Zoie
22nd Apr 2001, 02:37 PM
Hello to all,
I've encountered a "conflict of interests" at the barn where I lease a sweet Arabian gelding named Scaramouche. The owner of the horse doesn't seem to be aware that the horse is only "green broke" has virtually no schooling and what he has had I believe has been very poor. To make matters worse I'm a beginning level rider with only a years riding experience. I have two very good friends both with over 20 years horse experience who have been helping me school this horse and in the past month he has been doing wonderfully. (Also want to thank Heather and everyone here for their suggestions)
The trainer at the barn, who evaluated my riding and informed the owner that leasing would be fine, has found out that my friends have been helping me with Scaramouche, she is in complete disagreement with my friends training methods and has said she considers them "dangerous" (We removed his martingale, in order to see how he was moving his head without restraint). As far as I can tell it is her methods that make me feel unsafe and the horse really dislikes her. I've seen her longe horses using draw reins forcing the horses head down, she repeatedly punches horses in the face. And the one horse that she has been training exclusively for a few years is an absolute nervous mess (She claims the horse is just stupid) I don't believe in stupid horses, just stupid methods of training.
My horse will not come out of the pasture when he sees her, and snorts non-stop around her, further more she punched him in the muzzle when he tossed his head last time she bridled him. I do not want to have her as a trainer for this horse nor to I want to take lessons with her. The owner of the horse, however likes her and believes in her
(This is an absentee owner she is never at the barn)
My problem is that the owner doesn't want me to hirer a trainer for the horse, she believes the horse is trained and has said she doesn't want the horse "re-trained" and also that I do not have the experience necessary to train horses and that I should only be concerned with riding lessons to ride better. I don't disagree with her, but this horse needs a trainer and so do I to teach me how to work with him to really encourage him to go correctly.
If Scaramouche was just a nice horse I would walk away from this situation, but he has won my heart. I've never met a more genereous horse. He is loving and willing. He has suffered such abuse and almost went to slaughter, all because no one has ever been willing to spend time with him. Even with his history of neglect and abuse he is still willing to give his trust and seems to enjoy being with me.
Finally I get to my question, should I offer to buy the horse... is it wise for such a novice as my self to work with an unschooled horse that also has a history of abuse? (Sorry to go on like this I'm loosing sleep over this decision)
I've encountered a "conflict of interests" at the barn where I lease a sweet Arabian gelding named Scaramouche. The owner of the horse doesn't seem to be aware that the horse is only "green broke" has virtually no schooling and what he has had I believe has been very poor. To make matters worse I'm a beginning level rider with only a years riding experience. I have two very good friends both with over 20 years horse experience who have been helping me school this horse and in the past month he has been doing wonderfully. (Also want to thank Heather and everyone here for their suggestions)
The trainer at the barn, who evaluated my riding and informed the owner that leasing would be fine, has found out that my friends have been helping me with Scaramouche, she is in complete disagreement with my friends training methods and has said she considers them "dangerous" (We removed his martingale, in order to see how he was moving his head without restraint). As far as I can tell it is her methods that make me feel unsafe and the horse really dislikes her. I've seen her longe horses using draw reins forcing the horses head down, she repeatedly punches horses in the face. And the one horse that she has been training exclusively for a few years is an absolute nervous mess (She claims the horse is just stupid) I don't believe in stupid horses, just stupid methods of training.
My horse will not come out of the pasture when he sees her, and snorts non-stop around her, further more she punched him in the muzzle when he tossed his head last time she bridled him. I do not want to have her as a trainer for this horse nor to I want to take lessons with her. The owner of the horse, however likes her and believes in her
(This is an absentee owner she is never at the barn)
My problem is that the owner doesn't want me to hirer a trainer for the horse, she believes the horse is trained and has said she doesn't want the horse "re-trained" and also that I do not have the experience necessary to train horses and that I should only be concerned with riding lessons to ride better. I don't disagree with her, but this horse needs a trainer and so do I to teach me how to work with him to really encourage him to go correctly.
If Scaramouche was just a nice horse I would walk away from this situation, but he has won my heart. I've never met a more genereous horse. He is loving and willing. He has suffered such abuse and almost went to slaughter, all because no one has ever been willing to spend time with him. Even with his history of neglect and abuse he is still willing to give his trust and seems to enjoy being with me.
Finally I get to my question, should I offer to buy the horse... is it wise for such a novice as my self to work with an unschooled horse that also has a history of abuse? (Sorry to go on like this I'm loosing sleep over this decision)