Loopy horse - ideas please!

[LinzCos]

I am trying to reassure myself that I have not done something very silly!

I got a new horse four weeks ago. He is 13 years old and an ex-racer (my second ex-racer). He has been badly treated in the past and was almost starved to death. He is now almost up to a good weight and I am slowly bringing him back to work. I am a soft touch and felt sorry for him!

He will go out walking calmly on a hack - sometimes. Then he sees something he doesn't like and goes nuts - backing up, sweating, snorting and generally panicing. He is OK with the usual TB scary things - plastic bags, dogs, traffic, sheep but he hates groups of children and some invisible monsters.

When he gets scared I am trying to be very relaxed and just sit still, the slightest pressure from me makes him flip out more. Even light contact is difficult and seems to make him worse. I am concerned that he is going to rear and spin. I tend to put safety first and get off if it gets too hairy.

I am walking him out in hand to get him used to the area and he is much better like this. I have tried riding him with his pony friend and also with my OH on a bike but this doesn't help.

Do you think I should just stop riding him for a while and concentrate on walking him out in hand? He does lunge beautifully so I could do this too. But even in the paddock he is very difficult to ride.

[kunama]

what is routien , feed , pasture, who looks ater him......?

[JOJOBA]

No idea because my horse is the complete opposite :p but why not try some Natural Horsemanship stuff? You can work on desensitizing him and getting him to trust you at the same time as doing some bonding :D

xxx

[Bay Mare]

I'm absolutely no expert but 4 weeks isn't long with any horse so I would probably concentrate on ground work and building up trust for a while. Maybe do some work on long lines to help with the fittening process.

It will be worth doing the usual stuff (back, teeth, tack etc).

If he has a real bitting problem then maybe long line him in a Dually or something similar. You could also work him off the Dually but have a bit in which is passive (ie you're not using it so there's no contact on it).

It would also be a good idea to get someone like an RA (http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk) (Intelligent Horsemanship Recommended Associate) in to have a look and give you some pointers.

How much experience have you had with 'difficult' horses? Do you feel that you could cope with this yourself? Have you had the back, teeth and checks done already?

Another thing to look at would be his feed. Is he being fed too much energy food for the work that he's doing?

Good luck.

[jenren!!]

First of all i would look at his diet. Certain types of feed can stir up a horse, such as barley or high cereal feeds. Also, what type of forage and grass?

At the same time it is possible he is just insecure about his new rider, 4 weeks is not a long enough time for a horse to learn to trust his rider, i would definitely agree with the others about groundwork. I think trust comes from the ground first, and if you work on this im sure things will get better.

Good luck with you and your beautiful ex-racer!

[LinzCos]

He is out 24/7 in our "back garden" with our two ponies in the next field. He isn't in with them cos they are on restricted grazing and he needs to gain some weight still. My OH and I do all the management and my three kids do a bit of grooming now and again. Lots of people ride and walk past the land but we are in a very quiet village so it is very peaceful for him.

His back has been checked very recently and is fine, his tack was fitted yesterday but was OK and although I was told his teeth had been checked a couple of months ago I am checking this again with my EDT.

He has ad lib hay, good grass and a high fibre feed - Balanced Show Mix. But he does need to still gain some weight and general condition.

No I don't know if I am experienced enough to get him settled, that is what I am worried about. I have had an ex-racer before and know how to ride and handle them generally and I have two young ponies who are coming on well. I haven't had this horse long and he was badly treated in the past so I expect him to take time to settle. On the other hand I spoke to his old trainer who says he has always been a handful - eek!

Trouble is he is tatty, a bit grumpy, known to hate to jump and rather spooky - who would want him?! He has been in five homes in the last two years and I am soft enough to feel that he deserves a break. We are lucky enough to have our own land so he doesn't cost us that much to keep. Then again perhaps I am just mad and deluded:o

[domane]

Four weeks is quite a short time. He doesn't really know you or his new environment yet. Being highly strung, I think he needs to get to know you better and to trust you so that when you are encouraging him past a scary monster, he trusts that you are not putting him in danger. I briefly shared an ex-racer last summer and I know that because of their racing, they are kind of adrenalin-junkies.... the longer they have raced for, the worse the problem! They get that rush, whether from a good gallop or something scary and it takes a looooooong time for them to come back down to earth.

I'm no expert, but I think you have a valid point about concentrating more on ground work just at the mo. Try to narrow down what scares him and perhaps introduce things that you can into his environment rather than making him go to them? And remember the golden rule "Expect the unexpected"!!!! :D

I remember hacking out last year the night before the wheelie bins were emptied and someone had left a VACUUM CLEANER out by theirs for collection! Right on a blind bend of a road too.... boy, did I have some fun THAT night!!!!

[Est]

I have no experience with ex-racers whatsoever, so feel free to take this with a pinch of salt... :D
Reading your post it just seems to me that at the moment he has no "safe zone" or "comfort zone" if you like. He's moved around so much and had so many different owners/handlers/riders/routines/feed systems/riding styles that there's nowhere he can relax and say, *This* is my safe place.
So until he has that base line (This is my normal everyday thing and I'm safe), everything is strange and scary and stressful.
So I guess I'm trying to say I agree that time, and groundwork, are a good way to go. Like domane says, once his everyday environment/routine/handler are established as safe and familiar and trustworthy, other things can be introduced in to that, like spooky objects or new schooling techniques. But until he has that comfort zone, how can he take anything else on board? - it's ALL terrifying!
Best of luck with him, I think it sounds like a very worthwhile project and I wish you every success :)

[julia gulia]

I agree. I think you really need a lot more time to build a relationship together.Four weeks is not a lot of time and as you have said, he has been bounced around a lot so he probably doesn't expect to be with you for any length of time, that has been his experience to date.Just hang out with him and do lots of groundwork...... wait for him to realize that you are working on a partnership here.Take your time and don't force things. I am not really a big believer in stopping on a horse when he spooks and letting him stare at the object of his fear, I think it gives the horse the validation that there really is something scary out there 'cos hey, I stopped to look at it too and hey, I'm frozen to the spot!!!!!! I just ignore whatever has my horses attention and keep on riding, he seems to loose interest quite quickly and puts his mind on the task at hand.
Must say, good for you for taking him on, you can do it, just take your time and the rewards will be in the relationship you build together!!!!;) Love to read stories like these, they make my day!!!!!

[vikkit06]

hiya.

youre just like me feeling sorry for the ill treated horses,my little devil horse i rescused.you could try to gently stroke his neck and give the reins forward and jus talk to him,it seems he might not rear as hes not done it already and if he does jus give im all of the reins.you could try and turn him away for a while but i wouldnt just start leading him.i wish you all the luck with him xxxx

[LinzCos]

Thanks everyone - I need all the encouragement I can get!

I have just taken him out in hand with just a head collar rather than his bridle and he was much more relaxed. I think I am going to have to overcome a lot of harsh treatment around his head and mouth - he backs away from all contact. But tonight he was great - walking calmly at the end of a leading rein with his neck extended and relaxed.

We just had one showing off moment to what I guess must have been a mare in season in one of the nearby fields and boy did he show off! Neck arched, tail up and knees up - he looked fantastic but I was glad I was leading him not riding him!

I am feeling better with you support and a good walk out and I think I will just stick with the ground work for the next few weeks.

[KateWooten]

Wow, he's so lucky to have found you :) Sounds like you're on the right track ... I'd even be tempted to give him a 'clean break' of a month or two before really expecting anything of him. Just feed and relaxation - then when you begin to work him he'll have an interest in responding to your suggestions.

I don't know how much groundwork you did with the previous TB... I think if he were mine, I'd start him right again from the ground up. Pretend he knows absolutely nothing and treat him like an unbroke 3 yr old. If you go through every step as you would with a colt, you won't be able to come across any unexpected holes in his training, and he'll be able to suprise and delight you whenever he finds something he's already good at.

[julia gulia]

Please let us know how you get on.Do you have any piccies????? I love to put a face to the name!!! l.o.l. I love the piccies!!!!:D

[doris]

Lots of ground work and leading exercises will help to form a bond with your horse. I agree, he is very lucky to have found you as you seem to be a very sympathetic person, and he has probably had a rough time.

For the leading exercise, build little courses of poles on the ground, in a line, or a star, or in the shape of crossroads. Do lots of whoas and walk-ons and give him plenty of time to respond to your commands, remember that it has to go from ears, into brain and through to the body. This will also help his balance and gain his co-operation.

When confidence builds up, you can introduce some obstacles (one at a time please) like a tarpaulin on the ground to walk over, a piece of strong board that will sound like a bridge, some flags or carrier bags tied onto cones for him to walk through.

Introduce some long reining - this is easier if you have some helpers to walk at his head at first.

Also, spend lots of time grooming and just hanging out with him if it's possible and you have the time. Simple 'hands on' sometimes does wonders. Time is limited for me to give you lots of help, I could go on forever.

Good Luck

(tteam practitioner in training)

[tigs]

maybe you should put him on a herbal calmer or similar while he settles down(the calmer; magic, is very good).also, is there any where you can go i.e in a field or something, to let off a bit of steam and tire him a bit more?
apart from that i think everyone else has given some good advice for you and loads of handling grooming and generally getting him relaxed around you should help

[madhorses]

:D i had an ex racer also starved wonder why because when i did start to feed him up he was dangerous the farmer who lived down the road use to say to take him there and he would shoot him for me he was bad scared of everything traffic was really scary but i kept going and going this lady who i sometimes came across when i was riding even said id never be able to do anything with him he was 16.3hh 9yo but i kept trying and about 10 months of terror later i was riding up the road horse being good on the bit really fit and well seen that lady she said so you got rid of that mad horse then that one looks much better well i had the biggest smile on my face when i said this is that mad horse.
I got there in the end he was great good even in traffic,you have only had him 4 weeks give him time and keep trying and you will get there in the end it just takes time good luck keep us posted

[LinzCos]

Here he is

[julia gulia]

OOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's gorgeous!!!!!!! What a looker he is!!!! No wonder you took the wee soul on.He's got one of those soft eyed scooby doo faces!!!;) I love him!!!!! Any more pictures??????? :D