What shall I do with my horse?

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Natashajade

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I brought a horse 2 months ago and thought he was perfect! He appeared to be everything I wanted and a docile little chap on ground and under saddle until recently where he decide that he's going to lock his neck and not let me control him in any way shape or form! He also bucked me off 2 days ago! I'm wondering whether to sell him? Would this be right? Would I get my old loan pony back? He's docile as anything but is also quite young but he's safe as houses in the 7 months I had him he didn't put a hoof wrong! What wold you do in this situation?
 
You can't sell a horse who potentially may injure someone through bucking etc. You as an owner, must firstly find out WHY he did this. You need to check his tack, teeth, back, hooves. If all is okay you will need an instructor to say if you are inadvertently doing something wrong. After that, you can consider your options.
 
It's been 2 months. You need to get someone out who is an experienced owner/instructor to assess what is happening. It could be pain due to a physical issue like new tack not fitting right, teeth need doing, back is out etc. It could be a feed issue whereby you are feeding him differently or feeding the same but doing less work with him. It could be that he is a savvy boy and is testing you out to see what he can get away with.

Get someone knowledgeable and I would advise an instructor because at least there is quantifiable experience there whereas there are many "knowledgeable" people that think they know everything, but don't and they can make things an awful lot worse.
 
JingleSmells said:
It's been 2 months. You need to get someone out who is an experienced owner/instructor to assess what is happening. It could be pain due to a physical issue like new tack not fitting right, teeth need doing, back is out etc. It could be a feed issue whereby you are feeding him differently or feeding the same but doing less work with him. It could be that he is a savvy boy and is testing you out to see what he can get away with.

Get someone knowledgeable and I would advise an instructor because at least there is quantifiable experience there whereas there are many "knowledgeable" people that think they know everything, but don't and they can make things an awful lot worse.
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I will add, it would be very irresponsible to sell on a horse with a potentially dangerous issue so if you do sell, you really need to be very honest about the horse and why you are selling. I don't think you need to though, I just think you need some help x
 
If I was to sell I'd be very honest however I brought the horse thinking he was a 6 year old it turns out he's three.
Saddle is being rechecked
And was an ill times buck whoever he was locking his neck and running of with me befor the buck!
 
Natashajade said:
If I was to sell I'd be very honest however I brought the horse thinking he was a 6 year old it turns out he's three.
Saddle is being rechecked
And was an ill times buck whoever he was locking his neck and running of with me befor the buck!
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If he is actually 3 then you need someone to help you through it. Has he actually been backed properly? Bucking 'can' be part of the learning process, some horses do just because they are wary, some do it through pain and some do it when they are unbalanced. I would look to get your instructor to ride him, finish on a good note and turn him away from riding until the spring so he can grow a bit, you can bond with each other and then completely re-start him (with experienced help) in the spring. He will be more mature, you will know each other better, and there will be more hours to make sure you finish each session on a positive note.
 
Natashajade said:
He's been fully backed to drive and ride but I only want to ride,
He is normally a lovely docile ploddy cob!!
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Just because you were told that doesn't make it true - just like he was meant to be 6 but is actually 3

I guess you didn't get him vetted at the time of purchase?
 
If you did not have a pre-purchase vetting carried out by a vet I would recommend that you get an equine vet out to thoroughly vet the horse and check your horse out. The vet will also be able to determine the true age of your horse. The British Equestrian Veterinary Association will be able to provide you with contact details of local equine vets.

If this horse is in fact only 3 years old then you will need advice and lessons from a qualified instructor to determine how much work and the amount of work that this horse should do. The British Horse Society or The Association of British Riding Schools will be able to provide you with the contact details of local qualified riding instructors.
 
Get a good equine vet to check him over, and then turn him away until the spring. Then get him re backed by your instructor and crack on with him. I bet he'll be a smashing pony once he's given a chance.

Why do you now think he's only 3?
 
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I am making a big assumption here, but it is based on what I have learnt over the years. I would doubt very, very much that he is completely backed to ride (he will have been sat on and ridden - that will be about it), and actually if he is driving confidently at 3, he has been driven from at least aged 2, and not in a 'conventional' set-up.

I really would look for a good instructor or truly knowledgable (on the basis I would like to think an experienced person would have picked up a 3yr old over a 6yr old horse) person to help you back your cob properly. Consider getting him vetted to check there is nothing else lurking that you were not made aware of.
 
equi said:
You can't sell a horse who potentially may injure someone through bucking etc. You as an owner, must firstly find out WHY he did this. You need to check his tack, teeth, back, hooves. If all is okay you will need an instructor to say if you are inadvertently doing something wrong. After that, you can consider your options.
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^^^yes to all of this!! Good luck :-)
 
At 3 years old he won't have had much if any schooling, locking hs neck up sounds to me like he is either in pain or doesn't understand what you are asking of him ie to come onto a contact. My 3 year old has been backed and broken by myself, I rode her 5 days out of 7 on very slow hacks to start with, once she was hacking quietly (we have no school ) I turned her away for a month to let her grow and process her new information, I'm now riding her 3 times a week and she has done a mornings cubbing, and 2 hours out on Boxing Day. She behaves like a veteran, bt at three they are immature and not as strong and powerful , he may have been weak when you tried him, have you changed his routine or food?? If he's feeling happier and healthier he may have the strength to question you hence the aversion to contact and the bucks. I would get him checked over, turn him away but handle him daily. ( my mare was turned to to grass and we just did thing like feet, stretches etc) when he comes back into work start him again like you would an unbacked horse. Don't rush this stage, he sounds like he will be a cracking pony good luck
 
Natashajade said:
I brought the horse.....
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You BOUGHT the horse - not brought. So sorry to pick at you, but if it were me I'd like to be told :) :) :)

amymay said:
Get a good equine vet to check him over, and then turn him away until the spring. Then get him re backed by your instructor and crack on with him. I bet he'll be a smashing pony once he's given a chance.

Why do you now think he's only 3?
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Great advice.
Get checked, turn away for a bit, get help to re-break him.

Good luck with it :)
 
I agree with everyone else - get a good instructor out

I got my 4 year old, who we thought was 5 nearly 6 and fully schooled etc etc, but he started bucking in canter. The instructor came out, doubted he had been schooled at all as he was bucking when confused, and he was highly unbalanced aswell. Both she and my farrier were convinced he was younger, so When I started checking back his history he was actually only 3 turning 4.

Well within 6 months of having SB instructor out once every two weeks, and starting him from absolute scratch I can tell you we have come on amazingly. I even took him cubbing and he was perfect.

An instructor and starting from scratch is the way to go with your youngster, and I bet with that you'll end up with a cracking horse :) x
 
Hi NatashaJade,

Is this your first pony? I see from your early posts you are only 12 years old, are your parents horsey?

If the pony is genuinely 3 years old it seems like an awful lot of responsibility for a 12 year old, especially without the right support.
 
Apart from everything else that's been said, you need to learn about equine fitness programs. At 3 he will be weak and unfit, if you've got on and rode him for an hour straight off that's way too much. He needs a proper fitness program.

Your horse is probably setting his neck and tanking off and bucking from excitement. Schooling will help, when he's fit enough. He may have only been broken in 2wks before you bought him and have had no schooling. I expect he has worked out you don't know much and is testing you. To learn manners he needs consistent handling, with good timing of telling him when he's done right or wrong. He may change shape with age and work so you're going to need regular tack fitting checks from a saddler.

I wouldn't sell if he was mine. If you get a good instructor to help you finish the breaking process, you'll end up a better rider with the knowledge to school and handle the horse properly. You currently sound young and inexperienced so you won't be able to do this alone.

You maybe wouldn't be given your old loan pony back. The owner knows you're looking for your own pony now and will give the loan pony back again, they may prefer to give the pony to someone who will keep it in the long term.
 
Elvis said:
Hi NatashaJade,

Is this your first pony? I see from your early posts you are only 12 years old, are your parents horsey?

If the pony is genuinely 3 years old it seems like an awful lot of responsibility for a 12 year old, especially without the right support.
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I agree with this. Your horse dosn't sound suitable for you as a 12yr old that simply does not have the knowledge, experience or support needed to deal with him. How did these 3 horsey people you took with you all fail to see he is a very green 3yr old!?
If you want to keep this horse then as everyone else suggested, get him checked over by a vet, turn him out to grass/do not ride him for a good few months and then bring in a suitable instructor who can re-start him from scratch. Good luck with whatever you decide :)
 
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