More of a re-training question??

I have a 9 year old gelding who was taken to a"professional" and I use that term looslly. To be trained for riding when he was a 5 year old. He was then deamed to dangerous to finish training when he rearred and bucked with the trainer and was send home after a month or so. I later found out that it wasn't the so called trainer who was training him but a 18 year old with only a few horse under her belt so to speak. Due to health issues etc.. of my own he has only been a pasture ornament, ever since he came back home. I am now however thinking of putting him back into training ,round pen work etc.. Starting from the basics. I can do everything else with this horse. And it would be a shame not to have him trained to ride My question is what is your oppinion as to if I should try to train him myself or do you think he's too old and just leave him as a ornament?

It's not so much his age that would conern me, but having been labeled as "untrainable" or whatever. That would concern me for YOUR safety. Most horses can be trained, even if a little older.

If you can't afford to have someone else (not the shady characters that did it before) work with him, at least seek some guidance and use the buddy system or, just enjoy him as is. It's not worth getting yourself hurt over and he needs an experienced trainer to take that risk, not yourself.

^^^^ I agree completely with finding a competent trainer to saddle break him. Sounds like the first attempt was a waste. Try it again, you might be surprised to get yourself a nice riding horse. Hope so

I agree with Barefoot. It's a pity that this poor boy had a bad start and has associated being ridden with fear, danger & needing to defend himself. It's not his age that's the potential problem, but his first impressions that need to be overcome.

Not knowing your experience, I can only say that I would advise he is trained very gradually and positively, in a non-confrontational manner, with lots of approach & retreat. He will need someone who can read his smallest signals of stress(such as holding his breath, etc) and treat him accordingly and considerately.

I also think that he needs someone who is a good rider & not afraid of bucking. You want him trained in a way that will avoid causing this defensiveness, but if by chance something happens to frighten him, it would be a good thing if it didn't end in him ridding himself of the rider! :roll:

If you reckon you fit the bill, go for it! But otherwise, choose your professional very carefully. I'd also be inclined to watch them working with other troubled horses before I gave them the reins on this boy.

I agree with everyone here....

I would say it's up to you, if you think you can do it and you want to take the risk of bodily injury then go for it.... but personally I would have someone else do it because you aren't sure what happened to him exactly and what will upset him...

I also agree. My first move would be to take him to the vet and the chiro and see if there's something amiss with his hips, back etc before I did anything and then I would find a good trainer. This guy sounds like he may have been cowboyed by his former "trainer" so I suggest a female trainer. The abused or bullied ones tend to respond better to women in my experience.