what to do (if anything!)

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moocow

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posted this in stable yard as well but thought more people might see it here.

I have moved to new yard a couple of months ago. Everything is great and I have all the support I need. one of the girls that works there has a horse that she is really struggling with. we are trying to help her but she is a stubborn as a mule! Basically he is a only a four yr old but he is over 17hh and really well built. He is a ballchy (sp?) type - the kind you really ahve to keep on top off. he is lovely and she loves him dearly but he is getting dangerous. he has figured out that he is big and strong and basiclaly can do whatever he wants. She has him stabled and never rides him. She lunges him every couple of days but just for a short while and really doesn't make him work. He hardly breaks a sweat.

his lastest trick is that he wont let her mount. no matter how much we tell her to mount from a block, she doesn't listen. i don't blame the lad for being arsey about it as it can't be comfortable for him. he has gotten to the stage where he will barge in the stable, barge when you try to mount and lash out. We have had his back checked and there is nothing wrong

I understand why she doesn't want to ride him as it is soul destroying when you can't enjoy your horse. she sent him for schooling a few months ago and he came back as good as gold. Thats all been undone now.

Its so wet, he is just getting a few hours turn out in the arena at the mo and he tears off when you bring him up and back down. to the point that she has stopped leading him as he will hurt her.

there is no talking to her. we worked with him at the weekend and got one of the girls up on him but she wont maintain it - hasn't tried mounting him since. he is the type of horse that needs work. she wont let anyone else ride him. there is a guy in the yard who is a fantastic rider and very gentle whose horse is out of action due to injury and he would tear his right arm off to ride him but she wont let him.

we have suggested to her that she might consider keeping him out next winter with the grass liveries as he is a big strong lad and well able to winter out but she wants to keep him in.

she just wants something to groom and love but is completely over horsed. any suggestions?
 
The only person who can address this is the yard owner, if this oversized pet is becoming dangerous - even if it is under threat of asking her to leave if she doesn't make some changes - that might wake her up
 
That's certainly a tricky one - there's no telling some people and maybe the more you push it the more she'll back away and "rebel" if you get what I mean. I do think a wee word with the yard owner may be in order though. If the horse is putting others at danger because its owner won't keep it in check herself then it's become a yard issue.
 
the yard owner has done her best. the girl works for the yard and its all very friendly place. the yard owner has offered to work with her but she just refuses. the girl has been at the yard since she was about 12 - she is 26 now. no matter what you sugget she will just storm off. we don't want her to get hurt. its a hunt yard and we have tried to get her to consider letting someone hunt him - it worked wonders for my lad and I was in a similar situation witha similar type horse. she has a person that she can trust to hunt him but she just wont let anyone near him.
 
he isn't really putting anyone else in danger as he is hardly ever out of his stable! its really only the girl and the yard owner herself that are on the front line!

She is the type that if you say anything to her, you have to be very careful how you say it as she will go in the opposite direction.

myslef and the other girl that are trying to help her came to the conclusion that we probably should back off and let her realise the situation. the only thing is, he will get worse and worse if we do that and could seriously hurt someone.

he is a friesin (Sp?) type and about 17.1hh if not 17.2hh - he is a big strong horse!
 
What a sad situation. But to be honest and unfortunately, if she won't listen, it'll probably take a (somewhat inevitable) accident for her to change her mind. It's so hard to make someone see sense when they just won't listen. I hope it works out for all, including the horse.
 
I really don't think there is anything you can do. The girl will have to learn the lesson by herself.
I assume she rides & handles other horses as she works at the yard. Maybe she will come to realise that she'd be better off with another horse and find a more suitable home for this one.
 
I agree, I think you're going to have to leave her to it and hope she comes to her senses. You might be surprised, if you stop showing an interest and let her get on with it she might start coming to you instead! She is maybe feeling threatened and thinking that everyone thinks she is useless and trying to take her horse off her, which is why she's rebelling... Let her get on with it for a while.
 
There's a list here of what is wrong with this horse - bolshy, strong, won't let her mount etc.. I don't think there's anything wrong with the horse, he's just a horse reacting as horses do to his circumstances. Firstly he needs turning out, preferably with company, so he will exercise himself a bit, and relax by grazing, grooming and just doing horse things.
The YO is the person to insist on this. On our yard we would not allow anyone to keep a horse in this way, and if we couldn't change it then they'd just have to leave.
Once he's had better living conditions for a while I think it would then be fair to see how his behaviour is and start to look at any problems.
 
Thanks for your responses. She doesn't ride anything else in the ayrd. Its a part livery yard so there is no schooling of the other horses. they girl just wants something to pet bascially. the lastest thing is that she has got her self convinced that there is a vet problem. there must be something wrong with him. she cant see that he is just going stir crazy and there is nothing physically wrong with him. there is nothing i can do really. we have tried and tried to help but have to be very careful as she will just do the opposite. You ahve to pick your time to advise!

I am glad to hear that the replies all agree that there is nothing bloody wrong with the horse. i know its impossible to say when you cant see the horse but thats my gut feeling anyway. I think your right in that the horse would be fine with a different, structured regime - lots of work. the turn out situation can't be helped at the moment as it is so wet but when he does go out in the arena he is always turned out with others so he has company. I think I am just going to have to let her learn her own lesson. Its terrible to see such a beautiful animal going mad in front of your eyes. Cant be helped though i am afriad.
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