Just bought my OTTB “Moose” about a month ago. He is almost 4 years old. He seemed very nervous when he first arrived so I kind of just let him be to get used to the place. After a few days I tried to interact with him but he did small things that made me nervous like pinning his ears and raising his leg to kick. Then one night I went out and was standing by the gate talking to him and he came up and let me scratch him. He actually rubbed his head on me and seemed to love the attention. Ever since that night though it’s been back to the aggressive behavior. I thought maybe it was food aggression since the times I try to touch him is when he is eating in the barn and I can touch him from the other side of the gate. When I do this in the barn he acts like he is going to bite me and kicks out hard. Then I realized it’s not just food aggression because the other day there was no food around and I walked up to him to touch his neck and he pinned his ears and raised his leg. This totally sucks. I obviously expected an OTTB to be challenging especially one this young but not aggressive like this. The lady who sold him to me teaches at a riding school so I really trusted what she said. She knew I was not very experienced and still assured me he was perfect for me. The day I looked at him and rode him I noticed he seemed unusually calm, almost larthargic. The lady said that’s how he always is, just super calm. Now I am seriously wondering if she had him drugged. I just never expected that sketchy behavior from a riding instructor. Anyway, not sure what to do now. I know I need trainer for sure but in the meantime I feel nervous even to go put his blanket on.
Anyone else have any experiences like this? Not just with an OTTB but with any horse?
Yikes …
#1 thing you will read over and over here with OTTBs, especially recently off the track, is that it’s very common for them to have stomach ulcers and this can make them really sensitive to touch. A flare-up in a new environment would be common.
But drugging would not surprise me either.
I’d suggest having a vet out before a trainer.
The BO where my friend had her horses and where I rode went to the track one morning and brought back 2 OTTB’s, one had just finished his race that morning. He had an injury and he was on stall rest for the first week or so. He was horrible in the stall, very aggressive, trying to bite or kick. You actually had to put the wheelbarrow between you and him. Even months later, I remember being nervous about going into his stall to dump and refill his water bucket.
Fast forward about a year and the aggressiveness disappeared but he was still nervous, not totally dependable on the ground, just not trying to bite or kick. I started riding him then and fell in love, bought him, and eventually brought him home to my newly created farm and he turned into a wonderful horse, both on the ground and undersaddle. In the 18 years that I had him, he side kicked me once when I was brushing under his belly, he never bit anyone, he barely bucked, never reared, was spooky though and was a worrier. Sadly he died 4 years ago.
I’m sure you will get great advice from some of the COTH experts as I’m no expert but I just wanted to give my little story to encourage you. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Did you do a Pre-Purchase Exam on your horse before you bought him? I see on your other thread you’re treating
him for ulcers, that’s a good start. TB’s are very smart and sometimes they can pick up lack of confidence from
inexperienced people real fast. He may just have your number, meaning he’s trying to bully you already.
Lots of race horses and show horses get sour from being in their stalls so much. So this could fade as time goes
by. In the meantime, try to have someone with you when you blanket him. I’d also suggest getting someone
experienced w/ OTTB’s to come and give you some pointers in dealing with him. Sometimes you just have to
know how to correct their bullying behavior but it’d be better for someone w/ experience to do this at first.
It could also be his ulcers were pretty bad and it will take a while for them to heal and he may be a different
horse then.
this is the same horse that was twitchy about getting touched on the flanks?
You need to learn some basic ground work skills so the horse learns that he cannot display active aggression towards humans. I feel like there was some information given about sources for groundwork skills in that previous thread? If not, there are plenty on the half dozen “my vicious OTTB” threads currently open on COTH.
Yes, a horse can look grumpy and express that grumpiness.
No, a horse cannot try to bite you. You need to stop this now. Get in touch with a good groundwork trainer.
And yes, I have seen many newbies buy a horse that is calm and wellbehaved, and turn it into a badly behaved horse inside a month. Both in saddle and on the ground. He knows you don’t know what you are doing. He finds it irritating you cant read his subtle signals and perhaps alarming that you aren;t setting any guidelines. He also feels free to express everything he feels because there’s “nobody home” to stop him.
You are creating this problem every time you interact with him. You need to learn how to decrease the problem day by day.
Yeah I do think ulcers are still a possibility for sure. I am
still giving him nexium everyday. I really hope that helps. I didn’t do a pre purchase exam stupidly. When we went to look at him before buying the one thing I did see was my boyfriend rubbed his belly and moose slightly pinned his ears and I remember saying “ooo he didnt like that”. The lady just said “he is ticklish there”. And like an idiot I believe her. Like I said, she was a riding instructor at a school for little girls so I just thought she wouldn’t be the type to fib. I also remember like I said earlier that he was unusually calm. We had barley walked and trotted him while riding and afterwards his bottom lip was droopy and his eyes were halfway shut. So I really do think she might have given him a sedative.
She also said he trailers perfectly and I hired a company to transport him to my house which was a 2 hour drive from his old home and he had broken the lead rope on the way and had missing fur on his head from hitting his head.
Anyway, I’m only saying all that so that nobody thinks it’s something I am doing to make him act this way. I think he is scared and confused but I also don’t think it’s safe for me to go in and start doing groundwork when he is acting like he wants to knock my lights out.
Hopefully with continued rest and nexium I begin to see some improvement
do you have a trainer currently working with you now? Does this trainer have any groundwork skills?
If the answer to either of these questions is no, then get one. Now.
You are now scared of the horse and starting to blame the former trainer. This has occurred on your watch. You need to up your skills fast or you will have a dangerous (to you) horse standing in a stall and getting no attention because you are scared of him.
A horse is allowed to have ulcers and pin his ears. He is not allowed to lunge at you or be actively aggressive. There is how he is feeling, and then there is how he is expressing it.
Or just return him to the seller.
Don’t mess with him in his stall at the moment–he’s anxious and territorial and that’s his space. Frankly, I’m always cautious with a loose horse in a stall, even one I know well.
Use a treat if you need to in order to get him to come to you at the doorway to the stall, put a halter and leadrope on him, take him out and tie him or put him on cross ties so he can’t nail you so easily when you are blanketing or grooming. He’ll probably be much better in neutral territory, but don’t let your guard down/
Watch his body language and act accordingly.
If you don’t know how to act, which is nothing to be ashamed of, get some real live trainer help sooner rather than later.
Get help now. You are acting like an annoying fly. Annoying flies are the ones that you stop whatever it was you were doing and your only thought is to kill them.
Beginners take a while to not be an annoying fly, which is why you are not supposed to get a tb for your first horse and definitely not one off the track. Yes your riding instructor has a lot of blame here.
@Urbanhorsegirl where are you located? Maybe we could make recommendations for a local trainer? Btw, have you contacted the seller and asked her if this is how he acted under her care?
This can happen with OTTB’s especially if you don’t have experience with them when they come right off the track. I always advise someone unless you’re experienced with OTTB’s, work with a trainer who is… There are many things (steroids) they can be given at the track that can make them aggressive, especially when they are letting down from all of it. Some come off the track looking amazing and well mannered and some crash and can go through a withdrawl period. He needs time to adjust/detox what have you. On the flip side, there are many who come off the track with perfect manners that are perfectly healthy and ready to start a new career immediately.
The most important thing he needs right now is a routine and consistency… unless he needs to be on stall rest for an injury he needs turnout turnout turnout (24/7 if possible) in a large enough area to run and play with friends so that he can burn off excess energy. He’s 3 and race fit! Tons of good quality hay, as much as he will eat and a high fat/low starch diet. If he’s being fed sweet feed, stop it now. @Urbanhorsegirl what is his diet and turnout routine? We need to know what he’s being fed and amounts (in pounds please). Let us know what feeds you have access to and we can help you with a diet.
Ulcers can make them aggressive, my young OTTB got very aggressive toward his 20y/o pasture mate. So aggressive I thought he was going to seriously hurt him. I treated him with Nexium recommended on this site and now he’s back to himself. And yeah… he’s not ticklish on his belly… his belly hurts. Ulcers can cause all manner of behavior problems. He’s not being a bad boy… he’s telling you something. Always assume one off the track has ulcers and treat them whether they display symptoms or not… because chances are they do have ulcers.
eta: most behavioral issues I’ve seen with off track horses is mostly diet and turnout related. Get those things managed and usually you’ve got a nice sane smart and sensitive horse who’s been handled more, hauled more, bathed more and seen more things than most 3 year olds of any other breed.
In addition to ulcers etc – keep in mind that some OTTB’s just don’t appreciate being loved on – and never will.
My two best boys (I have a great relationship with both; have had them for years) still pin their ears and don’t like to be petted. I respect their grumpy personalities and just go about my business with them = respect on their part. My other three can’t get enough love; they adore hugs and pats etc.
I just want to echo what @RoahsGirl said. I’d encourage you to check Warwick Schiller out. I really like they way he works with horses and understands them. I have learned a lot and have seen some really great results with my horses.
Being an OTTB he’s most likely got ulcers. For sure keep treating that. Also, look at what your feeding him and make sure its not going to aggravate his stomach. Feeds low in non structural carbohydrates and free choice hay are a better option. Horses really shouldn’t be going hours and hours with an empty stomach. It’s not the magic fix, but if your concerned about him having ulcers then a change in feed and management is in order.
I might have missed this, but is he at your house or a boarding barn?
What is his turnout situation? How many hours a day, in what size pasture, with how many other horses, etc?
TBs need room to move, and it’s helpful if they have herdmates who can interact with them and let them be a horse.
If he’s being kept in a small paddock, he probably doesn’t have much opportunity to stretch his legs. If that’s the case, then you should think about shifting barns at least for the next several months to allow him some room to move when he’s turned out, while you work on his ground manners.
I’d second both suggestions of finding a trainer who will help you with establishing this horse’s ground manners and of signing up for Warwick Schiller’s online site. If you don’t know a local trainer, someone on COTH might be able to suggest one, or (if you haven’t completely lost confidence in the person who sold you the horse) you could ask her for some lessons on ground work and working specifically with this horse.
Remember that, as one poster said above, every interaction you have with a horse allows him to learn something about you, whether or not you intend it. So if you’ve given ground when he’s menaced you with a cocked leg or swung his head at you, he’s learned that he can make you go away when he wants to by doing these things. This is not acceptable behavior.
Add to this that this is a 4 year old horse, i.e. a rebellious teenager. At that age, even horses with pristine ground manners often try out some new behaviors just to test (and re-test) where the real limits are.
Good luck.
How long has this horse been off the track? (Sorry if I missed someone already asking this.) Was he in use at the riding school - how long did the seller have him? He may be an OTTB but if he has been off the track for a year or more, this is not necessarily behavior due to being off the track.
Send to a trainer and you take lessons. Lots of lessons. You are not equipped with the tools necessary at present. You need help, and your horse needs someone to make him a safe and solid citizen for you and the world.
Every single time you interact with your horse (regardless of how old your horse is or how old and experienced you are) it is a training moment for your horse. You control if it is a positive experience or a negative experience.
I completely agree with the many that have suggested you start immediately working with a trainer. You said in your original posting that you were not very experienced. ATM, your horse is training you 
Not an ideal situation.
a lot of great advice above.
Two things that bear repeating:
Ulcers: the fact that he is so touchy now, when he wasn’t before, and he at the same time moved to a new place, with a new person, is probably not coincidence. Get him scoped, and maybe do the real ulcerguard, not nexim, in conjunction with a hind-gut support supplement.
Herd/home situation: you didn’t say what kind of place you’re keeping him now or what he has for friends and social interaction. If he’s alone or not yet friends with his turnout and stall buddies, that can also lead to behavioral problems (and the stress will exacerbate ulcers, even if he didn’t have them before). Is he getting different length of turnout now? Different feed? Less riding/lunging exercises? All these can have huge impacts on behavior.
If you’re a novice, than a 4yo OTTB was probably not the wisest choice ever. However, it’s perfectly believable that a well worked/adjusted/mellow and happy horse living in a busy lesson barn with lots of girls doting on him will change his outlook when moved to a different situation (more or less activity, more/less/different turnout) and a with a less experienced handler. If that’s the case, hopefully with some professional guidance and mentoring, and perhaps some environment changes, you’ll be able to get ‘that’ horse back again.
I recommend having horse worked with by a pro, who can then teach you how to interact with that particular horse well. If you have the horse at home, you might be best served by boarding him at a trainers for a few months, and taking regular lessons there, before moving him back home again and being mostly on your own.
A 4 year old is a teenager. He’s learning what is expected from him - and like most kids - will test boundaries to learn what correct behavior is. He needs you, and whoever else handles him, to provide those boundaries by clearly telling him when his behavior is unacceptable.
Even if he feels crappy because of ulcers or something else, he has to toe the line in terms of behavior. That includes not biting or kicking in the direction of a human, ever.
