04 September 2008 11:13
I own a five-year-old Thoroughbred gelding who raced once when he was three. When I first started hacking him, aged four, he was brilliant, but now we can hardly get five minutes up the road before he gets very tense and starts spinning round to go home. Sometimes he even bucks and rears. When I turn back for home he jogs the whole way back. What should I do?
Answer
By Your Horse
Natural Horsemanship Expert Charles Wilson advises:
Although your gelding only raced once, he would have been backed early and kept
in a racing environment for at least 18 months. This means full-time stabling and minimum training and schooling – exercise is simply walking and galloping. Needless to say, most horses coming out of this structured and unnatural existence find life as a riding horse difficult.
At the moment he naps, spins, bucks, rears, goes backwards and jogs. This is quite a list and, frankly, this horse is not safe to ride. You either have to take him back to basics yourself or, if you don’t have the experience, you’ll need to find someone who has. The latter option will not be cheap and you must be careful who you choose. Ask for references and watch them at work.
A horse like this takes tactful handling – rough or punishing schooling will not work.