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Regular
Posts: 81
| I purchase a new horse, rode him before I bought him, really like him, no problems at that point of riding him, runs in 2-3 D, was told been there done that, poles, barrels, roping, rodeos, playdays, etc. Got him home, now acts like a nut! scared of everything, rode in pasture was so scared of the cattle, then went to a little playday, omg, everything in the world scared him, talked to the previous owner, couldn't believe that, because he was always a dead head, and she had to wake him up to run. When I go to put the halter on, he pens his ears back at me, acts spooky, wide eyed. I am at my breaking point, wandering if I made a mistake in getting him, was so excited to start running barrels again. Any suggestions PLEASE |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
 
| That sounds like a horse that was druged when you took your test drive! |
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 Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
 
Location: Sperry, OK | I know this is beginning to become a default answer.. but check for ulcers. |
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 Namesless in BHW
Posts: 10368
Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | Whiteboy - 2014-11-18 10:38 AM That sounds like a horse that was druged when you took your test drive!
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 Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | I would get him to a vet immediately. I've had a couple that I've owned a long time start getting like this....had to end up treating them for EPM....and it shows up from stress (changing owners, environment, etc.). A change in behavior is one of the first signs, and it's fairly easy and cheap to treat nowadays....Get him to the vet and see if he can give you some answers. |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | I was going to suggest that did you change his feed very much? More grain or a more high powered grain? Different hay? More alfalfa? |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | Sometimes you have to go out of your way to make friends with a horse.... Extra attention with a soft brush around the whithers and most of the area he can't reach behind the hips will make a friend for life. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| komet. - 2014-11-18 12:09 PM
Sometimes you have to go out of your way to make friends with a horse.... Extra attention with a soft brush around the whithers and most of the area he can't reach behind the hips will make a friend for life.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | For what's it worth....I bought one, he was about to fall asleep when we went to try him out. Rode and acted great, seemed about as bomb proof as you could ask for, was told he had been hauled, been around everything (he was off the track). Got him home and he was the same way as yours, jittery, spooky, nervous, pawing etc. Took about a week and he settled. Just time and patience on my part. Spent some time bonding and getting to know each other. Hope yours does the same. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 501
Location: Oklahoma | I got one in April and it took a week or so before he settled down. I remember the farrier came out a couple of days after I got him and as he tried to get shoes on him- he asked me if I'd lost my mind. Actually I was starting to be concerned- he wasn't taking the move well at all. I had been around him for over a year and I never seen him act like the lunatic that was now at my house. He did settle in and was fine. When the farrier came out for his 6 wks- he couldn't believe he was even the same horse- he was like wired and on something from the first visit.
He was ok. Just didn't handle the stress/move very well. It took him a while to work thru it.
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Expert
Posts: 1586
Location: west of East Texas | How long have you had him? How many homes has he had? He may be freaked out over the move. Like others said, spend some ground time, making friends, setting some ground rules, learn each other's ways. I bought a been-there-done-that 16yo show horse once. This mare had already packed three other little girls through all of the judged 4-H events and was a dream to try out. The first couple of times I rode her at my house she bucked, jumped, ran off, snorted at trees, and kept her ears pinned at me every time I would approach for weeks. I was seriously worried as I had bought her for my 5yo daughter. The horse and the kid never missed a beat and got along fabulously. After a couple of weeks the horse decided I was OK but she would still test me by jerking out of my hands and running around the pasture (or parking lot at a show) while I was lunging her. NEVER did this to my little girl. The horse was a showmanship dream so training wasn't an issue, she just liked to prank me every now and then. I wouldn't even have to go catch her, she would run right back up to where she left me, and then we would start again. She's been here 7 years and has been awesome for us. She has her forever home. |
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Regular
Posts: 81
| He has been here a month, I feed every morning, afterward I would do the grooming, he settled good with the other horses, so I did some research, what I have come up with 5 or 6 owners, got ahold of one of the owners, she was so surprised, and couldn't believe he acted that way, she would have kept him if she didn't need the money for an emergency she had, only advise she gave was we need to become a team. The lady who I purchase him from, now tells me that she wanted a 1 D horse and she would whip him to get him on point. She also can't believe that he acts that way, she told me he loves to run barrels. I don't seem to have any problems with my roping horse, when roping he gets on the muscle, but he always takes care of me, he is my go to horse on the ranch, but he doesn't do barrels, thought it would be fun to get back into it, doesn't look that way |
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| We purchased a finished 12 year old been there done that horse last year. I knew of him and had seen him a few times over there years and he was very well known in the area. Got him home and he had some issues he had never had before. Started pulling back at the trailer...was pinning his ears trying to bite while being cynched......never had done that before....acted afraid of everything when we hauled him......but as time went on I could see that behavior slowly beginning to disappear. He quit pulling back..quit pinning his ears.......and was way more relaxed when we hauled him. In my honest opinion the change in ownership and whatever routine he was use to really upset him. It took him some time to learn to trust us and now he is a dream......
On the otherhand I bought a mare that hates me....just me...she's good with my husband and daughter....I get on her and she is not nice. She dumped me once and that was enough for me. I just decided that for some reason we just don't click. I didn't fight it and I moved on. She has been living with us for 4 years.....I can love her up on the ground but I don't even bother riding her. She is my husbands rope horse.
Horses are incredibly smart and so much more in tune to everything around them than we will ever be. I say give the poor guy some time. He may just be adjusting to you and his new environment....and if you are getting nervous or unsure because of his behavior...he's feeding off that.
I always feel sorry for horses when they have to switch homes.....they are such herd animals and form very deep bonds with others. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | you need to give this horse more time....spend some quiet time with him..get used to him...PATIENCE and TIME.....
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Veteran
Posts: 231
Location: Nashvegas | This horse just had a major change and most horses need time to adjust. He needs time to adjust and trust you. Which means you may need to do some ground work, so you can establish that trust. Also, have you checked all of the tack you are using on your horse, just because it fits your other horses doesn't mean it fits this guy as well. He could be pinching him or bothering him and that could make a horse act a little crazy. You need to give this horse more time and yourself more time to get with him, giving up after a month seems hasty. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | While I agree with the 'give him some time' and baby him crowd, I also think he should be treated for ulcers. |
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