Clueless about horses but this is bothering me...

[jholzgrafe]

Hi everyone, I need help - I have zero experience around horses but a friend of mine who does ride and also has a horrible temper told me something that I thought was awful - but maybe I just don't understand horses? This woman is bipolar and easily angered and she rides a horse that she rents from two owners. She was telling me about how angry she was (and she was visibly angry just telling me about it hours later) with this horse because "she sat on her cross ties" - hopefully you can decipher that if I got it wrong - so she took her whip and whacked her across the face twice, like I imagine someone slapping and then back handing somone on each cheek. She motioned with her arm while telling me this and it didn't look like a tap, it looked like she whipped the horse in the face. Is that wrong? I was horrified to hear this, I can't STAND any type of cruelty to animals. We have a mutual friend who has dogs and her husband doesn't like this woman because she was rough with their dogs while "disciplining" them for jumping on her. She loves animals but I think she lets her temper get in the way of good decisions with them sometimes...maybe i'm just too soft though? The horse is trained and "should know better" accoridng to her, and she "wasn't going to tolerate it." Am I overreacting?

[Camille]

I work with horses on occasion (riding, grooming and the like) and I've smacked a horse who tried to bite me but I've NEVER used a whip and I've NEVER smacked them harder than what would be considered a slight slap on the hand. That sounds like she's frustrated for other reasons and she's taking it out on her horse. :( I can't stand people hitting animals myself, and if I had seen that I probably would have been very angry and upset. :(

[jholzgrafe]

Yes, she was angry about many other things which was part of why it left such a bad taste in my mouth even though i haven't been around a horse in almost 30 years. I knew that couldn't be right!!

[Lani]

Like you, I have slapped a horse for trying to bite. Not hard, but enough to get the message across that what he did was completely unacceptable...I've also used the nose pinch, just uncomfortable and again less intrusive way of relaying "unacceptable"...but never a whip to the face, that's wrong on so many levels...I agree with Belles, the owners need to know ASAP and she needs either some horse etiquette lessons OR not welcome around anymore.

[Belles]

First of all, this woman has no business being around horses.. but the fact that she is doing something like this to someone else's horse is horrifying. The owners of this horse need to be notified immediately and if they are of any sense at all, they will not allow her to be near them.

There is one rule in horse ownership.. the FACE IS OFF LIMITS. If the horse is sitting in the cross ties that means that the horse's halter is clipped on both sides and those ropes are somehow connected to the stall beams or wall securely. This is so the horse will not turn his head, and otherwise be still. Many horses are not trained to be in cross ties, so if this horse is sitting, it most likely is not trained.. or if she is, she hasn't been trained well.

If you have a horse in cross ties and they are not trained to use them, it is a very dangerous situation. The horse, bystanders, the handler, the farrier.. or whomever is nearby could get seriously injured, even killed. This is a very serious matter.

You are not overreacting whatsoever.. please find out who owns these horses and let them know. You don't have to identify yourself, but just do it.. PLEASE. If you get their info and phone numbers I WILL CALL THEM!!!!!!!!!!!

That poor horse, whipped in the face.. my God, I almost cried when I heard that. You have to be firm with a horse, but you should NEVER EVER be cruel. If she can't control her rage, she should be banned from owning any animal!!!!

[Camille]

And for the record before I sound like a crazy animal abuser, I smacked him on his shoulder (so he couldn't bite my hand too, yeesh) and he didn't have any form of bridle or anything on.

[Belles]

Trust me.. I've done my share. Horses are a completely different mindset and animal than a dog. A good rule of thumb is to observe the mare and the baby. The mare is pretty hard on them.. kicking, biting, chasing. But, it all serves as a purpose so that the baby will always mind her and be safe.. in case of predators.

There are two things I never tolerated with my horses, biting and striking with the front feet. Those two acts are flat out aggression and are never, ever to be tolerated. If a horse did either to me.. I'd beat them mercifully.. but never on the face and never with anything in my hands. A human.. cannot hurt a horse using their hands to correct them. But when you have a weapon in your hand, like a whip to the face.. you can damage the eyes. Not to mention, create a head shy horse that's dangerous on many levels.

This woman needs to be throttled herself and banned from ever being around horses.

[Camille]

Yeah, a horse I used to groom and ride used to either start cantering away with me on his back and when I tried to make him stop he'd bite my feet...hehehe. Or, he would bite my hair or knock me over with his head. I don't think he liked me very much. Horses like to use me as a scratching post.

[Belles]

He sounds very spoiled. LOL

[jholzgrafe]

I will try to get contact info, i wanted to call them originally myself but then i though who knows, i dont even like using a squirt bottle on my cats so maybe I am just overreacting but clearly not!

[Belles]

No absolutely not. The problem with horses that are mistreated.. they will hurt someone. These owners need to be aware of what she's doing so that they can protect their animals and stay safe when they go to ride them, etc.

You're not overreacting. If you lose your friend over it, you have a clear conscience.

[jholzgrafe]

Oh I always pick animals over people because they can't speak for themselves.

[Keanna Lynn Hickman]

no, it's not right. maybe she doesn't take meds or the ones she is taking aren't working too well.....
if she loved animals, she wouldn't let her anger get in the way of treating them nicely. tell the owner- he/she needs to know so that she can get help.