PLEASE help me with my horse?? ?

Question

MY mum has just bought a horse, he is a 16 hand irish Thoroughbred. She has had him for a month now, the first few weeks were great, now he seems to be misbehaving. Trying to tie him up outside is a difficult task to say the least, 3 times in a row he has broken free. The first time he completely snapped his head collar in half, the second time he pulled the metal ring out of the wall! Why is he doing this now and not when we first got him? Is he trying to test us?

Answer 1

Why are you tieing him outside?  Is it when you groom, or is he supposed to stand tied and left alone?  You should switch to a yachting rope type of halter and lead, which is loop-connected, so there are no parts to break.  The halter will put sufficient pressure on the poll to stop him pulling, and it will not break.  Also, tie him high..and the loop of lead should not come below his chest or he can get a leg caught in it.  If you don't know how to tie a quick-release knot, find someone who does to teach you.  He has learned to break free and will continue if you don't do this.

If you are leaving him tied, that may be the reason for his behavior.  If not, then he is escaping something....maybe being saddled.  I don't know, without knowing more about the circumstances when he is tied.

The halter and lead I recommend is the type Parelli carries...other sites have it as well....get the nylon rope (yachting rope) and at least 8 foot lead...it will help you immensely in controlling this horse, and in further training.

Answer 2

i don't exactly know why he does it but i had a horse just like that he broke his chain that connected from the halter to the tie ring. i think what you should do is when hes tied stand near him and calm him down after he stands there for a few minutes un tie him and gradually increase the amount of time.I hope I helped

Answer 3

Perhaps you purchased a drugged horse. A horse that is often Ace'd or but will act like a calm, behaved horse. If given to high a dose, it could take up to a week for the blood levels to return to normal.

I'm guessing you've now discovered the reason's for him being sold.

EDIT- Regular blood screens are not used to detect drugs- you have to request them through your vet. Regular blood tests are used to detect WNV, EHV, and other defects.

ADD- Reason why most vets have you request is being they like to charge extra for this. They'll try and jack the fee way up by stating, "Had to send for more blood" or "Had to ship to such n such lab". Then they'll put a rush fee on your tab stating they had the lab run it within 3 days.

And so you know. Small amounts of bute and ace sometimes are not strong enough for detection. So blood screens are not always 100%.

Answer 4

My guess would be that the first few weeks you owned him, he was testing the waters and figured out what he could get away with...did he get progressively worse or did it just happen suddenly in one day? Sometimes a horse that is used to being handled by one certain person has figured out that they can't get by with certain things; but once they are transfered to a new owner and realize one by one that they can slip by with doing certain naughty things, they take full advantage. Do some ground work with him, lunging, etc...let him know that you're in charge.

However, if you feel that this is a sudden occurence, get him checked out by the vet. Something could be hurting him or something could have spooked him and now he is reacting to being tying up because of it...but to me, it sonds like he's just testing the waters with you...

Update: I had to add that yes, horses absolutely do test out new owners-- just as they do with being around new horses to establish their rank in the herd--, I've been training for many years and have had a lot of experience where this is concerned...but I do agree, that if his only problem is tying (you made it sound as if that was just one problem, but the biggest for you...perhaps I was wrong), then it is probably a fear/pain factor.

Answer 5

Is he getting enough work?  He sounds like he is giving you 'tests' cause he is bored.  I would work his tail off for a solid week - both longe line and riding and see if he gets a better attitude.  A horse does nothing but get in trouble if they are stalled and not worked enough.

A soft plouged field about 6-8 inches deep with soft dirt is an excellent place to tire them out.

Since you said he was fine for the first few weeks, I don't think he was drugged as that should wear off much sooner.

Take him out, tack him up and work him on a lunge/longe (think correct spelling is where you are from) til he is tired and I mean tired.  Then try tying him up.  Also make sure when you tie him it is not too high or low - or if he throws a fit he can break his neck.  We used those poly halters that are very strong and 1/2 sisal rope with large heavy duty snaps that we braided in.

My dad used to lay a rope over a horses withers, then those 2 ends that are dangling on either side - would come through the front legs and then up to through the halter and then tie.  

We got Thoroughbreds off the tracks in the NW to train to be jumpers - from claiming races.  Some of them were nuts really.  That is how he broke them to be tied up.  

They then went to the 'trainer' for a 30 days to be put over jumps and then back to be finished, shown and sold.

Good luck and let us know what turns up!  :)

Answer 6

it sounds like hes testing you for rank as the leader of your heard and you can not let him win or it could get dangerous at first he was unsure and scared but now he wants to know were he stands youve got to do some ground work with him give him some work to do were you are in charge sometimes just making them lung is all it takes (he might have a lot of built up energy ) try setting up some opsticle courses with poles on the ground or a tarp for him to walk over some small jumps to lead him across a car wash to convince him to move through ( this is a shreaded plastic tarp hanging on a pole / this takes a lot of trust ) and a real easy obstacle would be some cones to guide him around or a a giant ball to play with try studing parrelli im sure if you gain hes respect he will behave and if you play with him more than ride him he will enjoy being with you and not dread the things he thinks your going to do when hes tied up this is most likely why hes breaking loose good luck

Answer 7

Wow, there could be many answers to this. If you've changed ANYTHING in the environment, if maybe something spooked him a tad the last time he was tied. If it's just a tying issue, I would examine everything to do with that- if you've changed halters or ropes, if you've repainted the barn or moved a plant, if being tied pulls on his halter funny...

EDIT: If your only problem is with tying him, in all probability you DO NOT have a major behavioural problem on your hands. A horse needs to be able to be tied, but he isn't necessarily trying to dominate you- it's probably something very simple you've overlooked.

Another edit: I agree with the person above me. It sounds like he's scared or anticipating pain, not just misbehaving.

Answer 8

are you doing anything with the horses head when he is pulling back becuase he could be head shy or sumthing??

Answer 9

first off horses dont "test the waters" they arent like humans in that manner and everything they do is for a GOOD reason...he is anticipating pain and is trying to escape is my take on this..maybe the way u r riding him or the way his tack fits or if he is in pain while being groomed...its up to you to figure out the cause and stop doing it and soon he should settle..