AboutRick Gore (www.thinklikeahorse.org) Expertise Visit Rick Gore's Horse Site: --- www.thinklikeahorse.org --Rick is a student of the horse. He can answer questions about sacking out (Desensitizing vs. Sensitizing), dealing with spooky, abused or ex-race horses, rearing, bucking, horses that won’t tie or load into a trailer, working in a round pen/round corral, starting colts, dealing with aggressive or so called "mean" horses, herd behavior, biting, kicking, hard to catch, using a bosal or hackamore, soft hands and direct reining verses neck reining. If you expect him to tell you feel good advice, you will be disappointed. 95% of all his answers will include "the problem is you and not your horse." About 95% of most answers that I give out are on my web site, so if you read it you will probably answer your own question and may learn a few other things. I am like Gordon Ramsey (Hell's Kitchen) and Simon Cowell (Idol), you may not like what I say or how I say it, but it will be pretty true and accurate, in my opinion, judging from my experience.
Experience Rick is an experienced horseman with over 35 years of riding and handling horses. Rick grew up in Texas around horses and horse people. He has started colts, ridden many horses with behavior issues and worked with problem horses. (He believes that most horse problems are really people problems)
He believes in and practices natural horsemanship and continues to read and study books by great horsemen. He routinely attends clinics, talks with and discuss horse issues with other clinicians and trainers. He has never met a horse that could not be fixed. Rick believes it is never the horse's fault and with proper handling, all problems can be worked out.
Education/Credentials Rick has over 35 years experience in being around and working with horses. Over the years he has watched good horsemen do the right thing and seen the wrong things done with bad results. Rick has a Bachelor of Science degree in Education.
Question I wrote to you on 6/2 and 6/4/09. Older guy 52 having problems with an 8 yr old gelding. I decided to take a break and regroup before striking off again with this horse. I sent him to the Amish, was going to leave him there for a month. He broke down after the first week and I got him home. He threw a rear shoe while he was out and I called the farrier to have it put back on. I let him rest for a few days as the farrier only makes it over my way once a week. The horse can't balance on three legs. When he does place his foot he twists his foot with pressure on the hoof which is I am sure what caused him to loose the shoe in the first place. He was having problems for some time with this but it wasn't until pushed that it became quite obvious. When you ask him to give his hind quarters he can't cross his legs. He is definitely ataxic but the symptoms only really became obvious when he was pushed harder than normal. Looks a lot like I believe the term is EPM. I'm not looking for vindication here many things you said were right on target. Too aggressive...Need to learn how to talk to horses in their language... The horse doesn't know where his feet are and I think it is likely both neurological and degenerative. I tend to see all things as behavioral mine or his and that led me to believe that his acting out was the same inappropriate response to my inappropriate responses. Horses are trying to tell us something all the time it seems. The trick is in the interpretation and responding appropriately. I do wish in retrospect that I had been able to listen better to what he was saying. I don't need a response but I felt the need to send an update. Not sure what to do with him now, he's been improving but with what I think he has I believe his riding days are over. Me, I'm working on my communication skills
Answer A vet can check for EPM, I have a nice link and photo about emp on my horseman tips page of my site. A blood work up could tell you some things. Horses heal fast so before giving up, I would evaluate what he is being fed, get a vet opinion and give some time to heal, maybe an old injury re-injured or it may be what you said.
You don't have to push a horse hard to learn or ride him, he can still teach you how to talk, observe and communicate with horses. Make him a ground horse if it ends up you can't ride him. My Mustang has some injuries and I can't ride him much but he still teaches me every day, we do ground work, I crawl under him, sack him out, spend time with him and all this improves your horsemanship skills for your next horse.
I have seen lots of horse turned out to pasture for a year or so and then out of no where they are healed and whatever the problem was is gone. You can learn to drive him with drive lines, learn how to be soft and work with him so he can teach you. Even if you can't ride him, he can still give you plenty, don't under estimate the horse. Once he learns you will not ride him, if he is feeling pain when you ride, he will change and your relationship will change since the pain is removed.
Time with horses if the best teacher so the more you work, train and hang out with him, the more he will teach you.
