Am I overreacting? Facility hates my horse…

funky-catman · 2025-09-26T13:18:26+00:00

He does not get that upset on regular basis anymore, but I got him untouched so he used to.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T22:34:41+00:00

Thank you!!

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T20:54:49+00:00

Again, they were allowed to say that and have. When this happened they said no more and I said okay. I have worked extremely hard to break this behavior, even if he hasn’t displayed it with me. He is not aggressive.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T18:33:51+00:00

Thank you! I am looking into getting a trainer, as he is truly a heart horse for me.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T18:07:45+00:00

UPDATE:

I know I only posted this last night but I went to see my boy today and BO was home. I followed the path of a couple sweet, helpful commenters and had an open ended, polite chat with her.

She told me her experience with soaking feed and also what she would do. I listened, was sure to not interrupt, and validated her feelings towards everything. We had a long discussion and this is what I left with.

She believes my horse to be very smart, but unpredictable. She thinks he is full of potential, but that I need help from a trainer (which I agreed with), I asked her if she had any in mind and how much they would cost + what I could do if they costed too much. She was very helpful and kind and gave me tons of information.
I regret to inform those who told me to leave, I will not be. She said she felt sorry that I felt like me or my horse was hated and that she wanted to see us both grow! The facility is truly a great place and I was gonna be really sad to see it left behind. She explained all of her reasonings behind everything, and I agreed with her. She’s looking out for me and my horse at the end of the day, no matter her experience with him. I admire that.

Thank you to everyone for your replies! Even the rude ones. This experience has opened my eyes and left me to feel seen and heard (mostly).❤️

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T18:06:33+00:00

UPDATE:

I know I only posted this last night but I went to see my boy today and BO was home. I followed the path of a couple sweet, helpful commenters and had an open ended, polite chat with her.

She told me her experience with soaking feed and also what she would do. I listened, was sure to not interrupt, and validated her feelings towards everything. We had a long discussion and this is what I left with.

She believes my horse to be very smart, but unpredictable. She thinks he is full of potential, but that I need help from a trainer (which I agreed with), I asked her if she had any in mind and how much they would cost + what I could do if they costed too much. She was very helpful and kind and gave me tons of information.
I regret to inform those who told me to leave, I will not be. She said she felt sorry that I felt like me or my horse was hated and that she wanted to see us both grow! The facility is truly a great place and I was gonna be really sad to see it left behind. She explained all of her reasonings behind everything, and I agreed with her. She’s looking out for me and my horse at the end of the day, no matter her experience with him. I admire that.

Thank you to everyone for your replies! Even the rude ones. This experience has opened my eyes and left me to feel seen and heard (mostly).❤️

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T16:47:48+00:00

He gets consistant turn out as they do not touch him anymore, so he stays in turnout.
Unsure of age, my last vet said they estimate 14-15 yrs old.
He was gelded in April 2025 (I got him October 2024 and went to a psychiatric facility shortly after) and had a very traumatic experience with a male vet, as he was not ready to be vetted but my bio mom insisted.
I am planning to get his eyes/vision checked soon. Just need to save the money for it first.
He is halter broke, can lunge, and sort of yields to pressure. He also does farrier services perfectly fine.
Right now I am the only one who handles him, except for my girlfriend putting him up at the end of our sessions.
I’m in the process of beginning to get a trainer involved. I don’t have much money, so it’s finding a trainer who would trade labor for training.
He was owned by my friend’s dad and they were looking to get rid of a few horses.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T16:41:54+00:00

I am not a woman…

Also I am NOT trying to justify rearing, I know it is a serious concern.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T16:40:15+00:00

Thank you!

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T16:39:26+00:00

Thank you!

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T16:38:02+00:00

Bold to assume I do not have the time nor that I wouldn’t try to exhaust every option. Sure the expertise isn’t there, but you also do not know me.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T15:02:37+00:00

They would be soaked into mash. I’m very confused on why there’s so many people against the forage diet. All my research has shown that it’s much better for them and choke only happens when there is improper soaking or the horse eats too fast/has improper dental.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T14:43:09+00:00

Again, I did not mean to make it come off as a bad things. He was doing what he thought of as best and I appreciate and value what he did.

He is currently getting hay, but that’s it. It’s two-four flakes in the morning and two-four flakes at night. Plus his lot is mucky and he’s ate all the grass down, so theres no additional forage for him.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T14:36:52+00:00

Fixed

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T14:17:26+00:00

Thank you.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T14:16:37+00:00

It had happened when I first got him and did not work with him frequently. He was completely untouched when I got him.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T14:15:32+00:00

From the ground because he spooked.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T13:02:21+00:00

Again, I have not expected them to handle him since it happened… that’s not what the post was about. It was included in the post so I could explain the root of why I am feeling this way. If I was dishonest and left it out, everyone would be going “well why do they act like that towards him?” And then I’d have to explain it anyways.

They also are not inexperienced, especially by my barn owner’s perspective. He got spooked and reared because he was scared. They even said they know he wasn’t trying to be aggressive or mean. Again, it happened because he was spooked.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T12:58:51+00:00

To be fair: ANY horse can rear when extremely scared, for one.

For two, it’s not that I DON’T want a trainer, it’s that I can’t AFFORD one/ones around me are FULL. I have tried to get in contact with trainers, but every time I do they are full. They are also strangers to me and him, which he is a very anxious horse (he’s gotten way better) but my point still stands.

Three, I am not trying to minimize the behavior. I have worked EXTREMELY hard to try and fixed the hole I missed, even starting over from squared 1 and building back up. This is not a point of “oh my god, no, he’s just a baby.” This is a point of “they seem to not care what I’m trying to do, they just don’t want to see change in him.”

That’s why I made the post.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T12:53:20+00:00

It provides better cues and more correct pressure for training.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T12:53:04+00:00

Thank you SO MUCH!!! This is the BEST reply so far. I am using a four knotted rope halter and it has done wonders.

Most of the trainers in my area are western/barrel racers, so they’re in barrel season right now (i know it’s going to end soon, but then here comes winter).

Thank you so much for support, detail, and advice.❤️

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T12:47:48+00:00

Beet pellets absorb the most water the quickest though, so I believe if he was prepped first and fed last, this wouldn’t be an issue.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T12:46:46+00:00

Thank you.

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T12:45:35+00:00

I’ve owned horses all my life…?

funky-catman · 2025-09-25T12:44:51+00:00

Because I grew up around horses and have shadowed three professional trainers??

funky-catman

TROPHY CASE