Bad horse

Or my horse is a rotten razzle frazzle

People amuse me. In my observations of the human as a general rule, I have observed the worst conceit when it comes to owning a horse. My horse is bigger than your horse, my horse is prettier than your horse, my horse is taller than your horse. So much so that they usualy end up with the wrong horse for who they are and they sell the horse and the next horse and again and so on.

I have so much to say on this concept it's not even funny. There are many reasons for this the biggest one being the horse does something stupid. Well, they're like a 3 year old child, they have to test the rules before they can know that it's a rule.

With my boys I tell them this and this are rules and this is the punishment for breaking the rule, you break it a second time and the same applies, plus and so on. I explain the rule clearly so they understand and I make sure I follow through when they test the waters and break that rule as we all know they will, at least once. And see we don't ship them away to be slaughtered because they broke the rule, we stand back and shake our heads and curse under our breath and say "that's kids for you". And we go on to the next day and work on doing better.

With the horse, he doesn't understand what we say exactly word for word, he understands our body language and if we're in a bad mood he's probably going to test the waters, not because he's bad, but because like any 3 yr old he doesn't want to deal with you when your in a bad mood. You have a quick hot temper and he's going to act out more and more.

With any 3 yr old child, if they bite you, you wash out they're mouth with soap and (Yes my kids didn't bite me more than once) make sure they understand very clearly that this is VERY bad.

Now some people, and now this really gets me, they whine and run away and the horse wins! He got what he wanted, to be left alone to eat all day. You've rewarded him for being bad, what's going to happen next, well he's going to start biting you everytime you want to deal with him. And then hey the biting worked somewhat, lets kick her too. Now the horse looses and goes on the slaughter truck and you are mad and frustrated and suddenly aren't likeing horses very much, or the opposite extreme. You go through horse after horse looking for that perfect horse.

Well I have news for you, the perfect horse is made, it is not for sale and it can't be bought at any time for any price. Because the horse you sent away on the slaughter truck was the perfect horse and the horse after it and the next one and so on. Every single horse that walks on this planet has the potential to be the perfect horse "with" the "right" guidance.

Just like a child, if you let them hit you, or bite you, they're going to. If you set down the rules in the very begining of your relationship, then it's understood.

One of the biggest problems people have is they over punish or under punish. This is an incredibly fine line, it's so hard to know exactly what's right and what's abusive. In finding that one step you will find that the horse will respect your wishes and will give his whole heart to what your asking of him.

Me I always start light, a growl does amazing things, stomping your foot and a dirty look with the shoulders raised and the eye's glaring goes very far with any animal. Especialy when you stop and remember that they live by body language, they're very existence depends on it.

They kick me, I take this VERY seriously, I kick em right back in the butt, I always make sure I'm to the side so they can't try and kick me again. If they do, I kick em right back again and I growl and blow up like a blow fish on a rampage and throw a very physical temper tantrum directed right at them. I want them to think they're going to die any second, but I don't need to actualy try to hurt them, even though I want them to think I'm going to.

Another thing you need to keep in mind with any horse, they have a 10 second window, you punish within 10 seconds and the fight is over in 10 seconds and your back to where you were and not at all angry with the horse. Everything is forgotten and life goes on like it never happened.

More often than not, this scene will only happen once, you set the rule and you forgave and went on. It's understood and they normaly don't want to see you get all ugly a second time.

Rearing up, boy I hate this act more than anything. I have had 2 horses my entire life try this on me and I've dealt with a lot of horses.

Dancer was the first one I ever dealt with and at that time was kinda green about training, I had her on lead and I ran to her side and yanked that rope as hard as I could knocking her off balance and when she got up off the ground I made her run backwards for roughly a quarter mile. She did not try it a second time.

The second horse was a mare that I had for 7 years, a broodmare and when she was a yearling she suddenly decided that she didn't like to have her mane brushed. Everytime I tried it she'd rear up. The research I'd read up on the subject said to smack her front legs to get her to come down and then make her back up. We fought with this idea for about 6 months, everyday. It just was not working! Finaly I said enough of this nonsense and she went down just like Dancer and I proceeded to sit on her neck and hold her down for several minutes. She never tried it again. Mean, maybe. Personaly I think it's much meaner to have to punish her everytime I mess with her. Than it is to get the point across the first one or two times. I am definitly not saying you need to abuse the horse, I am saying that if the first attempt doesn't work, try being more firm, try doing something different.

I'm also saying, don't let your horse run your life. That's a miserable existance for both of you, be firm, but kind. You don't have to beat the horse to get your point across, you only have 10 seonds, in 2 windows to punish and forget.

The horse won't come to you, he runs away when you go out to catch him. Well normaly, that is in your approach. Maybe he's nervous about being approached, maybe you had a bad day, he picked up your body language, you chased him around the pasture throwing things and getting all mad. Yes I've done this, no one is perfect.

Why not instead of going to get him, you teach him to come to you. It's very easy to do with a little patience. Start carrying horse candy in your pocket, if he doesn't know what it is, give him some in a grain bucket for a few weeks. Let him have plenty of time to taste it and develop a strong love of it. Then take it away and make him come to you if he wants any. He'll start racing to get over to you, then you can forget to have some occasionaly and after a few weeks drop it entirely. Be prepared for him to get mad a few times, he might try to bite. Don't let him get away with it and don't let him have any candy for biting. See that ear twist and that "look" on his face and blow up and growl and let him know you know what he's thinking and it's not going to work.

Most horses will just dig through your pockets for a few months then forget about it, but at the same time you've taught him to come up to you and you're not out there chasing him down, takes a couple weeks, a couple months depending on the horse. But it's soooooooo much better than chasing them around all day in 90 degree weather. It is definitly worth teaching them!

Now on to what started this page before I started rambling

The runty worthless horse

Home. |Horses needing homes | Ponies needing homes| Care Page | Feedback
Before and After| | Kill Pen |Slaughter process | CSU| Haulers

|Victory's Last Dance | Popcorn

Buster's Story/ Bad Horse/ Runty horse

Conditions of purchase | Our wish list

Contact Me at bree@drekster.com