[Colby Jack Seige]

Hay there, coming at you with a more serious topic. I bought my first horse on January 4th of this year, and I am very much in love. However, the place I board has some "training tactics" I don't agree with. I overlooked it because I foolishly thought that since they just feed my horse they wouldn't hurt him.

I wanted to take pictures but I left my phone at home today when I went riding, so I couldn't.

The first sign of whipping I noticed was last week, across his butt he had a whip mark. Some skin had been brought up, there was no hair, and the hair around it looked like it had been cut??? A cruel whip mark if you ask me.

I blew this off as maybe another horse having done this, because I want to believe the best in people.

Today I could not ignore it anymore. I was petting around the crease next to the stifle, and I saw him flinch. I investigated further, and saw another mark like the one before, however far more severe. It looked like the skin was trying to grow back over a medium sized cut. The skin was white.

I'm absolutely appalled. I've been planning to switch barns, but now I'm even more compelled. I haven't talked to the woman who runs the barn, because I'm sure she'll tell me that a fence snapped on him. Twice in one week.

I'm willing to believe the more severe cut was maybe a fence. Maybe.

 

[gypsygirl]

It could definitely be from another horse. Hard to know with out seeing pics.

I've never seen a horse have cuts from whipping.

 

[waresbear]

What are these "training tactics" you don't agree with?

 

[Colby Jack Seige]

What are these "training tactics" you don't agree with?

What they call "sawing", running a horse out so they don't fight back (especially when the horse is perfectly gentle), shouting at the horses whenever they dont do what they're told, using their little yappy dogs to run out the horses or corner them. etc. etc.

Just typical barn witch behavior. The woman who runs the barn has often offered to whack CJ with a whip when he wont walk forward.

 

[Avna]

Not sure what "running a horse out" means.

How can a fence "snap" on a horse?

In any case I'd be looking for a new barn though.

 

[SlideStop]

I think a little more investigating is warranted before making such large assumptions. The raised marks would have to be rather fresh if you're seeing them. They don't tend to stick around for hours.

Is there any wire in the pasture? Do other horses have these marks? Does your horse do anything that would warrant a smack with a whip (charge the fence, nasty at feeding time)?

 

[waresbear]

To even be suspicious that the people you entrust your horse with,are hurting him, you should be out of there like yesterday.

 

[Smilie]

Cutting a horse with a whip would entail using something other then a 'normal whip'
I also would suspect wire or another horse.
All the same, if they practice what you stated, far as letting dogs corner a horse, yelling at horses, and whatever you mean by 'sawing', is not normal barn practice, so move your horse

 

[KigerQueen]

seen some of the stuff you have mention in charro run barns. they also carry around wiffle ball bats and hit horses who have their heads sticking our of the stall or set dogs on them.. yeah move i HAVE seen cuts from whits and it when there is ALOT of force behind it at close range, normally when the horse is tied up or cant really move.

 

[COWCHICK77]

Never heard the term "sawing" before especially in the case that it's used here.
Never seen a standard whip cut a horse, welt one for sure but not cut.
I'm curious as to what "typical barn witch behavior" is?

 

[WhattaTroublemaker]

I'll start with the fact that I knew one man who "ran his horses out" as you put it. His method was to use a wooden and cement round pen and use a bullwhip to run them wide open around the pen until their knees shook and they dripped sweat. He'd then run them some more. I few times I've seen their noses bleed and many of them fell down and hurt themselves. He'd tie them and throw the saddle on and then make them run some more. Apparently when the horse came out he was "dead broke". This was a tactic he'd use to make people come back, for a few days they'd have a lovely broke horse, think "wow hes such a great trainer" until the horse recovered then suddenly they have a very dangerous animal on their hands and take them back for training.

Thing was, he was shut down after someone noticed whip marks he claimed were from wire the horse got caught in. Then we caught him. He'd tie the horse to the inside of the cement round pen out of sight, put the saddle on and whip the horse until he stopped bucking on the tie.

I am not trying to plant horror stories but the only man I truly knew who ran his horses out was a horrible one. I know of a few others who seemed just as bad. Run fast and run far.

 

[WhattaTroublemaker]

Most horrible part is he apprenticed a few trainers around here and his legacy continues.

 

[Blue]

I agree that you need to move your horse quickly. Proof is not required that something is going on. Just the fact that you're not comfortable there is reason enough.

I too have seen the type of "training" Whatatroublemaker described and have seen some of the horses that come out of it. Not a pretty sight at all.

 

[Foxhunter]

I have seen horses hit with a riding whip, lunge whip, hunting whip and a bull whip the worse injury they received was a welt if they were a thin skinned horse.

Sounds more like he has got himself into trouble.

 

[karliejaye]

I also have never seen a whip actually cut a horse and am not sure what some of the tactics you describe are.
HOWEVER, no matter what, abuse or not, if you are uncomfortable with the situation, absolutely move on! Having horses is supposed to be a fun, relaxing, rewarding experience, not one wracked with anxiety and fear. For that reason alone I would move.

 

[Smilie]

Is this horse in training even? Far as I understand, he is not in training-just being boarded.
Yes, there are some really bad trainers out there, but you know what, Trouble, it is the responsibility of horse people to report abuse, if they truly see it
Is this a Charro barn ?
Right now, far as I see, assumptions are being made, with no evidence that the horse was whipped, or , even a reason, a horse just being boarded, would even be bothered with, beyond feeding
If uncomfortable-move, but I sure can't answer the question in the heading of your post!

 

[Blue]

I have not seen a whip itself do damage to a horse, other than a short lived welt. However, I've seen horses hurt themselves, sometimes severely, in a panic trying to get away from the whip, especially in a confined space.

And, yes, horses are like children. Sometimes, there's just an unexplained cut or scrape. But, if I wasn't comfortable with any conditions at a barn where my horse was staying, I would move at the first opportunity.

 

[natisha]

I have a big bush-like tree that one of my mares loves to back into & scratch. She sometimes ends up looking like she was whipped on her back half.

 

[Blue]

I have a big bush-like tree that one of my mares loves to back into & scratch. She sometimes ends up looking like she was whipped on her back half.

Mental picture! :big laugh:

 

[DraftyAiresMum]

Cutting a horse with a whip would entail using something other then a 'normal whip'
I also would suspect wire or another horse.

:iagree: