Comments on: When Horses Act Dangerously

By: FlRider

FlRider — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 23:41:00 +0000

Please everyone, don’t think that simply reading an article such as this and resolving to “be patient” or take tips from a distant source will fix your training issues. And be careful about whom you send your horse to for “training,” so you don’t end up with a worse problem when you get the horse back. Check references on your prospective trainer and watch him/her for a while with different horses. Then realize when you get the horse back that if you cannot replicate the conditions under which your horse was worked during training, you might not be able to handle that particular horse on your own afterward and may be better off selling to a more knowledgeable/skilled person and purchasing a horse whose mindset and established training level better matches your time, skill, and ability.

By: Bee

Bee — Sat, 18 Aug 2018 01:17:26 +0000

In reply to David. He wouldn't happen to be red would he?

By: sherrie

sherrie — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 18:54:52 +0000

I adopted a mare and she is sweet but very spoiled.She for no reason will rear up on me and knee me in the back when I walk away from her. She uses her knees not her hoofs. She does not think she should be lunged or ridden but petted and loved on and given snacks. Why does she so this and how to correct thank you

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 31 Dec 2016 20:15:36 +0000

I have a 24 year old gelding getting worse every year he has attempted to kick me more than a few times and actually kicked once he has run me over has pushed me into the fence and broke boards what do I do? He has health issues and anxiety issues. He is fine as a pasture mate but not rideable do to his health. Some people tell me I need to get rid of him because he is dangerous but I have had him for 6 years and hate to think about getting rid of him but I’m afraid of him and hate the thought of being afraid of him even more please

By: Paloma

Paloma — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 07:02:46 +0000

Great article, my horse has been acting up so i read this article and I think it may be her hoof because it’s cracked badly. I have been treating it well though it is impossible to get rid of the crack because sadly she was born like that.

By: David.

David. — Mon, 15 Aug 2016 09:10:34 +0000

Hi I have been riding a friends mare now for about three months. She hacks out very calmly but doesn’t like going infront with others and doesn’t like going on a hack to new places, she just stops and won`t move.
Ridden her for lessons in the ménage without a problem,walk, trot and canter.
However, took her to a dressage competition at the weekend, its the first for her and for me for at least six years. In the outdoor school where there were other horses she spooked and then bucked and then a few seconds later she bronked half way down the ménage. Any clues as to her behaviour?

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 08:13:50 +0000

I need advice. I sent my 13 year old gelding for professional training. We have been riding him on and off for years but he really seemed to not be getting “it”. He has always been a safe horse for us. My kids, beginners and their friends have ridden him. Anyway, when I got him back from the trainer. She told me that he was now strong and confident and knew what he was doing. I had been sick and was unable to ride him for 5 days after we got him back. He tacked up fine but when I got on was totally unresponsive. My daughter then got on (a huge mistake!) he bolted within seconds of her getting on and went beserk bucking, he threw her and continued to buck and bolted out into the pasture (he came within inches of trampling her). When I called and told the trainer she said that it was natural because he was so full of confidence and that he was now the pack leader. I told her that I disagreed and that said that a horse that is well trained listens and obeys. She got very angry with me when I told her that. What has she done to my horse?

By: Judy

Judy — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 06:38:07 +0000

I like your article, but I had a rogue mare, I raised her so knew all about her!! She never came in heat, we had the vet check her, everything was ok, Dad turned her out with a Stallion in our corral, seeing if it might help her come in heat?? Well we spent 20 min getting them apart, the Stud, an older one we had, quiet going and good mannered, went after her and was trying to kill her, no doubt in my mind!!! Dad and I decided she would go to salebarn, I hated to do it, but she could act up for no reason at all, aggressive she was so bad!! My mare had been at my Dad’s and foaled this filly, she was not abused except I found my little bro had put my mare and another one in a little pasture, well away from seeing often, and I went to get her, my mare was so weak and thin, I was so upset!!! I took my mare home, this filly was 3 mo old and we picked her up and put her in the trailer she was so weak!! They only thing we could figure, this must have caused the behavior of this mare as she got older, she was never abused,taken well care of, but we never could figure out exactly what was wrong with her after she got to be 3 she could not be trusted, you held her halter when leading her, she would strike out with her hind feet trying to kick me??? I worked with her a lot, gentle, brushing, and just TLC after I had gotten her home as a foal. So what ever was going on in her brain, she was not to be trusted ever, I had 4 stepchildren that came over a lot, and I didn’t want them to get hurt, the other horses I had were very well mannered and gentle, they learned to ride on one of them. I just was too worried this mare would hurt one of them or one of my 2 children, we sent her to sale barn, no papers,and warning of her manner of being unpredictable. I know she went to the meat market, but I just could not keep a untrustworthy horse. Has anyone else ever had this happen to them?? It wasn’t the feed, she had plenty of pasture. I went through everything trying to figure out what to do with her, for over 6 months, then I let her go.

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 07:47:51 +0000

Over the years, I trained many horses. Without a doubt, the most common cause of dangerous behavior was overfeeding either with grain, alfalfa hay or vitamin supplements. Horses do very well on grass hay, free-choice minerals and a salt block. Repeatedly, people who overfeed keep going through horses convinced each time that they were cheated, instead of accepting that they are creating the problems with their feeding program.

By: Judy

Judy — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 21:50:10 +0000

Actual fact – I purchased a 7 year old QH mare who seemed docile when I tried her, but in fact she was so starved she could barely move. Within a week of eating properly she displayed all the symptoms of psychosis, probably from repeated abuse. She reared, backed up, froze up, offered to kick without warning.
I’ll just give the time line here. Two years to make contact. Another five years to re-educate her. Now, ten years later, she is a joyful and loving pleasure horse who still, can flip back into a zombie mode when stressed…but we have implanted triggers to abort her life-endangering actions.
Patience, and believe in yourself. These horses can be saved and become wonderful and loving partners. But it’s very, very long.