[ToManyHorsesAndOnePony]

So... Boo (Lightning) is an 8 year old Appendix quarter horse. I got him when he was 6months old by my parents paying WAY to much money, and trading a 400 dollar pony. He came "halter broke" And full of horrible nasty manners. We found out later on that his full brother was put down because of the level of violence he was prone to. And the cause for the nasty temperments was someone that worked for the owner would get super drunk, go to the barn and beat on the horses with a two by four among other things. Nasty or not I thought he was wonderful and was able to get rid of all oh his bad habits. At a year old he wouldn't kick or bite or chase anyone that went in the field anymore. And I could do anything with him, we went on trail walks, swimming ect.. At two I was sitting on him in the field for very brief periods. He happily excepted saddle and bridle. And ground drove perfectly. A family member talked my parents into sending him to a trainer a little after he turned two because he was so big, stupid I know. He came back with hobbling scrapes on his legs. Bucking, rearing, biting, kicking, smashing people into fences, running over people and kept my mother locked in a barn until I came home from school. After a lot of time I again got him to stop doing all these things... But he's never went 100% back to where he was. He's known to have spells where he will spaz... Not as bad as it was but god I'm so sick of him prancing everytime he gets angry. My farrier is also a horse trainer, and after a long talk with him I know I'm the cause of the prancing, by letting him get away with it. So we've been doing a lot of work. He starts prancing or walking fast I get off and chase him back. Get back on, and repeat. It used to take a lot. But now normaly he feels me start to get off and his head will drop back, ears go back up, and hes walking happily again. At most I'll have to get off and back him three or four times. I KNOW this is progress but sometimes I almost wonder if I should just leave off riding him period anymore and just let him be a field buddy. He always seems to want to go though =/

 

[Skyseternalangel]

It sounds like he just had baggage, likely from not so great experience with the trainer (not all trainers are created equally!)

It will take time, effort, patience, and consistency to get him back to feeling secure. But even so these traits are needed when training a horse to begin with. Just treat him the same as you would any other horse.

 

[LynnF]

I think that sometimes we get so caught up with what happened in the past that we forget to train the horse we have today. Regardless of what happened in the past this horse just needs consistency and discipline. It sounds like you are on the right track with this and it will probably just take time.
Don't get frustrated and be safe! Good luck!

 

[JCnGrace]

We had a difficult mare that needed to go to a trainer. Did my research, got references, etc... He did a good job with that mare so of course when I was ready to send my stallion to a trainer that's who I sent him to.

I sent him a 3 year old stallion who was a gentle lamb, already green broke but I wanted him to learn manners while being ridden in groups of horses which I couldn't do around here by myself. He didn't need to be handled roughly to learn these things, unless you looked under him you wouldn't even know he was a stallion. Took me a year to bring him back around to being the mild-mannered gentleman I knew and loved after he came home from the trainers. Even longer for him to trust strangers, especially men.

Lesson learned that not all trainers are suitable for all horses.