Standardbred Insight

[AlbertaCowgirl]

We got a Standardbred from a gentleman who was asked to break her fro riding. The breeder who sent her to the trainer used electro shock therapy on her. The trainer said that she would not be any good after that but he would try to see what he could do. The trainer told me that she has to be ridden every day, or she seems to forget and that she tries to run from under her saddle once on. The breeder told the trainer that if that was how she was to take her out back and shoot her, as she was no good to him, which is why I have her. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to approach her, as we are going to start working with her soon. She is easily caught, and when we first got her she would just tremble when she was touched. There was so much tension. Now I can touch her and she trembles for a minute, but once she realizes we won't hurt her she is good. She has come along way since we got her, and seems to be such a sweetheart. I don't want to stress her more than I have to, so thought I would come to the source for horse. Any Ideas??

She is around 14 hands so just a little girl, and yes she is pure, not tattoos or id of any kind on her though.

[JoAnne]

that poor horse...electro shock? What exactly do you mean...like a cattle prod? Eech. I would look into more about rehabbing abused horses, than standerbreds per se. If it were me,I would not try to ride her for several months or longer. I'd treat her like a green horse and teach her to trust you, accept you as her leader with leading, then longing etc. and build her confidence up. Linda Tellington Jones has some great books with techniques of body rubbing and ground work to relax a horse, form a bond and trust etc. good luck, keep us informed!

[dimpleflirt]

The breeder who sent her to the trainer used electro shock therapy on her.

WHy would someone do that to a horse? I would spend as long as it takes (6mos -1yr or more) to just get her over her fear of being touched all over and gain general trust.(Parelli stuff) There is no since in entertaining any sort of saddle work or driving till you build a foundation with the horse. Good luck it's difficult to get them back to normal after extreme abuse,butnot impossible.

[Rocking Horse]

I don't have any experience with electro-shock but I do have years of experience with abused horses.

You may have to let her "sit" for a year or more. It sounds like she is begining to calm down, however even the slightest 'push" is going to send her reeling backwards mentally..
Some horses never "come back" from whatever place they have retreated to. Some after some time are able to live an almost normal life..

JMO: I would give her whatever time she needs. Remember, she may have a very strong reaction to any kind of "training".

[JoAnne]

for what it's worth, this is not the background of most Standarbreds. Most are trained to drive and treated fairly well at the track, abliet in more of a business like than as a pet. Their main problem is transitiioning from cart driving to saddle, gaits, etc, not overcoming extreme fear or abuse. With all due respect to Parelli, I personally don't see where it would do much for an abused very fearful horse. Linda Tellington Jones has a lot of rubbing and specific exercises for horses with behaviour issues....but that is just my take on Parelli, which to me seems designed to take a horse with a typical background and teach them manners. Try to find out as much as you can, or ask the breeder directly her history...was she ever bred? What kind of electro device was used, and why, etc? If the breeder is abusing other horses, perhaps you can get animal control to pay them a visit ....see if anyone in Standarbred community or neighbors knows about them. If they are approachable, try to approach them first...make sure the trainer's story is true, (who knows, maybe he was the one who used a cattle prod on her if she was not responding? ) I admire you for taking her on, agree with above poster, she'll let you know when she is ready for training.

[AlbertaCowgirl]

Thanks everybody, every little idea will help with her. We got her in the fall, and she seems to be progressing okay. I think that we will start her really slowly, working with her feet and getting her used to being brushed and touched again. Then I think we will maybe start lunging and getting her familiar with blankets and such. I am not that familiar with the breed myself, so I just want some insight on how they are dealt with and what types of methods are used on them. I don't want to ruin what might be in her nature or the nature of the breed, but I am sure she will let me know. Keep the ideas coming guys.

[GypsyGirl]

I got a beautiful standardbred about 14 years ago, he was on his way to the meat factory. He had a successful career on the track for the first year and then after he went down hill. His owner/trainer started to beat him, badly! During one of his beating sessions, he had his eye literally whipped OUT. Poor Malcolm (my horses name) was so badly scared and petrified that who ever came around him, he would try to go in the exact opposite direction. When I first laid my eyes on him, I was in love. I took him right there on the spot! Because Malcolm had been through so much, I decided to allow him to be a horse and not to pressure him or rush him into anything too quickly. I spent lots of time with him, everyday after school I would sit with him in his paddock, I would brush him, and brush him, talk to him, do my home work in his stall, feed him lots of treats, I would take him for walks through the fields (walking him on foot with his halter) I did this for a good 6 – 7 months. Malcolm had never had a saddle on him before, only the harness equipment, so I spent the last portion of our 6 – 7 months getting to know each other with a saddle on his back. When ever we would go for one of our walks, the saddle was put on him and he became very use to it. He wasn’t scared of it at all. Slowly, I started to ride him. It started very slowly! Only did I start the whole human on his back, after I had built his trust, which I knew I had! We started with weekly lessons in the riding ring, mostly walking, mounting, dismounting, After another couple of months, we increased our lessons to twice a week and some pleasure riding on the other days. After 16 months, I had a completely different horse, he was now my best friend. I joined 4H with him, I entered in all the shows, I won most improved horse for 3 years straight, we learned how to jump, we starting do competitive trail riding, we did novice and green eventing. One of our last events together was a dressage test, I still have my result papers from the judge, the judge wrote “You and your horses rhythm was so beautifully in tune with each other, I could have sang a song to it�. Malcolm and I proved everyone wrong, that said he wouldn’t amount to anything. He was my best friend!

Good luck and GOOD for you for taking her!! Give her lots of time and she will turn around in a positive way.

[JoAnne]

Look online under standbred re standarbred rescue or re training after track life. Was she ever raced? I dated a standardbred trainer so spent some time around them...depends on the trainer, most of them are pretty decent, the horses like throoughbreds do get lameness issues and some trainers use a lot of bute etc and work them thru the pain, others let them get time off...a lot depends on the owners who for the most part pressure the trainer to keep the horses working and racing...they do the same old same old routine year around while training...kinda boring ....tacked up, hooked to the cart, then worked at a pace or trot around the track for 20 minutes or so, then put on a hot walker or hand walked to cool off, then brushed quickly and back in the stalls all day...sometimes they are turned out, depends on the trainer and facilites. The main diff re standarbred than throroughbred trainers, most standared trainers drive their own horses in training and often even in races, so have a hands on feel for them, thoroughbred trainers stand at the rail while someone else rides.

The horses all have their own personalities...from very calm and stoic, to nasty and stubborn, fron sweet and gentle, to hot and nervous. Their breeding is more varied than thoroughbred...yours sounds kind of close to old morgan breeding as she is so small. A lot depends on the groom who is with the horses a lot re tacking up, cleaning feet etc. Some grooms love thier job and baby the horses, with other grooms it's a rough, low paying job and they re pretty rough with the horses in their care. Since your mare is so fearful, it sounds like something extreme happened. Most STB's race for a longer time than thoroughbreds and are retired much later in their early teens.

[JoAnne]

Gyspy girl- loved your story and that was a brilliant idea- putting saddle on horses back and going for happy walks with him, so not every time under saddle is work. Malcom was lucky to have you and you him.

[ricoman]

Electro shock was used on a Park Morgan mare that was booarding at my place years ago. The new owner saved her and was spending alot of time letting her relax. The previous owner had put elextrods behind each ear and at the girth on both sides. Every time the mare tipped her ears back, she'd get zapped and again if she didn'g step right up when asked to. It took some time and patience but the mare came around and was successfully shown again.

Give your horse a good 6 months to a year off. Plenty of grooming, hand walking and even some easy longing will help to relax her.

[CoppysGirl]

Originally Posted by GypsyGirl

One of our last events together was a dressage test, I still have my result papers from the judge, the judge wrote “You and your horses rhythm was so beautifully in tune with each other, I could have sang a song to it�.

Wow, that has got to be the best compliment you could ever get from a judge.. how perfectly wonderful. Your story almost made me cry.

Your methods seem like they work great.

[Smilie]

Hi
You said the horse had electro shock therapy. The word therapy leads me to believe it was used to treat a lameness issue of the horse, esp if the horse was raced. There are alot of new techniques out there, including shock wave therapy and magnetic treatments
On the other hand, if electro shock was used as an abusesive training method, you have an entirely different situation.
Either way, working towards having her trust you is an excellent start. Once a horse truly gives your their trust it is a magical thing, and that horse will try very hard to please you. They see you no longer as a preditor, but as a trusted herd member and leader.

[Kendra]

Originally Posted by GypsyGirl

I spent lots of time with him, everyday after school I would sit with him in his paddock, I would brush him, and brush him, talk to him, do my home work in his stall, feed him lots of treats, I would take him for walks through the fields (walking him on foot with his halter) I did this for a good 6 – 7 months. Malcolm had never had a saddle on him before, only the harness equipment, so I spent the last portion of our 6 – 7 months getting to know each other with a saddle on his back. When ever we would go for one of our walks, the saddle was put on him and he became very use to it. He wasn’t scared of it at all. Slowly, I started to ride him. It started very slowly! Only did I start the whole human on his back, after I had built his trust, which I knew I had! We started with weekly lessons in the riding ring, mostly walking, mounting, dismounting, After another couple of months, we increased our lessons to twice a week and some pleasure riding on the other days.

Bravo.

That's what I would do!!!

[Gee]

Hi there,
Find out exactely what the shock therapy was for.An injury or some kind of hobble type method??? You will need to know or it will be helpful to know what she was shocked for.My first stb exracer did the same thing under saddle when i first got her.She would also change gaits every 30 seconds or minute confused and unable to hold a gait.Kissing or clucking scares the crap out of her.She wouldnt canter just a full mad scared gallop.Its been 3 years and she is a awsume horse,she canters does the running walk thats as smooth as butter! Best of all she rides on a loose rein.How did i do this? I studied stb training talked to trainers studied there body mechanics in order to pace ect.I spent every day giving her apples, grooming, walks,unlimited kindness and love.I also started from scratch and used natural horsemanship methods.If your horse is trembling at just your touch spend as much time as it takes just petting grooming and walking.Show her kindness and gain her trust.It may take a month or 6 months.I wouldnt be getting on a horse this fresh from abuse so soon nor one that was so scared of me that it was trembling.So work on getting her not scared and then slow patient ground work until she shows you through each step that she is ready.
G