# Loose horse



## spirit1215 (Mar 11, 2014)

So there was a loose horse this weekend at the show. From what I gathered, the girl hit him with a crop and the horse freaked out. That happens I guess, especially since it was their first show(trainer was there)
The horse ran around, ran into a class and pretty much was a "catch-me-if-you-can" type. The classes were stopped until he was caught which was close to half an hour. Eventually the horse came up to me and my trailer and I wa sable to grab his bridle when he went for my gelding's grain(spirit wasn't happy but he put up with him lol) I walked him over to his owners and I got yelled at!!!
Now I know some people get dramatic about horses eating grain that isn't theirs and coming in contact with other horses. But this horse was a nice gelding once you caught him and he only had maybe two bites of spirit's grain. I simply said that I was sorry for catching their horse from running around and that if they wanted health papers on spirit I can provide them. 
I also found out that they were mad at the announcer for not clearing the arena when the horse ran into it. Now there was a class going on, it was stopped as soon as they saw the horse, people tried to get the gate and the participants stopped moving. But by the time people got to the gate, the horse rammed through it, actually knocking an older man down.
So they were mad at me for catching their loose horse, and the announcer for doing all she could long story short. I was wondering, what should people do in a case like this? Does anyone have an crazy loose horse at a show stories?


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

spirit1215 said:


> So there was a loose horse this weekend at the show. From what I gathered, the girl hit him with a crop and the horse freaked out. That happens I guess, especially since it was their first show(trainer was there)
> The horse ran around, ran into a class and pretty much was a "catch-me-if-you-can" type. The classes were stopped until he was caught which was close to half an hour. Eventually the horse came up to me and my trailer and I wa sable to grab his bridle when he went for my gelding's grain(spirit wasn't happy but he put up with him lol) I walked him over to his owners and I got yelled at!!!
> Now I know some people get dramatic about horses eating grain that isn't theirs and coming in contact with other horses. But this horse was a nice gelding once you caught him and he only had maybe two bites of spirit's grain. I simply said that I was sorry for catching their horse from running around and that if they wanted health papers on spirit I can provide them.
> I also found out that they were mad at the announcer for not clearing the arena when the horse ran into it. Now there was a class going on, it was stopped as soon as they saw the horse, people tried to get the gate and the participants stopped moving. But by the time people got to the gate, the horse rammed through it, actually knocking an older man down.
> So they were mad at me for catching their loose horse, and the announcer for doing all she could long story short. I was wondering, what should people do in a case like this? Does anyone have an crazy loose horse at a show stories?



Exactly what you did. You do what it takes to catch the loose horse, especially if the horse is going nuts. They become a hazard to every horse and person on the property and to themselves. The way the owners responded is ridiculous... I would be so grateful to whoever helped me catch my horse! maybe they were frazzled and embarrassed and responded by lashing out at everyone? what a nightmare...


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

Wow.... my trainer has a gelding who undoes knots,unlatches halters etc. She barely takes him anywhere as he is such an escape artist. He got loose one time but was found walkin along the line of trailers towards my trainer. 

I would be very greatful for osmeone catching my loose running wild horse. I wouldn't take it to heart everyone acted accordingly and its no one elses fault but theres for the horse getting loose.


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## 4 footed friends (Jun 22, 2014)

I admire both your handling of the loose horse _and_ your restraint in dealing with the rude owners! 
Yesterday, while loading, 1200 lbs of mare decided to break her halter and bolt out of the trailer. I have only gratitude to the folks at the show who formed a human corral, ushered her into the arena and threw a quick halter on her. 
Animals do the unexpected. Humans are expected to know better.


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## HeroMyOttb (Dec 28, 2009)

If my horse was loose I would be very grateful you caught him.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

This is why I feed my horses out of the back of the truck at times to familiarize them with it. My big gelding got loose at a show and it took him about 10 seconds to find the truck then stood quietly waiting for his grain. He and his buddy got loose at home and headed for heavy bush. I jumped in the truck and drove in the direction they'd gone and within a few minutes they came on the run looking for grain which was there for them. They followed the truck home.


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## sea (May 15, 2014)

It blows me away how rude people can be about getting their horse caught! There are so many things that can go wrong when a horse gets loose, it could hurt someone, or their horse, damage property, least of all injure or kill themselves. I wouldn't care if someone hogtied and dragged my horse back to me if that's how they had to catch her.


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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

Once again no kindness goes unpunished. The owner is very lucky that her horse didn't hurt someone or get hurt while it was loose.
Thanks for catching it before anything like that could happen.


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## CaliforniaDreaming (May 8, 2011)

Had a loose horse incident at the barn where I board a week or so ago. One of the trailer in lessons broke his halter snap and came flying down my way. I was cleaning my corrals and noticed my horses getting excited. Looked up and here he came. 

I've got a handle on how to handle these kinds of things. Instead of chasing him, I went the other way to my hay shed and grabbed a few cookies. He came right down and I have him a cookie and grabbed his halter. His people came to collect him and I figured that was that. 

About 5 minutes later, he was back having slipped free during bridling. Guess he wanted more cookies. :lol:

I think you did exactly what you were supposed to do in catching that horse and shame on the idiot owners for giving you a hard time.


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## rescuechick (Jun 8, 2014)

Nothing like this but once my mom caught a horse right next to the highway down the road from our house, she was afraid because it was going in and out of traffic. She walked down the road with a belt around its neck asking people if they knew whose horse it was and when no one knew we brought it home and put it in the front field next to the road hoping someone would see it and recognize it. 

The owners showed up a week later claiming we stoled their horse and had my mom arrested. To this day my mom will not stop for any animals in the road and wont bring them home.


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## eburnham (Jun 23, 2014)

Wow! That's ridiculous the way they acted. Good for you for catching him and doing all you could.

I was at a show once and a barn had their horses tied to the side of the trailer. But, no one was watching them! They were tied there while their owners were all over at the ring. They tied them so they could eat grass-I've always heard how dangerous that is! Of course, one horse stepped on his lead and got scared, ripped the lead off and ran. Someone else got the horse to calm and come to her. I mean really! You don't tie a horse and leave it


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## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

What cheek the owners of that horse had! For starters, yeah lets belt a horse with the whip at it's first show where it's probably already in hyper-drive mode, that sounds like a brilliant idea!!

I'm lucky that I've not had a loose horse at a show yet... However! At my ottb geldings first show (at a racecourse none the less!) we had spent the majority of the show with him going crazy on the lunge while I stood quietly at the end of the lunge line to try and calm him down. when I did manage to get him calm enough to get on, he was brilliant!! The next thing you know we have a loose horse blindly galloping up behind us, and the darn thing actually half-pie jumped us! Tried to gallop straight through Mitchell's rump, jumped up over top of his rump and got stuck, and then struck me in the back with a front leg as he clambered off Mitch! My horse was a saint, I could not have asked for a better reaction. He tucked his tail under and took a big breath in, and I was ready and waiting for an explosion that never happened. For his first show I was highly impressed!

If any of my horses had ever gotten loose I wouldn't be able to thank the catchers enough, and I would be highly embarrassed that I had a horse get off in the first place. I don't take my mare out because I can guarantee that she would pull off the float as soon as Mitch disappeared, so until we have that sorted at home, we aren't going anywhere!


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

We had a loose horse at a show I was at the other day. The ground people cornered him by the arena and between cars (he ran between them outside the arena) and they threw a halter on and his owner went and got him. I guess he slipped out of his halter by the trailer. She was thrilled he was caught. Very thankful and apologetic for having caused a disruption.

I guess people are different about it.


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## Ale (May 8, 2013)

That is very upsetting that the owners were mad at you because their horse got loose and grabbed your grain. You could not have really prevented a loose horse from throwing his head into your horses grain bucket and stealing a bite or two. Considering that, I highly doubt that a bite or two of different grain would cause any major issues. They should have been thankful to you that you caught their horse and that things didn't get worse. He could have escaped from the show grounds, gotten to the ground or far worse. *shakes head* Some people are so uppity, it makes me sick.


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## MyQHBooger428 (Jan 14, 2012)

My first horse got away from me at a judged pleasure trail ride. I was putting his bridle on by the trailer and he bolted. I was 12 and so embarrassed, but luckily Buck just ran a few trailers down. They caught him when he started eating their horses grain. I wasn't mad in the least I was actually upset that he ate their grain. They were very nice people and didn't give a darn about loosing a bit of grain to my little pain in the butt pony  I apologized to them profusely . I was so thankful that they caught him. I didn't care that he got a few bites of grain. 
IMO you didn't do a darn thing wrong. You caught a loose horse from hurting himself or others. Kudos to you!


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## Prinella (Jul 12, 2011)

I would have offered to let him go again!! 
I assume you don't mix arsenic in with horses grain? The correct response from these people is 'thank you so much for catching him I'm so sorry!'


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Wow. The boldness of some people shock me o.o


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