My New Horse - What Can Go Wrong Will Go Wrong 

I was wondering about that. I tend to talk a lot when I’m riding…

That is so true! Horses are always paying attention to noises and their ears swivel in the direction. Flat against the poll…angry…upright and turned toward back…listening 😉

This has been a HUGE learning for me, and I absolutely agree with you. It's very disillusioning and a little intimidating when I think about my next horse purchase!

@@HorseTaleswithBlackJack You are an attentive horse mama, I am at about the same "stage" as you. Working at a horse rescue, learning a lot, started horse shopping. Don't beat yourself up, you are doing a great job with what you have been given! You got this! I believe in you fellow horse lover!

@@brendabijak7171 Awwww! Thank you so much!!

​@@HorseTaleswithBlackJack and just wait until you run into the barn owner/trainer that steers you to the vet they use and the two put their heads together to take even greater advantage of your trust/ignorance. Sharing on behalf of a friend....

@@AHinton-f9i That's terrible! This is not instilling much confidence in me!

Awww, thanks!

I noticed that too. He was super ramped up because I was in his stall with him when his buddies were turned out and he wasn't turned out with them. I was making sure his fly boots were clean and I was applying a bit more fly spray, so he watched his friends go out and got a bit hot (for him). So it didn't help when I took his halter off incorrectly.

@HorseTaleswithBlackJack your doing great, I've been around horses for 50 plus years and I still learn knew things.

@@TammySaj-zm6kr I ridden a horse when I was a kid it was fun until the horse got sick of me riding them it's all my fault isn't it ?

Here too, I just couldn't keep him in one! Between him rubbing it off on trees out in the field or his pasture buddies taking it off, I lost more masks than I care to count. Sometimes I was lucky to find one when I searched the field, but most were gone forever. It was expensive at $35 a mask!

@@HorseTaleswithBlackJack I'll never force my future horse to do anything it doesn't want to do eat or wear if so I'm not getting a horse that has to be forced to wear a stupid horse mask it's dumb

Probably my riding skills. They’re not great yet.

She did. I just failed to mention it in the video. He was already wearing one when in his stall, he just lost it every single time he was in the pasture.

I tried to keep a fly mask on him, but every time he went out to the field, he came back without it. Sometimes I was able to find them, most times I wasn't. I think I went through at least 10 masks in just a couple months at that barn! When he was stalled, he was masked.

It does take practice!

Horses are too smart for me I'm not smart enough for that sorry besides I dropped out of riding lessons last year I became unhappy with a horse by riding it in a bit it sucked the fun of it the horse hated it so did I i no longer was having fun riding a horse in lessons I'm sorry

@@alisonjem I think you’re exactly right about the mounting block. Makes me sad to think I was hurting him, but at least we rarely rode. I think I’ve only ridden him 5 or 6 times since I bought him. And yup, I’ve already decided that if there’s anything iffy at all on the next horse, I walk away. Huge lesson for me, for sure.

@@HorseTaleswithBlackJack I’m sorry that you can’t ride and enjoy your horse like you thought you would be able to. But truthfully we have all been there, we are all beginners at some point, and we sometimes have to learn the hard way, while trying to offer the best for our horses. My first horse when I was really young was a similar case, my family wasn’t a horse family so we didn’t know any better…but now I’ve got my own mustang that I trained all by myself and we ride bridle-less and in a neck rope and have so much fun together doing liberty work. Yah know, maybe Black Jack could be your companion horse/ liberty horse and you get him another horse you can ride? And then you could ride Black Jack when he isn’t in periods of lameness , or just possibly retire him altogether. I knew a lady who had a companion horse who would follow along her current riding horse on the trails, she wouldn’t even lead rope him, he just followed her and the other horse it was friends with :). So maybe there are some positives? But seriously wish you the best and I hope you find a good situation for both you and Black Jack that is suitable.

@@alisonjem I might get a horse but I hope it is fully trained that doesn't buck me off

He just had his teeth floated today! And in the final video in this saga, he has X-rays done. 🙂

THANK YOU!! I really tried to do the right things, even though I'm such a novice. I've definitely learned not to trust anyone selling a horse! I'm sorry you're in the same boat.

I know, right???

Thank you! I hope he gets better too! There are updates coming about his lameness. Hint: he's not tenderfooted. :(

He was a lesson horse, so people were riding him, but only once or twice a week, I think. And I think they were usually children, so smaller and lighter than me. I should have asked about the pads. I'm frustrated with myself that I didn't. There were lots of people at the barn who tried to help me and some were wonderful, but the owner led me wrong. I was naive and trusting, and I have learned better now!

He's 14, so pretty middle age. I would like to get a chiropractor out to see him. Anything to make him more comfortable. I tried to keep a fly mask on him, but every time he went out to the field, he came back without it. Sometimes I was able to find them, most times I wasn't. I think I went through at least 10 masks in just a couple months at that barn!

Thank you for your kind comment!! He is a very muscular boy, for sure! I did use a fly mask on him, but it was an (expensive) exercise in futility for the most part. Every time I put a mask on him, he'd lose it out in the pasture, and they were usually gone forever. I probably bought 10 of them in just the couple months I was at his barn.

@@HorseTaleswithBlackJack Sorry to hear that about the fly masks..I was thinking more about so you could ride him without the pollen and miserable flies bothering him. I had my Appaloosa for 15 wonderful years. He was cursed with poor hooves that chipped…peeled…and were prone to abscesses. Many times he was stalled due to that…but he taught me so much as a new equestrian. Like your Black Jack. I think in spite of the issues, you are blessed with a truly kind, willing to please, gentle first horse. He’s a dream. I hope his ailments can be remedied (hooves primarily) because he seems to be the ideal Mount for you. He has a lovely jog, and I think in time that “rocking chair” lope will become more comfortable for you. It’s possible his lope is a bit off because of the front feet issues. Corrective shoeing may help along with the pads if he is prone to stone bruising, or correcting the angle of the hove may also take pressure off the areas of his feet that are painful. It’s a process, but a skilled farrier who specializes in corrective trimming and shoeing can work miracles. Even horses with serious issues can benefit greatly with corrective trims/shoes. I’m now following you because I must see how things progress. Stay positive….whatever comes your way you will figure a way to deal. I heard someone mention keeping close with an experienced barn pal….they can be a true Godsend when you’re learning 💜😉

@@leanneadams2549 Thank you! Good luck with the horse you love!

Thank you! Regardless of the struggles, he's a sweet boy and I love him a ton. His temperament is perfect for a new horse owner like me.

Agreed! It's all about learning!

I had a number of people at the barn help, including my instructor and the barn manager. Most people thought he was just being naughty, especially at the mounting block. NO ONE mentioned he might be in pain, which makes me sad now.

Yeah, I get you. I paid for a broke horse that supposedly had been there, done that. He was a working cow horse for a decade, and he has lots of buttons and neck reins beautifully. When he's not lame...

I agree, ground work is essential. Looking forward to being able to do some!

I will do that! Interestingly, I found out on the day I moved out of that barn (by new barn manager who actually looked into buying my old place) that the whole pasture is on a flood plain. The pasture turned into a literal lake every time we had heavy rain, which is all the time in the spring. Explains a lot, I think.

Thank you! I didn’t know that. I will take a look and see if I can fix it. I think they just went in there in the order I created them.

As a watcher of you tube you can order the list yourself from oldest to newest which is what i did.

Obviously he wasn't comfortable, he was lame. That was the point of that part of the video. I suppose anyone who wants to have a horse has to have extensive schooling and be an expert rider before buying one. I admit that I wasn't knowledgeable enough about the issues that came up on the PPE, but I've done everything I possibly could for him to resolve his issues, which I think you'll see if you watch the other videos on my channel. This was only the beginning of the story.

@@HorseTaleswithBlackJack I just thought to mention it because you where concerned about the front leg, but something seemed up with the hind area as well.

Ohhhhh!! My apologies then. I misunderstood your comment.

I hope your experience goes more smoothly than mine!

@@HorseTaleswithBlackJack thank you but it's been challenging and educational as well. My horse is the opposite of black jack in color he's white with a star and one hind stock lol. Mine is perlino color (I never heard of that before -- nor all the sunburn that goes with it so I had to figure out and train him to sunblock, fly mask, and spray) Our trouble is I brought him home and he's not dealing well with being an only horse. I was thinking if you did do x-rays and he passed those, then sometimes flat soled horses get pads to keep them from getting stone bruises.

@@M-n-M.PSlm569With the PPE, I did not do X-rays in the front because he was not lame on the front at the time. I SHOULD have done X-rays on the hind because he was having issues there. The $$$ was so much that I declined.

@@M-n-M.PSlm569 And about bring the only horse, that’s tough. My husband and I realized that once we made be to our own property, we’d need a second horse, so that makes it a bit easier for us.

I'm working on it today, so hopefully this weekend!

@@HorseTaleswithBlackJack Also, keep in mind the surface that you are walking him on, whether it’s asphalt or hard dirt as opposed to walking him on the grass or softer dirt, the softer the better …that helps their feet as well… no small circles and sometimes you can give them pain meds on the days that you’re gonna ride them, that helps as well… the vet can advise you on this. Lastly, think about leasing or renting a horse before buying one…that is always a good way to get to know a horse and whether they’re a good match for you… and make sure no one sneaking in pain meds to their food when you’re not watching… like before purchase…and again, know how awesome you are for caring about Blackjack… he is clearly meant to be with you and I think will be okay for light riding… see what the new vet and Ferrier say.

On the PPE, the vet tested the hooves in the back, but the front hooves had pads, so he couldn't check them. However, even now when lame, Black Jack has no issues with the vets using a hoof tester on him. His soles seem just fine.