Last straw with a problem horse...

Dancers Mom · 11-07-2008, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirsty62

Good point about being herd bound - how do you fix that? It's hard because she wouldn't make a very good paddock mate because she stresses out on her own and that wouldn't help the horse she is paddocked with if it's taken away.

Part of me thinks that she needs more work - do you think it is possible she doesn't want to be ridden or do you think that she is just putting up a fight and will get over it? The trainer thought it would be more a case that she could leave her with him for the next month - spend $800 New Zealand Dollars and still have a horse that is 'no fun'. It's just so hard to know.

Find a new trainer. Everyone is basically saying that. Maybe that trainer is not working for this horse! Maybe they just to not jive. She needs something that this trainer is not giving her.

kirsty62 · 11-07-2008, 09:55 PM

What do people reckon about this guy? He sounds pretty good...

http://www.horsemanship.co.nz/index.php

Native Winds · 11-07-2008, 10:35 PM

I have worked with problem horses in the past as a supplemental income. THe first thing I would do with this mare is get a complete physical work up by an equine related Vet not a small animal Vet. THis way if anything physical comes up it can be remedied (taken care of) and possibly the answer to many of the "problems" this horse has.
If the horse checks out ok then I would evaluate the horse in paddock and in arena and I dont look that much in the past for every animal has a past of some sort. I watch the mare to see how she responds to other horses and other stimuli. I watch her actions and reactions with me in a round pen doing nothing but a little moving off. Most times I go back to basics as if the horse has never been touched. Round pen work, ground manners work, emotional work including trust issues, and so forth. Lots of ground work, ground work and more ground work. Be sure tack fits. Sore mucles from ill fitting tack can make any horse cranky. I just go from there and deal with things as they come.

If the mare has a bad temperment breeding her will possibly perpetuate a bad temperment offspring. Why risk that offspring to the same fate as its dam.

Some horses make wonderful pasture pals, pets to those not wanting to ride and other such uses. If the horse is deemed untrainable and unridable and ill tempered the animal will go one to the next person then to the next person then to the next you get my drift. This increases the chance of the animal being abused, starved, or worse unimaginable. IF this horse is vicious and dangerous (a savage) the best option for such a case would be to humanely euthanise the animal. This would save him/her of a lifetime of misery and dangerous actions from the horse itself to itself and its handlers and other horses.
Perhaps finding another trainer might help. Some rescues do not have the means to train or work with animals with people problems enough to safely adopt out or what have you. Its a big liabililty battle if I ever saw one.
If every effort was made to work with this horse (I am taking this horse is not a savage and is not dangerous to handle) in every manner, shape, way and was up for sale I would rather see the horse euthanised than being sent off to slaughter or passed down to another person that could possibly abuse the animal starve the animal thus continuing the cycle of repeat selling down the road to God only knows what ans who. THere is a fate much worse than euthanasia. 1/2 year (6months) does not give enough time to rehab a horse starting back from the very basics.

I doubt that any horse likes to be ridden. Just because a horse does not fuss about being ridden doesnt mean they like it.

EVOO · 11-07-2008, 11:18 PM

4 months in the life of a horse that either has been abused or simply has reverted to being very green with lack of handling is nothing. It's not a day to her. Rehabbing a horse in either situation that has known problems takes time. Especially when in those four months the horse has had more "new" experiences than she has in the past how many years? Give her time!

I have had my mare who was mostly unhandled before I bought her for a couple of years for six months, and some days she still gets that wild "OhmyGAWD! What are these people going to DO to me?" look in her eyes. Not ONCE have I thought about putting her down, I made a commitment to her. Some days I get very frustrated with her, yes. But I made her mine for better or worse and I knew she hadn't been handled much when I bought her so it's not like I didn't know what I was getting into. On those days I take it slow and when I am too frustrated, I end on the best note possible and walk away to try again later because she shouldn't have to suffer the ill effects of my impatience.

If your friend's other horse is deteriorating but well broke and she can only afford to keep one I would market him as a husband-horse/kid-safe mount with a few good rides left in him and then to be used as a pasture pal. She'd likely be able to find a family who wants a starter horse that's very broke to get them through a few years for their kids and then can act as a pal for the next step in the kid's "career". She'd have better luck placing him than she would the "problem" mare and then she can focus all of her attention and efforts on the mare she committed herself to. Give her a minimum of a year, a good trainer who works well with both horse and owner, a COMPLETE vet, dentist, chiro, farrier, etc check over and THEN and only THEN if she is still a "problem" give putting her down more thought.

Native Winds · 11-08-2008, 09:47 AM

She might do well as a driving horse.

11-07-2008, 10:35 PM	#43
Native Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lexington KY area Posts: 2,044 Images: 10 Blog Entries: 19	I have worked with problem horses in the past as a supplemental income. THe first thing I would do with this mare is get a complete physical work up by an equine related Vet not a small animal Vet. THis way if anything physical comes up it can be remedied (taken care of) and possibly the answer to many of the "problems" this horse has. If the horse checks out ok then I would evaluate the horse in paddock and in arena and I dont look that much in the past for every animal has a past of some sort. I watch the mare to see how she responds to other horses and other stimuli. I watch her actions and reactions with me in a round pen doing nothing but a little moving off. Most times I go back to basics as if the horse has never been touched. Round pen work, ground manners work, emotional work including trust issues, and so forth. Lots of ground work, ground work and more ground work. Be sure tack fits. Sore mucles from ill fitting tack can make any horse cranky. I just go from there and deal with things as they come. If the mare has a bad temperment breeding her will possibly perpetuate a bad temperment offspring. Why risk that offspring to the same fate as its dam. Some horses make wonderful pasture pals, pets to those not wanting to ride and other such uses. If the horse is deemed untrainable and unridable and ill tempered the animal will go one to the next person then to the next person then to the next you get my drift. This increases the chance of the animal being abused, starved, or worse unimaginable. IF this horse is vicious and dangerous (a savage) the best option for such a case would be to humanely euthanise the animal. This would save him/her of a lifetime of misery and dangerous actions from the horse itself to itself and its handlers and other horses. Perhaps finding another trainer might help. Some rescues do not have the means to train or work with animals with people problems enough to safely adopt out or what have you. Its a big liabililty battle if I ever saw one. If every effort was made to work with this horse (I am taking this horse is not a savage and is not dangerous to handle) in every manner, shape, way and was up for sale I would rather see the horse euthanised than being sent off to slaughter or passed down to another person that could possibly abuse the animal starve the animal thus continuing the cycle of repeat selling down the road to God only knows what ans who. THere is a fate much worse than euthanasia. 1/2 year (6months) does not give enough time to rehab a horse starting back from the very basics. I doubt that any horse likes to be ridden. Just because a horse does not fuss about being ridden doesnt mean they like it. __________________ They say money does'nt buy you happiness, but I know it would solve alot of my problems which makes me unhappy. "Trust No One" x-files

11-08-2008, 09:47 AM	#45
Native Winds Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lexington KY area Posts: 2,044 Images: 10 Blog Entries: 19	She might do well as a driving horse. __________________ They say money does'nt buy you happiness, but I know it would solve alot of my problems which makes me unhappy. "Trust No One" x-files

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11-07-2008, 09:55 PM	#42
kirsty62 Full Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 25 Images: 2 Blog Entries: 1	What do people reckon about this guy? He sounds pretty good... http://www.horsemanship.co.nz/index.php

11-07-2008, 11:18 PM	#44
EVOO Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2,595 Images: 8	4 months in the life of a horse that either has been abused or simply has reverted to being very green with lack of handling is nothing. It's not a day to her. Rehabbing a horse in either situation that has known problems takes time. Especially when in those four months the horse has had more "new" experiences than she has in the past how many years? Give her time! I have had my mare who was mostly unhandled before I bought her for a couple of years for six months, and some days she still gets that wild "OhmyGAWD! What are these people going to DO to me?" look in her eyes. Not ONCE have I thought about putting her down, I made a commitment to her. Some days I get very frustrated with her, yes. But I made her mine for better or worse and I knew she hadn't been handled much when I bought her so it's not like I didn't know what I was getting into. On those days I take it slow and when I am too frustrated, I end on the best note possible and walk away to try again later because she shouldn't have to suffer the ill effects of my impatience. If your friend's other horse is deteriorating but well broke and she can only afford to keep one I would market him as a husband-horse/kid-safe mount with a few good rides left in him and then to be used as a pasture pal. She'd likely be able to find a family who wants a starter horse that's very broke to get them through a few years for their kids and then can act as a pal for the next step in the kid's "career". She'd have better luck placing him than she would the "problem" mare and then she can focus all of her attention and efforts on the mare she committed herself to. Give her a minimum of a year, a good trainer who works well with both horse and owner, a COMPLETE vet, dentist, chiro, farrier, etc check over and THEN and only THEN if she is still a "problem" give putting her down more thought.