Angelbones
Well-Known Member
Hi everyone,
Please indulge my pouty and sulky mood, I know I probably need a good slap but I do feel really down about this. So the story so far:
After nursing my last horse through 2 years of lameness workups etc he finally went to horsey heaven on 1 July. I didn't think I had it in my to take on anything else at that time, and I was due to start college (mature student 46 ) in Sept. However, daughter was in need of a new ride so we went horsey shopping like you do.. Found a horse relatively locally, he was vaguely known via farrier, had proven record doing pc teams with 12-16 yr old girl, was so nice he was almost dull, and was probably exactly what I needed rather than wanted, but would do mum/daughter share so he was 5 stage vetted and he sailed through. The vet said he was the nicest horse he had vetted in months, and the soundest, and that he would buy him without a doubt for his daughter to BE or his wife to hunt. He's 16h1, age 11, Appaloosa. So deal done.
He came to us on 7 Sept. He looked a bit like he'd had a tough season out competing and his coat looked a bit dull, but then they'd had no grass really - being the end of the summer etc. I put him on Alfa A oil, and Top spec comprehensive balancer which is the same as my others who all do well on it and I've never had a horse before who changed due to feeding up / down / change of feed.
Anyway, he was a total poppet, easy to do, easy to have on the yard, easy to turn out etc. We hacked him out - superstar, non spooky, walked out well etc. He was taken solo around a strange farm; superstar, non spooky, cantered calmly etc. He was lovely in the school, gave his all. So good so far.
Then he started to become a bit twitchy on the yard, nervy when tacking up, no concentration in the school, still good to hack out but a bit looky. Daughter jumped him in the school briefly after a hack and he was a bit bouncy after the jump (I wasn't there but was told).
Then the day came when I thought I'd take him in the school and do some pole work, and a baby grid. Trot poles went ok, then the little raised pole. Progressed to canter pole and 2ft jump. He stayed steady going in and over (had leg on as he needed it) then landed and bronked. Came around again, landed then head up, tossing it, tried to leg it but got him back within a few strides, came around again - fine over the jump then bronked for England. I went through all the 'is it how I'm riding? Get off his back / sit the jump / leg on / leg off / soft hands / hold him more' stuff but it didn't change anything.
I then took him in the field to try some xc fences and he did the plunging forward bronking thing before the jump. He stopped when I said no and then we did it calmly then he did the bucking bronking afterwards. I walked him off then called it a day.
So, process of deduction. I know his teeth are up to date, passed vetting with flying colours, saddle fitter been and done, his workload hasn't changed since previous home so decided must be food - quantity rather than quality but must be more volume than he's been on so perhaps he's just feeling better than he has in a while?
So it's now been 9 days since new diet - he's now on just grass and ad lib hay when in. We do have a lot of grass at the mo but his field isn't overly covered and I've put some sheep in it.
Today he went in the school, his concentration was better and he wasn't looky. We put a pole on the ground between two wings, walked over it fine. Then trotted over it - small bronk. Then cantered over it - massive explosion all relatively on the spot on landing. He whacked the rider in the face, then ducked out under her, then bucked etc.
So now I'm feeling v low about it. I just want my nice plod horse back - I want to do hacking, sponsored rides etc, the odd bit of sj or xc but at the mo I don't want to get on him other than to hack and I'm worried that'll go wrong too. So I'm pouting and sulking because I haven't got what I thought I'd got and I don't know how to get him back. How long could it take to get the foody high out of his system? What else can I do? I am happy to call the back lady if he's still fizzy in a week or so but doubt that is his problem.
So as I said, sorry for brat post. Can anyone offer me any consolation or ideas please?
I've got some wine here but as I don't normally drink I'll probably have half of it spare shortly, I can freeze and post
Please indulge my pouty and sulky mood, I know I probably need a good slap but I do feel really down about this. So the story so far:
After nursing my last horse through 2 years of lameness workups etc he finally went to horsey heaven on 1 July. I didn't think I had it in my to take on anything else at that time, and I was due to start college (mature student 46 ) in Sept. However, daughter was in need of a new ride so we went horsey shopping like you do.. Found a horse relatively locally, he was vaguely known via farrier, had proven record doing pc teams with 12-16 yr old girl, was so nice he was almost dull, and was probably exactly what I needed rather than wanted, but would do mum/daughter share so he was 5 stage vetted and he sailed through. The vet said he was the nicest horse he had vetted in months, and the soundest, and that he would buy him without a doubt for his daughter to BE or his wife to hunt. He's 16h1, age 11, Appaloosa. So deal done.
He came to us on 7 Sept. He looked a bit like he'd had a tough season out competing and his coat looked a bit dull, but then they'd had no grass really - being the end of the summer etc. I put him on Alfa A oil, and Top spec comprehensive balancer which is the same as my others who all do well on it and I've never had a horse before who changed due to feeding up / down / change of feed.
Anyway, he was a total poppet, easy to do, easy to have on the yard, easy to turn out etc. We hacked him out - superstar, non spooky, walked out well etc. He was taken solo around a strange farm; superstar, non spooky, cantered calmly etc. He was lovely in the school, gave his all. So good so far.
Then he started to become a bit twitchy on the yard, nervy when tacking up, no concentration in the school, still good to hack out but a bit looky. Daughter jumped him in the school briefly after a hack and he was a bit bouncy after the jump (I wasn't there but was told).
Then the day came when I thought I'd take him in the school and do some pole work, and a baby grid. Trot poles went ok, then the little raised pole. Progressed to canter pole and 2ft jump. He stayed steady going in and over (had leg on as he needed it) then landed and bronked. Came around again, landed then head up, tossing it, tried to leg it but got him back within a few strides, came around again - fine over the jump then bronked for England. I went through all the 'is it how I'm riding? Get off his back / sit the jump / leg on / leg off / soft hands / hold him more' stuff but it didn't change anything.
I then took him in the field to try some xc fences and he did the plunging forward bronking thing before the jump. He stopped when I said no and then we did it calmly then he did the bucking bronking afterwards. I walked him off then called it a day.
So, process of deduction. I know his teeth are up to date, passed vetting with flying colours, saddle fitter been and done, his workload hasn't changed since previous home so decided must be food - quantity rather than quality but must be more volume than he's been on so perhaps he's just feeling better than he has in a while?
So it's now been 9 days since new diet - he's now on just grass and ad lib hay when in. We do have a lot of grass at the mo but his field isn't overly covered and I've put some sheep in it.
Today he went in the school, his concentration was better and he wasn't looky. We put a pole on the ground between two wings, walked over it fine. Then trotted over it - small bronk. Then cantered over it - massive explosion all relatively on the spot on landing. He whacked the rider in the face, then ducked out under her, then bucked etc.
So now I'm feeling v low about it. I just want my nice plod horse back - I want to do hacking, sponsored rides etc, the odd bit of sj or xc but at the mo I don't want to get on him other than to hack and I'm worried that'll go wrong too. So I'm pouting and sulking because I haven't got what I thought I'd got and I don't know how to get him back. How long could it take to get the foody high out of his system? What else can I do? I am happy to call the back lady if he's still fizzy in a week or so but doubt that is his problem.
So as I said, sorry for brat post. Can anyone offer me any consolation or ideas please?
I've got some wine here but as I don't normally drink I'll probably have half of it spare shortly, I can freeze and post