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Her First Horse by Janet Reed |
She took her first lesson at age 9. The family found their trainer online by themselves. The barn was even sort of near where they lived. It was going to be so exciting. Imagine riding a real horse! This small rider learning to sit so correct and ride the correct diagonal. Her first trainer taught her what the walk and trot were like and how to love the passion of the horse. Two years later, however, this wise young lady and her parents realized she was still doing the same things, perhaps because the trainer’s horses were only capable of that level. The uncle suggested another trainer for this now 11-year-old, enthusiastic girl. The new trainer was much older and much tougher but now this very correct 11-year-old began to be a real rider. As she approached her 12th birthday she began to want her own horse. She also wanted to have a special time with her mom, who had severe allergies. Since they had found everything else by themselves, they thought they could find their own horse. They made the veterinarian check arrangements with the seller on their own. I tried to warn them about the possible problems of not taking the horse on trial and possible misrepresentation on the seller’s part, but it was to no avail. The seller contacted me via e-mail and I explained that the little girl was not brave, but she was a beautiful rider. I also gave her my phone number to discuss any of my reservations. She never called. Once again, the owner believed they knew what to do and felt encouraged by the seller. In March, I needed to haul three horses to my daughter’s small ranch in Montana. I was asked to please pick this fellow up and haul him home on my way. I resisted once again, but they were very sure and had every right to trust or should have had every right to trust. I arrived at the location where the horse was stabled to find he was already out and had had his vet check several days previously without the potential buyer even present. I arrived with a friend and my friend could see they were sure this was the horse they wanted. I rode the fellow and he seemed alright but heaven only knows if he had been round-penned or chased or whatever earlier that day or even drugged. I then brought him home, concerned but not able to truly stop the process. Especially since he did go pretty well for me. A Different Horse When he arrived at his new barn, he became a very different horse. The little girl said he was always calm when they went to ride him and here he was not calm at all. His ground manners were horrible and it appeared to me they were horrible out of lack of knowing what to do. I worked on that first before I did anything else and he did begin to do much better. I rode him and he was balking badly. Not a “little balky,” as the seller had apparently told the young lady: a lot balky! Balking is so dangerous. It can turn into so many bad things so quickly and usually indicates a true lack of understanding on the horse’s part as to what is expected of him. So I went to try to re-do the under-saddle work so I could eventually let this hopeful, excited little girl ride her horse. Finally the big day came and she rode the little guy and he was okay but still not the horse the little girl thought he was when she tried him out. She asked how could he be so good up there but sort of difficult here. I did not want them to be so disillusioned with the horse world by suggesting that drugs or possibly natural herb drugs may have been used, but the thought did cross my mind. Three months later, I learned the horse had been a stallion until only very recently. Now, the truth came out! Yes, he had a foal on the ground. I was very angry at that lack of disclosure. How dare they propose to sell a late-cut horse with so little training to a child. I then began to approach him somewhat differently and began to understand why he was so aggressive. Now it made sense. We made progress but somewhat slowly and since he was supposed to be for a little girl, I felt badly because, to me, he did not appear to be a little girl’s horse at all. At the very least, the lack of disclosure made me angry as well as feel vulnerable on behalf of the little girl. Now the little girl is afraid of this horse, but still wants to have a horse. One day, without me realizing it, (I was teaching at the other side of the farm) she took him out of his stall and put him in a cross-tie. He broke out apparently and ran back to his stall. She was afraid to tell me because she knew she was not supposed to have him out on her own. Her dreams were finally broken, at least for now. Was this seller honest? I do not know. Did they disclose everything about the horse? Apparently not. Did the seller use herbs or drugs to control behavior? I do not know. This story is a story of child endangerment, not to mention perhaps psychological damage. Clean up your act, horse people! This really happened and the little girl suffers for this and you in the horse world are the cause. She did not know she could not trust, nor did her parents. You might as well put a gun to her head!
Author Janet Reed is a veteran trainer who owns and operates Kandu Riding Club in San Diego. She welcomes inquiries about the scenario she describes here. “It happens all too often,” she notes. Janet can be reached at 858-735-0601. |
