I wish Spike would show me love
AMANDA SAYS Spike* comes through as very cantankerous and irritable. He’s obviously a challenge for Ellie on a daily basis. Spike is nearly eight years old and he tells me Ellie has owned him for almost two years. Ellie rides him about three or four times a week.
Spike tells me he’s being trained for dressage and doesn’t like being put under pressure. He much prefers bush rides. He admits he recently threw off the man who trained him and he had to go to hospital.
Spike saw humans treat his mother badly when he was young and he was taken away from her at a young age.
He wants Ellie to know he can’t forget his horrible past and feels he doesn’t need humans in his life at all. He’s angry at all humans. This is so sad to see because he’s very intelligent, but he wants Ellie to know this and she’s not at fault. He really does appreciate everything she’s done for him. ELLIE SAYS Spike has always had a difficult temperament, so I thought Amanda would be the best person to shed some light on it.
She was amazing and picked up his grumpiness straight away. He’s also very aloof.
Amanda said he was holding onto lots of anger from when he and his mother were treated cruelly at their first home.
I’m his third owner, but I’ve had him for most of his life.
Amanda said he’s a difficult case and is stuck in this cycle, despite my efforts to make my home a loving and caring environment.
I’ve got a better understanding of him now, but unfortunately there hasn’t been much improvement so far. I’ll keep him as he doesn’t want to change owners and I want to do what’s best for him. I just wish he’d show me some love from time to time. *Names have been changed.