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Trauma/mental blockage

742 views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Western Dream 
#1 ·
When I was doing a lot of dealing with horses I sold a very nice, and expensive, 4 year old horse to a wealthy family as a potential event horse.

A year later they brought the horse back as it had a 'back' problem and was unrideable as he collapsed when you went to get on him.

Vets had written him off.

I took him as a part exchange and had every intention of having him euthanised. He was turned out in a far paddock for several weeks and I went to catch him. The mud was deep and boot sucking so rather than having to wallow back through the gate, I vaulted across his withers to let him carry me through it, which he did without collapsing. Rather than slip off I stuck my leg over his back whereby he started to canter across the next field, shaking his head and humping his back, seemingly enjoying himself, certainly no sagging of his back.

Stopping was another matter, I only had the halter rope on one side. I headed towards the stables and realised that he wasn't going to stop and he 'popped' the wooden gate into the yard - 4'3" high. He then stopped.

That was it he went into a stable and not onto the knacker wagon.

I later saddled him and he immediately sagged, his belly nearly touching the ground. I took the saddle off and rode him bareback and he was fine.
I progressed to using a surcingle over a thick sheepskin pad which lasted for about a month before I tried the saddle again.

The saddle made him collapse again. I had sheepskin numnah and sheepskin girth cover but it didn't work.

I rode him out bareback and had someone meet me whilst I was out and we then saddled him. He was fine and I rode him back home with no problem. Next day he as fine with the saddle.

This was not a saddle fit issue but seemed a mental issue. I called the ex owner and she had only ridden this horse for the year in an indoor arena. I think that one day he sagged and she got off and being intelligent, he realised that sagging meant no work.

I competed in him all that summer season and he qualified for a regional finals. I took him to the competition which was indoors. He was fine outside, the moment I rode him inside he collapsed.

I then took to ponying him and going to a nearby indoor arena would just trot and canter around the arena leading him then out again.

I then started doing the same whilst riding him but he was not happy about it.

One day I went to rode him around the arena on my way home and they had a Pony Club gymkhana games practise. I stood in the corner and watched. He was more interested in what the ponies were doing than worrying.
On a challenge we took part in a bending race, then a couple of other games - he soon caught on to the fun and was going straight when I had to vault on him.

After that he was a lot better in an indoor arena but never ex horse he was outside.

It took an understanding and listening to his worries over the indoor being boring and monotonous for him.
 
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#2 ·
Continued

When I decided to stop dealing as I has been, part of the reason being that I hated the area I was in, I moved away.

At that time I had three that I wouldn't sell. Cheeky, the horse above, Tictac, an elderly grey horse that I owed so much to for his ability to train the young horses and a very cheeky, naughty pony, Stanley.

A young girl who was horse crazy, lived a mile away. I had seen her in the fields with the horses but she was a faster runner than me!

I eventually caught her cycling past and recognised her. I invited her to the stables and she was a natural around the horses and became my rider of ponies.

She had the facilities to keep a horse but not the finances. Her parents were both disabled, lovely people who appreciated me taking her under my wing.

She had saved hard and so, when I was moving I sold her Cheeky. I had turned down thousands for this horse and sold him to her for £500 which included his tack, rugs and much else too.
The only condition was, and that was done with a hand shake, that if she couldn't keep him he was to come back to me.

He never did! He stayed with her until he was well into his thirties.

Tictac went to a friend who had an equestrian centre where he too stayed until he was put down. Not bad for a horse with a dicky heart that the vet had wanted to shoot years before!

As for Stanley, he stayed with me for a few years and then I sold him to a family who became friends, for their handicapped daughter to ride and drive. He too stayed with them until the end.
 
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