When is enough enough?

[Kate260881]

I'll try and keep this brief but basically my horse has started getting pretty damn dangerous and I'm thinking of selling but don't want to give up on her... all very confusing.

Anyway, she's a rearer. She does it when she's excited which I totally don't mind, its more of a 'can we go, can we go' and she is still listening to me and looking where she is going. But lately she has started protesting to me asking her to do anything while out on a hack. And when she has a protest tantrum she just doesn't pay attention at all. She nearly landed us in a canal on Tuesday night and then straight after went up and when she came down her head landed on top of my friend's horse's nose (he has a nice lump there now poor boy). If she'd been two foot further forwards she would have landed on my friend. (for a full account of what happened check my blog in my sig).

Now as I said the excitment rears etc I do not mind at all. I'm a confident and well seated rider and she hasn't gotten me off (yet - touch wood) and I still feel she is listening to me. But this blind 'I will not do anything you ask' is starting to scare me because I have no influence over her at this point.

Now she is totally fine in the school, very rarely does anything stupid and even when she does its more of a foot stomp than a major tantrum. I just think she might be better off in a competition home that isn't interested in hacking (hacking is not a common thing over here if you are competing - its seen as more of something the pure hobby riders do). I do have a friend that I've always promised first refusal on her so if she went there I know she'd be looked after fantastically, competed (which is what she was bred for at the end of the day), he's a very good rider and I would still get updates and could go and visit and ride her. Then I could get myself something a bit more suited to hacking out more.

I've never had to sell a horse though and I do feel like it would be giving up on her. But then I've not fallen off yet and I just have a horrible feeling that when something does go wrong its going to go very very wrong and land one of us in hospital. Oh, and I've had her a year so its not like I'm giving up after a few weeks.

Very confused

 

[BBH]

Its very difficult this one, I definitely don't agree with passing on a horse who has issues as its not resolving the problem just moving it on to some poor unsuspecting person. For me it depends if the mare is ' nasty' if you get what I mean and whether she is re-trainable. I'd persevere cos thats the best option imo or if your friend is experienced and knows what she's taking on then sell her.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

If your friend is willing to take her on with her problems then fantastic, sounds like you are doing the right thing though

 

[dressage_diva]

I know you say the problem arises only when on hacks, but have you had her back, teeth and saddle checked? Would be worth eliminating and physical problems before you consider selling her

 

[Silverspring]

Well I have heard the whole story from you and I say sell the bitch to the first person that will buy her. Horse's are too expensive a hobby to not enjoy to the full!

It would be different if she was a cow all the time and you could say it was a pain response or she had maybe had something terrible happen to her under saddle (though you got her recently backed so seems unlikely!) but she is almost saint like in the school and just seems to know that out on a hack she can be a bitch. she has become beyond naughty, rearing at junctions on concrete is just madness, if she slips she could cripple you or even kill you.

I'll fully support any decision you make but I just feel so sorry for you, horse's should never be this much heart ache

 

[Silverspring]

Bumpyride - the fiend trains with an international showjumper, he loves the horse and they get on really well. I'm sure Kate said he'd been looking for something to compete and he doesn't do hacking (which seems to be the horse's issue) so they would be so well suited.

Then again any comp home in Holland is unlikely to have issue with taking on a horse that doesn't hack as you say they don't really do it much unless it's a pleasure horse.

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

I've just read your blog

get ride before you get hurt, no wonder she is starting to wobbly your nerves

glad you mananged to get back ok

 

[maggiesmum]

I can highly recommend Richard Maxwell, my boy used to be a rearer, emphasis on the 'used to be'! Ok, it wasn't cheap but it was well worth it!

 

[Silverspring]

She's in Holland...does Richard Maxwell travel overseas for normal prices?

 

[TicTac]

Interesting that you are from Holland as my dutch bred imported mare has tendencies to be a numpty out hacking, her forte being bucking at the moment.

Generally she is fine so I have put it down to a combination of the spring grass ( not much of it though due to lack of rain at the moment) and generally feeling well after the rigours of the winter.

If your mare is not generally like this then it could be that she is feeling well or more than likely she has no respect for you. How long have you had her and what is her breeding? Do you do any ground work with her? If she has a strong character she may well be aware that you are frightened and take advantage.

It sounds like you do need help with her. Once she is going better, sell her and get yourself something quieter. Good luck

 

[Kate260881]

Ditto all the above from PS (she's been the long sufferer of my moaning). I am tempted to try the knotted rope and smacking her on the belly with it and see if that works.

And yes, my friend who would take her is very very experience, has dealt with mares, geldings and stallions at a very high level and trains with some of the best showjumpers in the country. So I wouldn't be pawning her off to some unsuspecting fool. If I did sell her to anyone else as well I would be completely honest about what she does as the last thing I want is either her or the person riding her getting hurt (including me!).

Such a nightmare... she was an angel when I first got her, now she's comfortable happy and relaxed and therefore feels she can turn her energy to turning into a demon horse!! That's the gratitude you get, lol!

 

[Kate260881]

[ QUOTE ]
Interesting that you are from Holland as my dutch bred imported mare has tendencies to be a numpty out hacking, her forte being bucking at the moment.

Generally she is fine so I have put it down to a combination of the spring grass ( not much of it though due to lack of rain at the moment) and generally feeling well after the rigours of the winter.

If your mare is not generally like this then it could be that she is feeling well or more than likely she has no respect for you. How long have you had her and what is her breeding? Do you do any ground work with her? If she has a strong character she may well be aware that you are frightened and take advantage.

It sounds like you do need help with her. Once she is going better, sell her and get yourself something quieter. Good luck

[/ QUOTE ]

She's a KWPN, just turned 6 and started being an arse basically when I moved to where she is now where she is much happier and more relaxed. And its been getting progressively worse. I'm certainly not frightened when I get on her, I'm not getting freaked out until after she's done something if that makes sense, so its not me tensing up that is the trigger. In fact I make sure I have a very very relaxed seat and either no or very light contact on the reins.

Done lots of ground work with her and generally (bar the rear when I was leading her on Tuesday) she is an absolute angel. I do clicker training with her and she will literally follow me around like a dog. She is a different horse on the ground to when you're on top. And similarly, if you saw her in the school, then on a hack you'd not believe it was the same animal.

 

[trundle]

I voted for sausages, I am not keen on rearers !

Is your friend still keen to have her?

 

[Kate260881]

[ QUOTE ]
I voted for sausages, I am not keen on rearers !

Is your friend still keen to have her?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hehe, she'd make a good amount of sausages!!

Yeah, he's still really keen. Sent him a text this morning and he's giving me a call tonight to discuss it. As PS said, he's not interested in hacking at all which is where her issues are.

It would be really nice to be able to go on a nice relaxed ride and be able to trust the animal I'm riding again. I trust the yard owners horses that I've ridden about twice more than I trust Penny!

 

[MagicMelon]

Id probably loan the horse to your friend for a while to see how they get on and only if your happy, maybe consider selling to him. I dont think its passing on a problem at all as someone else might not even want to hack - I dont for example! If hacking is your thing then you really need a horse who is easy to hack IMO

 

[MrsMozart]

I said sell to friend. He knows what she is like and still willing and happy to have him. Riding horses is ment to be fun, not death defying.

Hugs.

 

[Donkeymad]

I am shocked that anyone can think it best to sell to the first buyer. How irrisponsible.

Selling to your friend would be a reasonable option, but sausages would be the other.