Quinn's Story: Part Four

The Dream is Dead

After rehabbing Quinn it was finally time to try again. He'd had a few months off, the vet had cleared him for riding and I'd found a good/patient "trainer" (in quotes b/c she is actually an equine massage therapist/student nurse/excellent hand with horses but not "really" a trainer).
KL rode Quinn a few times and all was well. I even rode him and it was good (I only rode with KL there). I remember the first time I got back on him. KL commented that I looked good and Quinn looked good and asked how I felt. When I told her I was very nervous and a bit scared she said she was surprised, that I looked calm and confident. I told her that I was concentrating on calm and confident, guess it must have been working.
Then I tried to ride by myself and had my panic attack. I believe I've mentioned it before. It was full blown... and for the record I'm not prone to them. There I was crying/shaking/hyperventilating just at the thought of mounting! I did NOT ride that day, any of the three I had planned to.
KL put a few more rides on and then Quinn got a nasty cut on his left front leg. It healed well (not even a scar!) and he was sound but it took a few months. Well now KL couldn't ride (pregnant) and there was no way I was up to it. It was almost winter and I couldn't find anyone I could afford that also had time for a new client (this isn't exactly "horse country"). So Quinn sat.
This spring I decided I HAD to get him ridden and either take lessons and work through my fear or sell him. I was leaning very heavily toward selling. I just can't get myself through this hurdle. When I let him relax and go long and stretch the first thing in my head is "is he putting his head down to buck??".
A girl I barrel race with (LV) has a natural talent for horses, she's an awesome rider and I like how she just IS with a horse. She agreed to put a month on Quinn. This is where Quinn has been for the last month and sadly it was great for the first 2-3 weeks and then Quinn was BAD. Not naughty, not "feeling good" kinda bad. He was BAD . LV said that after about 2 weeks she went out to ride one day and he bucked like crazy. Funny thing was, she hadn't even got on! He was tied up in the barn, she went to bridle him and when she took his halter off he just blew up. He bucked like a demon in the barn and then ran out and continued bucking down the driveway. LV's dad caught him and helped her settle him. He had the rest of the day off.
Okay, she and I had the same thought... maybe she'd spooked him. He'd been tied in the barn for awhile (20-30 minutes) and maybe was dozing. Could happen. She gave him the benefit of the doubt.
*for the record: I had told LV everything I knew about Quinn. I had also told her that he has never been mean or dirty... that he hasn't tried to hurt anyone. I truly believed this. It was her family's connection that had been interested in buying Quinn, the one that I wasn't sure if I should take a bigger loss or try to sell on my own*
LV's sister went to check on Quinn to see if he was sore, or out (she does equine chiro and laser therapy). He was a bit sore in some spots but she treated him and thought he'd be fine to keep working. Then the "really bad thing" happened. :(
LV went to ride Quinn. She had him tied up outside. When she went to untie him he blew up again. There was no way she spooked him this time, she was talking to him as she walked up and he turned his head and looked at her. This time when he blew up he plowed her right over and she had to run for safety. When I heard this I felt awful. I can't even describe how badly I felt. He had very obviously not cared whether he hurt her or not. In fact it seemed mean and dirty, she said that the INSTANT she untied him he blew. She said it was like he was smart and had intended to hurt her. Most horses will move away from you and give themselves some room if they pitch a fit like this, but not him, not this time.
I was extremely grateful that LV wasn't hurt. A bit banged up but nothing broken or otherwise badly injured. Her dad had witnessed the whole thing and after making sure his daughter was fine he got Quinn caught and settled. They checked him out and hosed his legs (he'd gone through a fence, but had only minor scrapes) She didn't ride him again (and I don't blame her) LV even tried to refund half my money. Instead I gave her dad a gift certificate for our restaurant (he didn't want me to pay for the fence, I offered).
Obviously now the buyer they knew didn't want him. lol
When I picked him up LV was very disappointed. She felt like she let me down, I told her not to feel bad that it wasn't her fault. After lots of talk (2 hours) we came to the conclusion that maybe he's just one of those horses who has a gender preference and that he is a guy's horse. After all, it was her dad who got him calmed down both times. And the only time he's ever bucked or acted up has been with a female handler.
So after much thought he is for sale at a greatly reduced price. I will be honest with the buyer's and am recommending that he not be a ladies horse. I've turned away buyer's already (had calls on him in less than 2 days of posting his ad).
The extra sucky thing... LV said that after her first 2 weeks or so she was thinking that I should give him another chance and try to work through my fear because he's just such a nice horse to ride. :(
Okay, we're up to date. That is the end of Quinn's story for now. I'll update if he gets sold or anything "news worthy" happens. Thanks to everyone for listening to my long-winded tale and its your turn to let me have it (please be gentle lol)