Corslew euthanized after attack

[skeenan]

If a stallion really wants to kill you, it doesn't matter what sex you are, they will find a way. Catrail is definitely one who needs to be put down as well.

I don't think people here quite realize the risk of keeping a dangerous stallion, especially one who only stands for $2000. There's a lot of liability involved and I don't think the risk of keeping him was worth it in the end.

You said exactly what I was going to post...

I truly believe ANY horse can kill you if they ever decided to... it's just lucky for us that 99.9% choose not to. Other than having a cattle prod in hand, no one would have much of a chance if any horse made the decision to come after you in an area without personal protection... no matter how accomplished a horse person one is. I wouldn't have any less than an army to move a stallion like that, and everyone would have some sort of crop, whip, or whatever stallion handlers use...

[summerhorse]

I truly believe ANY horse can kill you if they ever decided to... it's just lucky for us that 99.9% choose not to.

So right. After reading of so many people's experiences with dangerous horses (and they do come in all shapes, sizes and sexes) I am amazed that there aren't MORE of them out there! Either they are angels or very very dumb... But some are just plain mean whether they are born or made it doesn't stop them from biting, kicking, or stomping you into the ground.

[BJ]

I truly believe ANY horse can kill you if they ever decided to... it's just lucky for us that 99.9% choose not to.

So right. After reading of so many people's experiences with dangerous horses (and they do come in all shapes, sizes and sexes) I am amazed that there aren't MORE of them out there! Either they are angels or very very dumb... But some are just plain mean whether they are born or made it doesn't stop them from biting, kicking, or stomping you into the ground.

But most horses kill or mame by accident and as a result of people being "dumb"

I'm thinking the Corslew situation was a *little* of people being dumb and stallion just being a stallion.

In any case, I hope his death was quick and painless, but I doubt the people could resist showing who would have the final say. I hope the injured farm owner/handler recovers fully with a more enlightened perspective to guide her in the future.

[summerhorse]

Most accidents are accidents but there are horses of all ages, sizes, breeds and sexes that will deliberately try to hurt you. And they won't always give notice either. But that won't make you any less hurt, maimed or dead.

[zinn21]

Ellen Jackson is an excellent horsewoman with decades of experience handling stallions. Victory Rose has stood a minimum of five stallions for years.

To suggest she lacked handling expertise or that Corslew's attack was her fault is absurd. Putting Corslew down was the correct decision.

[Linda in TX]

But most horses kill or mame by accident and as a result of people being "dumb" I'm thinking the Corslew situation was a *little* of people being dumb and stallion just being a stallion.

ANY horse has the potential to nail us despite our degree of preparedness, hypervigilance, expertise, and intelligence. A horse has a size advantage, and is sometimes so quick we end up tripping over our own feet trying to get out of their way. I've been unexpectedly blitzed a time or two. The worst predicament I ever faced wasn't with a Thoroughbred stallion but a cold-blood GELDING hell bent on ripping me apart with a well-coordinated attack.

It's one thing for a horse to kick us if we stupidly startle it from behind, and something else again for the horse to deliberately go for our juggler when it has the opportunity (as Corslew did when Jackson was on the ground and defenseless, and the gelding who knew exactly what he was doing when he went after me).

We don't end up putting down all the ones that hurt us, of course, but at least the world is a little safer when we get rid of the really nasty rogues that can't be rehabilitated. I suppose that's one reason why many people support the death penalty.

Even if that had been Corslew's first incident of behaving that way, it was still one time too many, and if I was in the position to make the decision, I wouldn't hesitate to put down any like him.

[halfpint23]

It's one thing for a horse to kick us if we stupidly startle it from behind, and something else again for the horse to deliberately go for our juggler when it has the opportunity (as Corslew did when Jackson was on the ground and defenseless, and the gelding who knew exactly what he was doing when he went after me).

We don't end up putting down all the ones that hurt us, of course, but at least the world is a little safer when we get rid of the really nasty rogues that can't be rehabilitated. I suppose that's one reason why many people support the death penalty.

Even if that had been Corslew's first incident of behaving that way, it was still one time too many, and if I was in the position to make the decision, I wouldn't hesitate to put down any like him.

Amen, Sister. Having been on the receiving end a couple of times, I am plumb out of pity for those animals (or humans) who choose to act as a predator. To breed on a terrible disposition is only doing a huge disservice to the breed, as well, IMHO.

Let's face it, the Thoroughbred has a widely held reputation for having flighty (at best) or dangerous (at worst) temperament - why in God's name would anybody breed to a horse with a known propensity for acting in a dangerous manner toward human beings?

I have bred sporthorses from TB mares for decades now - and the hardest part is to find mares who do NOT pass on questionable dispositions to their foals, thanks to people who will breed them with only one parameter in mind - sheer speed, and all else be damned.

Glad the owners took the high road on this one, the breed won't miss him. May his injured handlers recover well, and completely.

[madelyn]

There are too many good horses out there to tolerate, for one moment, a bad one. They did the right thing.

Our stallion, Rocking Trick, is living proof that a horse can be a G1 winner and still have the disposition of an angel. He also seems to pass his incredible temperament and intelligence to his foals (along with very good looks) -- The four we have on the ground are out of dissimilar mares, one is a bit of a difficult sort, and the foals were all smart, curious and friendly from the point of touchdown.

[BJ]

Ellen Jackson is an excellent horsewoman with decades of experience handling stallions. Victory Rose has stood a minimum of five stallions for years.

To suggest she lacked handling expertise or that Corslew's attack was her fault is absurd. Putting Corslew down was the correct decision.

I don't think anyone even came close to suggesting the attack was her "fault".

This is a discussion and opining based on whatever facts are known.

1. The question was posed by more than one person, who quite naturally wondered, IF the female handler was possibly menstruating at the time, and putting off a scent that might only be picked up by the stallion.

2. It was also stated that she was walking him back to his stall or paddock when the attack occured. My question would be then, IF Corslew was known to be mean or nasty, WHAT went into the thinking that would have only one individual handling Corslew?

But then again...READING THIS EXCERPT, one would conclude, quite rightfully, that Corslew had never SHOWN any mean or nasty tendencies AND that the handler was alone and UNPREPARED to handle a situation such as the one that happened. So perhaps, there was a little complacent overconfidence sprinkled into the dangerous mix of walking a stallion by another stallion, by oneself...and a female to boot.

You know how you can tell if my opinion is correct...whether or not the handler ever does the same thing again without being REAL prepared and alert.

I don't care how great a horseperson one is...there are times just like the one in the article, that extreme caution and preparedness, PLUS more than one person is needed to handle the situation.

EXCERPT:

""I was walking Corslew back from the breeding shed, and we were strolling by another stallion's paddock when suddenly I was knocked to the ground," said Jackson. "I guess that the other stallion's presence triggered him to do it, because he wanted to fight and I was standing in between him and the other horse. That is all I can figure at this point. The attack was real quick and the next second I was on the ground, and the horse was on top of me."

Veterinary technician Cindy McClinn heard Jackson's screams and hit Corslew with a shank until the stallion retreated and trotted toward his paddock, leaving Jackson injured and bleeding, Jackson said.

"If it wasn't for Cindy I'd be dead," she said. "I've owned this farm for 18 years, I'm not a novice and know what a stallion can do. Corslew had never shown savage tendencies. I had never seen that side of him."
According to Jackson, her farm manager corraled Corslew, who continued to try and attack him as he was led back to the barn.

"I don't know what got into him," Jackson said. ..." http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todays ... 6&subsec=6

I stand by my opinion, based upon the facts in the article above, that this was a *little* bit of people being dumb/naive/unthinking and a stallion just being a stallion in this situation. It's called NATURE!

[halfpint23]

<SNIP>
I stand by my opinion, based upon the facts in the article above, that this was a *little* bit of people being dumb/naive/unthinking and a stallion just being a stallion in this situation. It's called NATURE!

Baloney. Period.

I have had to separate my older stallion from another, on the fight across a wire fence - and my horse did NOT turn on me, knock me down and then ATTACK me instead of the other horse! I did approach with great caution, but my horse heeded my verbal call, backed AWAY from the other horse, and then stood down while I put on his shank and led him away - prancing and displaying mightily the entire time, I might add.

I have had another stallion go "on the fight" to the challange of another, but he did NOT run over me and then turn his rage upon ME. On the one occasion I had one get away from me, he ran to the other horse - NOT jumping on my prone body to tear chunks out of the defenseless human.

This horse had his priorities fouled up, and he was very dangerous - and if he'd been left alive to think about it later, he'd have gotten WORSE. I have seen a moderate sized horse toss a 130 pound bale of hay twenty feet across a paddock. Think for a moment about what one can do to your body if he has a mind to!

Done with this, you either learn from your experiences or you suffer later.

[summerhorse]

Most of the original articles said the horse was known to be dangerous, people who visited him at his old ranch (which still owned him) said he was dangerous, they said he "came with a warning", this ranch specializes in last chance horses. Maybe the handler was lulled into thinking he wasn't THAT bad but that doesn't change the fact he WAS that bad and the owners of the horse (Rancho San Miguel) are the ones who chose to put him down. I applaud them for thinking of the workers first and not sending him somewhere else where he might actually kill somebody. All horses can be dangerous and even mean but relatively few, even nasty stallions, will make a concentrated attack to kill on a person. I cannot fathom why anyone would want to breed to one that does (esp. at that level of mediocrity) and you couldn't pay me enough to deal with one like that.

[BJ]

Most of the original articles said the horse was known to be dangerous, people who visited him at his old ranch (which still owned him) said he was dangerous, they said he "came with a warning", this ranch specializes in last chance horses. Maybe the handler was lulled into thinking he wasn't THAT bad but that doesn't change the fact he WAS that bad and the owners of the horse (Rancho San Miguel) are the ones who chose to put him down. I applaud them for thinking of the workers first and not sending him somewhere else where he might actually kill somebody. All horses can be dangerous and even mean but relatively few, even nasty stallions, will make a concentrated attack to kill on a person. I cannot fathom why anyone would want to breed to one that does (esp. at that level of mediocrity) and you couldn't pay me enough to deal with one like that.

I only read the one article that was linked and referenced in my post.

You just made my point. IF he came with a warning, WHY was he being walked by one person and WHY was his paddock anywhere near another stallion?

In any event, I'm not arguing whether or not the stallion should have been put down. My argument and opinion is HOW & WHY he was handled the way he was...most especially IF he came with a warning that he was KNOWN to be dangerous.

As for breeding a stallion like that, known to be mean and nasty...totally agree...WHY breed that kind of temperament on, at all? He'd have to be a PROVEN Nasrullah-type for it to be worth the risk.

[Karie]

Intrinsic Worth wrote: Catrail is definitely one who needs to be put down as well

Actually I was told he is dead... Long time ago I had looked into him as a stallion for my Doyoun mare and talked to the farm that said.. sorry.. he is dead... I knew nothing about him at the time then I saw how homely he was and heard about his terrible attitude.. so I am glad it didn't work out!

[Indychase]

I don't know Ellen Jackson and have never met her, but from looking at photographs of her I think it's very possible she's past the age of menstruation.

[Intrinsic Worth]

Intrinsic Worth wrote: Catrail is definitely one who needs to be put down as well

Actually I was told he is dead... Long time ago I had looked into him as a stallion for my Doyoun mare and talked to the farm that said.. sorry.. he is dead... I knew nothing about him at the time then I saw how homely he was and heard about his terrible attitude.. so I am glad it didn't work out!

I worked with Catrail in Ireland. He lived in a chifney 24/7. He actually pulled a stallion man over his paddock fence and tried to kill him. I was supposed to ride over with him to the US when he was sold, but I didn't want to be anywhere near him.

The last I heard, he was standing in Canada. I wouldn't be surprised if he was put down though.

Be glad you didn't breed to him, his offspring are mean and insane.