Would you be worried?

[JanetGeorge]

Ha ha... this sounds JUST like mine. What a special breed they are.

I am currently contemplating why I own mine... We have a new livery in the stable next door, since she moved in 2 days ago hes tried eating their new leather head collar, licked her riding boots while he was tied up and miraculously pulled their new stable rug to his stable (must be barely 2 inch squared gap he got it through by the stable partition) and then stamped and pooed on it. I have never apologized and felt so bad in such a short period of time! I did warn hes a odd ball and to keep things out the way.. but I think shes slightly surprised at how bad he is!

Believe me - it is NOT a problem associated directly to breed. Horses and ponies have memories like elephants! It doesn't actually need something that is BAD for them, like being beaten up, or suffering ain from an ill-fitting saddle. Even after a problem that has created 'bad memories' is fixed completely, they STILL remember the bad side. Obviously the reaction to bad memories can differ by breed - or even by exact bloodlines: just one of many silly reactions I have had was when my 16hh Irish Draught stallion covered a 17hh WHITE mare and wrenched his shoulder in the process (not enough to be lame.) But it hurt. His reaction was to totally ignore any big white mare he approached - when mare was fully in season (and he was normally the randiest little so-and-so I have ever known. It sure wasn't physical - he had no trouble at all covering a 16.3 CHESTNUT mare - he just knew SHE wouldn't burt. He also covered a 16.1 darker grey mare with no trouble. But the original mare that hurt him - and her half sister (also white and 17hh) he would NOT show ANY interest in at all!

The first thing we have to do when ANY horse shows unusual behaviour is to THINK (and keep thinking) about what has triggered bad memories - of being in a new situation (in stable or field, or out hacking/competing) which triggers fear. And - of course - fear is something that different horses have different ways of dealing with - flight or fight. At its worse (again, breed/bloodlines can be influential) will determine how severe that reaction is - from not wanting to be caught - to actualy attacking the thing/person be holds resonsible.

 

[southerncomfort]

Nail on the head! LOL.

Mine would be EXACT the same. He will act absolutely terrified of my boyfriend at first when I go away with work for a few days and then when i get back be all over him and terrified of me.
You didn't have a walking stick or boot on? My Welsh freaks out at anything out of the ordinary...

No, had my usual coat on and everything. Only thing that was different was my limp, but it is quite a severe limp!

 

[southerncomfort]

My old Welshie spent a couple of months going past a building site for a new house. He was fascinated by the cement mixers, the men working up high, the vans etc and would have a nose but was never bothered. Then the scaffolding came down, the garden got landscaped and the new residents parked their cars in the driveway, just like the houses either side....We spent the next month going past it sideways and snorting.

? Sounds familiar!

 

[southerncomfort]

Believe me - it is NOT a problem associated directly to breed. Horses and ponies have memories like elephants! It doesn't actually need something that is BAD for them, like being beaten up, or suffering ain from an ill-fitting saddle. Even after a problem that has created 'bad memories' is fixed completely, they STILL remember the bad side. Obviously the reaction to bad memories can differ by breed - or even by exact bloodlines: just one of many silly reactions I have had was when my 16hh Irish Draught stallion covered a 17hh WHITE mare and wrenched his shoulder in the process (not enough to be lame.) But it hurt. His reaction was to totally ignore any big white mare he approached - when mare was fully in season (and he was normally the randiest little so-and-so I have ever known. It sure wasn't physical - he had no trouble at all covering a 16.3 CHESTNUT mare - he just knew SHE wouldn't burt. He also covered a 16.1 darker grey mare with no trouble. But the original mare that hurt him - and her half sister (also white and 17hh) he would NOT show ANY interest in at all!

The first thing we have to do when ANY horse shows unusual behaviour is to THINK (and keep thinking) about what has triggered bad memories - of being in a new situation (in stable or field, or out hacking/competing) which triggers fear. And - of course - fear is something that different horses have different ways of dealing with - flight or fight. At its worse (again, breed/bloodlines can be influential) will determine how severe that reaction is - from not wanting to be caught - to actualy attacking the thing/person be holds resonsible.

Janet, your post made me stop and think about what has changed for my pony. I realised this is the first winter here without my old sensible mare.

Although she has a bossy little mini shetland for company its possible that she's feeling vulnerable without her old friend.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Believe me - it is NOT a problem associated directly to breed.

The first thing we have to do when ANY horse shows unusual behaviour is to THINK (and keep thinking) about what has triggered bad memories - of being in a new situation (in stable or field, or out hacking/competing) which triggers fear. And - of course - fear is something that different horses have different ways of dealing with - flight or fight. At its worse (again, breed/bloodlines can be influential) will determine how severe that reaction is - from not wanting to be caught - to actualy attacking the thing/person be holds resonsible.

After speaking to owners of horses in his bloodline and prefix, I do think that may be where some of his 'quirks' come from.
Mind I honestly can't think of a single bad memory that would therefore cause him to chew a head collar, lick riding boots and pull a rug into his stable, thats just his playful mind. I'm sure his being caught issues originate from being turned out with a naughty little pony who became his best friend but was a nightmare to catch and he'd stand and watch as a youngster. Honestly - from the day he was out with that pony was when it all the catching issues started!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Does sound a rather Welsh behaviour!

Mine isn't allowed to be tied up to be groomed on the yard as he will start off standing nicely you'll then see him scouting the area for gremlins, rocking back slightly then sure enough the snorting starts and hes jerked backwards and broken the string. Someone said hes almost scaring himself!

Hacking is the same will go past fly tipping after stopping to look but that's fair enough its quite scary what rather grating is slamming to a halt to snort and act terrified of mud on the road or poo. Flattened poo is even worse! Does it in the school sometimes at odd patches of sand... also his hair on the floor if trimming him. And trimming sometimes he will stand as meek as a lamb then suddenly lift his leg and scuttle sideways and keep repeating this it's very infuriating as he CAN be so good just stand still and it would be done so much quicker!!

 

[Merrymoles]

I'm another one who doesn't think it's particularly Welsh! My lad is as Irish as they come but if he hasn't seen someone for a few days, he forgets who they are and has to be very wary for about ten minutes. This includes me, if I've been working flat out for a few days and not seen him, and his fieldmate's owner if she's been away for a week, despite the fact that 11 months of the year he sees both of us every day at some point!