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Is Someone Whipping My Horse???????

8K views 45 replies 25 participants last post by  Colby Jack Seige 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hay there, coming at you with a more serious topic. I bought my first horse on January 4th of this year, and I am very much in love. However, the place I board has some "training tactics" I don't agree with. I overlooked it because I foolishly thought that since they just feed my horse they wouldn't hurt him.

I wanted to take pictures but I left my phone at home today when I went riding, so I couldn't.

The first sign of whipping I noticed was last week, across his butt he had a whip mark. Some skin had been brought up, there was no hair, and the hair around it looked like it had been cut??? A cruel whip mark if you ask me.

I blew this off as maybe another horse having done this, because I want to believe the best in people.

Today I could not ignore it anymore. I was petting around the crease next to the stifle, and I saw him flinch. I investigated further, and saw another mark like the one before, however far more severe. It looked like the skin was trying to grow back over a medium sized cut. The skin was white.

I'm absolutely appalled. I've been planning to switch barns, but now I'm even more compelled. I haven't talked to the woman who runs the barn, because I'm sure she'll tell me that a fence snapped on him. Twice in one week.

I'm willing to believe the more severe cut was maybe a fence. Maybe.
 
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#4 ·
What they call "sawing", running a horse out so they don't fight back (especially when the horse is perfectly gentle), shouting at the horses whenever they dont do what they're told, using their little yappy dogs to run out the horses or corner them. etc. etc.

Just typical barn witch behavior. The woman who runs the barn has often offered to whack CJ with a whip when he wont walk forward.
 
#6 ·
I think a little more investigating is warranted before making such large assumptions. The raised marks would have to be rather fresh if you're seeing them. They don't tend to stick around for hours.

Is there any wire in the pasture? Do other horses have these marks? Does your horse do anything that would warrant a smack with a whip (charge the fence, nasty at feeding time)?
 
#9 ·
seen some of the stuff you have mention in charro run barns. they also carry around wiffle ball bats and hit horses who have their heads sticking our of the stall or set dogs on them.. yeah move i HAVE seen cuts from whits and it when there is ALOT of force behind it at close range, normally when the horse is tied up or cant really move.
 
#10 ·
Never heard the term "sawing" before especially in the case that it's used here.
Never seen a standard whip cut a horse, welt one for sure but not cut.
I'm curious as to what "typical barn witch behavior" is?
 
#11 ·
I'll start with the fact that I knew one man who "ran his horses out" as you put it. His method was to use a wooden and cement round pen and use a bullwhip to run them wide open around the pen until their knees shook and they dripped sweat. He'd then run them some more. I few times I've seen their noses bleed and many of them fell down and hurt themselves. He'd tie them and throw the saddle on and then make them run some more. Apparently when the horse came out he was "dead broke". This was a tactic he'd use to make people come back, for a few days they'd have a lovely broke horse, think "wow hes such a great trainer" until the horse recovered then suddenly they have a very dangerous animal on their hands and take them back for training.

Thing was, he was shut down after someone noticed whip marks he claimed were from wire the horse got caught in. Then we caught him. He'd tie the horse to the inside of the cement round pen out of sight, put the saddle on and whip the horse until he stopped bucking on the tie.

I am not trying to plant horror stories but the only man I truly knew who ran his horses out was a horrible one. I know of a few others who seemed just as bad. Run fast and run far.
 
#15 ·
I also have never seen a whip actually cut a horse and am not sure what some of the tactics you describe are.
HOWEVER, no matter what, abuse or not, if you are uncomfortable with the situation, absolutely move on! Having horses is supposed to be a fun, relaxing, rewarding experience, not one wracked with anxiety and fear. For that reason alone I would move.
 
#16 ·
Is this horse in training even? Far as I understand, he is not in training-just being boarded.
Yes, there are some really bad trainers out there, but you know what, Trouble, it is the responsibility of horse people to report abuse, if they truly see it
Is this a Charro barn ?
Right now, far as I see, assumptions are being made, with no evidence that the horse was whipped, or , even a reason, a horse just being boarded, would even be bothered with, beyond feeding
If uncomfortable-move, but I sure can't answer the question in the heading of your post!
 
#17 ·
I have not seen a whip itself do damage to a horse, other than a short lived welt. However, I've seen horses hurt themselves, sometimes severely, in a panic trying to get away from the whip, especially in a confined space.

And, yes, horses are like children. Sometimes, there's just an unexplained cut or scrape. But, if I wasn't comfortable with any conditions at a barn where my horse was staying, I would move at the first opportunity.
 
#21 ·
Sawing is when they rider yanks each alternating rein back and forth really quickly. It usually frustrates the horse, but gets them to put their head down like they want. They have electric fences but its basically impossible for them to snap. And if they did they would have to go out and repair it immediately as the circuit would be broken. I haven't seen any marks on any other horses but CJ also is just about the sweetest horse in that pasture. He can get a little feisty at feeding times but nothing to warrant whipping.

Also there are approx. 60-75 horses in his paddock. They keep too many horses so I was planning to move soon. And when I say a fence snapping I mean the wire. They use barbed wire and electrical fencing.
 
#22 ·
Yes, I know what that see sawing is,(not just sawing, far as that term ), being used by some riders, but your horse is not in training-right?
I would never have anyone that uses see sawing riding my horse, thus would not suggest you put your horse in training with them, but that has nothing to do with those marks, s they are not riding him
So, 60 to 70 horses are group fed? sorry, but that sets up a prime way horses can get marks !
How big is that pasture? How are they fed?
You checked out all other 70 horses,(up close, as you did your own ), and found only yours to have marks?
 
#23 ·
No he is definitely not in training. Though I'm not the most qualified, I train him myself so we can both learn from each other. I don't take lessons from them either.

And some of the older horses out there look a little rough but I haven't gone up close like I did with CJ. The paddock is gigantic, theres a whole lake inside of it with plenty of room, but only about three feed buckets. I see lots of horses that have almost every single one of their ribs exposed out there, but the lady says its just that they're old... but it always happens to be the smaller horses that look like that.
 
#25 ·
It sounds like you are overreacting. Horses get hurt, and training needs to be real sometimes. But this training sounds borderline abusive at time- I am glad he is not in training but would still not want those people handling my horse. As far as horses getting hurt, they can and will, but there are things you can do to prevent that.

I'm assuming he's not getting hard feed? A little confused on the feeding set up, but it doesn't matter.

You aren't happy there, and it doesn't sound like a fantastic place so do leave, esp if you are already looking into it, just up the ante ;)
 
#30 ·
The horse may be getting itself into something that causes the gashes. My horse likes to itch on trees and has come in with some nasty cuts that look odd and weird. If it was me though, I would still move my horse. If you are not sure on how your horse is being taken care of or there is bad friction between people I would move. Don't feel bad for moving, I've done it 5 times. Sad I know, I tried to leave for legit reasons though. 3 barns closed down and there were a few other issues we couldn't work out and the other I moved to be with a friend. Your horse will majorly change when he and you are at a happy place.
 
#31 ·
Kick marks can absolutely look like whip marks. I had a friend's mare staying at my place. She cornered my mare and kicked her about twenty times in the rump. At first I thought someone had beaten my horse! On closer inspection you could see some of the marks were hoof shaped. But most of them were slices that had a resemblance to whip marks.

After that event the mare's owner then told me that they once had a new gelding in and she came out and found the mare standing on top of him after beating him to the ground.

Luckily no real harm was done to my horse other than some wicked swelling and lacerations.

Horses certainly can be very brutal to each other.

I would not keep my horse in that environment with that many other horses. Even in wild horses, they tend to scatter into smaller bands, so they can avoid competition over resources.
 
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