Been through a lot with my horse, but wondering if it’s time to part ways. WWYD?

[RedWingedBlackBird]

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I was in a similar situation last year-- new-ish to horse ownership with a dangerous horse. I had a thread about it here: Help with medical causes for bucking/bolting/anxiety . The vet hospital’s conclusion was EDM (a neurological disease that is not well understood.)

My gelding was dangerous under saddle and iffy on the ground, and went through multiple trainers. He exhibited the blind panic that others have mentioned. Like with your mare, there were circumstances where things were better and where they were worse. One of the trainers I sent him to-- the one who had the most hope for him, initially-- was always looking for positives. “Well, when we ride outside, as long as there’s no traffic and it’s not windy, he’s not too bad…”. But “not too bad” under very restricted conditions isn’t the same as “safe”.

When I posted here, I had a mix of suggestions for medical investigation and recommendations to euthanize. Like you, I didn’t want to make a euthanasia decision based on what a bunch of “internet strangers” were saying, even if there were a lot of them saying it, but reading over the responses helped me approach the conversation with my instructor and vets.

Ultimately, these were the questions I asked:

(1) Does there exist a person who could safely handle this horse, and is that hypothetical person likely to want this horse? Even if there is someone with the skillset and barn setup for this kind of horse, they probably don’t want to put up with this behavior unless she’s spectacularly talented in some way.

(2) If you send her to a retirement barn or rescue, can you trust that the people there will be safe around him? Given that the experienced barn staff at my barn were nervous around my guy, I thought that the answer was no. There are a lot of inexperienced people out there who think that they will be the ones to fix a horse, and I didn’t want it on my conscience if he hurt someone.

(3) I outright asked my vet whether they would support me in euthanasia. She hadn’t brought it up before, and neither had my instructor or the trainers I had sent him to; but when I asked about it, it turned out that they were supportive. Some people, I think, are reluctant to bring up the idea of euthanasia for behavioral reasons.

Even after all that, I needed the complete vet workup (orthopedic, ophthalmologic, and neurologic) before I could make the decision. He displayed no instability or gait irregularities or other signs or a neurologic disorder, but ultimately, that’s what the vet hospital’s conclusion was. (He had a bad episode while there, which helped.) I don’t think that I could have been at peace with the decision without the complete vet exam.

This next bit is probably not helpful, but I’m including it just in case it is. In processing my emotions about this, both during and after the decision, I was angry and sad about the entire situation. I still am. It wasn’t just the grief of losing my friend, but it was the sense that all of this had been a waste: a waste of my health and a waste of his life. Normally in a bad situation, I can find some silver lining, but here there was nothing. I mourn for him every day-- he injured me, and I’m still recovering; but it was the one single life he had, and now it’s gone, and for what? No matter how I tried, I couldn’t find any meaning in it.

Then, after many months, I realized that maybe he didn’t come into my life for my sake, but I came into his life so that I could help him. I could have sold him, and I think that a lot of people would have. But I’m certain that I made the right decision for him. That was the gift I could give him. It wasn’t how I had imagined our time together, but it was what he needed.

Good luck.

[SpicyPRE]

Sending a supportive hug. You gave your horse peace and that is a huge gift. You did the right thing.

[Sdel]

@SpicyPRE

Please, please, please do not get back on your horse. A rearing horse is a dangerous horse. Like life ending dangerous. Its nothing to mess with. Do not minimize rearing.

Last year a lady at my barn had her horse rear and fall over on her, western saddle so she had a saddle horn to worry about too. She’s 80, so it was a miracle she wasn’t killed and that she can still walk. However, she spent 3 months in the hospital and is still “recovering”.

[ThreeWishes]

@RedWingedBlackBird

Then, after many months, I realized that maybe he didn’t come into my life for my sake, but I came into his life so that I could help him. I could have sold him, and I think that a lot of people would have. But I’m certain that I made the right decision for him. That was the gift I could give him. It wasn’t how I had imagined our time together, but it was what he needed.

That was profoundly said.

[SpicyPRE]

Your femoral artery runs down your leg via your groin and you can bleed out very quickly if there is an injury to it. Over the years there have been riders in my area who had horses go up and fall over on them and stroke out due to damage to the femoral artery. 2 of these riders knew their horse was prone to rearing.

[Sdel]

@SpicyPRE

Your femoral artery runs down your leg via your groin and you can bleed out very quickly if there is an injury to it.

Yep. And if you break your pelvis the bones can slice it open from the inside as well. Like I said, she’s lucky to be alive.

And her horse didn’t have a history of rearing. She literally kicked and yanked him into going up and then she pulled him over once he got up there.

[SpicyPRE]

@Sdel

She literally kicked and yanked him into going up and then she pulled him over once he got up there.

Why? What was her intent with the kicking and yanking?

[ThreeWishes]

When I was 15 years old, I had a horse go up and over on me. I was a teenager and thought I was invincible. Horse was very balky and his go to evasion, was to get light in the front end. Friend was having trouble and asked me to hop on, so I did. Bareback. He pulled his usual refusing to go
Forward and then lightning fast He went straight up and over and landed on my femur. Broke it in half. That is why I said I would not ride this horse. That horse was not mine. The owners continued to ride afterwards, but would just get off when he became balky.

[SpicyPRE]

Scary!

[Sdel]

She’s older, didn’t ride regularly, and he was a sensitive horse in a curb. He balked, likely because of something she inadvertently did, and then she was “correcting” him by kicking him forward and then yanking him back at the same time.

I’d ridden the horse before, he didn’t take a lot on the reins.

[SpicyPRE]

Poor horse had no where to go. Glad your barn mate is OK.

[colorfan]

Me to please

[K_VanOlst]

@dogsbody1

I find that I’m more nervous about the idea of a horse bolting and explosively bucking, than the idea of a horse like her balking and rearing me off the back. I know absolutely no one on this forum would agree with me on that front. But idk how many people on this forum have been reared with as many times as I have.

That’s because there are combined CENTURIES of horse experience on this board, and many people have seen awful, sometimes fatal injuries to riders caused by a horse rearing. There is a reason so many people are telling you the same thing. That you haven’t been seriously injured after being reared with this many times is very lucky, but that luck will run out. I think people giving you advice to haul in to a clinic able to do a very, very comprehensive exam and then discuss a potential behavioral euthanasia are correct. I have been involved in a behavioral euthanasia before. I didn’t mind if the horse hurt me (which was stupid of me) but I couldn’t live with myself if he injured someone else. And he wasn’t as bad as this (multiple professionals/service providers being unwilling to work with, like your horse). I have my own farm, the horse could have lived out his days here, but I couldn’t trust him with a farrier/vet/farmsitter.

[OnAMission]

I was at a Buck Brannaman clinic once where one of the riders brought a horse with a history of rearing. The horse got light in front at the clinic which was by no means a lot of pressure, some hind end moves, side passing type stuff, and Buck being Buck and not one to mince words addressed the entire clinic and audience and said he would not have or deal with a horse that reared. Buck Brannaman, renowned trainer and former bronc rider.

OP If you’ve become desensitized to this horse rearing on you things are not heading in the right direction!

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Fortunately, I don’t have personal experience with a horse like this. I’m so sorry this was your introduction to horse ownership, versus a kindly, older horse, or even a greener but honest and easy to please horse.

Awhile back, there was a rider with a similar story, only with a gelding. I don’t remember if the horse reared, but she had been convinced by her trainer to buy a dead cheap warmblood who wasn’t that old (or young), but it quickly became clear that the horse was unmanageable by both the rider and her trainer, and a bunch of other pros who tried him.

She eventually moved the horse to a low-key barn and she felt the horse had made progress because he would allow her to basically piddle around on a long rein at the walk and trot and let her handle him without going crazy. But when she brought in a pro, she was upset the horse’s issues would come right back. She was considering moving him back to a training barn but was afraid of losing progress. COTH consensus was that…the horse was “mysteriously” so much better with her and only her in the backyard barn because she was basically putting no pressure on him.

In other words, that’s the essence of Black Stallion Syndrome–“only I can ride my horse, my horse behaves best for me,” and then when you scratch the surface this means, “I only do the absolute minimum with this horse to not stress him out.” I hate to say it, but it’s like an abusive boyfriend who is “so sweet” if his girlfriend arranges her entire life around his needs.

You’ve gotten good advice from the rest of this board–there are so many good horses out there who are worthy of your love and attention who won’t put you at risk.

[SuzieQNutter]

@Sdel

She’s older, didn’t ride regularly, and he was a sensitive horse in a curb. He balked, likely because of something she inadvertently did, and then she was “correcting” him by kicking him forward and then yanking him back at the same time.

I’d ridden the horse before, he didn’t take a lot on the reins.

This is the aides to teach a horse to rear.

I have seen it twice in my lifetime. So for one person to see it twice means that it is something that happens a lot.

The first time 2 kids swapped ponies to ride home. The beginner kid got on the experienced pony, held the reins and kicked.

The pony was not used to being kicked. It rushed forward, hit the bit and had nowhere to go but up. The pony went over backwards and the kid was killed.

This divided the community. The beginners wanted the pony euthanized because it was dangerous. The experienced people knew that the pony was the victim and it was not the horse’s fault.

It was a sh*t fight.

I saw the pony go up and over backwards through the back windscreen of the car. I was under 10 years old.

Fast forward to 23 years of age and I am at an Instructor’s school. So everyone is experienced enough to become an instructor.

I was not on my horse. I was on the Chief Instructor’s horse from my old pony club and I remember his name was Soup. He was a lovely horse. I was in the lead.

Another instructor wannabe was on a mare that was not hers. She had come without a horse for some reason, so this mare was leant to her out of a paddock.

This poor mare had been pulled out of a paddock and been put into lessons daily. She was really doing really well.

She was doing so well that when the instructor called out halt. I and everyone else halted and the MARE halted, even though the rider hadn’t asked for halt. What a good girl, if I had been riding that mare, she would have been praised for covering up my mistake like that. Good Girl.

So the instructor asked for halt. I dropped my weight and he halted.

I saw my Instructor’s face and it was so dire, you have never seen anyone dismount so quickly in your life. That look scared the absolute h*ll out of me. It filled me with dread.

I dismounted and turned around to look and the mare was now out of the line and in the arena and at the top of the rear and starting to fall, she fell and landed on her rump, with that she fell more sideways and missed killing the rider.

The rider just sat there, her face was grey, she had a sound coming out of her that was like a drone. She was shaking. That continued for ever. I can not tell you how long.

She lived to tell the tale.

The mare had halted because Tracey had called halt and everyone, as well as the mare, halted without her asking her to halt. This angered her and she punished the mare by kicking her and not letting go of the reins.

The mare rushed forward, hit the bit and had nowhere to go but up.

OP. It is said that a horse has to be taught to rear. I would be hopeful as an experienced rider that those 2 examples are NOT rearers and I would get on them again to train them. To apologise to them. To tell them that they would never be hurt like that again.

Your horse I would be a trainer that refused to help you, other than supporting you to euthanize and find you a suitable mount.

@Demerara_Stables for a professional you sound pretty clueless. Your post could be the difference between someone living and dying, or worse.

Unless you are going to invite this poster to come to you or you invite them to send the horse to you. Your post is not professionally written.

And to end my post, this is a reminder that none of us should ever train a horse with anger.

[2DogsFarm]

@dogsbody1

it’s enough to just pick up on the reins, lean back, and wait it out,

Bold is mine
Because this is **EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE ** of how to handle a rearing horse
Lean back & you’re helping horse to overbalance & fall backwards.
Has noone ever told you this?

You can tell yourself you are Expert reacting this way, right up until the day your mare falls on you.

But, you go on, disregarding all the cautionary advice you’ve been given.
From horsemen/women with many years of experience with multiple horses with a multitude of behavioral issues.
Because you seem determined this horse can be fixed by you.

Can I ask how long you have been riding & handling horses before this purchase?
My 2¢ says less than a decade.

[ThreeWishes]

I think she is talking about when the bolts forward and bucks. I have watched her videos. She does not handle rearing that way. She leans forward and wraps, her arms around the horses neck. People commenting should really watch the videos. To get a better sense. This horse, when it rears does it very slowly and it is extremely obvious she is about to stand up on her hind legs.

[findeight]

@dogsbody1

Her body has some crookedness with one shoulder being less developed than the other

Ummm, so….she uses one shoulder differently then the other so its less developed? Or is there an old injury that retarded development? Could there be a Sweeny involved that interferes with shoulder function but does not cause a limp. Yet?

Start there. Asymmetrical development is a yellow flag when evaluating a horse as is “ some crookedness”. Both can create discomfort without an obvious limp.

[ThreeWishes]

And to be clear about my previous post upwards in this thread…. When I suggested a very experienced WS type trainer and a vet exam…. that was mainly only if the horse was to be retired. To basically ensure ground handling would be safe.
As someone who has been injured by a rearing horse, I would never ride this horse again. Because if it’s not physical nature… It certainly is a learned evasion. That has become a part of her toolbox.