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Barnyard Buddies:  "Not" a New Horse Owner  |
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AFMom
True Blue Farmgirl
100 Posts
Erica
North Dakota
USA
100 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 15 2007 : 04:43:57 AM
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Hi Girls,
I apologize I haven't been very good about keeping you all updated on our new venture...it has been hectic to say the least. Well, many of you were right, our Samson was too much horse for my Katie. On Wednesday, Katie went to the stable to groom him and clean his stall, and then the trainer decided to take him out into the ring to work with him a bit. Well, Katie did some exercises to reinforce the distance issue since he likes to crowd her and he did quite well. So she moved into lunging him counter clockwise and he did great again, but when it came time to lunge him the opposite way he got cranky. The owner took the lead with him and Katie was watching to see how the owner would get him to move. Well, he moved once, came to a mud puddle and didn't want to go through it, so the owner insisted with a slap to the rear with the rope and he still wouldn't move, and then he got mad, pinned his ears back, turned towards the owner and charged her with his hoof up to strike her. She jumped back and yelled at him and then she tried to get him to do what she wanted again, and amazingly he did, so the session did end on a good note. But, the trainer said that Samson charging her was not good at all...I guess it shows that the horse would have a tendency to hurt someone if he really didn't want to do something. So, she doesn't want to work with him now and I don't feel comfortable with Katie around him. I called my SIL and told her what happened and she was shocked, said that he never did anything like that with her before and now Samson is back on the pig farm and will be sold the end of this month. Katie is pretty upset, she wouldn't even say good bye to Samson on Wed. She cried in the van on the way home and did say that if Vicki couldn't control Samson there is no way she would be able to either. We talked about purchasing a 3 yr old horse from the stable who is fully trained, but Katie wasn't even interested in him either. He is gentle, smaller and trained, but something happened that day to Katie. We are all so disappointed...I honestly thought that he would respond positively to love, constant attention and a better enviroment...but he didn't. So now he is back to his original home, dirt lot, and very limited attention. I guess this is one of those scenerios where you live and learn....now we need to move on and get Katie with another horse...it just didn't end well. Thanks for hearing my woe and being so helpful...if something else comes around..you all will definatly know about it:)
Hugs,
Erica |
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2007 : 07:47:10 AM
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All I can say is thank goodness Katie wasn't physically hurt. Mentally, she'll be a bit hurt but life goes on. Samson is spoiled and that's not a good deal for a newbie. I have to go but I'm glad you'll get another horse.
Winona :-)
When you lose, don't lose the lesson!!
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Tracey
True Blue Farmgirl
766 Posts
Tracey
State of Confusion
USA
766 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2007 : 08:57:17 AM
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Oh, Erica...that's really hard. My daughter is struggling with the sale of her horse recently so I know all about heart broken girls.
I can almost guarantee you the reason Samson reacted like this is because he has never been asked to do anything by you SIL.
Samson can be brought around, but he's going to need someone a lot tougher than your current trainer. Personally, I don't enjoy working with aggressive horses either. Some of them need you to get in their face once or twice, then become pussy cats, but others take a lot longer. Thankfully, I've only had to deal with an aggressive horse once, and she was horse aggressive, not people aggressive. But they get that way when their owners/handlers are too afraid to ask them to actually do something. I'm glad your trainer at least was able to finish in a positive note.
The hardest thing for new horse owners to learn is that horses don't respond to love. Well, they do, but it's in a negative way. They see you as weak if your only contact with them is soft and never pushing. Think of a spoiled child...that's what Samson is. He needs a strong leader, one who's not going to back down.
I'll keep Katie in my prayers. Her heart will mend and she'll be back to wanting a horse again soon enough. If you were close enough, I'd fix you up with a nice mustang...they're much easier to handle than the Samsons of the world! 
Mesteno Wild Horse Photogrpahy
http://mesteno.blogspot.com
http://carpentercreek.wordpress.com |
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artbysue
True Blue Farmgirl
218 Posts
Sue
Kidron
Ohio
USA
218 Posts |
Posted - Dec 15 2007 : 7:59:05 PM
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Oh I am so sorry it worked out this way but you did the right thing. I agree with what Tracy wrote-- horses don't respond like what people generally precieve of as 'love'-- treats, affection, cuddling etc. Dogs and cats might do okay like this but horses aren't pets really. You can love them-- just not like you would a pet. Its a shame this horse has not had what he's needed as far as handling but it is a bigger problem than what your daughter should deal with so you did a very good thing.
artist, equine portraits, animal art, farms, barns, Amish art
www.suesteiner.com www.amish-art.com
www.amulticolored-life.blogspot.com |
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goneriding
True Blue Farmgirl
1599 Posts
Winona
Central Oregon
USA
1599 Posts |
Posted - Dec 17 2007 : 11:25:16 AM
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I didn't have time to write what the others wrote but I agree wholeheartedly. Horses are actually conditioned by humans to 'love' humans. There are a lot of reports out there that you can look up horse behaviors and why they act as they do. Most people try to humanize their horse(s) and then are disappointed (or hurt) when Snookums reacts badly. Horses are not dogs. Contrary to what the TV trainers would have you think, horses basically won't look out for your well being and protect you in a pinch. They are flight animals. That's why a kids horse is sooooo blooming expensive. It's cheaper to buy a true kids horse than to fork over for a funeral or emergency room bill. Blunt but true.
You'll find the right horse, just don't be in a hurry.
Winona :-)
When you lose, don't lose the lesson!!
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Dec 17 2007 : 4:30:39 PM
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As being a teenage girl so recently, and in love with horses, having had them around since I was a baby, there is a very special pride that a girl has when she is with her horse. She feels the companionship, and teamwork, but also she feels control. When the companionship is there, but the teamwork, and control is lost, it hurts really really bad. There is a feeling of attachment to an animal, but then realizing that it's behavior can't be cured, and that the strength she thought she had to work with him and make him her friend was taken away. It's such a special thing for a girl to be close mentally with a horse, it makes you think you have a whispering capability :) (BTW, I've only had this with one horse EVER) It's not necesarily a pride thing, but it's like having your best friend turn on you, and stab you in the back, and then she says, "Samson was never my friend to begin with" and that hurts.
Right now I am stuck with a horse because I was in a hurry to buy one and now I have found out from a previous owner that he has issues I didnt know about. When the time is right, and the horse is right, it will all fall into place.
Best of luck!
Where are you located?
Cristine |
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Barnyard Buddies: "Not" a New Horse Owner |
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"Not" a New Horse Owner
