The woman in the Buck documentary did not put the horse down. She took him home and whined to everyone about how mean Buck was to her. She had a weird need for attention and even when the stallion, Kelly, was a foal she had news reporters filming him living in her house. It was not a “brain” condition but a dangerously spoiled horse. He’d get erect when she went near him.
OP stay clear as you can. Any trainer that she brings in will be likely be blamed for any future issues.
I don’t know if this would work, but if you really don’t have any options as to anywhere else to go, maybe tell this crazy woman IF pookie should kick you, or injure your horse, you will sue her into penury.
You are in an unusual geographic situation that is outside of the experience of probably most of the people on this forum.
But what is in common with all the people of the world is that sometimes some crazy situation forces us to change the way we see our options.
You have been dealing with this for a year? So I’m guessing that things are happening now that are bringing it to a crisis. Self-preservation has overtaken all other concerns. It’s important to acknowledge that to yourself.
Not only the horse owner, but it sounds like the barn owner is also showing that she cannot deal with this situation and is not protecting herself, much less her other boarders.
A crisis forces us to bring in our perceptions and focus on just ourselves and the people and animals who are dependent on us. You have mentioned liability, the barn, owner, and these are things that are no longer inside your circle of self-preservation.
As someone said, change your perception down to what you need to keep your horse at basic care level. Fortunately this is the warm season, so you can make a temporary change and have a few months to sort out what to do before winter.
You will be doing your horse a great favor to move him out of that situation. Probably your horse is also anxious about the dangerous horse, and he has to live with it.
You have my sympathies for dealing with the situation you are in, and didn’t ask for. It’s tough, but have confidence that you can do this, you can make this change.
This is 50% of the problem, for sure. The problem was the barn owners to solve by evicting the horse & owner, and for whatever reason it sounds like the barn owner has chosen to nurse it along.
The barn owner’s lack of common sense and boundaries makes the problem everyone’s problem. And gives everyone else only one option, to just get out of the burning building, even if the barn owner chooses to stay in it with the horse owner.
This “consent” sh!t is horrific, whether for dogs or horses. It encourages aggression and creates monsters. It’s the same as the “fear-free” vets who are scared of being bitten, so refuse to treat any animal that isn’t wagging and happy at the clinic.
As soon as I read “she doesn’t feed him if he doesn’t come to the fence to be fed” I let out a little “uh huh…”
Get out ASAP. Either over, under, or through. But make a papyrus & co. sized hole in the tack room door, post haste.
Why - How - does something like this situation happen to disrupt our lives …
There are a handful of people on the planet who invite very-high-risk situations into their lives and live with it. Including a series of injuries. It’s a recognized psychological condition. But they look and act like anyone else, so there is no way to know except by their behavior.
There isn’t much study about this, because few of them ever seek or want treatment, and treatment protocols are what spark study. Some may learn from consequences to modify their risk-taking somewhat, but there are those that don’t.
The lady in the Buck movie and this lady boarder both reflect this pattern. In both cases, they developed the hazardous situation themselves. And knew it while they did it. Regardless of the excuses they gave out continuously. The lady in the movie was never going to euth her dangerous horse, because having the dangerous horse - and her whole dangerous situation - was/is part of her identity. But she got a drama fix out of talking about euth!
This boarder is on the same track, including the emotional drama communications. “Consent training”, for example, which is clearly bullshit, animals can’t understand the principal.
In addition to the physical danger to other people, being emotionally connected to someone like this, even as just a friend, is endless fear for them (and yourself) and frustration that the risk never changes. No matter what endless discussions and apparent agreements are had.
Anyway. The point is that if one of these rare personalities enters one’s life circle - run. Stay away, keep them away. Far away. They are a hazard to others as well as themselves. Regardless of the endless interactions they enjoy about their dire situation, whatever it is at the time.
It is very unfortunate when someone like this moves into one’s orbit, uninvited, because of the likely necessity of turning one’s own life over to get away. But if the risk-taker can’t be removed (far away & not coming back), anyone who is in the circle of danger does need to get away themselves in the interests of self-preservation. It is very real. And it can sadly mean significant life changes to do so.
So no leadership or guidance is offered to a herd or pack animal? It seems like that would make them feel very vulnerable, insecure and scared.
If you can’t find another boarding situation, this 100%.
It seems that if you’re in a rural area on self care pasture board, that should be easy enough to replicate. You and a couple friends scout out a nice field with decent fences and access to water, and make the property owner an offer to rent the field. You might need to supply your own hay shed etc. It’s much easier than if you are in a suburban with basically one barn left.
In our exurbs people do this all the time. There are empty dairy pastures or acreage awaiting development. Landowners often happy to have some passive income from a field.
Pick a field with trail access or closer to your home or whatever suits you.
Or, in the case of a cryptorchid stud, he decides he will be the boss.
There isn’t enough insurance in the world to cover this barn if this horse hurts someone besides its owner. Because it’s pretty clear that the barn owner KNOWS what’s happening and is allowing a dangerous situation to not only continue, but to escalate.
The horse will no doubt injure the owner severely, sooner rather than later. At that point, when she isn’t able to pay the board, the BO will need to decide whether to send it to the kill pens or euthanize it.
In the interim, if it were me, I’d make it crystal-clear to the BO that this isn’t acceptable, and you expect them to fix the issue of the turnout within the next seven days. Put up more fence, put in panels to create round pens, whatever it takes, but there is absolutely no way you are going to risk your life to go get your horse out of the pasture. If nothing is done, then you fully expect the BO to get your horse FOR YOU whenever you are at the barn. Hand them your whip and wish them luck. Tell them you have 911 on speed dial.
“Insurance” ranks up with “by law we aren’t liable” with the dumbest possible things someone can say to try to relieve other people’s concerns.
Really? That’s going to erase the suffering? A lifetime TBI? Some other permanent injury?
Or even the painful process of a full recovery? How about time missed from family, work, other obligations?
The BO is saying this? That’s reason enough to get out.
Every smart professional trainer has a limit on what kinds of horses they will take on – and this is why.
It’s not about insurance or liability. It’s about the person in the hospital bed. Or the morgue.
Horses are a risk proposition, more so than a lot of other things people do. True horse people are risk managers in the most diligent way. If someone isn’t doing that, keep a physical and an emotional distance from them.
Or kill her.
Reading this all just made me cringe. There have been a few bad apple horses with bad apple humans over my lifetime with horses, but none that were allowed to be a danger to anyone other than the owner.
I echo everyone saying to find another place. Keeping this horse in a separate pasture area would be the obvious solution but it seems to be flying right over the BO head which is concerning in and of itself. You shouldn’t have to feear for your life every time you go and bring your horse in. The BO is an idiot putting other boarders in harms way, and I think that is pretty much negligence by definition.It sounds like its just a matter of time before something happens to someone other than the owner and BO shouldn’t be shocked if someone tries to put it on them for not mitigating in some way.
You have little control in this situation as it stands. BO clearly isnt that concerned.
What is stopping you from doing this?
Why does the BO think that escaping her own financial risk through insurance/liability law will make an injury ok? Or a death?
I would really like to hear the BO’s answer to that question.
The BO is mentally distancing herself from the reality of the situation. She isn’t thinking. Ask her if a serious “accident” with this horse, on her property, is really ok with her, regardless of insurance or liability.
The insurance company can easily use the BO’s knowledge of the situation AND the lack of any action taken to mitigate any potential damages, to deny or at least reduce a claim. BO isn’t as covered as she thinks.
Unless the gelding procedure included surgical removal of the undescended testicle, he is not a gelding.
The aggressive behavior you describe sounds very testosterone-fueled.
Unless you know for a fact - nevermind what idjit owner claims - this was done, you are dealing with an unmannered stud. Who not only has his owner’s number & zero respect for her, but is challenging you & anyone else in the neighborhood of his mixed sexes herd.
Get yourself & your mare out of this self-care disaster.
If you post your location it is very likely somebody on this board may know a place you can relocate.
ETA:
“My first PT was going to let me move my mare to her property, but she had three horses on five acres; my current PT”
@signmypapyrus Are you referring to Physical Therapists? 
If you are & need their services, even more reason to get yourself away from this shi*show.
What does PT stand for? (Good question, 2dogsfarm!)
Any chance you could divide the pasture with hot wire as a stop gap until you can move?
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