Before I start my gripe, let me say this first.
About 5 or 6 years ago, I had an extremely aggressive gelding. He wasn't a problem if he was saddled and being ridden, but if you tied him up where other horses would be walking or moving around him, he was a demon. Kicking, biting, squealing--he was a huge pain in the ass. That being said, if I hauled him anywhere at all away from home, he was NEVER tied around other horses. I just didn't do it. It didn't matter if I had to walk a half a mile to and from the arena, he didn't get the option to be a jerk to everyone else's horses while we were there. If it was raining/cold/sleeting, I put him in the trailer. He was better off in there, he couldn't bite, kick, squeal or hurt anyone that way. He couldn't hurt himself, or more importantly, anybody else, or anybody else's horse. I would've been absolutely mortified if he had ever hurt another horse because I was too lazy to tie him up outside at my trailer. I never once had a problem with him, in the 3 years that I hauled him. I just assumed it was my responsibility as the owner of an aggressive, some what neurotic gelding to keep him away from ALL the other horses around.
*NOW*
Here comes my gripe--
I have a very meek and mild sort of gelding that I'm running barrels on now. He's on the bottom of the totem pole at our house, and because of that, he gets his own pen. When he's turned out with our other geldings, he has to be fed apart from the other two-or he gets whipped. Plain and simple. He's a lover, not a fighter I guess! He's very easily "cowed" I suppose you could say, and he has a VERY high sense of self preservation!
I've had this horse right at five months-and haven't really had the time to "click" with him. I've taken him to some local jackpots here lately, and we've been improving a little each time. Friday night, I took him to a jackpot, and made the best run we've ever made. Needless to say, I was ecstatic. After our run, I was cooling my horse off and stopped for just a second to visit with an old friend about a horse she used to run. In the 10-15 seconds it took to loosen my front and back cinches, a horse tied across the fence decided that my horse was in his bubble. We were on the other side of the fence, completely at the opposite end from where he was tied. Here he came, teeth bared, squealing, front feet flying at the pipe rails...what did my dear sweet Woodrow do? He shagged ass! He made it clear in no uncertain terms that if I wanted to stay there and let psycho sorrely eat me for dinner, I was more than welcome to, but he wanted NO part of it! Fast forward to 30 MINUTES LATER-I was again, on the other side of the fence, opposite end from where psycho sorrely was tied. Once again, he decided poor Woodrow was in his bubble, but this time decided to try to kick over the fence at him. Freaked Woodrow out again, he pulled back (something he's never done since I've owned him) and of course, thrashed like a fish on the end of a line. He thrashed so hard and was so scared, he bashed himself off of the fence, and of course tore the right side of his head up. His eyelid got a chunk torn out of it right at the lash line, and about 3/4 of the hide above his right eye was peeled off. He hit the fence so hard that he has pink streaks across his forehead under his forelock part of the fence was painted red-he hit it so hard it rubbed off). His right eye lid is now puffed up to the size of a softball, no telling how bad he's going to need a chiropractor! I was afraid he'd cracked his poll, I've seen several horse that have pulled back and had to be put down because of their violent thrashing. I realize that it was partly my fault, I should've had him somewhere else I suppose.
**What really gets me though, is that this sorrel horse that freaked mine out so bad, had been doing this same thing ALL night! Squealing, trying to bite across the fence, kicking at anything that moved. I don't know how many people remarked at how horrible he was. I understand when a horse is herd bound, really I do! This guy seemed to be almost mentally challenged as soon as his buddy was bridled and ridden away. He weaved, pawed, screamed-everything you can imagine because he was so upset at being left alone. At one point, there was a woman (I'm assuming a friend of his owner) who stood for over 30 minutes with him, across the fence of course, trying to calm him down and keep him from screaming. I realize who ever owned him had just as much of a right for him to be tied there as I had to tie mine ALL THE WAY DOWN THE FENCE from him, but come on! He had almost a six or seven foot stretch of the fence all to himself because he was so awful! NO ONE in their right mind would tie their horse directly across the fence from him, or even on the same side as him, it was ridiculous.
I think the thing that bothered me the most, was that who ever owned psycho sorrely had no respect for the rest of us that were there. She (or he, I don't know!) couldn't have possibly thought, "Oh, Shnookums will be just fine while I sit in the warm up pen for an hour with his buddy out of site!" Really, I used to have a neurotic horse myself. Guess what-he stood tied OUTSIDE-to my TRAILER!! NOT INSIDE WHERE HE COULD BE A NUISANCE AND A DANGER TO EVERYONE AROUND!!!
Friday was the first time I felt like I'd "clicked" with my horse. Now?? Bless his heart, it's going to be at least a month before I even TRY to ride him. I guess it's selfish of me, being pregnant means that I have a smaller and smaller window to be able to compete, and now, it's almost shut. I care more about him than to try to ride him when he's hurt, but in a month, who knows what will be going on?? It kills me to walk outside and see him with his head drooping, like he knows that he's on the injured list. He literally jumped into the trailer that night, and was dancing all four feet in place after he got in, he was SO excited to be going somewhere. He loves his job, and now all he can do is stand around and heal. He's doing great, taking his meds like a trooper, his appetite is great, he doesn't act like he feels too bad. I just want to stand in his pen with his head in my hand and kiss him and tell him it's okay! LOL-ok, and maybe bawl a little.
*I think that might be hormones, too, not gonna swear to it though!*
I have a few people interested in buying him, and now that's put on the back burner as well. I'm not going to let anyone try him, until I know for sure that he's 100% back to his A game. I guess I shouldn't let it get to me, that it shouldn't bother me like it does. So many people would point out that "You're pregnant, you have so many things that are more important than that horse!"
I guess in some ways I suppose they're right, but to me-that horse is like one of my kids! I've been working SO hard to get him in shape, and try to get in a groove with him, before I get to big to run him anymore. Oh sure, I'll still ride when I'm farther along, but I know not everyone is happy with my choice to still be competing, even at this point. My timing isn't off, my balance hasn't shifted yet, so I don't feel at all like I'm putting me or this baby in danger. I trust my horses, both of them for that matter! I'm very aware of my own limitations, and I really wish that people would stop underestimating me. I don't know if I don't buy into the concept of pregnancy making a woman weak and vulnerable, or if I like to think I can handle MY life. I know what I'm capable of, I always have. Why is it when a woman becomes pregnant that everyone else in her life gets the automatic right to tell her what she can and can't do?? I think that may go right up there with the people that think they can put their hand on your belly the minute you're showing---OH THAT DRIVES ME INSANE. If I wasn't pregnant, you wouldn't touch me, what make you think me having a baby growing in my belly changes things??
Me thinks I'm having a mood swing.....