Well-Known Member
As the title really, when do yard owners and grooms stop handling dangerous liveries? A horse at my yard has now caused two nasty accidents requiring hospital visits. At what point do you refuse to handle such horses?
When do you call time on handling a dangerous horse?
- Thread starter pocket
- Start date
stacey_lou
Well-Known Member
at the end of the day your in charge of your own health and saftey and its up to you to call Time when your feeling uncomfortable. If it was me then id call it at the point i start to loose my nerve.
Bosworth
Well-Known Member
I am afraid that if a liveries horse put me or any of my liveries in hospital through dangerous behaviour I would ask them to leave immediately. As a YO I have to handle all the horses on my yard. I also have a duty of care to my other liveries therefore I would be deemed negligent in the eyes of the law if I let a known dangerous animal remain at my yard.
eoe
Well-Known Member
Totally agree with Bosworth, if you have tried everything with this horse, training halters, chiffney and it still remains unlawful then yes you have to ask them to leave as you cannot run a yard of say 20 horses and have one behaving like this and putting others in danger and ending up in hospital. I had this recently with a horse and its owner was not much better so in the end had to give them two weeks notice to leave.
moneypit1
Well-Known Member
Its a different story when there is someone elses safety to think about rather than just your own. A horse that is a danger to grooms/liveries etc would be either removed from my yard or out of bounds and out of reach to third parties.
TheFarrier
Well-Known Member
I have only ever refused to shoe a couple of horses. Although most bad behavior, rearing up, leaning, pulling, kicking etc doesnt bother me too much and *knock on wood* i have only sustained mild injuries from this i refuse to shoe a horse that really means it.
There seems to be a line where a horse crosses from being a pray animal who may have had a bad experience to one that is just refusing, and is happy to hurt you to make you stop what ever you are doing shoeing/trimming etc.
Sedation is a good one for horses being shod because often this behavior is only when being shod.
No horses i shoe requires sedation atm, some are a bit iffy but like i said there have only been a handful that i have refused to do.
If i actually stopped and thought about how dangerous my job really is i wouldnt be doing it.
There seems to be a line where a horse crosses from being a pray animal who may have had a bad experience to one that is just refusing, and is happy to hurt you to make you stop what ever you are doing shoeing/trimming etc.
Sedation is a good one for horses being shod because often this behavior is only when being shod.
No horses i shoe requires sedation atm, some are a bit iffy but like i said there have only been a handful that i have refused to do.
If i actually stopped and thought about how dangerous my job really is i wouldnt be doing it.
PippiPony
Chocolatier and Greyhound lover
We had a pony at a yard i wads at that had draged the farrier from one end to the other. Pulled my OH over on the gravel (from which he still has the scars 14 years later) and then Pulled me over breaking my hand & dislocating my shoulder. It was asked to leave.
canteron
Well-Known Member
Yep, clearly time to call time - but I would do some research and see if there is a 'retraining' yard nearby that would retrain owner/horse - and maybe even you!
I had a horse missold to me (which I only kept for a horrible 2 weeks) who was dangerous - to me- even though I am a reasonably experienced owner. I sent him to be retrained and they also managed to find him a home that suited him and a job he could do well. Although it was an expensive lesson, I learnt things from the yard he went to that was actually knowledge well gained!!
I had a horse missold to me (which I only kept for a horrible 2 weeks) who was dangerous - to me- even though I am a reasonably experienced owner. I sent him to be retrained and they also managed to find him a home that suited him and a job he could do well. Although it was an expensive lesson, I learnt things from the yard he went to that was actually knowledge well gained!!
ironhorse
Well-Known Member
The only thing I would say is that it might be worth considering if the horse would be better in a different environment.
However well run, not all yards suit all horses.
For the first two years that we owned our mare she was very tricky to handle - got into fights with others in the field, wound horses up over the fence, was difficult to bath, get ready for travelling and tack up etc. She would lash out and charge aroung her stable bucking and I had to be very careful that non-one else was in the way when I was handling her.She also rolled like crazy in her stable and occasionally got cast.
It was a very busy yard with people, horses and vehicles coming and going at all times of the day, and even on assisted DIY I found it impossible to give her a routine.
We moved her to a small training yard on full livery, where she had a huge stable with a view of the farm, individual turnout and a regular routine. The staff were firm with her but unphased by her occasional tantrums and there were good facilitiles for handling - indoor wash box and cross ties. Most of all, the yard was much quieter, and in the daytime there was a long period when all the horses would rest, there were no comings and goings, and whether in or out they would all be asleep! She was a different horse within a month - she's still quirky, but much happier in herself.
Just wonder if it's worth a try?
However well run, not all yards suit all horses.
For the first two years that we owned our mare she was very tricky to handle - got into fights with others in the field, wound horses up over the fence, was difficult to bath, get ready for travelling and tack up etc. She would lash out and charge aroung her stable bucking and I had to be very careful that non-one else was in the way when I was handling her.She also rolled like crazy in her stable and occasionally got cast.
It was a very busy yard with people, horses and vehicles coming and going at all times of the day, and even on assisted DIY I found it impossible to give her a routine.
We moved her to a small training yard on full livery, where she had a huge stable with a view of the farm, individual turnout and a regular routine. The staff were firm with her but unphased by her occasional tantrums and there were good facilitiles for handling - indoor wash box and cross ties. Most of all, the yard was much quieter, and in the daytime there was a long period when all the horses would rest, there were no comings and goings, and whether in or out they would all be asleep! She was a different horse within a month - she's still quirky, but much happier in herself.
Just wonder if it's worth a try?
fatpiggy
Well-Known Member
I have no doubt that the owners of dangerous horses know full well how bad they are which is why they put them on livery rather than risk their own safety.