Having read all the responses and the detailed account of your problem. Sending him back is obviously an option. Getting help from a trainer is highly advisable.

In the meantime and having had a horse run for the gate in the manner described, for safetys sake if you do ride him the very moment he tries this pull his nose to one side. It's a surefire way to get control without wrestling. If he is thrashing his head then he will the tug of war.

Taking his nose to one side gains the control back to you. Make sure you continue forward momentum and hold him in tight circle. When goes soft release his nose and see how he goes, as soon as he takes over repeat until he learns that you are riding him and he is not taking you for a ride. (make sure you keep him moving forward)

Hi, ive just read all the replies so far to this posting and agree with every thing thats been said. I bought a new horse a couple of months ago and she was described as being 100% bombproof etc etc. I paid alot for her to get what i thought would be the perfect first horse ( if one exists!) . I did everything i could think of to safeguard my purchase, got an experienced friend to ride her, rode her myself at different times of day etc and got her vetted. Then i got her home...hmmm. She had been in the same home fo 6 years and took ages to settle down. In the end i moved yards after just one month and i was seriously worried that i had bitten off more than i could handle. She was flighty, spooky, unpredictable and very stressed.

Thankfully, due to a great new yard owner and a strict diet plus loads of exercise we are slimmer fitter and infinately calmer two months down the line. I put her on Magic, a calming supplement just to help her chill out a bit and we concentrated on having lots of long stress free rides and getting back to enjoying it again. I m afraid had i been hospitalised as you have then the horse wouldve been sent packing by now. There is only so much behaviour you can blame on the stress of moving home etc and you either need professional help or take the choke and pack his bags before he does some damage.
Best of luck either way.

hello

If your criollo is from S America it is probably desperate for grass and turnout! Having said that, if it is dangerous then I think if you can still do so (legally and without breaking your heart)you should consider returning it.

I have a very much loved horse who scared me witless for the first year I had him (11/1/2yrs ago). He only became managable on lots of turnout and long rides (40 miles competative ones). he is better now he is growing old. However his growing old is the growing old disgracefully. At 17 1/2 yrs old he crossed our arena in two mighty bucks on Sunday!

I love him to bits but I do think if I had returned him in the first few days when his health and mental issues (hes alpha male+) became obvious my riding woudl be far further on now. Cos hes so damn pretty looking he has got away with hospitalising me once last year and some injuries when I first had him when I was daft enough not to go to hospital and now cause me ongoing problems. I dont regret buying him because of his personality but I do know I would have progressed further with a more amenable horse.

Just a thought - it might be worth getting his teeth checked maybe there could be problem there or even his backed checked from what you have said in relation to his head shaking he maybe in pain - did you buy the tack with him? or did you have to buy new??  I agree with everyone else whether its bad manners or lack of proper professional training you really do need to speak to the people you bought him from - find out what kind of turnout he was having with his previous owner if he was having 24hr turnout etc - if you have restricted turnout this could be another reason for him misbehaving (not acceptable obviously) but at least it will give you some insight to what he has been used to.  One thing is for sure you don't want this horse wrecking your confidence in riding - he will be able to feel your tenseness which will just add to the problems you are having.

Hi there,
Sorry you are having so many problems, sounds like a nightmare, especially when you were probably really excited about getting him and looking forward to doing stuff with him.
If you have not already contacted the seller I would suggest you do so, even if you are not settled on whether you are going to keep him. If you bought him from someone who sells horses as part of their business, you may have rights under the Sale of Goods Act/sale and supply of goods to consumers regulations. If the horse is not fit for its purpose, it may be that the seller has a civil legal obligation to provide you with a remedy to what is, effectively, a breach of contract, but the sooner you contact them and make them aware there is a problem, the better position you will be in, even if you decide to keep him in the end. It may be that as a solution, the seller could agree to part funding the cost of some re-training? I guess it depends how amicable they are about it.
If you feel you want further advice on your legal position with this, and what your options are, Consumer Direct is a government run helpline who provide impartial advice to consumers who are experience problems with something they have bought, or a contract they have entered. They are on 08454 04 05 06.
Good luck, really hope you get it sorted.
Rachel

Did you buy him from one of these Criollo farm places?
Dont thier horses usually come under a garuntee or such like, I would send it back and get your money back for it, if it is being dangerous its not worth the hassle.
Your not the only person I have heard about having problems with a criollo