I feel like I can’t do anything right!

[Kowalski_penguin]

Basically what the title says. It’s been happening for the past week. Later last week, I was wrapping up an absolutely fabulous training session with my horse and we were walking out of the ring. Of course I forgot to open the gate all the way on the way out and it swung back and hit my poor horses hind legs. That gave him a fright, but he was alright. I summed it up to just a silly mistake to not repeat but today I was grooming him and finally felt like we were bonding. He even ran up to me in the field. Everything was going great until I opened the metal gate to turn him out. It touched a piece of the electric wire somehow, and of course shocked me through the gate and my horses face as well (my hand was touching literally the only piece of metal on his halter). He ran backwards, as any horse would who was just electrocuted by its stupid owner. He proceeded to breath heavily for a minute or so after, but after a lot of petting and reassurance he finally calmed. He was perfectly fine, and I told him to smile and gave him a cookie, I just feel like it was such a stupid mistake that could’ve been completely avoided if I just started to pay attention to my surroundings more. And yes, I’ve been trying to work on it for a while but then something like this always ends up happening.

Anyways it’s probably not that big of a deal I’m just way too concerned about my horse being traumatized from today. Like I said he’s fine I just feel like an awful owner. Is he going to remember this or is he going to eventually forget it?

[lazaret]

He will be fine. I zapped one of mine with an electric fence once twice, by accident, because it was shorted and I didn’t know. He forgave me and all was well forevermore.

[trubandloki]

I think if any of us were honest we would say there were times in our horse life, most likely more than once, that we too felt like we can’t do anything right.

Welcome to horse ownership.

Both issues sound like simple oops things that both you and your horse will forget sooner than later.

[NaturallyHappy]

I am always thankful horses can’t sell people.

[BrendaJane]

shift happens.
Nobody got hurt, all good. Ia m sure he was ‘WFH did you do that for?!!!’ for a moment, but I guess you were twitching as well.

Have a bubble bath and some chocolate. This is the stuff the best stories are grounded on!

[SusanO]

I shocked the problem child with static electricity taking off a blanket in February. She still hasn’t forgiven me and gets wild eyed when I try to pet her sometimes. I just reinforced her idea that the sky is falling in and it is landing on her. It zapped me too pretty good. If I had touched the electric fence I would never be able to get close to her again so you probably are OK if your horse has gotten over it already.

[Kowalski_penguin]

Thank you for the replies! I feel better already. I’m definitely overthinking it, he let me touch his face and stuff afterwards no problem so I’m sure there’s no hard feelings. i told my mum about it over the phone and she laughed until she cried. I’m sure she was imagining us both on the ground looking at each other in confusion.

[Kowalski_penguin]

Couldn’t have said it any better myself!

[Fiesta01]

@BrendaJane

This is the stuff the best stories are grounded on!

@Kowalski_penguin

i told my mum about it over the phone and she laughed until she cried.

See? It’s already a great story making people laugh.

[Alterration]

Today I was leading one horse out and another horse tried to come in at the same time. Both are rather dominant geldings so after waving my arms and trying to push him back physically, I swung the end of the lead rope (still attached to the gelding I was leading) at the horse trying to come in and accidentally bopped him in the cheek instead of the neck (which I also wasn’t aiming for but I was definitely not aiming for his cheek).

I felt badly but he forgave me. Your horse will forgive you too. They have to, otherwise none of us would be able to ride, work with, or train them since we all make mistakes.

[2DogsFarm]

I’m going to say snce he’s yours, forgiveness will happen along with & probably before, forgetfulness.

I once reached across a hot wire to pet a friend’s yearling colt…
Yup, arced through my hand to his nose.
He got to be a 2yo, still giving me Stinkeye

[Spudsmyguy]

My husband was bringing his horse in from the pasture and the horse thought the gate handle was a carrot and accidently touched the electric wire with his nose reaching for the handle. He didn’t come near my husband for a month!

[Lunabear1988]

We’ve all been there! Mistakes happen and thankfully horses are actually pretty forgiving of most accidents.

[Lunabear1988]

I have been riding 20 years. Just a few months ago I went to gently tap my horse on his rump with the lunge whip (He’s not very reactive to it at all) And somehow the lash got clamped between his tail and his butt. Thankfully he promptly stopped so I could help him But that was just one of those ridiculous mistakes that you hope your horse can forgive!!

[cayuse]

“I told him to smile and gave him a cookie” I love this line. Your “can’t do anything right” week will pass. It’s Friday!

[RhythmNCruise]

Aw, bless. These things do happen. Horses can be very forgiving, and it sounds like your guy is a good one.

The other day I had my dude in the cross-ties and was sweeping around him after picking his feet. I got really into sweeping I guess and lost awareness of how close to him I was and all of a sudden I elbowed him in the nose. It was pretty hard and he jerked his head up and looked at me like “What the heck did I do to deserve that??” I had to abandon the broom and give him pets and kisses on his nose and then stuff some peppermints in his mouth. All was forgiven and I finished sweeping…keeping my elbows under control.

[fivestrideline]

I’ve definitely shocked my gelding the same way - somehow managed to touch the fence and him at the same time. No need to touch metal by the way, you just gotta close the circuit between the ground and the fence. Pony gave some good snorts and was a little shy of my hand for a minute but he forgave me and completely forgot about it. You’ll just be more aware from now on and that’s all good! Gotta laugh off the “dumb days”, cause we all have them!

[Jackie_amp_Starlette]

Apple in hand. Horse grabs apple. My boob hits electric fence at same time. A shocking experience for both.

[DawgLady]

The other day, I was trying to scoop manure, miscalculated, and tossed it all into my tack trunk. We’re all dummies sometimes.

[quietann]

As many others have said, this happens. I feel like I can’t do anything right, and then the next time I see my mare, she’s just as happy to see me. Mind, she is old, and very forgiving.

BTW the only time I’ve come off her, in 14 years, was when she spooked at a sheep and backed into a cattle-strength electric fence. I’m not a great rider at all, a permanent advanced beginner basically.