do to make him more friendly when turned out.
 
He has been beat about a bit and as you say has learned to stand up for himself. Not really a huge lot you can do i'm afraid but keep making sure he is more focused on you when passing another horse. When another horse is coming near ask for a gear change or a leg yield or something?
 
I'm more concerned about his turn out. I may have to turn him out with a couple of tinies. Would that make a difference if he feels he's top dog or horse !!
 
My horse is top horse, my minis are smart enough to know that they don't challenge him even though my little black gelding would try his luck with any other horse. I introduced them with my big boy on a lunge line and muzzle on. I let the wee ones go free and he obv went a bit gaga so i lunged him and then let him sniff when he had calmed. Then when he started grazing i let him off the lead and kept the muzzle on for a while until i was sure he wasn't going to assert himself. He only ever needs to when coming in cause he wants his mare in front and the gelding behind, but the small gleding got this in literally one ear movement and there has never been a problem since
 
What I thought I would do is move him from where he is now and put him in my other field with my two tinies and try him to see if he's more confident and less aggressive with them.
 
Its always worth a try. But do it as i said i did, and if he is a kicker at all to any other horse i would say don't attempt it. My boy has never lifted his leg in his life.
 
equi said:
Its always worth a try. But do it as i said i did, and if he is a kicker at all to any other horse i would say don't attempt it. My boy has never lifted his leg in his life.
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He's never kicked another horse. He's just started this ears back and flapping his head about at the other horse a bit. Some mouth opening and girly squealing that's it, nothing drastic really. He doesn't have back shoes on either.
 
My gelding got a bit like that after being out with another bully, he was only 4 and its like he thinks its normal now. I would put him out with something calm and put a grazing muzzle on him so he can't bite. He will hopefully lose the habit.
 
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