Who doesn't like their horse?

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lcharles

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When i was sat on the rails by my stables yesterday telling my horse how much i love him, it made me think....... 'I wonder if there are people who don't actually love their horse?'

I know I went through a 4 month patch when I first bought my horse (bought him knowing he was 'quirky'!) where he'd rear, buck, spin, flip me off approximately 3 times every day and i was extremely lucky to not of broken anything! So at that time I did almost hate him but now he is awesome and never puts a foot out of place so I think i love him even more as we've come through so much! x

So do you, or know of anyone who really dislikes their horse? If so, why do they hate them, what do they do with them?

I don't think its possible to truly hate a horse! x
 
Yes, it is possible to hate a horse, of course it is. I've always sold/rehomed anything that I strongly disliked, life is too short to spend my time and money with a horse I'm not fond of, however that doesn't mean they cant go off and be someone elses perfect horse.

It's also very possible to own a horse without loving it and still have a great relationship with it.
 
Not my horse (who somehow despite his best efforts at booting me yesterday I still love) but about 2 months ago found one to share, only he's on livery so all I have to do is turn up, groom & ride. Nice yard, nice owner, nice pony. But he was a mothers dream perfect pony type & because I didn't know him well or already know the owner I was paranoid about breaking him so didn't do much beyond short hacks with him, had just started some schooling then he went lame. Maybe if he'd stayed sound & I'd been able to do more with him I'd have started enjoying him but I have to say I found him really boring, just sit on and go, I didn't actually have to 'ride' him :o It felt more of a chore than pleasure having to go up. Which I feel mean saying as his owner loves him & has/had loads of fun doing bits of everything with him, guess we just didn't click really!
 
I once rode a horse called Gnasher (he was well named). He would get away from me most days as I approached the gate. He would kick the door on the stables constantly and bite/lunge at anyone who came near. He picked a grannie up by the shoulder and threw her across the yard and broke her arm. He was a lazy pig to ride. He could jump anything and never touched a pole or refused, that was the only pleasurable bit about him! I didn't like him!!
 
My daughter told me yesterday that she felt it was time to sell our tb gelding, recently no matter what she does with him they just can't seem to "gel" and she felt he went much better for his sharer she felt that he'd be happier if our sharer bought him and she would look for another horse. So it's not that she doesn't like him, but she feels they're no longer a good fit for one another. I think if I didn't like my horse I would have to sell them, it's too big an investment of emotion, time and money to not be happy
 
I didn't like mine much when he refused to go past an empty puddle or when he attempted to kill me at the sight of 2 donkeys but I don't always have to like him to love him to pieces :)
 
Same as you OP, I didnt like my grey much when I first got him as he was cold backed and would occassionally let rip broncing as soon as my butt touched the saddle, he also bolted a couple of times out hacking etc. and was sharp as hell. But, after a few months we just seemed to get on track and even though he's quirky, we can read each others minds. Love him to pieces and he's done so much for me over the years. My current horse as well - I didnt like him to begin with, he was grumpy being stabled (he was stabled all his life with a maybe 30 mins turnout occassionally prior to me) and was a total nutter to turnout to begin with (I was trying to introduce it slowly), he jumped some fences, would gallop about flat out, would bully my grey etc. but once he got used to turnout 24/7, he is a totally different horse. So chilled and I really feel we're buddies now!

I did have a Welsh D, who was definately by biggest challenge to date. He was horrid to begin with (ridiculously bargy!), and he would drive me insane some days but I dont know, we just seemed to have a love/hate relationship which worked. He was the one horse who was actually the most affectionate, he knew when he'd pushed me too far and would almost apologise to me - really weird. Never had a horse with so much character! He's also the one horse I truly regret selling as I miss him so much, even though he was annoying on a daily basis!

I think if I had a horse I didn't like for long enough and things didn't improve after say 6 months, then I'd think about selling! But I've never had that so far (touch wood).
 
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My big coloured I didn't really like to ride. I never felt safe on him and every time I rode him at home I fell off. When he reared up and went completely over it almost made the decision easier. I didn't feel confident handling him and I hated going to the yard. We eventually decided to send him away on competition livery and it was the best decision we had made as we are both much happier.

Regarding the little coloured, some days I love him other days I hate him, He was quite a challenge for the first 3 months or so of owning him as he was constantly testing the boundaries and most times I rode him I would be riding him for over an hour just trying to get him to give in. The tantrums have been getting fewer and fewer with the flatwork but with the jumping they are still just as bad!
 
Me at the minute *cue grumpy pouty face* (although technically he's a pony)

The little ****** keeps escaping from his fatty paddock, and was as high as a kite today therefore acting like a rodeo and as far as anything from enjoying his luscious green grass

The ****** :(

(Although until then, I love him to bits :D , as I do my oldie boy :D)
 
My first horse... I loved him so much, my heart melted for him, but i didn't like him very much! He was bloomin hard work, and we'd argue every day :rolleyes:We just didn't click :(

When it was good, it was REALLY good, but when it was bad, it was REALLY bad :eek:

Unfortunately, we just didn't have 'it'. We tried together for 5 years, but we never quite had that 'click'. There was just something missing. It broke my heart when I sold him, but it was the right thing to do.

Like I said, I loved him so very much, but didn't like him very much.

I'm lucky now, I have a horse that I love entirely and I reallly like too :D
 
I've never disliked one of mine, I would sell if that was the case. But I once really disliked a horse I worked with. He was very big, about 17.2 and had zilch manners. He wasn't ridden because he was 'dangerous'. All he did was eat, poo and try to kill you when he felt like it. He would barge, nip, stand up at you and just generally be a complete a*se.
 
Hmm, would like my horse if he could stay sound for a whole year at a time and stop costing me my savings in vets bills (excess etc, insurance gets the big stuff, then premiums go up :( ) :o
 
I like all my horses and a soft spot for three of them .
The needy ASB
The cheeky confident ID
The beauiful gifted if lazy TB.
And then there's the driving cob I admire him he's strong and brave but likes to work on his terms but he's not a horse you can 'love' ( that's not quite the right word but it's the best one I can come up with) but I don't feel for him what I do for the others
I disliked strongly one of my OH's Favorites a bolsy stroppy ID/ TB who was stubborn and quite nasty , looking after him was a job ( like a livery ) but my OH loved him as did my groom who adored him but I always had to deal with his boundary pushing he was hard work to keep on the straight and narrow.
I had no feelings of sadness and did not give it a second thought when it was time to PTS him I lead him out without a quarm and I had cared for him nursed him ,through injury for eight years .
I will admitt looking after him was a trial and I was quietly glad when he was gone .
 
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