Horse blooper stories?

Question

I was just wondering if you had a funny blooper moment with horse and thought it was funny to share with the general puplic?

For myself, I am a city guy with limited contact with horses. When I was a teenager, I remember going out to my friend's grandfather's farm. There was a horse tied to the post out there. Approaching the horse from behind, I started to pet him at the lower back. My friend said, "Don't pet horses from behind." Then I said why? And the very next second, wham that horse back kicked me in the shin. Luckily, it didn't hurt too bad and he didn't kick me any higher!:0

Trial and error, the only way I learn on a farm.

Answer 1

When I was really little (probably about 10) I decided that I wanted to set up cross country fences on the farm. I had an Arabian that I just knew I could drag the poles and jumps with, afterall no one had ever told me that horses had to be trained to do that. I did everything else with him and showed him all over the country- very sensible about everything. And I always saw tons of pictures with horses working on farms and pulling things while being led, I knew for driving that they needed to be trained (since he showed in driving) but for pulling things while being led, just figured that they did it.

So, I asked my trainer if I could borrow their surcingle and their long lines. She said no problem and readily handed them over. I hooked up my horse and headed to the jump ring which was across from the pond. I had already asked if it was alright for me to put some jumps in the open fields around the barn and it was. So, I pulled one of the poles out of the ring and and hooked it up to the long lines on my horses surcingle. I had a lead rope attached to the side of the bridle and started walking with him.

I got at least 20 feet before he started tucking his butt up underhim. I thought that it was the crupper at first, but he was used to that. So, I continued- thinking that he would work out of it. Well, he did not. He kept on balking up and rounding his back. Then the next thing I know I am on the ground. I looked up and could see him running the over 400 feet in front of me at a dead run, then rounding the pond, then coming back the 400 feet towards the barn, then going into the barn.

I did not know what to do, I looked like a goof sitting on the ground, so I got up and ran back to the barn. It turns out that he had ran all the way to the barn, into the barn, and then into his stall on the other end of the barn. The pole was still attached to him since I had tied it really good but with safety releases. He was stuck facing the back of his stall.

I, of course, got yelled at. My mother came down from the house and was not the happiest person in the world, but no one had questioned me why I was doing anything, and would you not do that after someone asked you to put jumps out and then asked for the surcingle. I had to buy the trainer a new surcingle with my own money, and appologize. I realized afterwards that a lot of people could have been hurt by it, but I never thought that he would not pull the pole- well he did pull the pole but he pulled it back to the barn.

I have never tried dragging anything with him again ever. I still drove him, but never pulling anything.

Another funny story with that horse involved me getting on him bareback one day. I was standing on the observation deck railing on the indoor arena. I put my right leg on his back so that I could swing over on top of him (he is a 16 hand Arabian so not little where I could just hop up on him). When I did this, he moved sideways, leaving me doing the splits in mid-air. The only solution since I had absolutely nothing to grab hold of was to fall to the ground- on my butt of all things with my legs spread apart. I am sure that he got a good laugh about that.

I was at a show another time with him warming up for the 3' 6" hunters class. I was doing a line in a group warm up, had yelled for my line several times, and I came to the 2nd jump in the line when someone stopped their horse directly on the other side of the third fence. I yelled for her to get out of the way, she did not, I had to stop my horse since it was a one strider, and he went sliding. I went sliding to, right onto my left hand on the top rail, my left leg on the top of the brush box, my right leg on top of the saddle and my right arm wrapped around his neck. I somehow managed to pull myself back on, and this horse was a great jumper, and my instructor was HUGE on not turning a horse away from a fence, so it was either go over it or face the reprimand from her. I went over it from a stand still. Great horse, amazing recovery. Still cannot believe that I did that.

I have learned from all of my bloopers over the years. Accidents happen, but something can be learned from all of them no matter how old you are. I am just glad to still be here and to have learned as much as I have in my lifetime.

Answer 2

I was riding my Arab across a field of that had just been cut into square bales. He has not had a lot of experience being on the trail and I can see that he needs A LOT more work. we were going down a path and he had his ears pricked and his head straight up in the air. I was sure he was just a little scared because of the grass not being there and there was a little breeze that had the cattails in the ditch making a lot of noise. So I tried to focus his attention back to me by asking him to do simple little things that he already knew how to do. He didn't care and wouldent do anything I asked him to do, he started prancing and bobbing his head, he turned around as if he wanted to ru back to the barn witch for me was not an option. So I turned him around and asked him to go forward he did still chomping on his bit and bouncing up and down. At that point I realized that it could'nt be the wind or bales that he was spooking at. I looked around and still could not see anything that could be the cause. I made a right onto the next path and I saw a huge bird that made him absoloutly freak. I had found what was scaring him so much. He reared up and I was pretty much helpless as he ran towards the barn. we got there and he stoped and looked back at me like he didn't think anything was wrong. The next day I went with another very experenced trail horse and rider back to the same spot and he acted like nothing ever happened he went through the ditch like it was nothing. So I have resolved to never go alone on trail rides.

Answer 3

I used to show, and we competed in the tandem bareback class... of course the performance classes are after halter... So my gelding was usually pretty slick w/ show-sheen or peppi... For some reason Charlie sidestepped to miss a puddle along the rail... off we slid right into the mud. unfortunately this was during the class. Didn't place that day, and received "seat glue" awards at the end of the year. Luckily that was the only mishap we had and finished high up for the season.

Answer 4

I used to manage a public rental riding stable - where groups would rent horses and go on a trail ride for an hour. The lowest rung on the food chain.

We had this grey mustang mare named Dolly. She was a delight to ride - gentle so that a kid could ride her. I loved Dolly.

SHe had one bad habit tho - hated to be saddled. Oh my, she'd rear and lunge. The only way to saddle her was to catch a front hoof and cast her to the ground and tie 3 feet together. It looked cruel but we did this as gently as possible - but it was indeed the only way to saddle her. and her saddle was really just a bareback pad with stirrups - nothing that would pinch etc. She hated being saddled. That's all.

After she was saddled, she was perfect. A baby could ride her she was so gentle. It was just GETTING her saddled that was a bother.

So, one day this motorcycle tough and his "moll" came to the ranch on his big noisy chopper with the extended forks and all the tassles etc. He literally had L-O-V-E and H-A-T-E tattooed jail-house style on the knuckles of his hands. I've always thought his name should be Green Teeth because that's what color his teeth were - green.

Moll was wearing tiny little sandals, daisy duke cut-off hot pants and a piece of fringe around her ribcage that occasionally hid her breasts - but not anything else. Not the clothes for trail riding, to be sure.

Green Teeth marched up to me and in his whisky breath said "I want a real wild one! har-har-har."

OK I said, "well, we don't have any wild ones here - but you can ride Dolly. Thing is you have to watch me saddle her before I'll let you ride her."

So I led him around the back of the barn and proceeded to saddle Dolly. She did her normal rear and lunge routine - and I did the ususal casting her down on the ground etc. routine. I untied the leg string and turned to hand Green Teeth the reins - and he was white as a sheet.

You F***ers are trying to kill me! And he and Moll got on his chopper with the extended forks and kicked up dust to get away from us.

Answer 5

-My horse had a habit of stealing sodas, hot dogs, cotton candy, and ice cream from unsuspecting little kids who would get too close at shows. I ALWAYS had to have money in my pockets to replace the kids' snacks.

-the same gelding had the annoying habit of crossing his forelegs when waiting in the lineup at the end of a class. He did it so smoothly that you couldn't really tell what he was up to. I usually had someone at ringside to signal me when he did it so I could wake him up.


The next one is my Grandma's story-- when she was newly married in the 1920's, her husband farmed with horses. Wanting to help, she volunteered to unharness the work teams one afternoon after Grandpa had spent an exhausting day in the fields plowing. Well, she meant well, but instead of unharnessing the teams properly with a minimum of unbuckling, she unbuckled EVERY strap on all six harnesses, then wiped each piece clean and put it in a pile.... Grandpa later came out to see how she was doing and saw six complete harnesses and bridles in individual pieces in a pile on the harness room floor...

She said he didn't say anything... just pulled up a chair and quietly starting sorting through and putting things back together again. She didn't realize what she'd done wrong until he had her come out the following evening and showed her how to properly unharness the horses by unbuckling the belly band, check lines, hame straps, crupper, and bridle throatlatch and leaving everything else intact!

Answer 6

I have one for you...I grew up on a farm...I've got plenty!
I was on a trail ride with my 4-H club. About two hours into the ride we reached the river. We went down to let the horses get a drink, we all stayed on our horse. My horse, however decided he was more hot than thirsty. He chugged right into the water, about three feet deep, and just laid down right there with me on him. He stayed there for about five minutes. Wouldn't budge on anyone's terms but his own!!
Long ride home with wet pants in a saddle!
But I sure loved that horse.

Answer 7

I was taking a trek out one day during winter and to get back to the stables we had to go through a river.
During the course of 5 days of taking treks out i got dunked 3 times.
Icy cold water...not impressed.

Answer 8

One time i wanted to try to jump on my 14h mustang. So i ran and jumped. He ran away. I fell flat on my face. Then i tried again with my friend holding him. I ran and jumped like superman and fell on the other side.

One time i was riding him in the indoor arena. Someone left the gate open and he ran straight out. funnyy

Answer 9

One time one of my geldings lay down in a 3 ft. deep puddle I was trying to cross he also through me off in the show ring three times in one day(that was embarrassing to say the least.).
My friend was standing in front of one of her geldings stall and he was head butting her so she bent over so he couldn't butt her again and he reached over the stall wall and grabbed the back of her pants and picked her up.
Same friend the same geldings half sister, my friend was brushing her and the filly reached around and grabbed my friends wind pants and under wear elastic and snapped them.
We once had a pony that would step into the water trough and swish the water around.
Another friend had a little mare that used to hold my friends crop for her while she mounted.
My Percheron gelding is 17.1 hands and is very head strong and thinks its funny to drag me through the trees. I have several scars from his antics.
One time I was riding my friends mammouth donkey, if you have ever riden a donkey you would know you don't tell a donkey what to do you ask it nicely, and she decided it was time to go back to the barn and she spun around knocking into one of the other donkeys my friend was riding and my friend had to bend over backwards flat on the donkeys back to prevent being scraped off. Thankfully we were bareback
This story isn't funny but it is cute. One day one of our boss mares and her "boyfriend" didn't come down the hill in our pasture for their grain so I went out to find them. I was at the top of the hill calling them and timmy (the "boyfriend") came running up to me. I said "Timmy where's Sally(the mare)" and he whinnyed and took off at a canter further up the hill. He kept stopping and waiting for me to catch up to him. Timmy lead me directly to Sally. The sad part of the story is she was injured. She is fine now. But I thought it was adorible how devoted Timmy was to Sally and took me straight to her.

Answer 10

I have three =) One isn't much of a blooper on my part, it was just my at-the-time horse being himself, the other is a bit... worse (when I was on the horse), and the other is just... a story =)
1) I moved my horse (Poco) to another barn for more space, since my mom and I felt he should be in a bigger, greener area. So one day when we went to exersize him, we went to the paddock he was in with his buddy, Nugget, but we didn't see him. My mom looked in, knowing he had to be somewhere since Nugget was always with him, and she called him. She heard a snort in response, but she didn't see him. She kept calling him until she located the snorting. Apparently Poco found the drinking hole in the back area and walked in and managed to get himself stuck there... well it appeared like he was stuck in the middle. Since when he sees us he comes up to us, he walked up to my mom and out of the water hole. We had a heck of a time cleaning off his legs (which are mainly white - he was a grulla paint/quarter horse).
2) I went to this horseback riding club my old school had (this town is a farm town mainly, despite the urban areas, it's mainly farms), and I didn't have a horse at this time. My P.E teacher, who ran it, offered I could use one of his horses. He exersized the horse, and then passed him off to me. So I'm walking around, pick up to a trot, and the horse slows and brings his nose to his leg and itches it. I pull his head back up, but he's persistant after every few steps, so I gave up (this was well before I got proper lessons, let's just say I didn't truly knew what it meant). But out of nowhere, the horse GOES DOWN ON HIS KNEES! He started to try and roll but I managed to jump off before squishing my leg and I pulled him back up. I had a huge scratch and bruise for three weeks after that. (and ever since then I didn't return to that club. The ring was also dust and it was a hot night if it makes any difference)
3) When I lived in Ottawa, I went to a place that just did trail riding. It was especially fun in the winter because in this suburb called Sarsfield (it was about half an hour out, but totally worth it!), and it gets even higher snow than where I live. So when I went out when I was 9 (my last year in Ontario), I had to ride the laziest horse, Storm (ironic, isn't it?). There's a quarry that the woman owns (every trail, which is practically every possible open area), and you have to go up a steep hill to get to this quarry (we stop and look around, since there's a man-made lake). Well I was near the back (as always with Storm, but not the back-back), and I was using a stick as a crop since I didn't get a crop before leaving (the woman broke it off a tree. It had no sharp ends, she made sure of that). Well, we were told to go off to the left since it isn't as icy, but Storm totally wiped out! I squealed, dropped my stick and tried to remain balanced to help him as he regained his footing. He totally fell to the side and into a snowbank (if it wasn't for all that snow my leg would've been broken, man!), and slid backwards, stopping just barely in front of the horse behind him (thank goodness for the one-horse-length-behind rule being strictly inforced!). Everyone laughed about that the entire ride...

Oh yeah, then once when I was getting Storm in the paddocks (which is a treat for them), I clipped on his lead rope and started leading him. I tried to get him to walk faster, but instead, he stopped... RIGHT ON MY FOOT! Of course, he just had to put all his 900 something pounds onto that foot as he tried to graze!

I refused to lead a horse for three years after that without watching their feet. I'm over it now obviously...