Aggressive horse - please help!!!

[cloudyandcallie]

[QUOTE=VCT;8215374]
There a tons, and I mean TONS of good horses out there looking for homes. Tons of OTTBs, OTSBs, QHs, Paints, Heinz57, whatever. There are plenty. Why would anyone want to own one who is nasty and aggressive? Makes no sense to me. None whatsoever.[/QUOTE]

Exactly right. Although I had ridden since I was 6 months old, my horsey uncle, who used to hold me up on the saddle when I was a baby, picked out my first horse. Perfect child’s horse. I picked out my 2nd horse. Perfect horse. I then in my 20s bought 2 ottb mares, because I could handle hot. Then when I bought Cloudy, I bought him because I did not want to deal with a hot ottb, LOL, and bought him, a WB, who is full of TB and arab blood, so I got hot again. So when I went out and looked for a calm QH gelding to be Cloudy’s friend, I bought the hot hot ottb mare Callie. But I could handle both of them. Because I’d ridden all my life, and had taken lessons as a child and in college and knew what I was buying when I got Callie. (Here’s a tip I learned after I bought Cloudy: Never let a WB know he is bigger than you are. He had no vices when I bought him. I spoiled him and so we had to call a truce many years ago because of his behavior and my enablement. But I’ve never been scared of him. And I had to learn to discipline his bad ground manners…he has always been perfect under saddle)

OP, send back the horse. Unless you have had years of riding and are confident that you can handle a horse that is not well-behaved, you will end up in a bad place and the horse will end up dead. When I joined Coth, a woman from my state had a thread where she “donated” her WB, don’t know the registry, to UGA vet school for experimentation and death, because she was afraid of him. OP, save yourself and the horse the heartbreak of what will happen to both of you.

ETA Could someone contact the place from whence OP got the horse and tell them what is going on? Is this CANTER or what? I’ve not read all the thread. I’d think any rehoming organization would want to take this horse back for his own sake.

[Ambitious_Kate]

I thought it was NV. I’m not sure how ethical it would be to go behind the OPs back and tell New Vocations about the difficulties one of their Adoptors is having. Smacks of gossip. If someone had gone behind my back when I first got this horse and told his previous owner about how I wasn’t establishing good boundaries and the horse was walking all over me - which he was - I would be pretty mortified and also pissed. I personally paid several trainers to train ME how to establish authority with an alpha horse, and how to physically handle my body language on the ground with him. I learned, the horse is well behaved now. I told the previous owner what I wanted to when I wanted to.

Really that would be gossip and busybodiness.

The only thing I would ever do would be to call animal authorities if something was amiss with the handling or care of an animal.

I agree, the OP should return the horse, but I can’t go around calling up people who know about the sale and tattling on her for “her own good”. Really.

[fordtraktor]

OP, if you are still reading – you should send the horse back. But if you don’t, you need to move it to a barn where it will only be handled by professionals, and disclose what it has done. The current barn has shown they are not prepared to handle this horse by letting two handlers get badly bit in less than two months. This barn is not going to work for this horse, if they haven’t kicked him out already which I am pretty surprised they haven’t.

[BeeHoney]

@GaitedGloryRider;8215394

I’m not even an OTTB person but…

I can’t imagine letting this one incident taint your opinion on OTTBs and the people who re-home them as a whole. So much good comes out of rehoming these horses. Sure it won’t work every time. Sure not every person doing the rehoming is going to make the right decision every time. Some might even gasp unload an unsuitable horse on some unsuspecting newbie. Heck, some of those unsuspecting newbies put themselves in the position of being over-horsed by misrepresenting themselves (not saying that is the case here, just saying it happens). It happens, with every breed and every discipline.

As a die-hard Walking Horse gal myself, I say don’t let this one instance diminish your opinion of all the OTTB re-homers because really all that does is trivialize all the good experiences so many, many people have had taking on one of these horses.

Sorry, but I do think it is unethical to re-home an animal to someone who is not equipped to care for it or is likely to be injured by it. Would you re-home a dog with a history of behavior issues or aggression to a first time dog owner?

If not, then how could you consider it okay to re-home an problem/aggressive animal weighing 20 or so times that? Sorry, but it’s not okay. OTTBs can be fantastic horses, but the point I wish to emphasize is that just as when buying a horse, no matter who you are adopting or buying from it is still “buyer beware.”

I care about animals, I love thoroughbreds, and I care about the OTTB cause. But, I still put human safety above the goal of getting a horse re-homed. Most OTTBs do NOT act like this horse, however, many of them are still not suitable for a first time horse owner without a trainer to assist them.

[SmartAlex]

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8217231]
OP, if you are still reading – you should send the horse back. But if you don’t, you need to move it to a barn where it will only be handled by professionals, and disclose what it has done. The current barn has shown they are not prepared to handle this horse by letting two handlers get badly bit in less than two months. This barn is not going to work for this horse, if they haven’t kicked him out already which I am pretty surprised they haven’t.[/QUOTE]

… and while you’re at it, stop referring to yourself as the “Brand new OTTB mommy to the incredible Tapaway!!!”.

He doesn’t love you. He isn’t grateful. He’s deciding when to bite your face off. Treat him like a horse and don’t let him do that $#!t.

[Kwill]

Someone could point NV to this thread … which is public. Still gossip, but it is out in the open for anyone to read.

It hurts the reputation of NV, as well, to have this kind of discussion going on. I am sure they want to place horses in appropriate homes.

[Bedazzle]

Just my 2 cents. Quite a few years ago I adopted a mare from New Vocations, she was a 3 year old and was retired sound, they said her heart wasn’t in the game. I was warned by NV that she was not nice, and not many people wanted to be in the stall with her, although they were working with her.

I adopted her for a measly $200 even though she was gorgeous and sound. Immediately I knew she was going to be an issue. She was mean as a snake and I was scared to death of going in the stall with her. I would slide her feed pan under her gate, throw hay over the gate, and water through her stall grates. I left her alone.

Within 30 days she was a new horse. I had contacted NV begging them to take her back and they had started the process of doing so when all of the sudden she changed into a polite horse.

Now, she still had PLENTY of other issues but I absolutely don’t regret giving her the time to relax and let down from the racetrack.

[zipperfoot]

[QUOTE=Bedazzle;8217333]
Just my 2 cents. Quite a few years ago I adopted a mare from New Vocations, she was a 3 year old and was retired sound, they said her heart wasn’t in the game. I was warned by NV that she was not nice, and not many people wanted to be in the stall with her, although they were working with her.

I adopted her for a measly $200 even though she was gorgeous and sound. Immediately I knew she was going to be an issue. She was mean as a snake and I was scared to death of going in the stall with her. I would slide her feed pan under her gate, throw hay over the gate, and water through her stall grates. I left her alone.

Within 30 days she was a new horse. I had contacted NV begging them to take her back and they had started the process of doing so when all of the sudden she changed into a polite horse.

Now, she still had PLENTY of other issues but I absolutely don’t regret giving her the time to relax and let down from the racetrack.[/QUOTE]

Op’s horse has been off the track for 3 years.

[Bedazzle]

[QUOTE=zipperfoot;8217361]
Op’s horse has been off the track for 3 years.[/QUOTE]

Ah, didn’t catch that, thanks! Yes, I would be discussing with NV about returning the horse if my trainer was not confident he/she could help with the situation.

[BigMick]

[QUOTE=SmartAlex;8217301]
… and while you’re at it, stop referring to yourself as the “Brand new OTTB mommy to the incredible Tapaway!!!”.

He doesn’t love you. He isn’t grateful. He’s deciding when to bite your face off. Treat him like a horse and don’t let him do that $#!t.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. This times 100,000,000.

Many, if not most, of the problems people have with horses is because they cross some imaginary emotional line in their minds and can’t get tough or just objective when they need to. A line which doesn’t even exist in the horse’s mind, because they’re not over-analyzing everything - just having a conditioned response.

[BigMick]

[QUOTE=SmartAlex;8217301]
… and while you’re at it, stop referring to yourself as the “Brand new OTTB mommy to the incredible Tapaway!!!”.

He doesn’t love you. He isn’t grateful. He’s deciding when to bite your face off. Treat him like a horse and don’t let him do that $#!t.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. This times 100,000,000.

Many, if not most, of the problems people have with horses is because they cross some imaginary emotional line in their minds and can’t get tough or just objective when they need to. A line which doesn’t even exist in the horse’s mind, because they’re not over-analyzing everything - just having a conditioned response.

[LauraKY]

OP, you need to contact New Vocations. Yesterday. Let them know about the problems you’re having. I’m sure they want what’s best for the horse, maybe a home with you at this point in his training isn’t best for him.

ETA: His ad states that he needs an experienced handler. Sounds like a bad match.

[cloudyandcallie]

[QUOTE=SmartAlex;8217301]
… and while you’re at it, stop referring to yourself as the “Brand new OTTB mommy to the incredible Tapaway!!!”.

He doesn’t love you. He isn’t grateful. He’s deciding when to bite your face off. Treat him like a horse and don’t let him do that $#!t.[/QUOTE]

Great post.

And I wonder if the OP did tell NV that she was a first time horse owner? Especially since the advert for the horse said that he needed an experienced horse person. I have known a lot of people who told the sellers of horses that they were experienced when they were not. Or that they were experts when they had just been lucky to have calm horses before. So many people exaggerate their experiences. And I’ve even known people who bought stallions as their first horse.:eek: TBs are smart, and they know when they are dealing with people who cannot handle them.

[LauraKY]

I’ve not been really impressed with NV since Lisa Molloy left. OP, if the horse isn’t working out, insist they take him back and either refund your money or find you a suitable horse. I’m guessing an OTTB might not be your best choice unless you’re willing to send him off for 90 days with a good trainer.

[Appsolute]

[QUOTE=BigMick;8217476]
Exactly. This times 100,000,000.

Many, if not most, of the problems people have with horses is because they cross some imaginary emotional line in their minds and can’t get tough or just objective when they need to. A line which doesn’t even exist in the horse’s mind, because they’re not over-analyzing everything - just having a conditioned response.[/QUOTE]

Yes - this too… So many times I have been asked to help with a horse that has its owner’s “number” and many times I have heard from those owners “but thats MEAN! I don’t want to be mean, I want him to like me”

And that, fine lady, is why your horse tried to bite your face off, run you over, buck you off and head home etc. I am not “mean” to horses, but I am direct, and command authority - fair, consistent, and when needed STERN handling.

I am not their mommy, no no no - and for the ferocious types, I am their drill sergeant.

[skipollo]

[QUOTE=cloudyandcallie;8217817]
Great post.

And I wonder if the OP did tell NV that she was a first time horse owner? Especially since the advert for the horse said that he needed an experienced horse person. I have known a lot of people who told the sellers of horses that they were experienced when they were not. Or that they were experts when they had just been lucky to have calm horses before. So many people exaggerate their experiences. And I’ve even known people who bought stallions as their first horse.:eek: TBs are smart, and they know when they are dealing with people who cannot handle them.[/QUOTE]

In the application, they ask you if you’ve ever owned a horse (and later a Thoroughbred) before applying to adopt. It’s a pretty in depth application in terms of information about your experience, but yes people tend to exaggerate.

[Haybert]

I wish the OP would update.

As someone who’s been dragged over a stall door by a vicious horse, I say eff that. Like vicious dogs, there are thousands of great horses getting the axe because you are trying to rehab a jerk.

[RackNRoll]

His ad said he “has no stable vices” so it sounds as if the biting may be a recent development?

http://www.horseadoption.com/horseprofiles/tapaway/

At any rate, he doesn’t sound like a fun horse, especially for someone’s first. I agree with everyone else… I’d take him back and look for another.

ETA I like this one: http://www.horseadoption.com/horseprofiles/action-figure/
Love what they say about the temperament on this one… plus I’m a sucker for a dappled bay.

[betonbill]

The only “mommy” that Tapaway has is a mare named Victory Road. He has an “owner” who seems to be living with butterflies in fairyland.

(Sorry–the mommy description is something that drives me up the wall.)

[Dewey]

All right, let’s not pile on. Giving the OP advice about how to deal with the aggressive horse is appropriate–that’s what she asked for. Opinions about her sig line are superfluous and unkind.