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I need advice

8K views 70 replies 15 participants last post by  Jackie 
#1 ·
So i have a 10-year-old AQH gelding. I got him about 5-6 years ago and he was the greatest horse ever. Any place that ive ever taken him everyone is always telling me how great he is. Anyone could ride him, even my little 6-year-old sis' until about 5 months ago. He is horrible. He spooks over nothing. About a month ago, he threw me. And it wasnt just a little fall. He threw me on my head. I was in a neck braise and he screwed up my back. Well i got back on him like a week later and the thing is is that im not afraid of him. I just dont understand. Well about a week later i was tacking him up and he just started freaking out on the cross ties and fell on his side and broke loose and cut himself all up. Well when i ride him he is a jerk. He fights me and bucks and wont stop like he used to. Yesterday i went to tie him up and he broke out of the cross ties 3 times and took off towards the road. What could have happened? I luv my horse and we used to have such a bond. I am even considering moving stables because he was never like this until we came to this stable. Its like im the only one that can ride him now. Any advice is appreciated. Thanx.
 
#2 ·
did his feed change?
did his turnout schedule change?
did his forage change?
does anyone else handle him on a regular basis? have you seen how they handle him?

that would help me get a better idea of what's going on :)

thanks,
 
#3 ·
I'd get a vet out and do a full check up on him. Something that drastic of a change leads me to think something medical.

We had a horse where I board that started acting up like crazy and when they got the vet out, found out that the horse was getting a cataract in one eye.

Hope it gets better very soon.
 
#4 ·
kickshaw said:
did his feed change?
did his turnout schedule change?
did his forage change?
does anyone else handle him on a regular basis? have you seen how they handle him?

that would help me get a better idea of what's going on :)

thanks,

Nope nothing with his feed or his turnout schedule. The only one that really turns my horse out is my close friend and she is good with him. I am supposed to take him to a trail class show next weekend but i dont think i even can cause i cant tie him up. If he even steps back and feels the least bit of resistance he freaks out and breaks the lead rope and takes off.
 
#5 ·
Solon said:
I'd get a vet out and do a full check up on him. Something that drastic of a change leads me to think something medical.

We had a horse where I board that started acting up like crazy and when they got the vet out, found out that the horse was getting a cataract in one eye.

Hope it gets better very soon.
Him being a jerk and stuff could be medical? I just had the vet out like 5-6 months ago and everything was fine. Well i am having his teeth floated next month so ill ask then.
 
#6 ·
OMG yes!!!

A horse can't verbally tell us when they are hurting or something is wrong. So they act out. They will kick, buck, bite - do things not normally in their character in order to say, hey - I don't feel okay.

So whenever a horse's behavior changes that first thing I do is think medical related. Then I go backwards to environment (feed, other horse's, other people) and work out what it can be.

And honestly the majority of the time, it's been a medical related thing.
 
#7 ·
see i just had the vet out not too long ago. Nothing was abnormal. He is very healthy and in shape. If its not medical related, what else can i look in to? Its just so frustrating. This makes me just not want to tride him cause its not even fun anymore. Another thing is he used to go on the trail 1-2 times a week but he hasnt been out on the trail since November. Could it just be boredom in the arena.
 
#8 ·
Thing is, a lot can happen in a week let alone a few months. So I'd still say get him a good check up and let the vet know about his behavior change.

It could be boredom. Some horses get really sour on just arena work only.

Do you do fun things with him? Just hanging out with him, no riding at all?
 
#9 ·
not really anything fun. Like yesterday i just wanted to brush him and the flies were bugging him so i put a little fly spray on my hands to put on his face and he freaked out, ripped out of the cross ties and took off. I cant do anything with him lately cause he has just been such a jerk. Can you suggest any exercises to try with him for getting him to ease to resistance? Its just so frustrating. I used to be able to tie him up for however long i wanted. Now i have to completely watch him when tied up and be extremely slow. My mom's always on my back telling me to not let him get away with that and to be aggressive, but i just want the bond back that i had with him. I could probably get him to liosten to me if i really wanted to, but why fight him and have no fun?
 
#11 ·
PoptartShop said:
Aww. :( Yeah, it could be medical related. I'd also recommend getting him checked by the vet. He may have been checked not long ago, but his behavior doesn't seem good. :(
Has you horse ever changed like this? I just dont understand how a horse can chage so dramatically. I used to be able to ride double, put anybody on him and go anywhere. After he pulls this kind of behavior, its like he tries to suck up to me though because he knows im upset, yet he'll do it again. So when i call the vet, i just tell them that i wasnt a check up.
 
#12 ·
My mare went through a change this end of winter/beginning of spring. She would not walk when i was leading her, she would prance, buck, rear when leading. Riding her was a complete nightmare. I had thought about selling her, as i thought she was too much to handle.

It turned out to be a lack of training (when i got her a year ago, i did more riding than groundwork with her). She was turning 5 and was getting to one of those testing points in her life. And lastly was spring fever.

After i continually worked with her in a rope halter, she has greatly improved. So much as to where i rode her in just a halter! Something i thought i would not be able to do.

If he keeps breaking out of the cross ties, i would stop using them until he gets calm enough with tying that he'll stand quietly.
 
#14 ·
Are you able to groom/tack him up in a stall? Or just a small confined place?
You might try doing that so you can teach him to stand still.

I always groom/tack up in a stall. I find it gives the horses to do what they want (within reason) and I can also gauge what mood they're in.

I don't know if you are at a busy barn, or if the cross ties are in the aisle way, but you don't have to worry about moving him over if someone has to come down the aisle way.
 
#18 ·
I have a tremendous bond with my horse, and so when he starts acting out, I know he's not doing it for just any reason (although he does have his moments!). So there have been times where he has seriously acted out and it definitely was a medical issue (beginning of an abscess, bug bites I didn't notice on his back etc).

Like I said before, the only way a horse can communicate with us is by his behavior, so, acting out lets them tell us something is wrong.

Back to working with him, definitely go back to ground work. That is the best thing that can be done for any horse.

You can make ground work fun!
 
#20 ·
I know everyone's been saying that it might be a medical problem, and it could, but if the vet's been out there, then it might not be. If you have a semi-small arena, try join up. Just let him go in the arena and chase him around until he locks his ear on you, drops his head, and starts to lick his lips. Then change your aggressive stance to a submissive one by hunching your shoulders, turning away, and keeping your eyes on the ground. Once he comes to the middle with you, turn around and pet him around his eyes and ears, but don't look him in the eye. After you do this for a little bit, turn and walk off. He should follow you. If he starts to stray out or if he shys from you, send him around again until he gives you the same signs.

You could also try herbs and plant oils. Bach has some great remedies that you can order. You just give them a few drops in their water. Aspen would be perfect for your horse. It's for vauge fears when a horse starts to spook at nothing. You could also try Imaptiens. It's for impatient horses. I've tried some of them and they're really amazing. They take some time to work, but they do work.

http://www.bachflower.com/Pets.htm

That's the website for the remedies. PM me if you have any questions.

Yes, I'm a natural horse person. not like the Parelli method, but the Monty Roberts method.
 
#22 ·
amightytarzan5 said:
I know everyone's been saying that it might be a medical problem, and it could, but if the vet's been out there, then it might not be. If you have a semi-small arena, try join up.
I think she mentioned the vet hadn't been out in a few months (5 or 6) so something could have developed easily within that time. Drastic behavior changes are generally due to something happening to the horse either physically or mentally.

A lot of horses have their moments of course but the behvavior she describes seems a lot more than just acting out and being a turd.

Ground work can be as simple as leading a horse over obstacles liketarps and poles, around cones, trick training.

Trickonometry is a great book. Read up on ground work exercises always remember the horse needs to respect your space.

And again, I encourage you to have a vet to check him out. Once you rule that out, then it's not something you have to worry about being an issue.
 
#24 ·
I'd like to hear more about your stable. What makes it different from the previous stable? How long have you been at the new one?

Is the feeding schedule the same as far as time of feeding and amount he gets?

Is turn out the same? Was he with other horses previously? Is he turne out with horses now? If so, how is he treated?

How often is he handled by other people at the new place? How often was he handled by other people at the old the place?
 
#25 ·
The paint that lives my QH started getting very "jerk-like" a few months ago. She broke halters, hated being bit up, would crow hop, rear, and buck too. My little friend who rides her is 9 (and a FANTASTIC rider)- haha, I'm 28...anyway, when we took our horses to the vet for vaccs and floats, turns out the paint's mouth was sore from her teeth, and some cutting had occurred. After the float, a week of rest and healing, the paint (Monet) is back to her old self; reliable, happy, motivated, and comfy :D . Your problem most definitely might be a medical problem.
 
#26 ·
Solon said:
I'd like to hear more about your stable. What makes it different from the previous stable? How long have you been at the new one?

Is the feeding schedule the same as far as time of feeding and amount he gets?

Is turn out the same? Was he with other horses previously? Is he turne out with horses now? If so, how is he treated?

How often is he handled by other people at the new place? How often was he handled by other people at the old the place?
well he has been here for 1 1/2 years. Hes in a barn now. He never used to be. At the old stable, he used to get out all the time and go out with a lot of horses but now there is only one horse that he can go out with. He gets fed dinner early in the afternoon but i think hes adjusted to this by now. He is very playful when turned out with other horses. He kicks his back feet up but not out of mean spite. My friend just moved her 5 horses. He used to be turned out with two of them all the time but not anymore. They got their own place now so i might move up there so he would be with the horses he knows best. Ok so where i board, i told the lady that only two of the girls are allowed to let my horse out and yet she takes him out. I dont want her too and i have made that specifically clear yet she still does. Shes really old. Well i think ill get the vet out and get his teeth done and checked and then we can rule that out. And in the meantime, work on groiundwork.
 
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