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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
 
| So I have started quite a few colts for clients now, and for the most part, everyone has been awesome about letting me train and not interfering too much. I just took on another colt to start for a new client about 10 days ago. This colt is already at the barn where I board my horses at, and he has a terrible reputation. The stall cleaners wouldn't even go in his stall to take him out and clean anymore because he was getting so aggressive. One thing led to another, and the owner asked if I would work with him and put 90 days on him after he got going. After the first few days of working with him, I could definitely see how he ended up the way he did. I just met the owner the second day I started with him (she's never at the barn). She was dressed in clothes that I probably couldn't afford, and when she tried to pet him, barely touched him with her nails and when he went to bite her, she just ran away. He isn't really super mean...just thinks he is number one. So fast forward now to about 10 days later, this isn't even the same horse. He doesn't offer to bite or kick at ALL anymore. I've put 2 rides on him, and he has been very compliant with everything. And he is very respectful to me now as well as the handlers at the barn. So yesterday, I put my second ride on him, and when I was finishing up, she showed up and said that she didn't think training him would be this easy! I was fuming inside when she said that, because these last 10 days have been very difficult with him...he has more than tested me many many times. Anyway, after I untacked him and turned him out in the arena to roll, he came over to her for attention, and when she reached over to pet him he tried to bite her. So she lightly tried swatting him away, and he responded by rearing up and striking at her (which left her running away). I was at the other end of the barn putting tack away...so soon as this happened, I rushed over there to correct him in the arena....so she started crying and left. She sent me a huge text about how she thinks the colt hates her, and how she really wants me to take a break with his training, and spend a few days with the 2 of them to bond. So...I tried telling her that I did not think that was a good idea since I just got him to respect me a few days ago, and I wanted to wait until he is a little farther along and trustworthy before I involved her. She just doesn't really have enough sense to help either one of them out right now...I didn't say that part, but obviously feel that way. So now she is mad at me... of course. Thank you guys for letting me rant! So, I just wanted to know if I handled that the way you would have handled it? Or if I am in the wrong, and I should try to involve a green owner with a dangerous horse? I'm just trying to keep them both safe. Thank you for reading this. And thanks for letting me rant! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2161
Location: NW. Florida | You might want to show her the video of Buck Brannaman has of a guy working with a palamino stud that's about 5 years old. In the video he paws the guy trying to handle him. The owner has several horses/studs that haven't had a hand put on them. The horse in the video was put down because he was so dangerous to be around. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I would be nice but blunt, send her some videos about this subject. I would tell her it is part of your job to be honest, that is what you are being paid to do. Hopefully she will hear you but odds are she won't, all you can do though is be honest, that she needs training too. Good luck! |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| Her horse her decisions. Nothing much you can do. I would say my peace however and TRY to explain to her WHY that idea of hers is not in her best interest. Sounds like you are doing all you can. Thats about all you can do. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | I think you handled it well. At the same time though even with 90 days this colt is highly unlikely to be suitable for this owner. He is responding well to you but you're in charge. With this novice/nervous of an owner even with 90 days he's likely to take advantage of her and start reverting back. My suggestion would be to have a sit down with the owner and explain that he will likely not be what she's looking for in the end and offer to finish out his training or help her list him and find something more suitable for her.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | I have no advice, but hugs to you, that sounds like a very tricky situation!! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
| Thank you guys so much for your input! That really helps hearing all that. And Nitro...she also told me that she wants to use this horse for her kids...her young kids. I told her that I don't think he will be a good kids horse anytime soon whatsoever. I just cross my fingers that she will start to understand. |
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | RunNitroRun - 2017-03-27 1:20 PM I think you handled it well. At the same time though even with 90 days this colt is highly unlikely to be suitable for this owner. He is responding well to you but you're in charge. With this novice/nervous of an owner even with 90 days he's likely to take advantage of her and start reverting back. My suggestion would be to have a sit down with the owner and explain that he will likely not be what she's looking for in the end and offer to finish out his training or help her list him and find something more suitable for her.
Yep, this colt doesn't hate her, he has her number and he's not afraid to use it! She needs to find something a little more honest and forgiving, that would be best for her and the colt in the long run. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| Is this a race colt? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
| Yes I definitely agree! This is not a good horse for her at all...I have no idea why she would buy an unbroke 3 year old. No, he's not even registered =/ She bought him from someone who purchased a pregnant tb mare at an auction and he was the foal. No idea who the sire is, and dam apparently has a tattoo that wasn't legible. He looks like he may be tb/qh to me. She only paid a couple hundred bucks for him. At least she had him gelded! |
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| Katielovestbs - 2017-03-27 1:40 PM Yes I definitely agree! This is not a good horse for her at all...I have no idea why she would buy an unbroke 3 year old. No, he's not even registered =/ She bought him from someone who purchased a pregnant tb mare at an auction and he was the foal. No idea who the sire is, and dam apparently has a tattoo that wasn't legible. He looks like he may be tb/qh to me. She only paid a couple hundred bucks for him. At least she had him gelded!
Yikes!!! Sounds like she doesnt need to own this one. If anything maybe help her find him a suitible home and a horse better suited for her. Hugs to you. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Invite her out to watch a full training session with the horse, from ground work on up. Explain along the way what you're doing and why you're doing it.
If she really wants to learn this could be the start. If she doesn't, perhaps suggest 30 days to get the horse going (so he has a better shot at staying off the meat truck) and then selling him and helping her find a more suitable mount that she and her family can enjoy.
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | When she picks up this horse to take it home you had better get it in written what you told us and get it notarized so she cant come back on you for any reason if she gets hurt by this horse. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | Tell her he has already bonded and established himself as the alpha. He will most likely always see her this way. Bonding with an animal doesn't mean they will calm down. He sees her affection as weakness and likely always will. That's just his personality. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
| Thank you guys for all of your advice! So now I have an update for you...So I ended up sending her a text back about how I think it would be best for her to wait until he is a little farther along before I involved her, yatta yatta. I thought it was professional, and I was pretty kind about it. All she replied with was "k". So now...I have heard around the barn that she is telling everyone that I told her that she is not allowed to touch her own horse anymore!? Which I obviously never told her, I actually said that I think she should start brushing him sometimes so that she can start getting over her fear of him. (She's never brushed him before, I spent 3 days getting all the mud clots off him). I've seen her since then though, and she was nice to me (to my face) and she said she was really impressed when she saw me ride him the other day. Loped both directions, stayed along the fence, during a wind storm and he didn't bat an eye, only a week under saddle. So now, she was supposed to show up yesterday at 6:30 to pay me, I was there until 10 with my own horses and other client horses...she never showed up to pay me. She's only a day behind, but I also don't know her very well, and haven't been working with the horse very long. I am just starting to feel like this isn't a very good situation?? And I have two other clients who are very nice and always pay on time or in advance, so that's kind of what I'm used to and what I expect =/ |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | You are dealing with a wingnut...good luck...i feel sorry for the horse once hes in her hands....m |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | You've found yourself a certified crazy. She's bad mouthing you to other boarders and clients so if it was me I'd get out of this deal and in a hurry. You could make that horse work wonders but she's not educated enough to continue his training and it's going to end badly and then the bad mouthing really start. It's not going to be her problem it's you did a bad job training the horse.
She's trashing you and already late on payment. Time to send her and the horse packing. |
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