Horse starting & re-education Saddlery – Central!
THIS WEEK in HP Land
21/8/24
HI Folks
LETTER OF THE WEEK
Hi John I am an endurance rider of 20 years; riding for 55 years. I currently train a 11 yo homebred gelding. This horse is well behaved and generally steady but a horse that’s I consider a tourist. looking and scanning for monsters and at times I think it’s eyesight is not good his reactions to things he had passed 100 times will really worry him. I sit up there and just ride him through it. I recall the breaker say he is not a confident horse and needs support. The problem is we came across some cattle in a neighbouring property. I was riding the horse in question and leading another. The horse I was on had a meltdown when it sighted them. Trembling, instantly dripping in sweat and doing those loud short snorts over and over. The horse being lead was dead quiet and couldn’t care less. This horse escalated so much that I got off something I have never done. I asked for back up, stepping the front and hind end over something he knows very well. It was not good as we were on a very steep hill. Anyway I revisited the area a few weeks later as I train there and no cattle but the horse would be tense and on the look out. Several months no cattle. The other day the cattle were back. Horse had a meltdown and I was losing control so got off again and got it to back up down the hill and back up the hill while it did loud snorts. Cattle were not even close. It was futile and horse only settled marginally when I had left the area. I went back a few days later no cattle but horse almost out of control again. My question is do I keep going back to that area to habituate it and go through that BS or take it somewhere to stay with cattle for a week? I feel it won’t change as it associated that area with so much stimulation? I pass by that spot linking my training track and don’t want to avoid it because horse can’t cope. Suggestions
Not good Kate.
Due to the fear of the ‘unknown’ there is no point going back there and trying to deal with this in that manner. It will indeed, be a negative outcome and things will escalate. Probably Ulcers in the Horse, if not already. Ulcers makes them hallucinate and indeed, in my opinion, affects their eye sight as well. I saw it last week with one of ours.
The best shot with this particular Horse is for you to buy a calf, weaner, for your meat down the track as well, and take it home. You MUST have the facilities and this Horse would need to be in that Facility (not a paddock) when you arrive. Put the Calf in the yard next door and feed them there for a week. Then, put them in together. Then when confident, out in the paddock together.
It would be preferable to buy a Calf from that Neighbor, with those Cattle, looking exactly the same colour and breed!!
See how you go.
regards
Thank you for your reply. Yes I felt that this is way out of my pay grade. I had no idea about ulcers affecting them that way - good to know.
I will see what I can line up re: calf/cattle. I am too old now to be putting time into a horse although beautiful to ride with talent but whose temperament is too challenging for me now with this extra thing.
Might have to make the decision and move him onto a better ownership situation.
This weeks Veterinary rehab article
Do You know how to identify Ulcers? The Causes? You should be observing and KNOWING, daily.
TIP OF THE WEEK
“There is absolutely zero training benefit gained by simply smacking Horses” (as seen in the recent Charlotte Duriden Videos.
THIS WEEKS HALF PRICE DEAL
Our wonderful Horse Wormer now curing Cancer
