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Ugh... People make me sick.

5K views 35 replies 17 participants last post by  MaximasMommy 
#1 ·
I'm not sure if this is a rant or just me wanting to talk. So bear with me...

So, I got out of riding a little over a year ago. I've ridden regularly from the ages of 5-20, I am now 22. I gave my horse away when I moved off to college because it wasn't fair to him to be left at home in Maryland while I was down in Florida for months at a time and I couldn't afford to ship him back and forth. However, I now stay here about 11 months out of the year. I told myself no horses until I graduated college and could keep them on my property. I had done a good job with that (I've been working on a farm as a farm hand and also teaching lessons at a different farm) and have been perfectly content. That was until this happened...

My manager at the barn I'm currently working at as a farm hand texted me and said she was going to go pick up a 6 year old warmblood (American warmblood - so draft cross) that was on death row. He was purchased from a farm in Tampa, FL and had just begun showing dressage. His new owner had him for roughly 9 months and was not riding regularly, so he began getting rowdy and bucking people off. She tried to sell him, he continued to buck people off, so needless to say, no one was interested. He learned that with this bad habit, people wouldn't get back on, and he wouldn't be worked. Apparently, a male got on him with minimal horse experience and the owner said he wasn't paying attention (bad idea number 20044857473737... getting on a horse that has been known to buck with no horse experience AND not pay attention) and the horse hit him in the face and did pretty good damage to the man - he needed surgery. From that point, they decided they wanted to put him down because he was too dangerous. He wounded up in the barn and wasn't touched again until my manager went to pick him up and the woman didn't even want to go in the barn. She just pointed and said "he's in there." and my manager went in and saw no feed or water.

The horse was brought to my farm to avoid death because the vet didn't feel it was appropriate to put such a young horse down without a second chance. My farm doesn't have the room, but agreed to take him on for a while. They haven't had much time to work with him either, but I had fallen in love. They asked if I wanted him, I with no second thoughts said yes.

In the few days I've been working with him, I have been so upset. He is afraid of life itself. He stands in the back corner of his stall with his head in the corner and wouldn't come to the stall door until I started bringing treats to show him he was okay. I had to convince him to eat grass on a lead rope, he's constantly on edge and jumpy with fear. He's afraid of his own shadow, constantly looking concerned or watching my every move. He's really weird about people approaching him at any pace faster than that of a snail, and he really seems to fear men. All I've been doing at this point is trying to regain his trust. It's so upsetting to see a horse so young that was doing so well be so afraid all because of one bad ownership.

So now I own a horse that will take a lot of work and time, but for some reason, I just felt like he needed me. And maybe I needed him.
 
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#4 ·
At least once a week "why I like my animals better" comes out of my mouth.

Sometimes things really do happen for a reason. I hope you will be able to afford to keep him, since you're still in college.

He could have originally started the bucking due to poor saddle fit or pain issues and things escalated from there. It almost sounds as if his spirit has been broke - I sure hope not:-(

With patience beyond patience, you can probably end up with a more loyal heart horse than you imagined.

My heart hurts for what he's been thru and for you having to heal his suffering and un-do the wrongs of others.

I think your vet might be in the minority regarding saving him, no matter how young he is. Your vet has seen something in the horse that is well worth saving.

I wish you the very best. Please keep us updated.

And of course I have to ask, do you have pictures:-p
 
#17 ·
He's gorgeous. :) I really admire you for taking him on - not everyone would have done that. I hope everything goes well and you get him all fixed up. He looks like he'll make you a wonderful horse.
 
#19 ·
He is really pretty and is, at least, in a lot better physical condition than I had envisioned:)

Does he seem willing to please in the round pen or is his "I will do this" coming from a place that says "I will do this because I know I will be in trouble if I don't".

I am meaning that as a past memory trigger PLEASE don't think I meant that for you. Keyboards aren't always the best place to try and ask a question or make a point:oops:
 
#20 ·
He is a bit quick in the round pen, but is otherwise quiet. The main issue come when I approach the tack as if to get on. That's when he gets weird and jumpy. He doesn't even like me to touch the saddle when it's on. I've recently just gone back to trying to gain his trust. I want him to be more willing to work WITH me, not FOR me. I've been taking him out to graze, I've been just playing with him in the round pen. He actually followed me this evening! I walked to the other side away from him, kissed, and he came right over to me. I have a video. I really think once he realizes that I want to help him and get along with him, he'll be overall easier to work with. As you'll see from the video, he is totally curious and sweet. He's just a baby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLaalZujz5k&feature=youtu.be
 
#25 ·
Excuse the winter woolies. This was a couple of years ago (he's 5 now).


This was just a few weeks ago (my best friend is riding him here).


We just fart around the arena for right now. I eventually want to show western with him and, if I can get my butt in gear and get over my anxiety, I'd love to learn how to jump and maybe do some eventing.

I'll tell you what, though. He is a one-in-a-million horse. EVERYONE loves him. He is very much my boy, though. Will do anything for me. Anyone else has to convince him to do stuff for him.
 
#26 ·
That precious horse has a very sweet face and kind eye. He wants to please.

I have one TWH that is exceptionally emotional. The expression on your new fella's face reminds me of him. Funny thing, he is also my vet's favorite of my four:-p

I have another TWH that doesn't even believe in "asking forgiveness, let alone permission" that I have to really get onto verbally and sometimes with a crop.

If I ever yelled one inth of what I do with Rusty to the really emotional horse, Joker would shrivel into the corner. I have heard Joker suck his breath in, if I verbally discipline him too hard - he is that sensitive. I think your fella is the same way.

Buy your vet a nice dinner - this is a horse that had no business being PTS'd. He listens beautifully to you, especially considering what he was subjected to and you haven't even worked with him more than a few days.

He is a treasure. Were he mine, however, I would have a chiro look at him to be sure he doesn't have pain issues before saddling him up to ride. A horse doesn't have to be lame or "off" to be out of place somewhere. Some just carry their discomfort more stoically than others:)
 
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