Potato!
Well-Known Member
Well moved to a livery yard about a month ago with my boy, Since then he had become quite pushy when being led to and from the field, now that he is turned out with others he has improved. However he seems to have become attached to a little mare that he is stabled next to (even though she is not in the field with him) and every time she goes out he goes nuts for about 10-15 minutes fly bucking and rearing in the doorway and generally being an idiot. He is being schooled not by my YO/trainer and im hacking him over the weekends. And apart from the mare incident he seems to have settled.
Now my horse has a bad attitude and is generally pushy with a pig headed attitude which we are working on and I have been working with since I bought him 15 or so months ago. I have been hacking him in company and alone and hunting him with no problems and he is generally very well behaved when ridden, When schooling is where I was having the issue hence my trainer is schooling him on for me till he is up and running and I will continue with lessons.
Yesterday however I whilst I was grooming him in his stable getting ready to go for a hack the mare was turned out. He went a little mad but once told off he seemed to settle a little. When I went to tack him up he disappeared into the back of the stable when I walked in with the bridle (he does tend to do this normally as I believe he previously had a bad experience with his bridle being put on). When I went to get on he tensed up and I thought he was going to buck and wouldnt stand still which is odd for him so was walking round and thought id keep him busy whilst waiting for the others. He bounced and jogged up the lane a little but then he normally settles by the time he gets to the top of the lane. I joked that he is normally better behaved when out hunting.
Then completely out of character he kicked out at another horse so I told him off and took him to the back of the ride where he was getting would up and wouldnt walk forward. So we were getting left behind so I had told everyone to go head as he normally settles if he is alone ( has seen other horses disappearing off into the distance before with no issues) we got to the top of the hill and round the bends and into a straight bit of road and he stopped. I gave him a little leg and told him to get on, nothing so I gave him a smack and told him to get on again and he took off, head up I tried to turn him into the hedge but it didnt work and the red mist came down and he was going like the clappers, I shouted to the others to get out of the way as he galloped past them and down a hill on the road, I just stayed with him and didnt fight him as he would have gone down as it was quite a slippy road. After about half a mile he stared slowing down but he leapt onto a bank and I managed to stop him before he jumped the hedge. Once he stopped I stood still for a few minutes to get myself together debating wether to get off and lead him home or ride back when one of the girls on her pony came to check on us, and I decided to ride back with her next to us. He walked back like nothing had happened at all. I put him away untacked him without saying a word and walked away, Then burst into tears.
He has never done anything like that before and I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but he was would up before he went out but I never expected him to do anything like that. No I love him to bits but he has a pig headed attitude whereas all the other horse on the yard have a willing attitude even if they dont want to do something but his attitude is well if you want me to do that then make me He challenges everything. Now Im going to rule out pain as I have contacted the back person, will get his teeth looked at and saddle checked to rule out a pain issue as this seems to be out of character, but I cant help thinking its a temper tantrum that just seems to escalate since the mare went out and he just wound himself up to the point that it just blew his brain.
Sorry its long , but Ive got bacon sarnies for anyone who got this far.
Now my horse has a bad attitude and is generally pushy with a pig headed attitude which we are working on and I have been working with since I bought him 15 or so months ago. I have been hacking him in company and alone and hunting him with no problems and he is generally very well behaved when ridden, When schooling is where I was having the issue hence my trainer is schooling him on for me till he is up and running and I will continue with lessons.
Yesterday however I whilst I was grooming him in his stable getting ready to go for a hack the mare was turned out. He went a little mad but once told off he seemed to settle a little. When I went to tack him up he disappeared into the back of the stable when I walked in with the bridle (he does tend to do this normally as I believe he previously had a bad experience with his bridle being put on). When I went to get on he tensed up and I thought he was going to buck and wouldnt stand still which is odd for him so was walking round and thought id keep him busy whilst waiting for the others. He bounced and jogged up the lane a little but then he normally settles by the time he gets to the top of the lane. I joked that he is normally better behaved when out hunting.
Then completely out of character he kicked out at another horse so I told him off and took him to the back of the ride where he was getting would up and wouldnt walk forward. So we were getting left behind so I had told everyone to go head as he normally settles if he is alone ( has seen other horses disappearing off into the distance before with no issues) we got to the top of the hill and round the bends and into a straight bit of road and he stopped. I gave him a little leg and told him to get on, nothing so I gave him a smack and told him to get on again and he took off, head up I tried to turn him into the hedge but it didnt work and the red mist came down and he was going like the clappers, I shouted to the others to get out of the way as he galloped past them and down a hill on the road, I just stayed with him and didnt fight him as he would have gone down as it was quite a slippy road. After about half a mile he stared slowing down but he leapt onto a bank and I managed to stop him before he jumped the hedge. Once he stopped I stood still for a few minutes to get myself together debating wether to get off and lead him home or ride back when one of the girls on her pony came to check on us, and I decided to ride back with her next to us. He walked back like nothing had happened at all. I put him away untacked him without saying a word and walked away, Then burst into tears.
He has never done anything like that before and I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but he was would up before he went out but I never expected him to do anything like that. No I love him to bits but he has a pig headed attitude whereas all the other horse on the yard have a willing attitude even if they dont want to do something but his attitude is well if you want me to do that then make me He challenges everything. Now Im going to rule out pain as I have contacted the back person, will get his teeth looked at and saddle checked to rule out a pain issue as this seems to be out of character, but I cant help thinking its a temper tantrum that just seems to escalate since the mare went out and he just wound himself up to the point that it just blew his brain.
Sorry its long , but Ive got bacon sarnies for anyone who got this far.