# Drugged? PLEASE READ!



## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

I think it's possible, but unlikely. From this and other posts you've made on here I get the feeling you haven't got his respect at all. I actually wasn't surprised to see this thread at all.

He doesn't sound so much spooky as just rude. When he dives for grass, bring his head back up before he gets down. If you can't bring him up, give him an elbow in the ribs.

Do NOT let him snatch food off you when you go to feed him. He must stand back until you've placed the food down and stepped aside to let him eat. If he doesn't, wave your arms at him to get him away. This is the first place to be getting respect.

If you have access, pop him in a small enclosed arena and chase him around for a bit - after about 10 mins of this, go up to him, give him one stroke on the head and walk away. He should then follow you respectfully with his head at your shoulder. If he doesn't, start chasing again. Move HIS feet, not yours.

Do you have an instructor? He/she will be able to show you all these things. If you don't, I strongly suggest that you get one - we all need experienced help at times!

Hope this helps


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## hberrie (Apr 28, 2012)

I wouldn't jump to conclusions yet because he is so new to you and his new home. He may just be testing you. He doesn't sound dangerous just rude. Wait a week and see how it goes when you ride him after he is settled in. Give him some time. The owner sounds reputable and I think drugging is a stretch but always a posibility. Do you have an option to sell him back if it doesn't work out? I know a lot of people who "purchase" horses on a trial basis. That is probably the best way to go.


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

i owned my QH a little over a year before bringing him home and he was very attenive about everything he was the only horses there and he calmed down a bunch didnt spook much but seemed to be better when we got him a friend he was calm but he seemed safer.. make him work move his feet, when my horses eat while walking them to where ever im taking them if i dont stop they dont eat i will tug up they dont pull up i will smack (not hard) them with the end of the lead and they will bring their head up. and when standing waiting for something i will hold the lead higher so when they try they will bump them selfs when it gets tight and they will learn after a while.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Sounds like he's testing and you're failing. When they dive for the grass, if I can't pop them back up before their heads reach the ground, I take the side of my boot and tap them on the bone right under their chin. It's very sensitive so it only takes a fairly light tap with your boot and he'll pop that head right back up. Once he does that, you'll have his attention, so before he can do anything else, make him move 2 or 3 steps away from you and have him stand still, looking at you. Just try for about 2 or 3 seconds the first few times, walk up give him one pet and lead him on. Repeat until he doesn't try to dive for the grass and you can move him out of your space and he'll stand quietly until you tell him it's ok to move. You may need to move his feet and put him to work if he won't stand at first, but eventually he'll get there and so will you. 

Drugged? Doesn't sound like it, just sounds like he's got your number.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I too don't think it sounds like he was drugged. 

A horse's personality can change dramatically when they move to a new place. In addition, many horses begin testing their new owners. The more they get away with the worse their behaviour will become. 

To me, if he had been drugged, it would be to cover something more dramatic than being alert and a little pushy.


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## KarrotKreek (Mar 31, 2012)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Sounds like he's testing and you're failing...
> 
> Drugged? Doesn't sound like it, just sounds like he's got your number.


Agree. I think you would benefit from taking some lessons with a trainer. Or at least audit a clinic. If you let this go early on, you will have a much larger problem later and not even realize all the little things that led up to it.


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## cebee (Apr 4, 2010)

I agree with the above posters... whenever I have moved my boys to a new barn, they are always much more alert and antsy... they dont know what is safe, what is not. New smells. New horses. New routine. It takes em a bit to settle down and relax. 
I really dont see anyone bothering to drug a horse so he is not alert and does not get pushy... kind of overkill. Now if he was bucking, kicking at you, refusing to be caught.. then maybe. But I think he is just being a horse! And they can be 1000# toddlers at times...


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Why do so many noobs do the, 'ZOMG! My new horse musta been drugged!!!!' routine? If I were the seller and read that I'd be ****ed as hell, because you're casting aspersions on their reputation.

Why can't it ever be something completely normal and benign? As the others have stated, the horse is somewhere new with people he doesn't know. That in itself is enough to make even the calmest horse go on Red Alert. Add into the mix the fact that you're a greenbean, and the horse knows it. 

You didn't mention any other horses, either. If you have him somewhere alone, he's definitely going to be an unhappy camper.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

i love my arab said:


> He does let people touch him, but today ( his first full day at home), he jerked his head away more and was pushy when I tried to walk him. He kept diving down for grass and his head was very hard to get up. it almost seems like he got worse the second day he was home and better the first! He just doesn't seem like the horse we thought we were buying. He wasn't dangerous or anything, just a bit rude and not the horse we thought we were getting.


Arab, that's a typical testing some horses do (especially bossy ones). :wink: I was away for a week this Spring, when I came back my qh started doing exactly same things to me. The reason? My parents (who are not horsey people really) let her get away with it for the whole week, so she used it to her full advantage. One quick correction was enough to remind her who's in charge. To me your situation sounds very similar. 

Do you have an instructor or someone very knowledgeable to work with? Sounds like you need a help right now. 

BTW, yes, people DO drag horses to sell (I know of at least 2 dealers in my area doing so, and it's quite common at the auction as well), however the reputable barn owner/trainer will NEVER do it, because the word spread around fast and it's easy enough to lose the business.


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## i love my arab (Jun 29, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the help. Yeah, I defintly don't have his respect. He lives at my house alone, but with horses across the street. The seller said he prefers to live alone, so I thought he'd be just fine by himself. 

SpeedRacer, I wasn't accusing the owner of drugging. I was just asking if it was a possibility. If you're going to make it sound like I'm some stupid unexperienced horse owner, please just keep the rude comments to yourself. 

I don't have a trainer since I don't keep the horse at a stables or boarding barn. Just my house. I'm the only horsey person in my family. So yeah, its really challenging for me to keep his behavior straight. But I'll defintly take everyones advice on getting respect. If you have anymore tips, please say.


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## i love my arab (Jun 29, 2012)

Another reason that I was wondering about drugging is because I bought 2 horses that were drugged before. One bucked me off several times and we returned her for a young horse who was only 4, but they said he was anywhere between 6 and 11. He died from botulism a few weeks after arriving home. And he bolted several times and i fell. So my confidence is really down and I just don't get the respect from horses that I used to. Its totally my fault though, I'm not blaming the horse. I just wanted a horse to finally work out, and I thought this was the one. But maybe I can't own a horse if I can't earn their respect.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

i love my arab said:


> SpeedRacer, I wasn't accusing the owner of drugging. I was just asking if it was a possibility.


The assumption was there. If you're asking if the horse could have been drugged, then yes, you ARE accusing them of the possibility.



i love my arab said:


> If you're going to make it sound like I'm some stupid unexperienced horse owner, please just keep the rude comments to yourself.


You don't need me to make you look like an inexperienced owner. By your own words, you come across as someone who doesn't understand horse behavior.

My comments weren't rude, you just didn't like them.


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## kait18 (Oct 11, 2011)

dont get down on yourself. everyone goes through the process of trying to figure out how to get there horses respect. its not just you!! 

just remember to have a strict code of what you will allow and what you wont. if that means carrying a crop or lunge whip to get the point across do it. 
being strict in this sense is not mean and it will save you alot of trouble trust me on that. i have probably the most spoiled horse on this site and once they learn and know they can push and get away with it the little rudeness can become dangerous. 

so just find some good reading material and videos and ask questions here and find a trainer in your area who will work with you atleast once a month to keep you learning and keep your horse learning. that way you will have a better introduction with this horse and really figure him out while boosting your confidence.


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## MelissaAnn (Aug 26, 2011)

I think a lot of people don't enjoy feeling like they are being mean and cruel to their horse. You just have to remember that the horse will be much happier and more relaxed when it realized you are the boss and he doesn't have to be. 

Getting your confidence back is the HARDEST THING EVER. But you'll get there!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

i love my arab said:


> I don't have a trainer since I don't keep the horse at a stables or boarding barn. Just my house. I'm the only horsey person in my family. So yeah, its really challenging for me to keep his behavior straight. But I'll defintly take everyones advice on getting respect. If you have anymore tips, please say.


Some trainers will travel (in fact I know quite a bit in my area), so you may just call to couple barns or search on Internet. I have one riding both my mares at the moment (as I can't ride), and she comes to my place. 

At the minimum I'd recommend to get some videos (like "Gaining respect on ground" by Clinton Anderson). While I don't think videos really teach one the horsemanship, especially to ride, at least it's something. You can also try to search on youtube. But I still stand my opinion - get someone experienced to help - that's your best and safest way to go before you make mistakes.


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## i love my arab (Jun 29, 2012)

Thanks guys its good to know that I am not alone in not earning my horses respect. i worked on it this morning when I fed him I made him back up from the door and wait till the grain was in the bucket, and I made him stand still on the crossties. 

SpeedRacer, my mistake. It did make it sound like I was assuming the seller did drug the horse. I should've worded it differently. And i know that I am not a very experieneced horse person. Please don't rub it in by saying I sound like one! I know that already! But the fact is I can handle a horse and control one, and I know how to keep a horse healthy and safe and would never put it in danger. So I consider myself a horse owner. Not an experieneced one, but a safe one.


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## krisfulc (Jan 10, 2012)

I would bet that part of it is that he is alone as well. Horses are herd animals, without their herd, they get lost. If you plan on keeping him alone (which i'm not a fan of) it is going to take you a while to get his full trust and respect.


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## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

i love my arab said:


> I know how to keep a horse healthy and safe and would never put it in danger. So I consider myself a horse owner. Not an experieneced one, but a safe one.


I think you really should get some help. You say you can keep a horse safe but you also say: "He died from botulism a few weeks after arriving home" - your horse didn't come that way, it happened in your care.

It isn't something to be ashamed of but it is if you don't admit it.

​


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## hberrie (Apr 28, 2012)

I find it hard to believe that any horse would be happier living alone. Would you be able to get him a companion? Maybe a goat or a mini would be less expensive than another horse. I would feel bad for a horse to not have some kind of friend and it might help some of your troubles as well.


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## i love my arab (Jun 29, 2012)

Iride, the vet said that the horse could've already picked up the botulism at the seller. So we could've bought a sick horse. Yes, I'll admit he may have picked it up at our house. But There wasn't a way to prevent it. Also, the botulism in our area is spread through the soil. The horse didn't come with the botulism vaccine, and may have picked it up in our care. There is nothing we could've done to prevent it except give him the vaccine, which almost no one in our town knows about. So please don't blame me for the horse getting sick. It makes it sound like I don't care about the horse. But i do. When he was sick I spent all day sitting in the bottom of the meadow with my dying horse. It was cold muddy and people driving by said rude things. It was really hard for me to sit by my dying horse.


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## pepperduck (Feb 14, 2008)

I didn't read all the responses but I don't think he was drugged, I think he is just adjusting to his new environment and seeing what he can get away with. For example, I actually got a new horse about a month ago. I have known this horse for years and have ridden him many times before buying him. He is a sweetheart, very well trained, has a perfect western pleasure jog, and overall just a joy to ride. When I brought him home, the first ride was.... ok. He was spooky in the new ring, but overall was ok. Second ride was a mess. He had one speed, GO! Its took about 2 weeks for him to settle down in his new home and now he is back to being an awesome home. Give your new horse some time to settle in and get comfortable living in his new home


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## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

Let him settle and and get him a pasture mate. If you can't afford another horse, consider a goat.


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## dee (Jul 30, 2009)

When I first brought Dancer home, she was a menace. She was a dominant mare that was used to getting her own way. Her previous owner was terrified of her and it showed. Maybe her husband could handle her, (she did say Dance was a MAN's horse) but she was afraid to go near her.

I don't have as much experience as most of the people on this forum, but Dancer isn't my first horse, either. I have never been one to stand for nonsense from a horse, and Dancer learned that very quickly. I never really planned on bonding with her - she was a rescue, as far as I was concerned, since her previous owner planned on moving away and leaving her alone in the pasture.

From the get go, you have to get this boy's attention focused on you. You don't have to be cruel about it, but you do have to be firm. If a pop with the lead rope, riding crop, lunge whip or whatever is what it takes to get his attention, then do it. If you don't get his attention and respect, you could be creating a very bad, very dangerous situation for yourself and your boy.

He does need time to settle in and adjust, but you can still work on the attention and respect.

As for companionship? A goat is a great idea - a wether or a doe would also help keep down the weeds. Just be sure that it's been dehorned. We have goats that love to try to "share" our horse's feed. I worried constantly about a horse getting a horn in the eye. We now have the goat pen fixed so the goats can't get out...for now (only a fence that holds water will hold a goat, is the old saying). Don't get a buck. They really do stink, and can get agressive.


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