When is it time to admit defeat?

[sammyt]

Hi all,

My friend has a lovely but quirky horse that she backed herself (now 7yrs old). He's always been a bit of an awkward git but lovely all the same.

He's lovely to do on the ground, very straightforward but he's just a quirky sod when ridden. He is super talented, jumps for fun and has won showing and dressage, WH etc. He hasn't had a lot of mileage yet and hasn't been rushed.

But, he is quirky in the sense that he is so spooky, he'll leap out of his skin at nothing. He's got a bit of a nasty whip around in him and will from time to time turn himself inside out when he gets to a show until he's worked in.

She wants to sell him now as she has a full time job, other commitments and just isn't enjoying having to be on his case all the time to manage his spooking and bring him on. But how do you sell something that is a bit quirky?

He is fabulous with her instructor but she agrees he's quirky and has been helping her work through it and round it.

She's just had enough of pouring heart and soul into him to be rewarded with daft behaviour.

So how do you find the right home for something that is challenging? She won't sell him to a dealer as she wants to secure his future.

Thoughts / experiences?

 

[stormox]

advertise truthfully and see who comes along.

 

[Peanot]

My horse is similar, very jumpy and has a wicked spin but I'm managing it (was as he's off work at the minute). It is frustrating but some riders can sort it so I'd be honest and just say he's a bit sharp and needs experienced rider. As he's talented and a lovely horse in other ways, honesty is the way to go as there are so many horses with bigger problems out there. You can but try. Good luck

 

[JillA]

My horse was the same, and I bred him so I just couldn't account for it. I went through Parelli, found Mark Rashid, looked at the Intelligent Horsemanship forum and sought answers wherever I could find them. Turns out he was magnesium deficient and a couple of weeks on MagOx was a different horse altogether. May not be the answer in your friend's case, but mine has forced me to learn, to look for answers in all sorts of places, and were it not for him I would still be stuck in traditional methods of management and handling. These horses are teachers and it really is worth finding the key.

 

[sammyt]

Thank you for your replies. He has been on Equifeast for a while with some magnesium so its not thought to be nutritional. I agree they are interesting characters to learn from.

 

[Goldenstar]

If he's truely very talented he will sell to a pro or an serious amateur with lots of time .
I think she right to move on it's no fun when a horse needs more time than you can give it .

 

[Orangehorse]

If he's truely very talented he will sell to a pro or an serious amateur with lots of time .
I think she right to move on it's no fun when a horse needs more time than you can give it .

Agree, if he has won a bit then she should be able to find someone to buy him. Keeping a horse should be for pleasure.
You friend sounds as though she has had enough. Although I also agree with Jill that the really awkward ones can send you down lots of very interesting learning routes, and you come across things you might never otherwise have learnt. The difficult ones can teach you an awful lot, but it sounds a though a new owner might be the one to go exploring.

 

[FfionWinnie]

What breed is he. I would consider testing for PSSM as everything you've listed is a symptom including spookiness. You can get a hair test done for type 1 PSSM with animal genetics for £30 or just try the diet and management and see if he improves.