I think I'm putting down my difficult horse

[whattodowheretogo]

I've posted about my horse on here before but I'd just like some last minute opinions.

I bought him a year ago from a TB breeder and trainer as she felt that she was too old for a horse like him and she couldn't sit his spooks.

No ground manners, didn't know where to put his feet, didn't respond to pressure.

I wanted a project and he was one in every sense of the word. I fell in love with him as soon as I saw him.

When I tried him out he was good, but at the end, he took off with me across the field and didn't stop until he physically couldn't go any further. I wasn't concerned about that, I just figured he was green and overwhelmed and these things would come with time.

When we got him home he needed a chifney to be taken anywhere or he would just set his neck and try to canter off (my ex was looking after him for a lot of the time - he's a racehorse trainer and rehab yard owner so he knows what he's doing!) and even he would struggle with him.

Through the months his ground manners improved but to this day he can suddenly try to drag you somewhere and canter off.

His biggest issues are ridden. I've had many rides on him when he's simply decided to take off and nothing can stop him until he's done himself in. One lesson I had we were cantering for so long with him screeching round the corners and bucking that I was getting lightheaded. My trainer couldn't do anything but stand and watch.

He will do things like take off, then screech to a halt in front of the fence, then shoot off again.

I've taken everything right back to basics, over the winter I worked solely on the ground with him, teaching him the saddle and bridle is a positive thing, we learnt to stand stock still at the mountain block, yield to pressure etc.

But he is so unpredictable - he'll do a nasty spook at "nothing", just completely drop his shoulder.

I've spent months just walking and trotting in the school to make it a nice calm experience for him. I've honestly tried everything.

He's just messed up his only saving grace - to hack he is brilliant and super calm. But this weekend he took one look at something on the floor, bolted for home and ran into the main road. I came off, got concussion and fractured my foot.

I've been riding for 17 years, I'll ride literally anything. I ride friend's difficult horses for them if they've come off and had accidents and have a great time. But there's just something about this horse that I just think.. what is it going to take?

I'm so thankful that this wasn't a worse injury for either me or him.

I'm pretty certain that I'm going to put him down. It's something I've discussed with my vet before after he remarked what a difficult git he was.

I feel like it would be unfair on him to pass him on, I'd worry about how he'd be treated given all his quirks, whether he'd be passed on again etc but also I'd worry that he may seriously injure himself or someone else.

Thoughts/suggestions?

just to clarify the charity i mentioned does take unpredictable hard to handle horses.

But every space that a horse like the op's takes up in a welfare charity means another horse that is genuinely in need that can't be helped because there aren't the resources. Passing him to a charity is just passing the buck.

I think in your shoes I'd do the same.
TBs aren't everyone's idea of a companion horse, most people want something low maintenance/ cheap to keep and easily handled.
I looked into the blood bank a while back, they also want horses easy to handle, but what really put me off was that you have no say what happens to the horse when it can no longer give blood. I couldn't find out if they have them PTS or send them for meat.

There would be no shame in having him put to sleep. None at all. Horses like him can quite easily end up in very bad situations. A friend of a friend had a batshit crazy mare who she sent to slaughter (not UK, small local slaughterhouse with an excellent reputation. Mare died instantly and the money went to saving another horse)

Just in case you're looking for other ideas, have you had his sight checked? Might help if you can list the physical things you've ruled out here to give the full picture.

To those suggesting selling him as a companion... It's not safe with an unpredictable horse. Somewhere down the line, someone will decide to sit on him and could end up badly injured or even killed.

Horrible.

Please try to find somewhere for him (as others have suggested, charity or a bloodbank maybe?) rather than pts. I agree you shouldn't keep him but make pts
A last resort

PTS. He is your problem, please don't pass him on as potentially he could end up in the wrong hands and seriously injure/kill someone . Keeping him as a field ornament at his age is not practical if you don't have your own land. I think PTS is the kindest and most sensible decision as hard as it maybe. Good luck

@Pengggwn, do you have horses?

It's not horrible. Unfortunately horses are big, expensive animals who can live for 30+ years. The horse in the op could quite easily kill or injure someone, especially in the wrong hands. Being a responsible horse owner means making the best decision you can and in this case, ruling out anything physical that hasn't been discovered, the best thing for this horse is being pts quietly at home before he causes an accident.

QuestionableMouse

I hate it when people start talking about how other people 'don't understand horses' - erm, I think I understand this situation pretty well. The OP bought an animal, hasn't got what she wanted and now she is going to kill it. I don't normally come into this area of the site but strayed here by accident. I wouldn't comment on the practical care of horses but this is very different to that and I don't think one needs to be 'horsey' to appreciate the situation.

PTS.

Ive had and have horses my whole life and live on a farm.

Those who have no understanding and say you are being cruel - FFS do one.

Pengwyn - tell you what , love , go to the OP and handle that horse eh? Bring it in, groom it, pick our it's feet and maybe hop on board?

No? Then pipe down and shut up, you know nowt.

Theleftparing

No.

I agree with PTS. Might be worth having a post mortem done to see if your vet can find a cause.

I have a similar dilemma - 20 year old stallion who is physically fine (although dodgy back legs means he retired from riding two years ago and can NOT get weight on him) but difficult to manage and must be kept with his best friend otherwise he goes nuts which means that BF can't be ridden either. After a lot of talk and thought we're going to PTS.

It's always a hard, hard decision but part of a horse owners responsibility.

Another non-horsey person here by accident.

Wouldn't normally post but to counter the perspective above it reads to me like you've done all you can.

I don't think it's cruel having done that to have him PTS.

Horses can be very dangerous and personally I think you're acting as a responsible owner wrt the horse and the safety of others.

Basically just posting in case you think all the non horsey lurkers (the threads in active hence you'll get a few) think you are making the wrong choice.

That's said - I'd be swayed by posters above who clearly have experience, most of whom agree with you.

Sad situation and I'm sorry - can't be easy

And Penggwyn, dodgy horse dealers will take a horse like this, dope him up and sell on where he can do untold damage.

Responsible and loving horse owners have their dangerous animals PTS.

Woudl you be telling a dangerous dog owner she was being cruel if it had badly injured your child? No, didn't think so...

Theleftparing

The horse isn't dangerous. It doesn't like being ridden and has a tendency to bolt. It isn't hurting anyone unless someone decides to jump up on its back.

The excuses made for killing horses are all bound up with the idea that we are somehow entitled to ride them. Can't see it myself.

Anyway, I'll leave the OP and those who agree with her to it.

You missed the bit about dragging people about on the ground and bolting with them ( that means leading it on foot ).

Horrifically dangerous.

I hope you don't eat meat Pengggwyn. This horse would be pts in far better conditions than any of those animals.

OP I think PTS or blood bank (assuming the horse is suitable). Not an easy decision to make to pts, but it might be the kinder option than letting the horse injure himself, someone else or end up in awful living conditions.

I've ridden for over 40 years.

I'm sorry you're in this situation, OP, but it really sounds like you've done all you can. I think, sadly, as a responsible owner, the best decision for you both is to have him pts.

You shouldn't really kill him because he's awkward and jumpy.😰

OP, do you know if there is anything in his past to explain his behaviour, like a trauma, or something that he viewed as a trauma?

We had a beautiful mare that was sent for training and came back with an aggressive fear of men in black, waxy waterproof jackets. She would pin her ears back and become violent. Couldn't take her anywhere because most of the judges etc here wear those sorts of jackets. She's now very happy with a family friend as a brood/companion mare. She also had a separate issue with her back, she'd hurt it as a youngster but her previous owners didn't notice. We sorted it as much as possible and left the trainer with very specific instructions about her. Which we think were ignored.

Also, I think this needs to be put into context. This is not like buying a small dog that gets bigger than you wanted it to. This is a large animal who, while we love them to pieces, can injure and kill if they're unsafe. So I think you do have to be 'horsey' to grasp the situation appropriately.

Well. What a horrible side to horse ownership that I never knew about.

I’m sorry you have to make such a terrible decision OP. It really doesn’t feel right to me at all but I don’t know enough to give alternative advice.

This is a large animal who, while we love them to pieces, can injure and kill if they're unsafe. So I think you do have to be 'horsey' to grasp the situation appropriately.

Rubbish. I don't ride horses. I have seen thousands of them and fully appreciate their potential to cause injury.

It's my view that an animal that is unsuitable for riding should be the responsibility of the person who bought it for riding. It isn't the horse's fault.

Anyway, I'm out.

Sweet boy kit - 'awkward and jumpy' is totally different to dangerous to handle and ride.