Question: Why does my horse have a skittish personality?
Answer: Full Question: I have a nine year old Thoroughbred gelding that I got from the track last year. He had a couple of hot spots by his withers. We were told he likely had ulcers (90% of racehorses do) and we treated him with some home remedies. We had the best luck with Aloe Vera gel or juice. He has been on our farm for over a year now. He is finally sound (at least he appears to be). He has a very skittish personality. I would like to know if Pete (Personal Trick) is just normally skittish or if he was beaten at the track or somewhere in his life. I would like to ride him (I have lots of horse experience as a rider/trainer) but not with off track TB. He seems calmer near my husband than near me. Is he afraid of women? Does he have any pain, or health issues that we still need to resolve before we ride him? We have never done anything to harm him. We have nurtured him and cared for him, cared for wounds, groom, and pet him, feed him peppermints.
I just can't seem to get a good read on this guy.
Kim's Answer:
Dear Lori,
He says that he used to get whipped regularly (guided with it, punished with it, directed with it - I don't know the actual terminology for this) and the trainer was a short blonde woman with curly hair and freckles who wasn't happy in her job. She wasn't nice to him.
He says the jockeys who raced him generally didn't pay too much attention to him.
He says that his front right knee isn't quite right, it doesn't hurt but it isn't right. And he occasionally has some lower back pain.
What he would like is if you could work with him without a whip, he would prefer hand or voice aids. He says he is willing to learn whatever he needs to so that he can stay away from whips.
He says that he wants his job to teach teenagers how to ride. He'd prefer to teach them how to jump, but realizes his health may not allow that. He wants to help teenagers who have life issues to care for something outside themselves.
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Disclaimer: Kim Meyer shares insights derived from animal communication. Any advice she offers is not meant as a substitute for veterinary care or basic dog obedience training.
