# Boarding with a disrespectful horse



## TriO (Apr 18, 2012)

I am bringing my new horse to her new home tomorrow. She will be boarded with just one other horse - a draft. I know the owner, very nice guy with a good reputation in the area. I've been around his horse outside the fence and he seemed fine, though a bit spoiled but nothing too scary. Yesterday I went to get my horse's stall ready and just learn where everything is. The draft was completely rude. He pushed his owner against a wall with his head, he put his head over mine three times, knocking the head band out of my hair and turned his butt to me once. I did not feel safe. The owner thinks this behavior is okay and that his horse "just doesn't know how much bigger he is than us" so I don't know how he'd like me trying to correct his horse. Not sure how to handle this. So, rather than being excited about getting my new horse - I'm totally stressed out!! Any advice?


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

Make sure your safe it the horse invades your space make him think twice about it. I dont care whos horse it is they should respect you or you will get hurt.


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## Jacksmama (Jan 27, 2010)

You can't make him teach his horse manners, and it sounds like the big fella is completely lacking in that area. I would just stay away from him. If you have to be in an enclosed space or field with the horse protect yourself and your horse. Maybe by watching you and your respectful horse the owner will realize he needs to lay down the law with his.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

You first need to protect yourself and your horse. Is it possible to keep them separated for a week or so to get to know each other before putting them together? 

I would be very concerned about a horse who has no respect and an owner that allows it. While this may be an ideal place due to the facilities and location, it may not be the best place for your horse and yourself considering safety. Just something to keep in mind.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

iridehorses said:


> Is it possible to keep them separated for a week or so to get to know each other before putting them together?


 
A week 'quarantine' is ideal all the way around. Horse and new owner get to know each other, new horse gets some adjustment time and the BO can learn what is 'normal' for the new horse. (ie. always stands with right rear cocked, dunks hay, drinks a lot, etc)


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## TriO (Apr 18, 2012)

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm already brainstorming a back-up plan if this situation doesn't work out. I live on 1.5 flat acres and could keep a horse at my place but decided to board her there because I don't have good trails near my house. But safety comes first - for me and her - and I will prepare my place and bring her here if I need to.


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## hemms (Apr 18, 2012)

I own a boarding barn and I encourage anyone to walk in the pasture with a stick if ever they don't feel safe. Everyone in our herd quickly learns to back off if one is even wiggled at them. No bickering is tolerated while humans are in the pasture, especially if a horse is in-hand. Defend your space and own your horse! That is our barn rule and our herd is happy and mellow, for the most part. 

I would never get in close quarters with a horse that physcially disrespects me.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I would never board where my horse is in a mixed area with someone elses horse. If I didnt have a private field for him I would find somewhere else. Too much drama exactly like this constantly coming up.


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## hemms (Apr 18, 2012)

Whaa..? Isolated boarding isn't common around here. Usually reserved for high-priced show or performance horses and ridiculously expensive. In my experience, a horse in a herd benefits immeasureably from the social interaction. I couldn't imagine handling the three 2 year olds in my pasture if they didn't have each other to burn off their steam. I'm all for natural-based horsekeeping, myself. How else are the punks in my herd supposed to learn manners? Also, the average horse owner cannot spend enough time in a day (HOURS) to offset the effects of isolation. A herd can bridge that gap and then some. jmo.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

When entering the pasture always carry your lunge whip. You need the longer one with a large horse. If he approaches you just hold the whip pointed toward his chest and swing it rhythmically side to side. He may walk into it but will likely move away. If not, deliver a good whack high on his neck. That will definitely turn him away but beware the back end as he does so and be sure to quickly step away.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

hemms said:


> I own a boarding barn and I encourage anyone to walk in the pasture with a stick if ever they don't feel safe.


I disagree.

So what about the horses that folks have misused whips and sticks? Is it ok to terrorize them by carrying a stick with you into general population? Or to put the others horses/humans at risk because a horse starts running from the whip/stick?

ONE horse needs to have manners trained into it. Not fair to penalize the rest of the herd. (and their owners)


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Personally, I would not be moving to this barn.....the drama has started and you are not even there yet.


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## hemms (Apr 18, 2012)

mls said:


> I disagree.
> 
> So what about the horses that folks have misused whips and sticks? Is it ok to terrorize them by carrying a stick with you into general population? Or to put the others horses/humans at risk because a horse starts running from the whip/stick?
> 
> ONE horse needs to have manners trained into it. Not fair to penalize the rest of the herd. (and their owners)


 
From the picture you're painting, I'm visualising a tiny pen packed with horses and someone whirling a whip about, willy-nilly. Of course, this would be dangerous and unfair. 

I'm talking about wagging your crop like a big naughty finger (being prepared to pop it on someone who presents real danger) or twirling the end of your lead rope like a fan. Try chasing a 'terrorised horse' in a 10 acre pasture. You'll tire out LONG before that horse becomes afraid of you.

Our pasture has an acre per horse. That's plenty of room for everyone to stay clear of anything they don't like. An animal that has been abused by any equipment entering its environment is most likely to avoid it at the first opportunity. It's the horses that approach you and/or your horse without respect that we're concerned about. If an owner has a horse at the bottom of the pecking order, they should still be able to walk through the entire herd without them or their horse being targeted. That is something you need to expect and demand, for your own safety when leading a horse. The horse you're leading needs to defer to your leadership at all times while in-hand. How unfair is it to remove it's defenses and then refuse to protect it? If that animal cannot trust you then, how does it know it can trust you any other time? 

I used to work in a tight corral with over 20 cranky trail horses. We had to stand up for ourselves and every horse there knew that when people entered that space, all bickering stopped. When that structure was not maintained, people got hurt.

I would never keep my horse in tight quarters as a way of life. Camping, yes we use small corrals, but we group horses according to relationships and we're WORKING all day so that they are tired when they go into the pens. A horse's mental health is impacted HUGELY by its environement. How well would you do inside 4 tiny 'walls'? Horses kept like this are made dangerous by a lack of outlet and stimulation. You can't hop a kid up on sugar and expect him to listen, any more than you can cage a dog all day and expect him to be mellow when you let him out.

jmo.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

yeh I can see being forced to carry a stick and other forms of defensive weaponry just to get my horse out of a group field is so much better than separate paddocks. You dont have private fields in your area because people dont ask for them. Horses still get socialization with other horses they are just on the other side of a fence. It is not hard, it is not expensive, people just have to open their minds a bit.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Joe4d said:


> yeh I can see being forced to carry a stick and other forms of defensive weaponry just to get my horse out of a group field is so much better than separate paddocks. You dont have private fields in your area because people dont ask for them. Horses still get socialization with other horses they are just on the other side of a fence. It is not hard, it is not expensive, people just have to open their minds a bit.


You must board in a VERY nice barn or have a LOT of money to spare or have your own place. I'm in MD and the VAST MAJORITY of barns around me don't have the space for individual turnout - either they don't have the acreage or they don't have the fencing in place (which would in turn reduce the size of an existing pasture). The few that I've seen that even have it as an option have a monthly board fee of $700 and up.

It's not punishing the whole herd when ONE horse is rude and pushy and acts the pest. If the rest of the herd is behaving, then no one bothers them either. 

To the OP:
How the horse acts with its owner doesn't really reflect how it will act with your horse. You can most certainly teach said horse to respect YOUR space (though you definitely should not have to). Personally, I wouldn't board my horse with a draft because my horse is little and a draft could really beat the heck out of him much more than an average horse could.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

its not expensive, and it isnt anything to do with nice, just people willing to do things a bit different. Seems the big BO;s here are terribly afraid of change and keep hiding behind this "super expensive". smokescreen to keep their boarders from seeing the light and refusing to put up with the drama and problems caused by mixed owner pastures.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

Joe4d said:


> its not expensive, and it isnt anything to do with nice, just people willing to do things a bit different. Seems the big BO;s here are terribly afraid of change and keep hiding behind this "super expensive". smokescreen to keep their boarders from seeing the light and refusing to put up with the drama and problems caused by mixed owner pastures.


Sorry Joe, that is just too wrong to even comment on.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

TriO any updates?

Also mixed pens are fine. All the horses know I am boss when I go out there, no lunge whip or crop needed. I do fine with a halter and leadrope if they threaten me. 

My horse used to be in a different pen (same barn) and there were two horses that I personally cannot stand. Their owner rides them recklessly and they are hot as heck on the ground too. Well once those horses ran over someone at the barn because they didn't establish they were herd leader.. they let their guard down. And they got hurt because of it.

Now when I was in there, they tried any funny business and I'd make them regret that considerably. They weren't scared of me, I'm a little thing. But they respected me. 

This draft sounds like he has no respect for his owner, and thus no respect for you. I believe if you show him your boundaries and enforce them, he will respect you and not be any trouble. But be careful!!!


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

DancingArabian said:


> You must board in a VERY nice barn or have a LOT of money to spare or have your own place. I'm in MD and the VAST MAJORITY of barns around me don't have the space for individual turnout - either they don't have the acreage or they don't have the fencing in place (which would in turn reduce the size of an existing pasture). The few that I've seen that even have it as an option have a monthly board fee of $700 and up.
> 
> It's not punishing the whole herd when ONE horse is rude and pushy and acts the pest. If the rest of the herd is behaving, then no one bothers them either.
> 
> ...



You have obviously not met many. That is a ridiculous statement. Sort of like me saying I hate all Arabians because they act like idiots and don't have 2 grey cells to rub together. Gross generalization, right?

A disrespecful horse has nothing to do with the SIZE of it.


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## hemms (Apr 18, 2012)

Our largest horse is a 16hh (and growing) shire. He's near the bottom of the hierarchy with the other foolish boys and his best buddy is our 10hh gotland pony. 

If anyone spends 5 minutes with me they know that I am the blatant opposite of smoke screens. Large BO? Our herd, including our own 3 horses, is at a whopping 10 (our limit, btw). We offer a pressure-free atmosphere in which we keep horses as naturally as we can provide. This does not mean we ignore them. To the contrary, we take fecals before deworming, we have a chiro on call, our farrier comes every 6 weeks without fail and we're even participating in a titre study to establish the safest vaccination protocols. We're proud of the tidy little barn we operate and are happy to share it with anyone who appreciates the same equine lifestyle we do.

Anyone who has the body language can enter our herd without a stick or even a rope. It is simply about owning your space and demanding respect. For those with less experience, or for those days when the herd is feeling randy, I simply want to provide options for personal safety. 

One of my proudest parts of our tour to potential new boarders is introducing them to our herd. Everyone is friendly and content. It is because they feel secure in their place with us. Every horse is approachable and sweet. Don't own your space and they just may mob you to beat each other in the race for your affection. Close quarters, bickering horses, lack of respect for a person... all equal an accident lurking in the shadows. 

Around here, $700/mo doesn't get you individual turnout - lol!


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## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

I pay $400 a month. Thats my own 5 acre pasture, and use of a 10 stall barn. That works iut awesome for my 3 horses and mini.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

I pay $400 a month. Thats my own 5 acre pasture, and use of a 10 stall barn. That works iut awesome for my 3 horses and mini.
_Posted via Mobile Device_
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

TriO was moving her horse on the 19th. No update? Not fair.


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