The Horse Forum banner

Strange behaviour

4K views 33 replies 9 participants last post by  Elana 
#1 ·
Hello team. I have a concern which I'd like to get help with. I have an Arab stallion. Had him for 3 years now. We do endurance together and we have just completed our first 120km ride. How ever his suddenly done something completely out of character.
He bit and threw a complete stranger to the ground today. He has been a bit cranky the last 2 days. The yard lady has given him a new food of molasses and bran to his food. We have just recently moved to this new yard and the mares have done their normal come into season. Of which they have all finished now. But I'm concerned of his very sudden change of character. Is he just cranky and maybe still wound up from the race.
Please help
 
#2 ·
I see a lot of contributing factors here.

1) He's a stallion. Any particular reason he's still a stallion?

2) Mares are in heat. Depending on the stallion, even if he's an angel the rest of the time, they can turn into devils when mares in heat are around.

3) New "hot" feed. Molasses is nothing but sugar. Not normally something to feed an already notoriously hot breed, unless he needs to gain weight and won't eat.

I don't think the race has anything to do with it. I think this has probably been a while coming, with him being allowed to get away with little misbehaviors, so he decided to up the ante.

What were the circumstances of the assault? How did you react? Were there consequences for his misbehavior?
 
#6 ·
I see a lot of contributing factors here.

1) He's a stallion. Any particular reason he's still a stallion?

2) Mares are in heat. Depending on the stallion, even if he's an angel the rest of the time, they can turn into devils when mares in heat are around.

3) New "hot" feed. Molasses is nothing but sugar. Not normally something to feed an already notoriously hot breed, unless he needs to gain weight and won't eat.

I don't think the race has anything to do with it. I think this has probably been a while coming, with him being allowed to get away with little misbehaviors, so he decided to up the ante.

What were the circumstances of the assault? How did you react? Were there consequences for his misbehavior?



Agree agree to this. One thing I would add is maybe he was giving warning signs to the person that he was not pleased with them being in his space, the person didn't realize that/ didn't understand the signs or what have you and so he did that final reaction. Stallions are just iffy, not for any beginning people really. I know people try to do kids on stallions and such, but really I think stallions should be taken with much care and thought. They are a whole 'different breed' so to speak.
Hopefully he won't do it again. Being a stallion though I'm sure it helps with the endurance rides as they seem to have more 'go' for that stuff.
 
#3 ·
Unfortunately I wasn't there. His still a stallion as his going to stud. And yes the mares have been doing there share of nonsense.
Apparently the lady was just standing by his paddock and he went front grazing to attack. It's not anything his ever ever done. When he misbehaves I repremand him. However I don't think anything got done now. Which is not good.
I have no idea why the molasses has been added. He is on special mix for endurance. But it's been running low so it's been substituted with the bran and molasses, which I have requested to stop.
 
#4 ·
I think it was a perfect storm. The mares in season, combined with the new feed. It also sounds like maybe when you're not there, he's being allowed to get away with little things.
 
#5 ·
Yes he is. He gets out and then spends the day with the herd roaming. Which worries me his a sport horse and I can't have injuries. But I think it's just a case of to much and the pot blew.
I just hope he doesn't take on this new behaviour. I can't have him becoming an aggressive horse.
His normally the calmest horse in the yard.
 
#7 ·
Agree agree to this. One thing I would add is maybe he was giving warning signs to the person that he was not pleased with them being in his space, the person didn't realize that/ didn't understand the signs or what have you and so he did that final reaction. Stallions are just iffy, not for any beginning people really. I know people try to do kids on stallions and such, but really I think stallions should be taken with much care and thought. They are a whole 'different breed' so to speak.
Hopefully he won't do it again. Being a stallion though I'm sure it helps with the endurance rides as they seem to have more 'go' for that stuff.
Hopefully he wont kill someone next time.

He may not have given warning. My BIL had a thoroughbred stallion which was used for just stud. Had never shown a bad disposition. One day a friend was walking past his stable and the horse picked him up by the shoulder. That horse was put down that day. He could have killed that man that day, and could have done it again to someone else, who might not be so lucky.
 
#8 ·
I am afraid that many stallions are handled by people that are not qualified to handle them. They need someone that is constantly monitoring them for behavior issues. There is no reason to put a stud down when it is people that bring on the problem.

I handled and re-schooled many stallion over the years including several that had badly injured their previous handler or owners or bystanders. Some of them had badly injured people including a woman who had her face fractured in many places and her eye was kicked out, a man that had his femur fractured so badly that he barely could walk after several surgeries and another that put his owner in the hospital by biting a good part of the skin off on his chest. All of these wrecks had happened during the spring breeding season.

What most handlers do not understand is that you cannot peck or just scold a stallion. It makes some of them get very aggressive. If you get after one of them, you must get after him very hard and then leave him alone and treat him like any other horse. When people are constantly pecking and picking and nagging at a stud, some of them get VERY,VERY aggressive.

Many stallions can get very territorial during the breeding season. I would always suggest keeping a stall completely closed -- never have a top door open. Never let ordinary people have access to any stallion during breeding season. It is just asking for a wreck to happen.

Have only one very knowledgeable person handle a stallion. Some respect one person and resent all others.

Make sure any person handling any stallion during breeding season knows how that stallion looks and reacts at all times and will notice any small signs of defiance or resentment. An ear going back, a toss of his head and neck, step forward or a refusal to step back -- these are all significant with a stallion. If someone does not understand subtle body language, they best leave stallion handling to someone that does.

Two of the people that I knew that were attacked and injured severely (including the woman that had her eye kicked out) I had warned that they were going to get hurt. I had been at their place and saw some of these little signs and gave them warnings of what was coming. Both people got very offended and told me off. They told me that they had raised both of these stallions and they knew them better than I did. Well, when the woman was in the hospital fighting for her life, her husband called me to come and get the horse, re-school him and handle him until he was sold -- which I did.

This is just not unusual. It is only unusual to the person that got hurt or put the horse in a position to hurt a stranger.
 
#9 ·
I know stallions are to be handled differently. I never let my guard down. Even though his never given a reason to have it up, his always been very respectful and we'll mannered, with me. I don't let strangers handle him, even at races I do all my own handling and grooming.
This has come from no where it is not breeding season here right now. The mares have only come into season because his come into the picture, but that's all over last week.
Something must have sparked this behaviour. I do know it was over supper time that he did this. There was no other horses around just this lady with her back to him.
I know giving him a big amount of molasses is not the right thing to do as well. His resting for 3 weeks to just be a horse for a change, giving that much sugar isn't right. I'm going to see him and assess today.
 
#15 ·
I know stallions are to be handled differently. I never let my guard down. Even though his never given a reason to have it up, his always been very respectful and we'll mannered, with me. I don't let strangers handle him, even at races I do all my own handling and grooming.
This has come from no where it is not breeding season here right now. The mares have only come into season because his come into the picture, but that's all over last week.
Something must have sparked this behaviour. I do know it was over supper time that he did this. There was no other horses around just this lady with her back to him.
I know giving him a big amount of molasses is not the right thing to do as well. His resting for 3 weeks to just be a horse for a change, giving that much sugar isn't right. I'm going to see him and assess today.
It doesn't have anything to do with "strangers" handling him. If he's not being corrected when you're not there, then that can definitely escalate. Even being allowed to get away with a pissy face can escalate, depending on the horse.

As an example, my gelding is VERY well-behaved when I'm around because I don't let him get away with anything (at 17hh and 1600lbs, I can't). My BO is much more relaxed and, even though I've given her permission to reprimand him as needed, she won't. I was out one day at feeding time when my gelding was still in a stall and he started pawing at the lowest bar on one of the stall panels. I immediately corrected him, then noticed that the weld on the bar was broken. I brought it to the BO's attention and she laughed and said it was because he always paws like that at feeding time. I was appalled and told her to reprimand him if he did it again because he knows better. She just shrugged and didn't see it as a big deal.
 
#10 ·
okay, my view, while I agree with a lot that Cheri has said, is a bit different
While I agree that stallions have to be handled correctly,, I also think that if they attack a human, they have crossed the line, and also do not have the disposition or mind that justifies keeping them a stallion.
Mares in heat is no excuse, nor is feed, even though feed can make any horse 'hot'
I used to hand breed our stallions, then take them to a clinic or a show, where there were mares. We had mares in heat, in for breeding, yet I would ride and train that stallion, expecting correct behavior
Our stallions were never isolated,locked out of sight, but were in a safe paddock, separated from the main herd's pasture, by a corridor, and also had a hot wire. I could tell which mares were in heat, as they would come up tot hat fence on the other side of that corridor, and display typical heat signs
When not being bred, those stallions were handled , using an ordinary halter and lead shank, ev
en around mares, and never were allowed to act studdy, except when breeding
Many places won't board stallions, and if they do, charge more, and keep them separate. I would wonder about a place that boards a stallion, yet turns him out with other horses, because of liability alone!. I think that the OP needs to think about liability!!!!!!
The fact that he attacked this lady, when her back was turned, really, really would have me wondering if he was breeding material!
 
#13 · (Edited)
okay, my view, while I agree with a lot that Cheri has said, is a bit different
While I agree that stallions have to be handled correctly,, I also think that if they attack a human, they have crossed the line, and also do not have the disposition or mind that justifies keeping them a stallion.
Mares in heat is no excuse, nor is feed, even though feed can make any horse 'hot'
I used to hand breed our stallions, then take them to a clinic or a show, where there were mares. We had mares in heat, in for breeding, yet I would ride and train that stallion, expecting correct behavior
Our stallions were never isolated,locked out of sight, but were in a safe paddock, separated from the main herd's pasture, by a corridor, and also had a hot wire. I could tell which mares were in heat, as they would come up tot hat fence on the other side of that corridor, and display typical heat signs
When not being bred, those stallions were handled , using an ordinary halter and lead shank, ev
en around mares, and never were allowed to act studdy, except when breeding
Many places won't board stallions, and if they do, charge more, and keep them separate. I would wonder about a place that boards a stallion, yet turns him out with other horses, because of liability alone!. I think that the OP needs to think about liability!!!!!!
The fact that he attacked this lady, when her back was turned, really, really would have me wondering if he was breeding material!
Everything said here has been 100% true with our stallions, stallions we raised and stallions we have owned. It is true with the two stallions we have now and one of them weighs 1800# and the other is 19 years old and can be handled by a child. He has been bred since he was 2 and was bred all of the time he was in training and being shown.

But, neither stallion has ever been handled by people that did not understand how to 'read' stallion behavior. Neither has ever been spoiled.

The part I put in bold at the bottom is is absolutely NOT TRUE.

Some of the best horses I ever trained were by spoiled studs. The best horse I ever showed was sired by the stallon that had bitten several people and tore the huge piece of skin and muscle off of the chest of his owner. I stood him at stud for several years after I straightened him out and there was not a nicer stud anywhere. When he arrived, he was the meanest thing you ever saw and was the only stallion that ever got me down -- ever. He taught me a lot of what I know about straightening out rank studs and attacking horses in general. I found out it was not about disposition nearly as much as the way some horses respond to bad handling.

Several years later, the stallion that had kicked his owner in the face was another horse that had sired many horses that I had trained as he was a local horse. They were really nice to ride and train and I cannot remember one of them that was tough to train or had a poor disposition.

On the other hand, the Paint that broke the trainer's leg so badly, straightened out and I later showed him in both halter and under saddle at the Paint Nationals. But, he was a nasty horse that you always had to watch and sired nasty obnoxious colts just like him. He would have been a nasty gelding. He DID have an inherently horrible disposition.

An Arabian I trained for racing was really spoiled when he came. He straightened right out but would still lay his ears back frequently and was a horse I never trusted. I had one of his sons sent to me to ride to also train for the track and he was just like him. I never let anyone working for me handle either one. I always got either one out and moved them for anyone to pick their stalls. I knew they could not be trusted for anyone but myself and never took any chances with them.

A good minded stud can get spoiled with poor or inconsistent handling just like one with a nasty disposition. It can be impossible to tell the difference between the two until they have been straightened out. I think with all of the good experiences this owner has had with this stallion, it is poor handling practices when she has not been there that led this horse to push the boundaries. Testosterone can bring out bad behavior from good horses. I have just seen it happen too often. Where a mare or a gelding can get pushy or nippy with bad handling, a stud can turn and attack when they are otherwise well-mannered.
 
#11 ·
Has this horse bred mares yet, and what herd sex members is he turned out with?
If this is a new behavior, and he is just finding out that he is a stallion, then, strong measures have to be taken, so that he does not get worse
Many colts will be very quiet,acting like geldings, until they discover mares, and then, if the owner or handlers don't know how to handle a male horse with hormones brewing, wreaks will happen
 
#12 ·
I have raced him in events with mares in heat and over 210 other competing horses his never set a hoof out of line. Doesnt even act stallion like many cant believe his a stallion. At home I've got a paddock with a hot tape which he respects. The mares were kept across the yard from him while doing their tarty thing and he was fine and happy. I have requested he stays in his paddock at all times and his happy that way.
As I said before I don't know what was happening and why this lady was by his paddock if her horses where across the yard and his paddock is away from the stables even.
 
#14 ·
With my BIL's horse, I don't know its background or even how long he had him when the horse attacked. BIL's parents ran a stud and he had been working with stallions for years. He stood stallions afterwards as well. I do not believe handling was an issue in this case. BIL chose not to give the horse a second chance. I remember he was v e r y upset about the horse attacking, and his friend getting badly hurt. He was there, so finding excuses for the horse was out of the question. Perhaps the horse would never have done it again, who knows. But even if someone trespassed on the property, if they got hurt BIL would be liable.

Maybe it is easier to make excuses for the horse when the incident happens elsewhere. In this country if a dog bites a person it is PTS by law, no second chance. It is becoming more common to sue for injuries such as these.
 
#16 ·
Listen to Cherie. Please.
She has nailed it.

I also agree with Smilie.. people find it easier to make excuses than to deal with the behavior (and this includes more than horses.. from Kids to dogs to co workers and friends! NEVER excuse bad behavior!).

I know you are in South Africa.. making the things you see and deal with a bit different from the US, Canada and Europe. One thing I can say for sure is that horses still behave like horses no matter where. Pay attention to what Cherie has said and manage your horse. He is a stallion and he has acted like a stallion.
 
#17 ·
Thank you every one and I am totally behind what Cherie says. I don't over pamper him. I watch him I repremad him when needed. I don't cage him up he has his boundaries and doesn't cross them with me. How ever when people approach him who don't understand stallions when I'm not there.

After my visit today. I found the true story the lady that got bitten and not attacked. Was attempting to feed him. How ever she didn't do the normal and instead of just being brief she didn't handle him correctly and thus it lead him to do what he did. All his warning signs were there. She didn't read them and failed to act on his warning.

It's no excuse I know that. But as mentioned before. If you are unsure of handling a stallion. Don't handle a stallion. He is a good boy and we'll mannered and respectful even when seasoned mares are taunting him. His always stayed well mannered to me.

This is just a leason to be learnt by all.
 
#19 ·
Yes I think I will put something of the sort. The yard lady still said to her don't do him. And she still went. Guessing she'll be more careful around him now. Many people under estimate him as he doesn't show any signs of being a stallion. His so placid.
But if you provoke and don't read his signs
Your in for a surprise.
I'm just glad I got to the truth....
 
#23 ·
I am also glad you found out what happened. You need a sign and a top door and only people that know what they are doing should ever handle your horse.

When I trained full-time for the public and showed a lot, I had 10 stallions on my place at one time. Four were breeding horses that I stood to the public. The others were in training. I sometimes hauled 4 or 5 stallions at a time to shows. I had a large sign in my show-barn that read "Please DO NOT pet feed any horses!" This also meant any mares or geldings or ???? I meant it. If I was going to get a horse well-trained enough to be competitive at big shows, I did not want everyone coming by to pet on it.

My husband worked for a man for a while that had almost 300 horses. He had 5 or 6 stallions. Some had been shown and others were just barely handled horses that were sons of good horses but had horrible manners and little or no good handling before husband got there. They were all wrecks looking for a place to happen.

The place had a barn man that fed and cleaned stalls. He was very challenged and barely functioned cleaning stalls. He was a disaster feeding because he would pour new feed on top of old feed or on top of manure if a horse had left a pile in the wrong place. He never noticed a sick horse or any other problem. If the card on the stall said '1 scoop', that is what he fed. He would have kept putting in 1 scoop at a feeding until the feed-box ran over. We used to wonder if he would notice a dead horse in a stall before it started to smell. My guess was that he wouldn't.

Anyway, this barn had 1 really rank stud, a paint grandson of Impressive. Husband told the barn man to NOT touch this horse and to NOT clean his stall until husband had taken the horse out and put him in a turn-out pen. Since stalls were easier to clean if they were picked in the evening, barn man went in with a fork without looking up husband to take the stud out. Husband heard the guy hollering and ran straight to that stall. The stud had him by his shoulder and was shaking him like a rag. He dropped or threw him down and grabbed his leg tearing his jeans off of him. Husband jabbed the horse hard in the neck with the dropped fork to get him to let go and dragged the poor guy out. He never had to tell him again. He was bloody and turned black and blue but nothing was broken. He was lucky to be alive.

All of the other stallions straightened out pretty well, but husband never was comfortable with other people handling them. That one horse was always a bad azz. He would have been until he died. I would not have had one of his colts for a gift.
 
#24 ·
i agree that ignorant people can spoil a stallion
Once, a person we sort of knew, asked us to stop for coffee, and then he took me proudly to see his two year old Paint stud, and to demonstrate the 'game' he played with him
He proceeded to play 'tag'with that colt, taking a turn in chasing the colt, and letting the colt chase him.Well, that colt got serious and came at that candidate for a Darwin Award, with teeth bared and front feet striking.The man barely made it over the top rail of that corral in time!
On another note, we once sold a nice three year old colt, that I had started under saddle, to people getting 'into the breeding business'. He was actually race bred, being by the AQHA running champion, Dee Bar Bright, and out of the App race mare I had bought off the track. Yet, he was one of the nicest studs we ever raised-should have kept him!
The buyers were Mormon, not that it is relevant, except the wife had the genealogy of every mare they had ever bought, to distant ancestors, but nothing was broke.
Stopping by after having sold them this young stallion, we found those people letting their young children ride this stud, as he was the most broke horse they had!! I suggested that perhaps they wait until those kids were older, more accomplished riders, before they gave them a young stallion to ride, although, I admit being proud of that horse!
Yes, I do agree , Cheri, that if one never raised a horse from day one, hard to tell if that horse has a bad mind, or was just handled incorrectly
ThaT app running mare (Bright Tiger, ApHC X Annie Duggin TB )who I bought off the track, and who halter pulled, reared and went over backwards, raised some very nice colts, including that stud I just posted about, and another one we stood at stud and who I showed successfully. She herself got better, but never became a truly easy horse to ride. Many of our horses, though carry her blood, way back, including my old reining mare, who is Peppy San bred on the bottom. and, who I will lay to rest this coming Monday, at age 30
 
#26 ·
I am sad to hear that Smilie's time has come. I know it has to be a very difficult decision.

On a different note, is the big fire anywhere near you? The pictures are horrific.

Now, sorry about the distractions. Back to South Africa. I think this person and this horse will be just fine if she can get other people to leave him alone. If not, someone is going to get hurt.
 
#28 ·
Thanks, Cheri, but not Smilie She is only half that age!
No, my old reining mare, San Stone Image, who is thirty , not keeping weight, and loosing bladder control. She had many nice foals also, including an ApHC World Champion in senior working cowhorse
One of her sons also became a movie horse. My husband trail rides one of her sons, and my son's girl friend just bought the last full brother
San Stone Image is out of a daughter on Rocky San X peppy San

Smilie is doing quite well, barefoot sound in pasture, and going out part day with a grazing muzzle. I have never bred Smilie
 
#27 ·
Here in Alabama, insurance requires all equine properties to have disclaimer signs up which basically say horses can be dangerous and if you get hurt, it's your own fault. Granted, it's written in prettier language, but regardless, I think it's a great idea! We have some kids in the neighborhood, as well as some people that just like the horses and are always asking if they can feed the horses carrots or apples. My answer is always, "No." I will say something like they are on controlled diets, or he may bite, or I don't want you or them getting popped by the hot fence, but it all comes done to liability. So the answer is, "No."
 
#34 ·
We tried to pass this in NY.. land of lawyers.. and apparently here if you engage in horse sports, the horse, the owner, the farm, the venue.. are all liable...

I'm relieved. I thought Smilie was much older than that, given all of her problems. It is a shame that she could not give you sons and daughters.

We have a 32 year old mare. Every winter I know will be her last, but this past one was mild and she did just fine. So she dodged it again. She was such a good roping mare and produced some of the best horses we trained and sold. Three of her daughter were exported to Europe and the UK. They excelled in just about every event. She babysits the weanlings every fall and winter. The wussy one always takes up with her to keep from being beat up. Then I have to wean them from her.

On the insurance thing -- 46 states have equine or livestock limited liability laws. They usually protect professionals from being held responsible for equine accidents or injuries incurred in the normal business conducted with horses. So, if you give lesson or board or do trail rides. you cannot be held responsible if you do not use poor judgement and act in a way that does reflects 'gross negligence. You can still be sued if you are found to be grossly negligent. You can also be found to be negligent if set up something that is considered an 'attractive nuisance'. If people are injured by your attractive nuisance, they can sue the heck out of you and win. It means that they or their kids were attracted to pet or feed your horses and they were not customers that willingly engaged in whatever activity your or your ranch offered. So, even with signs, they can say that you should have anticipated that their kids would be attracted to pet or feed the horse that removed 3 fingers.

You can argue that they were trespassing. Makes no difference! You can argue that they stuck their hand through your fence. Doesn't matter. If a stallion is involved, you are 10x more likely to be held responsible.

Gross negligence and an attractive nuisance both play really well in urban and suburban areas. Not so much in rural areas.
I believe I am in one of the two states that do not...
*sigh*:icon_rolleyes:
 
#29 ·
Far as that fire, we are quite a bit south of Fort Mac, which is north of Edmonton. We are located between Calgary and Red Deer, but it is very dry, the dryest I ever re -call since moving to Alberta some 40 years ago. We have had hardly any snow, then unusually warm spring, with no rain
On a day ride, about a week ago, with a friend, in the foothills area, we observed fire bombers at work, a ridge over from us.When we got back, found out that the fire was under control.
Thunder storms have not even started yet, but there is a general fear, that if we don't get rain, we are going to see major fires in the mountains and forestry areas

Sorry, OP, for the off topic wanderings, and glad you found out what really happened. I hate have any of my horses not under my direct handling and control, let alone a stallion! Good luck!
 
#30 ·
I'm relieved. I thought Smilie was much older than that, given all of her problems. It is a shame that she could not give you sons and daughters.

We have a 32 year old mare. Every winter I know will be her last, but this past one was mild and she did just fine. So she dodged it again. She was such a good roping mare and produced some of the best horses we trained and sold. Three of her daughter were exported to Europe and the UK. They excelled in just about every event. She babysits the weanlings every fall and winter. The wussy one always takes up with her to keep from being beat up. Then I have to wean them from her.

On the insurance thing -- 46 states have equine or livestock limited liability laws. They usually protect professionals from being held responsible for equine accidents or injuries incurred in the normal business conducted with horses. So, if you give lesson or board or do trail rides. you cannot be held responsible if you do not use poor judgement and act in a way that does reflects 'gross negligence. You can still be sued if you are found to be grossly negligent. You can also be found to be negligent if set up something that is considered an 'attractive nuisance'. If people are injured by your attractive nuisance, they can sue the heck out of you and win. It means that they or their kids were attracted to pet or feed your horses and they were not customers that willingly engaged in whatever activity your or your ranch offered. So, even with signs, they can say that you should have anticipated that their kids would be attracted to pet or feed the horse that removed 3 fingers.

You can argue that they were trespassing. Makes no difference! You can argue that they stuck their hand through your fence. Doesn't matter. If a stallion is involved, you are 10x more likely to be held responsible.

Gross negligence and an attractive nuisance both play really well in urban and suburban areas. Not so much in rural areas.
 
#31 ·
Cheri
"I'm relieved. I thought Smilie was much older than that, given all of her problems. It is a shame that she could not give you sons and daughters.

Believe me, if I was younger, I would breed Smilie! I am at the age in my life where I am trying to make sure that the horses I have raised, have a future, and that means putting those retired one I kept, down, when the time comes, and ensuring homes for the rest. The latter was quite easy to do, when I was still starting all the horses we raised, under saddle, but that time for me is past, so, I am hesitant to breed any more horses, this time in my life.
Sorry, Op, for going so off topic, but I should at least post a picture of the horse I am talking about, who soon will be in those proverbial,hoped for, probably non exist ant, greener pastures!

Picture of San Stone image, that I haev stored





Daughter by High Sign Nugget, world champion ApHC senior working cowhorse (shown with her non pro owner )



Another daughter, with my son riding




Now, as they say, 'back to our regular program.

Boarding places have insurance, and in Alberta, by being a member of the AEF, required by many show venues, you are also protected against liability, should your horse injure a third party. I would check what kind of liability coverage both you and that boarding facility has (sorry, addressed to OP! )
 
#32 ·
I agree having people handling horses that dont belong to them can be dangerous hence I've made sure i stable in a very small and quiet yard. I don't stable in riding school or in yards that could have young children easily accessible to him. He is a pretty boy and as I mentioned before he really is quiet and we'll mannered. But horses are animals and what he does today is not to say he'll do tomorrow.
He has been perfectly fine since.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top