Charlie hates my dad?

Question

My 3 and a half year old TB as some issues. It seems she hates men, exspecially my dad but when I'm around, she's friendly to them. I've never witness this but according to the stable hands she's grabbed an boy and thrown him into the wall for trying to take her away from feed and she's bitten my dad for petting her...

I'm not sure why she acts like this. She REFUSES to move when a man is in the saddle but for me and my sister and trainer, she's fine? Whenever me and my dad ride together she's very flighty. She's even kicked him in leg during a ride. Trust me, she was aiming for him not the horse, she moved actually moved to kick him. Also, she's very balky when my dad leads her and she always throws her head and hits his sides and arms with her nose. It's weird because my Arab does it to =/ Is it possible my horses just hate my dad?

Answer 1

some mares dont like men. like one of my friends horse had to have a girl farrier and she was a mare.

Answer 2

im training this horse who tries to bite/kick everyone, but when im there he'll be very nice to them. hes my baby and i love him and he's never bitten/kicked me, but i just think he has trust issues.  Maybe your horse was abused once by someone that smells/looks/talk/walks like your dad?? Has your dad always been nice to her?? Theres always a reason for something its sometimes just hard to figure out...

Answer 3

You have already answered your own question- it's obvious that Charlie is afraid of your dad, because he is heavy handed and abusive to her, whether intentionally or not. That's why she kicks at him, is flighty around him, and just acts defensive in general when he's around. I have no doubt she's been hurt by him, and horses NEVER FORGET someone who was mean or cruel, just as they never forget a kind person. The stable boy who tried to take her away from her food got what he had coming to him, if you ask me- Charlie was only defending her food, and she was perfectly justified in doing so. We don't let anyone near our horses when they are eating grain either, for just this very reason. Charlie's biting your dad for petting her ( assuming that is what he was REALLY DOING, and not hitting her) is just another indication of how afraid of him she is.

Your other horse doing this is an indication that he or she may be afraid of your dad as well- and for the same reasons that Charlie is. You need to have a talk with your dad, and try to get your horses AWAY from him, because this situation is only going to get worse, not bettter, as time goes on. Your dad shouldn't be messing with your horses at all, at least for now, and probably not ever again, and someone needs to tell him this, or sooner or later, Charlie or your other horse are going to get aggressive and dangerous, and HE'S going to be the one who ends up in the hospital because of it.

Horses are like people- they can and do have their own likes and dislikes- and it's quite possible for them to hate someone because of mistreatment or abuse. It's unfortunate when this happens, because this type of thing is usually preventable- and more often than not, the horse ends up being sold on or put down as viscious, when it was really the person's fault in the first place for mistreating the animal and making it defensive.

I hope you can work things out and get your dad away from your horses, because I don't see good things ahead for you if you don't. Good luck.

Answer 4

I would say shes a bit shy and stubborn... I would recomend training

Answer 5

that is a respect issue. Sounds to me like she has targeted who she thinks she can bully around. It should be addressed by all because it could potentially turn into a dangerous situation for everyone.

I have a mare in training who tried to act rude to my husband but it was because she was only handled by me so it was not that she did not like men, they were something "different" she was unaccustomed to. To correct this my husband and I work on training with her together so she does not become disrepectful of either gender and we trade off different exercises so she does not associate us with one action or another.

That may be the issue with your mare. Your dad is a strange element in her normal surroundings one she is not comfortable with.

Answer 6

I would really not encourage "shaking" if you are already having problems. She needs to get over herself and you need to make her. Kids and men are apart of a horses everyday life. My horse (OTTB) also dislikes being handled by men but we figured out that it was because they were always trying to push him around. If he refused to load the men at my old barn would grab him from me (I was 10 and he was a 15.2 TB so they felt they had the they right) and try to manhandle him into the trailer. I am pretty sure the men at the racetrack did it as well. Anyway, just because he doesnt like men does it give him the ability to be pushy nippy or kick. Same with kids. He occasionally feels like he doesnt need to listen to them (probably because they are small) but it still doesnt give him the right to be an a$$.

Watch it if she really hates kids. I can see a HUGE lawsuit in your future if she keeps that up.