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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

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Original poster

Same silly horse

25 replies

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 10:56

Horse that ate too much has then decided he didn't want to stay overnight at the trainers and has jumped a 6 foot fence. Landed badly and has grazed his knees. Buckled a brand new steel fence! He is missing his little pony who lives with him. He got all the way to the end of their property and stopped. Only horse to ever do it. I love him but he is so spooky I cant keep him and can't sell him on. What am I to do with him ? Any ideas? He was beautifully trained when he was young, and is still great with farriers , floating, runs to me - no need to catch. Helps you put on his halter. A total gentleman. 17yo pally. Total doll. I mau just have to give him away due to his spookiness.

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Original poster

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 10:57

Any ideas?

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OrlandointheWilderness · 10/02/2023 10:57

How much work does he get?

OrlandointheWilderness · 10/02/2023 10:58

Oh and does he live in/out? Current routine? What's his diet like as well?

Original poster

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 10:59

He lives in our backyard

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Original poster

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 11:02

Diet is lucerne hay plus once a day his " mix" which is lucerne chaff plus pellets plus vitamins and salt . Sometimes magnesium. He is lovely , never had a problem until he spooked and threw my 20 yo son off at Christmas. That why I sent him to the trainers

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Original poster

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 11:06

He is rarely ridden, but he wasn't at his last home. It's all very confusing. He is also scared of one side of our yard . He walks up to it slowly and then runs past it to get to me. There aren't aren't any animals there. There are are horses at the the other 2 sides of our yard and they don't bother him!

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Tirednest · 10/02/2023 11:09

Fwiw my 14 year old gelding did the same thing last year - sent him to a trainers while dd had an operation. He jumped the fence and ran through another fence,.dragging it with him back to the yard. He also missed his friend.

The yard owner put him.next to an old pony who he fell in love with and was fine from then on.

What does the trainer say?

Tirednest · 10/02/2023 11:10

If he's rarely ridden then why was your son riding him?

Alfalfa can make some loopy although I've never had an issue with mine.

Original poster

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 11:14

Trainer has put him near a pony. I suggested that at the beginning, they should take my pony with him, but they said they think ponies make them worse. I honestly don't know what to do with this horse. He's pretty old but such a sweetheart but I couldn't in good faith sell as having no vices. He is so gentle . But he's costing me a fortune and I would love a horse I could ride. If I had more land I would just keep him but I just don't have the space.
He is also so DAMN good looking. You know the pally coat and the curly blonde mane.

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Tirednest · 10/02/2023 11:19

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 11:14

I've never met a good palomino as far as highish level ridden work goes so that doesn't phase me. He sounds sweet though just confused about what his job is.

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 10/02/2023 11:19

Have you been lunging him? If he's not been ridden for a long time why an earth would your son try to ride him?

This is most likely the issue why he's getting spooked.

Tirednest · 10/02/2023 11:19

17 isn't old.

Tirednest · 10/02/2023 11:23

In future don't buy a horse because it's pretty. He doesn't sound gentle at all, he sounds dangerous and you sound out of your depth. What's the trainer doing with him?

Original poster

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 11:25

I didn't buy him because he was pretty. I bought him because I was told he was great with inexperienced riders!

I also think he is very handsome.

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Tirednest · 10/02/2023 11:26

He is rarely ridden, but he wasn't at his last home

Apologies I thought this meant he wasn't ridden at his last home.

OrlandointheWilderness · 10/02/2023 11:26

17 is plenty young enough for a job. Tbh you can't take a rarely ridden horse that is a little sharp and expect him to be steady on the occasional time he is ridden. He sounds like the sort of horse that needs work, he is clearly bored and very few horses don't thrive on good work. Tbh if he were mine I'd set about getting him properly fit and keeping him in work. BUT while he is coming into work he might be sharp to start with so it honestly depends on your riding capability. Once he's properly fit and going out for a good hour and a half hack a day (mainly trot/canter/fast work - with our hunters we walk the first and last mile and the rest we are moving) I suspect he will be a lot more settled. Lots of hacking, school work, jumping etc of appropriate, fast work, in company etc.

Original poster

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 11:31

Damn . I really can't do any of that! My neighbour has offered me her arena but the nearest horseriding space is up a road that has cars . Only about 500 metres but a long way on a horse that you are nervous on. I only have 2 acres. That's why I sent him to the trainer.

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Original poster

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 11:37

Tirednest · 10/02/2023 11:26

He is rarely ridden, but he wasn't at his last home

Apologies I thought this meant he wasn't ridden at his last home.

NO worries. I wasn't clear.
I'm just not sure what to do. He is obviously not the easy going horse I was sold. But my pony and him are in love !
I did the poop patrol this morning and my pony stuck to me so close as she is lonely without him.
I know what's going to happen.
Two very expensive lawnmowers.
My hubby is not going to be happy - the horse was supposed to be for me to ride and the pony was a paddock ornament.
Trying to talk him into a gypsy but I don't like my chances.

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BellatrixLestrangesHeatedCurlers · 10/02/2023 11:51

ITT: the worst of wacky horse ownership

Tirednest · 10/02/2023 11:52

What's ITT

BaroldBalonz · 10/02/2023 12:02

I think that you should get to the trainers with the horse, rather than expecting him to be 'fixed' and returned to you. If you can't get to the trainers, get a trainer to come to you and only ride under supervision until you have a little more experience and gain in confidence.

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 10/02/2023 13:34

I imagine he’ll be far less spooky if regularly worked. If he’s smart and pretty and priced appropriately for the fact he is 17 and not a novice ride you’ll have no issue shifting him.

maxelly · 10/02/2023 15:22

Yes I think if you want a ridden horse but one you can pick up and put down without regular riding this boy potentially isn't for you. He sounds like he either needs to be retired totally (which wouldn't necessarily be detrimental to his welfare but it's obviously down to you whether you can sustain 2 field ornaments and no ridden horse) or you should get him back in proper regular work (I don't know that it needs to be a 90 min hack every day but I would say most horses in work need to be ridden or at least some groundwork done most days) and see how he is, if too much for you then look to sell to a busier home and buy a more suitable horse. Like others have said if the trainers can successfully get him back in work he'd likely find a new home without too much bother if priced appropriately.

Do bear in mind that many horses that are perfectly sane and safe whilst in a regular work routine will get stressed or anxious if they're suddenly ridden again after a long period of not being at all, in fact I'd say the horse that happily lets you tack them up and head off for a hack after being in the field for weeks is the exception, not the rule - that being said I do own one of the exceptions so they are out there. But I'd say my boy is unusually laid back, and even then after the times he does have an extended break I'm still fairly cautious about how and when I start him back, firstly it's important to keep an eye on saddle fit as when he's had a break he does put on weight and it would be easy for the saddle or girth to pinch and then he'd rightly object. I also wouldn't ride for the first time after a break on a very windy or spooky day, or in the field or an open area, or an unfamiliar hack or generally if anything dramatic or unusual is happening around the yard. And I proceed step wise, I might start by a brief bit of lunging or some other ground work (gives me a chance to check saddle fit and assess how he's moving, check for any stiffness or lameness). Then gently hop on and walk around an enclosed area, maybe a little trot. That's usually enough for a first day back. I'm not saying this is what your son did but there's teens on our yard who don't touch their ponies for weeks on end then rock up and want to be galloping around and jumping, the poor ponies look knackered and/or get totally overexcited and buck or tank off or spook and the kid/parent then blames the pony rather than looking at themselves and their training methods/routine (or lack of!) 😡 many horses are totally unsettled by things happening outside their normal routine and sounds a bit like this is what happened here?

Original poster

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 20:36

Thanks all. I'll have a think . He is coming home on Monday so that effort with the trainer was a spectacular waste of money. I honestly think I'd have to sell them as a pair. Unless the new owners had a pony . Dang horses.

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Original poster

margueritedaisy · 10/02/2023 20:43

Also, don't have a float so can't get to the trainers. I have to pay them to float him. All the trainers here are the same. Don't come to you - the horse stays with them.
I don't know what ITT is either - assume it's not nice , I am a novice but am trying very hard and he is very well looked after, my lovely neighbour who has 10 horses has been helping me. I had ridden him before my son got on him if that wasn't clear, as had my neighbour. No issues whatsoever. In fact she thought he was slow if anything and was perfect for me and my family.

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