Have you ever had one of those horses..?

[rhea]

Well I'm feeling a bit frustrated, wanted to know if anyone else has been in this situation. I have a gelding who I ADORE. He's a big welsh cob/Arab and hauls me around (I'm 5'1" 95 lbs so not that hard for him) and is happy to also haul a trainer we have working around(She's 5'9" and 150lbs). Once we're at a show, there's no prob at all(well except stopping because he LOVE to go). We jump, he has ridiculous form and scope and great movement. A former coach I had who was jumping Grand Prix adored him. Couldnt believe the scope he had for a "little" (15.2hh) horse. But it seems a few times a year he has to do something totally off the wall to put me out of commission. And the next day he's cuddly and lovey, and I forgive him and still love him. Last year he nailed me with a bite on my jaw, they think he cracked the bone, I couldnt talk for a couple weeks, eating was difficult, messed up my training sched (as well as leaving me with a nice scar). A couple days ago I finished riding him, was taking him back into the field when he STOMPED (not just a nice little "accidental" step as my pony likes to do) on my foot and as soon as he did it he leaped backwards, so I think he totally knew. It *seemed* intentional, as the last few years I've gotten defensive about my feet so had him far enough away and to the side that it was a pretty awkward step for him to take. He was mad at me the whole time I was riding him too so that just adds to what i'm thinking. So I wasn't walking for a couple days and barely got out of going to the hospital (thought it was broken). Finally couldn't deal with being in the house anymore lol so went for a walk, went to see the horses and he was all love and resting his forehead against my chest, just being a big sweetie. I went to look at a horse for sale a few days after my boy had bit me, when the guy we were buying from found out what had happened he said that if it was his horse he'd take him out back and shoot him :new_shocked: . All I could say was that I was happy he wasn't his horse!!!

Now my mom is ready to ship him off to the first buyer, and maybe if it was another horse I could maybe sorta think about that, but he's just one of those horses I just adore. Ok, maybe the first while after he hurts me I don't adore him but I get over it pretty quickly.

: Then I was thinking, my other favorite horse is the only other horse that's seriously injured me (she kicked me, knocked me over, then stepped on my leg when I fell. She's also on seperate occaisions bitten me, struck me when she reared, and ran through me again. (Which all happened the first two months that we had her [serious trauma before/after we bought her...long story] thankfully shes now 4 and hasn't done anything in last two years.) But again one of those horses that I just don't understand why I love her

:

Well now that I've gone totally long-winded and it's seemingly turn into a bit of a rant: has anyone else had those horses that seems to constently hurt you that you can't help but fall for?!! How did you deal with it?

 

[Danielle_E.]

I have never had a full size horse be like with me nor would I tolerate that kind of behaviour, not only for myself but if you ever do sell him , what about the next owner???? You don't say in your post if you "correct" him after he pulls these stunts but I have to say if you aren't you are not doing him any favour because the next owner, should you sell, might not be so gentle with him if this happened.

Now having said that I had a miniature stallion who tried to be dominant over me when he was younger and I had to put a stop to that for safety sake. I didn't "beat him" but I did have to do some strong corrective training with him and am happy to report that the "nonsense" is no longer part of his personality.

You seem to find that endearing, your horse's antics, but I strongly suggest that you do him a favour and either do some basic "manner's training with him or send him to a trainer who can do it for you. Best of luck.

 

[Marty]

when the guy we were buying from found out what had happened he said that if it was his horse he'd take him out back and shoot him

That's his mentality.............

So, gee whiz, he bit you in the face????? Good grief. Not good.

I took some time and went to your website.

Says there is training available.

So how come this guy doesn't have a stop on him, bites you, and stomps you?

Thinking he's probably a big oaf that needs to go back to ground school for some very basic manners. You've got a bad actor on your hands.

All horses have the potentional to be dangerous, be it through lack of training, or lack of the handler's skills.

Do you think you are a candidate for going back to boot camp yourself? I know I'm as rusty as an old nail......

How about staying off this guy a while and the two of you get evaluated by an outside trainer? Maybe he/she can spot a problem that you would never be aware of. Sometimes when a person is not close to the situation like you are, they can see things that you would not. Would that help?

I have a big old quarter horse out there that can be classified as a major goofy liability, but he's never hurt me, plus I know how to handle him, and nobody but me has any business near him. He's been a pain for over 20 something years but I do love him..........

Best wishes and for pete's sake, be careful!

 

[Chamomile]

I have a stallion-soon-to-be-gelding around here that I LOVE to death, but he has developed some very bad manners. We have been working and working on them, but he just doesn't think manners are a good idea. He is a terrible biter. Tonight he bit my arm pretty good and got in BIG trouble, but nothing I do seems to even make a dent in the biting. I'm getting very frustrated, but I still find myself wanting to do things with him because overall he is a big lug, with lots of heart and play. He is only 2 and only just discovered that he is all man... but Geesh! Get over it already

:

 

[AppyLover2]

I have a friend who will, honest to goodness, bite them back. Not sure I'd do it but I've seen her do it a few times.

No matter how much you love him, it sounds like he needs to be taught some manners. Seems your injuries have been bad enough already, with the bite in the face, but they could get worse. If it was my daughters horse.....he's be gone no matter how she felt about him.

 

[Magic]

I've been accidently injured by horses (and when I look back I realize that it was because of something stupid *I* did, not really the horse's fault) but if a horse were purposefully injuring me, I wouldn't put up with it, love or not. :no: Your horse needs to learn to respect you, or I'm afraid one of these days you could be very badly injured. :new_shocked:

 

[rhea]

I do try to correct him when he does something wrong, but the two major times I've been in shock. He's always been so good around my feet (sometimes purposely avoiding them) that all I could do was yell at him.

I don't train outside horses - we have a trainer who's working with one of our other horses that is willing to take on others. I've started my own ponies and never had problems like this(although they have all been GREAT ponies). All three (not very many but

: ) that I've done myself know that when I say "whoa" they STOP. without another step - I don't trot my ponies until they've got a halt. The only one I sold is now doing FEI pony dressage. This boy is just an oppurtunist. I've found out more and more out since I bought him - a friend of mine was talking with a trainer from another barn after I bought him, and when the trainer heard that he'd been bought apparently she was pretty surprised...she used to ride him and said he was a bit difficult. But we think he was cut late, and just since January he's been the only "man" in the herd (with soon to be 9 mares) - he's gotten more full of himself since then. We're thinking of putting him in a seperate paddock farthur away, maybe he'll start to worry more about me then "his" mares. When he stepped on me it was the day after we brought home a new mare, and whenever she moved he started getting upset, as well as pulling stupid stuff like spooking at cars (this from a horse who at one show had to go through a tunnel under a 4 lane main road to get to the show ring!!!) It's difficult for me to take lessons on him right now because he's so attached to the mares -they're usually far away from the ring and he's run right into the fence (which is just non-electrified electric fence) fighting with me and trying to get back to them. Once he's at a show (as long as we take him alone) he's completely fine as said. Even his stop is way better.

I boarded him last year for three months, and he was out with only geldings - didn't have hardly any problems unless you count spooking in the arena in the thunderstorms (which was completely my fault as i hate thunderstorms). But the owner of the barn is moving so I can't take him back there, and there isn't really anywhere close by that I'd board him again.

So we'll probably fix up the fences the old mini pasture ASAP and put him there...see if not having mares will take his edge off at all. Anyone have suggestions if this is a totally bad idea?!

Even if I didn't want to keep him, I wouldn't feel right selling him like this.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Well, I'd at least sit down and have a serious talk with this horse. Have you had Bonnie contact him? Especially given that he was mad at you the entire ride before he stepped on you, I'd say he's one of those horses who isn't going to take things lying down and he's treating you like another horse he's mad at. I've had a couple like that although they usually limited their rebellion to nipping and acting completely bratty until I got the message. Your fellow needs a firm reminder/discussion that you are not as physically solid as he is and while you don't mind him expressing his opinions and annoyance, it is NEVER okay for him to hurt you like that and if he does it again his position in your herd is in jeopardy.

You aren't alone, to answer your question! But the way he's showing his displeasure isn't acceptable either and he needs to know that.

Leia

Edited to add: Yep, get him away from the mares! He's being studdy and that ups the level of discipline I feel is required as it's less an expressing of an opinion and more a total lack of respect for you.

 

[PaintedPromiseRanch]

I think having Bonnie talk to him is a great idea. she has helped us tremendously with a few of our "problem" children...

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Bonnie, and separate him- it will not have anything to do with being cut late- that is such an old excuse I am surprised it is still used!!

Some geldings just retain this behaviour- he is just being bolshy but it would help to find out why!!