I have a rising 5-year-old gelding. I bought him as a 13-month-old colt, almost 4 years ago. And everything was fine back then, apart from the few coltish moments which earned him the snip at rising 3.
When I first bought him, he was stabled at a small private yard and he was perfectly happy there. But due to my time management, I had to move him to a larger yard, when he was 18 months old, which housed around 30 horses and offered a lot more services so I could make sure he got the best of care. He loved this yard, was calm, never put a hoof wrong, Was always sane and quiet. He got the snip, and then we started to touch upon his groundwork, introduce lungeing, getting him ready to back. He was backed at 3 and a half, turned out for summer, came back into ridden work as a 4-year-old. Sadly, the place he was kept was sold xmas 2017, by this time, I have 3 ponies to house. And only two weeks to find somewhere. I luckily found a little private yard, which promised the world and back, 24/7 summer turnout, a few hours in winter, and a decent school. I moved them on, and everything went to hell. Physco pony got off the box and reared. He's never reared in his life, so it was a shock to everyone. He went into his stable and did the same again, reared. And then the bucking started and he started throwing himself into walls, I stayed with him till he calmed down. But this didn't help in the long run. If a horse left the stable block he'd go mental, to the point he tried to jump his door. His ridden work went from being sane enough for kids to ride to a complete physco. He'd take off every two seconds, starting to buck and eventually, he reared. I called the vet, he got his back checked, his teeth were up to date, he had physio out. Everything came back clean. So it was put down to behavior issues. I got a trainer in, who had worked with him before, and we managed to get him to calm down slightly under saddle and get him working somewhat decently, but he was still a hot mess, he'd stress over anything and everything. It was like riding a bomb, and you're sat waiting for it to go off.
Due to some, issues I moved him back onto a big yard, more horses, more turnout. He came off the box a lot more calmer and was okay in the stable, perfectly fine in the field so I thought within a few months's he'd continue to calm down and go back to being the sane pony I know - by this time he had worked up a record of being known as the 'physco pony' - The first few weeks, he was better. He still stressed when horses left but he settled down within ten minutes. And then winter rolled around, and it was almost as if a flick had switched and he was back to being a hot mess. I'm at my wit's end, he won't do winter turnout, he has ran through fencing, jumped gates, kicked gates till they've broken and even ran through people to get back into his stable during winter. I ended up giving him a break from riding in November and he's still on the break - he will be getting lunged from the 1st Feb because he's getting a belly - but in or out of work, he's a hot mess. I've no idea what to do with him anymore. He's not on any feeds that would make him fizz up as he's been on the same feed most of his life, bare adding things here and there from a recommendation via his vet and farrier. People want nothing to do with him because all they see if this angry 13.1hh pony that's constantly being a pain in the butt, but I know him differently. I've no idea how to get him back to being happy and calm, I'm debating on moving him to a yard with someone he knew, bring something familiar back to him, but I highly doubt that's going to work. He's a very opinionated pony and he likes to be heard. If he's not happy, he'll tell you. I want to be able to enjoy his company rather than thinking "Oh god, I'm going to get dragged down the yard again" or "I hope he's not in one of his moods". The only person who he foot perfect for is my dad. He calms right down and turns back into the pony he was, but as soon as dad leaves, he back to his ways.
I'm sorry this is long winded, but I thought to give as much information might limit the questions.
Is there any way he will go back to being a calm pony or am I left with a hot-headed pony? Selling isn't an option.
When I do bring him back into work under sadlle I do plan on getting a trainer out once a week to help and put a few rides on him.
When I first bought him, he was stabled at a small private yard and he was perfectly happy there. But due to my time management, I had to move him to a larger yard, when he was 18 months old, which housed around 30 horses and offered a lot more services so I could make sure he got the best of care. He loved this yard, was calm, never put a hoof wrong, Was always sane and quiet. He got the snip, and then we started to touch upon his groundwork, introduce lungeing, getting him ready to back. He was backed at 3 and a half, turned out for summer, came back into ridden work as a 4-year-old. Sadly, the place he was kept was sold xmas 2017, by this time, I have 3 ponies to house. And only two weeks to find somewhere. I luckily found a little private yard, which promised the world and back, 24/7 summer turnout, a few hours in winter, and a decent school. I moved them on, and everything went to hell. Physco pony got off the box and reared. He's never reared in his life, so it was a shock to everyone. He went into his stable and did the same again, reared. And then the bucking started and he started throwing himself into walls, I stayed with him till he calmed down. But this didn't help in the long run. If a horse left the stable block he'd go mental, to the point he tried to jump his door. His ridden work went from being sane enough for kids to ride to a complete physco. He'd take off every two seconds, starting to buck and eventually, he reared. I called the vet, he got his back checked, his teeth were up to date, he had physio out. Everything came back clean. So it was put down to behavior issues. I got a trainer in, who had worked with him before, and we managed to get him to calm down slightly under saddle and get him working somewhat decently, but he was still a hot mess, he'd stress over anything and everything. It was like riding a bomb, and you're sat waiting for it to go off.
Due to some, issues I moved him back onto a big yard, more horses, more turnout. He came off the box a lot more calmer and was okay in the stable, perfectly fine in the field so I thought within a few months's he'd continue to calm down and go back to being the sane pony I know - by this time he had worked up a record of being known as the 'physco pony' - The first few weeks, he was better. He still stressed when horses left but he settled down within ten minutes. And then winter rolled around, and it was almost as if a flick had switched and he was back to being a hot mess. I'm at my wit's end, he won't do winter turnout, he has ran through fencing, jumped gates, kicked gates till they've broken and even ran through people to get back into his stable during winter. I ended up giving him a break from riding in November and he's still on the break - he will be getting lunged from the 1st Feb because he's getting a belly - but in or out of work, he's a hot mess. I've no idea what to do with him anymore. He's not on any feeds that would make him fizz up as he's been on the same feed most of his life, bare adding things here and there from a recommendation via his vet and farrier. People want nothing to do with him because all they see if this angry 13.1hh pony that's constantly being a pain in the butt, but I know him differently. I've no idea how to get him back to being happy and calm, I'm debating on moving him to a yard with someone he knew, bring something familiar back to him, but I highly doubt that's going to work. He's a very opinionated pony and he likes to be heard. If he's not happy, he'll tell you. I want to be able to enjoy his company rather than thinking "Oh god, I'm going to get dragged down the yard again" or "I hope he's not in one of his moods". The only person who he foot perfect for is my dad. He calms right down and turns back into the pony he was, but as soon as dad leaves, he back to his ways.
I'm sorry this is long winded, but I thought to give as much information might limit the questions.
Is there any way he will go back to being a calm pony or am I left with a hot-headed pony? Selling isn't an option.
When I do bring him back into work under sadlle I do plan on getting a trainer out once a week to help and put a few rides on him.
