the abused become the abuser
No I think it depends. Most people who didnt recieve any love or care , most of the time dont know how to show love or even tell what they are feeling. Its a foreign feeling for them since the two people who are supposed to teach you that , not only didnt show it but abused him. So probably he confuses abuse with love. Thats the only feeling he is used to, so thats the only feeling he knows and since in the story its not shown he received professional help its most likely he never healed from the trauma, he just choose to forget wich is impossible
If you had been through abused yourself I feel like one who has better understanding of the pain and shouldn't try to do that to others. But in horsey's case he just doubled it and gave it to the next person