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Discussion on Can This Stallion Be "Fixed"?
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Member:
Eoeo
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Posted on Sunday, Jan 8, 2006 - 1:25 am:
Has anyone had experience with a stallion who is a "thinker" and unpredictable about agressive behavior? There is a stallion who is just fine when it comes to breeding, a gentleman with the mares, but is totally unpredictable in his interaction with humans. He will strike, bite and crowd, whenever the mood hits him. He is basically a bully, but means it. Unfortuneately, he is 16.2 and about 1400 lbs. Apparently, when he was atis the track, people walked on the other side of the aisle when they passed his stall as he would charge, trying to bite. He wore his halter constantly at the last place he was at as he became nasty when he was caught up. He had a few hours of turn out every day. I have not been around him myself, this just the story from his previous handler.
If a person were to try to rehab him, what are the chances that he could be turned around?
Anyone had any success at do this? EO
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Member:
36541
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Posted on Sunday, Jan 8, 2006 - 7:41 am:
Aaah, so many stallions, so little time to geld them appropriately!! I know he isn't yours LKR, but do you know why they want to risk passing on the tendency for this behavior? Is he a whiz on the track or at something else? I have heard of this behavior type being fixed once, but it involved several months of one on one living with a very experienced handler. No breeding was done, only riding and grooming with the stallion being held accountable for every false move. He now is a gem for that trainer, but they don't trust him if he is around anyone not experienced, even in the barn aisles. Stacy
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Jan 8, 2006 - 8:12 am:
I have no doubt the animal could be rehabed by the right person but at what risk? If I were going to attempt it I would consider positive reinforcement of good behavior as outlined in the Training Horses » Behavioral Problems » Behavior Modification, Conditioning, Desensitization, and Counterconditioning.
While I think this behavior is mostly training, I do agree with Stacy that I would not want to handle this animal. Life is too short and there are too many good horses to risk serious injury to a person.
DrO
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jan 8, 2006 - 11:11 am:
Our trainer in Calif. had a stallion come in that was dangerous, he charged with ears back and teeth bared any time any one opened his stall door. It turned out the horse had been abused until his owners became too afraid of him, then he was just left in his stall. It took Jesse several months of persistent hard work to earn the stallion's trust and to correct his bad behaviour. Then the horse was so attached to him, that when at a show he became very nervous if Jesse or someone else he trusted left his sight. Eventually he became a lovely horse, but it took a lot of time and effort by someone who really knew what they were doing.
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Member:
Eoeo
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Posted on Sunday, Jan 8, 2006 - 11:21 am:
That was my thought, it would take months and then he might just trust the person working with him and not be able to be handled by someone else.
He had an injury as a baby, he fell and did the splits and ended up with string halt. He did race but was compromised by this. He is by a top producer of sires and none of his babies have exhibited his behavior at present, so I am told. The first ones will go to the track this year. I had thought about suggesting aroma therapy. However, I believe the people dealing with the horse would poo poo that idea. EO
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jan 8, 2006 - 12:03 pm:
It's so frustrating and so sad when you come across a horse like this! And, it's such and instinct to want to "fix" them. There is nothing more beautiful, imo, than a beautiful, well behaved stallion, and conversely, not many things more frightening than a "mean" one. Yet at the same time I always feel sorry for the "mean" ones as I feel they act as a result of mistreatment and poor training 9 times out of 10.
After reading the posts about the lavender, I'm thinking of looking into those automatic sprayers - the ones by Farnam that are for bugs spray - and seeing if I can get lavender for them.
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