WWYD: Difficult decision re: dangerous horse

[DonskiWA]

Background:
I have this QH x for 5 years now and am very fond of him (usually), he’s part of the family. I am an eventer though and he is most definitely not. It’s taken me 5 years to reach this conclusion. He’s not athletic, not interested and I’m not enjoying riding him. He is however a super sound and safe trail riding horse.
Not a problem. I have 90 acres and can easily just retire him to my paddocks for the rest of his days (although he’s only 12).
HOWEVER, since I’ve stopped riding him as of 6 weeks ago, he has become increasingly grumpy. Today, after unrugging him, I turned my back on him to climb out of his yard. I looked back around to see him lunge at me, ears back and teeth bared. He took my whole shoulder in his mouth and bit HARD. I’ve a massive bruise over my whole shoulder joint.
There was one previous similar episode when I first got him 5 years ago, but nothing since. That time, he put his ears back and I told him off and he went me, again, grabbing me on the shoulder and throwing me to the ground. Nothing since.
He is a super smart and usually very affectionate pally. My guess is he is hating being out of a job.
What do I do?
a. Sell him with full disclosure
b. put him back in work solely avoid being attacked in future.
c. keep him retired but constantly be on guard with a giant whip in my hand

or....
All options seem to suck. Please help.

 

[irishdraft]

Not sure how it works in USA but are you able to see if someone is interested in riding him out for you whilst keeping him at home .

 

[Equine_Dream]

The first thing you need to do is rule out any pain/discomfort causing this change of behaviour. I would get a work up by your vet before you go any further.
If there are no obvious issues then I would consider getting him back into some sort of work/routine. Some horses just need stimulation or become bored/frustrated.
If you're concerned you may struggle with finding time to ride him can you look into getting a competent sharer to ride him?

 

[Billyandme]

Difficult one but interesting he is part bred quarter horse. I have had a full QH who was a total Christian of a horse a really lovely boy. When I had to retire him I bought a QH Cross Arab. Beautiful to look at bot OMG you couldn't take your eye off him. I have had fractured wrists x2, fractured toe., cracked ribs, black eye and lastly an ankle broken 3 places. Enough was enough. He had numerous health issues including Cushings and ulcers so I did the right thing by both of us and had him pts.

I could never have lived with myself if I had passed him on to anyone else and he had injured them.

 

[dorsetladette]

Could a sudden change in his routine of caused him stress? then possibly caused ulcers? Or have you changed his diet since stopping riding him? If its not normal behaviour I don't think a chat with your vet would do any harm

 

[zandp]

My half QH is very stressy and quite horrible when she's stressed, behaviour becomes appalling, very sharp, very jumpy. In the past she's bitten me, kicked me (she was trying to get the horse next to me) and knocked me over. Her behaviour first disintegrated like this when I came off her and fractured my cocyx meaning she was out of work.

 

[cauda equina]

Isn't PSSM fairly common in QHs?
And don't affected horses benefit from regular work?
I'm just wondering if he's becoming aggressive due to discomfort

 

[holeymoley]

Sounds like he could be sore somewhere if it’s generally out of character and he’s never showed signs of that before.

 

[Chinchilla]

This isn't behaviour to just dismiss. Please speak to a vet as he's probably in pain and trying to communicate that.

 

[Goldenstar]

I do think pain may well be the cause .
however I have known several horses who love to work and who became grouchy without it
Might someone horseless enjoy riding him at your place ?
He’s to young to be a lawn mower

 

[ycbm]

Isn't PSSM fairly common in QHs?
And don't affected horses benefit from regular work?
I'm just wondering if he's becoming aggressive due to discomfort

This a dozen times over.
.

 

[DonskiWA]

Thankyou all, there are some things there eg. PSSM I would never have considered. I’ll get him checked out.

 

[catembi]

My QH has PSSM type 1 and 2. I didn't know, but when the clocks changed last October so I couldn't ride in the week (i.e. decreased workload) & it started getting colder, his behaviour took a dramatic turn for the worse & he was dangerous under saddle having previously been extremely laid back & happy.

 

[paddy555]

Isn't PSSM fairly common in QHs?
And don't affected horses benefit from regular work?
I'm just wondering if he's becoming aggressive due to discomfort

this. You stopped riding ie stopped working the muscles and it became painful for him so he went for you because it hurts him. You could test this easily by putting him back into work (very slowly at first) and see if goes back to his old self. Then either ride yourself or get someone else to ride him.

 

[paddy555]

My QH has PSSM type 1 and 2. I didn't know, but when the clocks changed last October so I couldn't ride in the week (i.e. decreased workload) & it started getting colder, his behaviour took a dramatic turn for the worse & he was dangerous under saddle having previously been extremely laid back & happy.

Look at any PSSM forum and you will find come Oct (or beg Nov if we have an Indian summer) people start writing exactly this.

 

[Lois Lame]

Isn't PSSM fairly common in QHs?
And don't affected horses benefit from regular work?
I'm just wondering if he's becoming aggressive due to discomfort

This a dozen times over.
.

This is fascinating. I had no idea that PSSM had this effect. I've just googled but so far found nothing about the whys and wherefores about this. Anyone willing to educate me?

I see you are in WA, DonskiWA. (Took me a while to figure that out. That's probably why I didn't find out much about PSSM cos I got sidetracked with interesting old threads.)

Your fellow sounds great apart from the ripping of peoples' shoulders, and if it's just due to pain from lack of exercise, then surely selling with full exclosure sounds great. Pity I'm on the other side of the country from you. I could do with a super sound and safe trail riding horse.

 

[DonskiWA]

This is fascinating. I had no idea that PSSM had this effect. I've just googled but so far found nothing about the whys and wherefores about this. Anyone willing to educate me?

I see you are in WA, DonskiWA. (Took me a while to figure that out. That's probably why I didn't find out much about PSSM cos I got sidetracked with interesting old threads.)

Your fellow sounds great apart from the ripping of peoples' shoulders, and if it's just due to pain from lack of exercise, then surely selling with full exclosure sounds great. Pity I'm on the other side of the country from you. I could do with a super sound and safe trail riding horse.

I am actually now living in Yackandanda, Victoria, so he’s all yours if you want!

 

[Lois Lame]

Hmm... it would be nice to know more about the fellow. His size and build. What he is like to ride.

I am not a brave, devil-may-care sort of rider, just someone who likes to enjoy the countryside.