Buzz has broken someone's nose

Sparklie

Active Member
Jun 3, 2005
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hartlepool
:frown:




Not really sure what to say.

Buzz's ground manners are terrible at times and I've been working very hard on trying to improve them. He kicks which I'm making great progress with and he also has no idea about personal space which I'm finding harder to tackle but I'm working on it slowly but surely. This has involved quite a bit of 'tough love' recently as he's got to learn that he's a big boy and can hurt people without realising it.

I thought he was improving (and deep down I do think he is) but then got a phone call tonight to say that yesterday the girl catching him got her nose broken by him!

Apparently she went to put his head collar on and he chucked his head up and caught her nose, breaking it.

I haven't spoken to her yet (sent apologetic txt!) but not even sure what to say. I'm sort of in shock cos he's been fine for me when bringing in and out of the field but had also apparently barged her earlier this week too when she was coming out of the gate.

Any tips?
Any idea how I can make it up to her?
Has anyone else had anything like this happen?

I know you can't control your horse when you're not there and we all know that they are large dangerous animals but I can't help feeling guilty :redface:
 
How on earth was she stood to have her nose broken? :confused:
I don't think you need to do any making up to be honest.- animals are unpredicatable and you can be injured by even the best mannered ones. She knew the risks, I' m sure.
 
First question would be, how well do you trust this person? Ok, so maybe he shouldnt have thrown his head up but did he do it for a reason? If he barged her earlier on in the week was she being a bit bolshy with him???

Hard to say as none of us where there and yes, i'd feel guilty it it was my horse that had done this but horses are horses and unfortunately, people do sometimes get in their way!!
 
Even the best behaved ones could have caused this to happen. My horse is pretty quiet for the most part, but he has flung his head up in a fit of excitement or spookiness at times and caught me unawares. Don't beat yourself up, just use it as fuel to keep ploughing away at the groundwork. Its a shame when it was someone else it happened to and you couldn't see how he was being handled at the time, might give you a clue and put your mind at rest.

And ps - I broke my mate's nose with a hockey ball when I was a teenager, don't feel too bad!
 
She's a friend so very well.

She's been turning him out and bringing him in all winter so far (6 weeks) and its just this week that's he's been bolshy with her. Apparently though he was a...ahem...bit of a pain when being turned out by another friend another day this week. He's not been like this with me at all. He has no respect for personal space and would walk ove you if he wasn't paying attention but he steps back when asked (by me anyway) and will move out of your way if you remind him sternly that crowding you is not on.

Part of the problem is that all the horses want to come in and Buzz likes to be at the front which I'm guessing is where the barging thing came from. But this is a new thing. He's not at all headshy

MA I'm guessing he had his head down when she was putting his head collar on and he's threw his head up and to the side as I can't imagine her being stood directly in front of him!

I just feel really guilty plus I couldn't cope without help with turning out and bringing in due to my ridiculous work hours.

Bless her she didn't know how to tell me and didn't want to say anything so asked someone else to ring me. I think she's feeling just as guilty as me!! I'm hoping it was just an accident and not intentional.
 
FM - you bad friend!! :wink:

I'll get all the info tomorro when I see her I guess to find out what exactly happened. Just a bit shocked at the minute and chewing myself over it. He's never hurt me but has both bitten and kicked another friend before!! As payback her horse did once throw me on the floor in a muddy puddle and ran away leaving me there :redcarded:
 
Well, in that case it was just an accident - feel sorry for her but as we've already said - horses will sometimes hurt people

Hope your friend feels better soon and her nose isnt too painful.
 
Perhaps all the barging around the gate was a big factor, too much going on at close quaters.

Hope your friends nose isn't too sore.
 
I know how you feel with having to work hard on groundwork, but I do have to agree that if she was standing in the wrong place at the wrong angle then the result could have been the same if he just flung his head up in shock at something (other horses running around, getting too close etc). But it's also quite feasible that he was tossing his head in an effort to be a bit bolshy, unfortunately as you weren't there you can't really tell and can only go with what you have been told.

To be honest, I would just check in with her that she's ok, you've already sent an apology out of courtesy - there's not much else you can do!
 
Oops! If you can afford it, I would strongly recommend getting an RA out for a sesh in ground work. They are excellent at advising on using the correct body language so that Buzz knows you mean business when you ask him something. As he's still such a baby, I really think it would be a sound investment for you xx
 
Thanks guys.

She was laughing about it when telling people today apparently. It's the second time a horse has broken her nose too!! Her incredibly headshy (was that way before she got him and is sooo much better now) and incredibly tall thoroughbred smashed her nose big style when she first got him. No black eyes or pouring blood so hopefully it's just broken as it was already weak from previous break...I can hope right!? :redface:

May take chocolate anyway as a peace offering. I've had a crap week too so maybe she'll share!!

Domane - I was looking into this recently as luckily I have one who's based not too far away. I think I'll give it a go in the new year. We've been doing so well too *big sigh*
 
have you tried using a dually sparklie to help with his manners? harry was incrediably bolshy when i first got him, and then only way i could get him to pay attention to me was the dually, a nice hard tug, kind of saying HEY! IM HERE! as otherwise he would get in my space or just turn and run off (in normal headcollar) also helps with back up, i also did some of the stuff in perfect manners by kelly marks

he is now pretty good to handle, i used to be aprehensive (still am if he is feeling very boisterous) but most of the time i can now lead him on a loose leadrope, with it on the schooling ring incase need the extra attention

btw dont feel too bad about your friend horses act different with different peoples energy, i am far to quiet for a horse like harry and have had to learn how to be more bold with - and chocolates always go down well! :)
 
Bless her she didn't know how to tell me and didn't want to say anything so asked someone else to ring me. I think she's feeling just as guilty as me!! I'm hoping it was just an accident and not intentional.

What a shame this has happened when you have obviously been doing a lot of work with your horse. It is a sad fact of life that things can and do happen around horses, it is the risk we all take. There is no way your horse would have done that intentionally, I genuinely don't believe they are wired to think like that.
 
Phew, glad all is OK with your friend.

I hope you don't think that I suggested an RA because I don't think you're capable.... I know you've had horses for years (and indeed I coveted Twig coz he was just so gorgeous!) I just think that sometimes a pair of fresh eyes are a welcome addition.... sometimes we're so close that we can't see the wood for the trees.....
 
Naughty horsey but as the saying goes.... horses will be horses!!

I was bringing my friends 17.2hh in the other night and he has been a bit naughty of late and he hit me on the side of my face really hard with his head. I now have a big bruise on the side of my face but hey.. it will fade in time. I have not even mentioned it to my mate, mainly because I have not seen her.
 
Oh dear, as people say these things happen, but I would still feel awful.

Another one here who would sing the praises of the DUALLY tbh, best bit of Kit I ever invested in.

Glad she is OK though and its not knocked her confidence with him.

This time of year is accidents 'waiting to happen' when all the Horses are eager to come in for food........don't think there is many people who actually enjoy going to get the Horses in, especially if you need one or two out of the herd.
 
Oh, poor you and poor her. It is difficult because you just feel so responsible for your own horses actions, even though you aren't there.

I had been congratulating my own self on my hard work on Toby's ground manners (to myself!!) when the girl who kindly gets him in for me said he is fine, but he just has no manners and would rather walk over you than around you!:unsure:

It made me feel awful, as if I was the worst owner in the world!!! They are all a pain at the moment because they all want to come in, and I think it just is a bit of a dangerous time of year.

Am sure chocolate will help lots!!
 
Oh, poor you and poor her. It is difficult because you just feel so responsible for your own horses actions, even though you aren't there.

I had been congratulating my own self on my hard work on Toby's ground manners (to myself!!) when the girl who kindly gets him in for me said he is fine, but he just has no manners and would rather walk over you than around you!:unsure:

It made me feel awful, as if I was the worst owner in the world!!! They are all a pain at the moment because they all want to come in, and I think it just is a bit of a dangerous time of year.

Am sure chocolate will help lots!!

Hehe, I found out the other day it takes two people to change Silver' rugs when Im not there - one to hold head collar and lift a front leg up and the other to do the back leg straps up :redcarded::eek: And she is only 11"3!! :giggle:

Sparklie, I too would vote towards an RA... and probably grossly inappropriate but just she put her nose in silly places? :yellow carded: Twice? Thats bad luck!
 
Thank guys.

Caroline I have a pressure halter but not a Dually. I may have to invest in one. Buzz was originally broken in in a Dually do he does understand how they work. I used the pressure halter when he first arrived as he was naughty when leading. But I've used a normal headcollar for a long time as I've always thought his leading manners were good :redface:

Domane don't worry, I wouldn't take it the wrong way at all. I've ridden for 20 years and have never learnt more than in the last 2 years of owning Buzz!! He is not an easy horse and I felt very out of my depth several times previously. I do feel we're making progress at the moment (despite this set back) but will look into getting an RA out in the new year if necessary.

I've seen the girl he clunked now and she's ok. Nose is very slightly out of place but won't know til Thursday whether it needs resetting. She has sore cheek bones but is feeling ok. She's been turning Buzz out since and will bring him in when needed too. She's happy to be firm with him or whatever I want her to do. We've also agreed he's to go out in his headcollar until he settles a bit (not ideal but I have to keep people safe).

We think because we're being strict with him at the min that this is his version of rebelling...it always gets worse before it gets better and all that. Apparently she went to catch him first. There was no crowding around the gate although he was in a herd. She hadn't even got as far as putting his headcollar on, she was next to him with it poised to put on and he flung his head up and to the side and got her. She said it was almost the way that horses do when they square up and play fight with each other!! She could see it coming but it was too quick to be able to move. :redcarded:

Oh well...onwards and upwards and all that
 
When you are around livestock there is always the chance you might get something stood on or broken, sometimes horses forget they are bigger and stronger than us.
 
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