Advice for a hot horse ?

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ashley Cole

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Hi there

I'm hoping to get some advice on my boerperd. When we got him he was fairly fit but calm. In the last two months i've noticed a change in his behaviour, where he is becoming very froward going and fighting the bit. He was on a bulking food which i've taken him off (About 2 months ago) but he still has settled. I've been advised to completely take away his feed for two weeks ? Not sure if this is the best thing to do. We have good grazing and access to hay during the night when stalled. He is exercised 5 times a week (Lunged 3 times and the other days can be a combination of a hack and light work or just schooling). Is it possible that he is being over exercised ? I really don't think it's his feed, he gets such a small amount (Under 2 kg's a day). Any advice ?
 
I would say he is being under exercised if anything, lunging will be keeping him fit if done properly but it is not really making him use himself mentally so he is really only doing 2 days decent work each week and may well be bored, is there a reason for all the lunging and can it be replaced with an extra hack, some interesting schooling work or polework to get more variety into his routine.

He is only in very light work so probably doesn't need ay feed if he has good grass and hay when in, I would cut it out and consider replacing with a vit/ min supplement mixed into something low energy just to get him eating it.
 
that sounds like very light work. I would def take away food and see how he goes, he will be fine on hay for that amount of work.
how much turnout does he get?
 
be positive said:
I would say he is being under exercised if anything, lunging will be keeping him fit if done properly but it is not really making him use himself mentally so he is really only doing 2 days decent work each week and may well be bored, is there a reason for all the lunging and can it be replaced with an extra hack, some interesting schooling work or polework to get more variety into his routine.

He is only in very light work so probably doesn't need ay feed if he has good grass and hay when in, I would cut it out and consider replacing with a vit/ min supplement mixed into something low energy just to get him eating it.
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I’ve started doing more hacking with him in the last few weeks as well as ground work but within 10 minutes of ground work (lots of poles and circles) he just starts hanging and tries to increase his stride on his own without command. We normally cover between 5-7 km on a trail. I also do liberty with him to keep his mind busy but he just seems to be getting worse in his behavior
 
paddi22 said:
that sounds like very light work. I would def take away food and see how he goes, he will be fine on hay for that amount of work.
how much turnout does he get?
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Hi paddi22

Our horses are turned out from 7:30am till 5 pm. They are feed lunch at 12pm. I’ve just cut his food down drastically to less than a handful (just to keep him sane when the other horses are being fed)
 
not over exercised, .... i would say he needs more exercise and cut out all feed but just give a low calorie balancer

why cant he be ridden daily? it would do more good than lunging and you could do poles etc from on top, i suspect that the grass is making him bolshy and he is feeling extra well, if he is being awkward in hand i would ride instead . most horses with no physical issues can be hacked for 2 hours a day easily.
 
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ashley Cole said:
I’ve started doing more hacking with him in the last few weeks as well as ground work but within 10 minutes of ground work (lots of poles and circles) he just starts hanging and tries to increase his stride on his own without command. We normally cover between 5-7 km on a trail. I also do liberty with him to keep his mind busy but he just seems to be getting worse in his behavior
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5-7km is a very short hack (trail). That's what I'll be doing with my old horse, who is coming back into work after several months off (admittedly all in walk)
How hard is he working on the lunge (how long for, amount and duration of trot/canter)
Sounds like he's underworked and full of himself. Get him out, get his heart rate up, and get him sweating.
 
Auslander said:
5-7km is a very short hack (trail). That's what I'll be doing with my old horse, who is coming back into work after several months off (admittedly all in walk)
How hard is he working on the lunge (how long for, amount and duration of trot/canter)
Sounds like he's underworked and full of himself. Get him out, get his heart rate up, and get him sweating.
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On the lunge he’s exercised for probably 20 to 25 minutes max. Lots of trotting and cantering (I’m not sure of the exact time for each). I must say I am surprised that he’s underworked. How long and how are your horses worked on a weekly basis ?
 
splashgirl45 said:
not over exercised, .... i would say he needs more exercise and cut out all feed but just give a low calorie balancer
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I’ll definitely give this a try thank you. He’s just getting so strong for me and it’s starting to make me nervous. He’s bolted once on an outride and praying he doesn’t do it again!
 
ashley Cole said:
I’ve started doing more hacking with him in the last few weeks as well as ground work but within 10 minutes of ground work (lots of poles and circles) he just starts hanging and tries to increase his stride on his own without command. We normally cover between 5-7 km on a trail. I also do liberty with him to keep his mind busy but he just seems to be getting worse in his behavior
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He sounds bored and in need of some decent work, a 5-7 km hack is nothing for a fit horse, liberty work will not keep him busy in the same way ridden work will, he has all day at liberty, give him more to do and see if he settles.
I would expect a fairly fit horse to hack for at least an hour, in all paces, the same with schooling an hour including a warm up, cool down as a minimum, sometimes a hack before or after if time allows, most horses do not work hard enough and they start to find ways to amuse themselves if you are not careful.
 
INGREDIENT STATEMENT
Oats, barley, lucerne, wheaten bran, sunflower seed, soyabean oil cake, full fat soya, vegetable oil, sweet lupins, liquid sugar cane molasses.
Salt, feed lime, mono-calcium phosphate, Vitalins A. D. E. K. B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, choline, magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, cobalt, iodine, selenium, organic selenium, chromium, potassium, lysine, methionine, threonine, live yeast, mould inhibitor and anti-oxidant.

So I think he is getting high energy food and not enough exercise. I do not read that ingredients list and think ooh, nice calm feed.
 
My 21 year old does one/two hours hack 5 times a week, one shorter 30 min lunge, pole work or schooling session and one day off per week. That keeps his weight in control and his brain occupied. He is turned out about 16 to 20 hours a day on fair grazing and has a token feed twice a day. Hope that helps
 
Th
be positive said:
He sounds bored and in need of some decent work, a 5-7 km hack is nothing for a fit horse, liberty work will not keep him busy in the same way ridden work will, he has all day at liberty, give him more to do and see if he settles.
I would expect a fairly fit horse to hack for at least an hour, in all paces, the same with schooling an hour including a warm up, cool down as a minimum, sometimes a hack before or after if time allows, most horses do not work hard enough and they start to find ways to amuse themselves if you are not careful.
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Thank you so much for the advice. I’ll definitely start increasing his exercise in terms of schooling. Hopefully he’ll settle soon so I can start enjoying our rides again
 
ashley Cole said:
On the lunge he’s exercised for probably 20 to 25 minutes max. Lots of trotting and cantering (I’m not sure of the exact time for each). I must say I am surprised that he’s underworked. How long and how are your horses worked on a weekly basis ?
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Most of my lot are in light work - but they do at least an hours work 6 days a week. At the moment, while the evenings are light, most have a decent (10mile) hack 3 times a week, and are schooled, double lunged or free schooled the other days. A few have a lesson one evening a week as well
 
i added a bit to my post which you may not have seen. he is not really doing much at all, he needs at least and hours hack every day with plenty of all paces, walk for the first ten mins and then lots of trotting and cantering in the middle and then walk the last 5 to 10 mins, he could go in the school as well if he is still full of life, he needs to work harder and get tired and his manners will then improve. he can have a day off so he can take it easy but you need to nip this behaviour in the bud as you are already becoming a bit worried.
 
splashgirl45 said:
not over exercised, .... i would say he needs more exercise and cut out all feed but just give a low calorie balancer

why cant he be ridden daily? it would do more good than lunging and you could do poles etc from on top, i suspect that the grass is making him bolshy and he is feeling extra well, if he is being awkward in hand i would ride instead . most horses with no physical issues can be hacked for 2 hours a day easily.
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I’m a student so unfortunately varsity gets in the way when I have a busy week of assignments or class. In hand he’s perfect mainly just in the ring and on an outride.
 
ester said:
INGREDIENT STATEMENT
Oats, barley, lucerne, wheaten bran, sunflower seed, soyabean oil cake, full fat soya, vegetable oil, sweet lupins, liquid sugar cane molasses.
Salt, feed lime, mono-calcium phosphate, Vitalins A. D. E. K. B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, choline, magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, cobalt, iodine, selenium, organic selenium, chromium, potassium, lysine, methionine, threonine, live yeast, mould inhibitor and anti-oxidant.

So I think he is getting high energy food and not enough exercise. I do not read that ingredients list and think ooh, nice calm feed.
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I think I will have to change feeds again. I was just trying this for a month or two to see how he goes but definitely not happy with it
 
tractorgirl said:
My 21 year old does one/two hours hack 5 times a week, one shorter 30 min lunge, pole work or schooling session and one day off per week. That keeps his weight in control and his brain occupied. He is turned out about 16 to 20 hours a day on fair grazing and has a token feed twice a day. Hope that helps
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Thanks so much. It really does. It seems like I need to really up the exercise !
 
splashgirl45 said:
i added a bit to my post which you may not have seen. he is not really doing much at all, he needs at least and hours hack every day with plenty of all paces, walk for the first ten mins and then lots of trotting and cantering in the middle and then walk the last 5 to 10 mins, he could go in the school as well if he is still full of life, he needs to work harder and get tired and his manners will then improve. he can have a day off so he can take it easy but you need to nip this behaviour in the bud as you are already becoming a bit worried.
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Thank you, I’ll definitely relook at his exercise routine and change it up...a lot. I really appreciate all the advice
 
Auslander said:
Most of my lot are in light work - but they do at least an hours work 6 days a week. At the moment, while the evenings are light, most have a decent (10mile) hack 3 times a week, and are schooled, double lunged or free schooled the other days. A few have a lesson one evening a week as well
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Wow. I definitely underestimated the level of exercise he needs. Thanks for all your help, I definitely think it’s going to help
 
you'll soon get to the bottom of it if you cut the feed out, you'll be able to rule that out fairly quickly if it's not it. the grass could have a burst of goodness in it from all the sun and rain recently too.

it could depend on his personality too. I've two very hot clever horses and they would start getting stroppy and fuzzy if they were bored with work. they are athletic and need to be really challenged and worked when they are fit or else they boil over.
 
paddi22 said:
you'll soon get to the bottom of it if you cut the feed out, you'll be able to rule that out fairly quickly if it's not it. the grass could have a burst of goodness in it from all the sun and rain recently too.

it could depend on his personality too. I've two very hot clever horses and they would start getting stroppy and fuzzy if they were bored with work. they are athletic and need to be really challenged and worked when they are fit or else they boil over.
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Thanks so much. He is a busy boy and definitely needs to be challenged.
 
You might also try overnight turnout, if you can. Horses are a lot more nocturnal than people think (they are prey animals after all). I find they behave much better in the spring/summer (even with lush grass) because they will be up moving all night and tend to be quite sleepy during the day.
 
ester said:
INGREDIENT STATEMENT
Oats, barley, lucerne, wheaten bran, sunflower seed, soyabean oil cake, full fat soya, vegetable oil, sweet lupins, liquid sugar cane molasses.
Salt, feed lime, mono-calcium phosphate, Vitalins A. D. E. K. B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, choline, magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, cobalt, iodine, selenium, organic selenium, chromium, potassium, lysine, methionine, threonine, live yeast, mould inhibitor and anti-oxidant.

So I think he is getting high energy food and not enough exercise. I do not read that ingredients list and think ooh, nice calm feed.
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Many horses react badly to lucerne (alfalfa), lupins and/or soya. No horse actually needs sugar cane molasses, except in exceptional circumstances. I would stop that feed, give a handful of grass chaff if he has to have something when everyone else is being fed and definitely increase the exercise.
 
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