Advice on lazy horse

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JumpingCob

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I need advice on what to do to sort my lazy horse. In the past he has been very willing to work but now he seems bored and even turned to being grumpy in the stable(he is a 16hh Cob). He jumps up to 120cm and has always been willing, but during this winter he has started to eat all the wood in his stable (not a cribber or a stressor) become very grumpy in the stable and very lazy to ride, I a struggling to keep him in canter or even get him into canter (given he isn't the fittest horse but is ridden at least 4 times a week). I thought he may be bored but he hadn't done much on the road so always stuck to the arena, however last weekend I took him out hacking and he seemed a little more energetic but still lacking his usually energy. I wondered maybe if he is lacking something in the way of feeding (he doesn't get much as a very good doer) he has happy hoof chaff and haylage. Just wondering if anyone has any idea's as it is really frustrating that he is capable of a lot but doesn't seem to have the energy for anything. I also thought it could be back or teeth? Thanks hope someone can help????
 
What is his lifestyle? eg how many hours is he turned out? companions? hours in stable? etc. How much haylage does he get per day? Any grazing?
 
He 'could' be anaemic which makes horses unusually lethargic……this would be picked up by taking bloods.

Of course this could be a red herring, but if it was my horse, would be one of things I would want discounted.
 
Could be lacking iron, which would cause the laziness, get a vet to run bloods and they'll soom know if this is it.

There may be a hidden issue, is his back etc ok? Unwillingness to go forward could be a sign of discomfort, not all horses react in the same way to discfort.
 
Arzada said:
What is his lifestyle? eg how many hours is he turned out? companions? hours in stable? etc. How much haylage does he get per day? Any grazing?
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I will get the vet out ASAP, he is out in the field everyday in the week unless the weather is awful but there isn't much grass (clay fields) so very muddy so we put haylage out for them, I keep him at home with a welsh section a as a companion, he did have another companion until feb 2014 when we sold him on. Thanks for all your replies.
 
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Just as an aside, I wonder if he is grumpy and bored because he is just plain hungry?

I know he is a cob and a good doer, but quite a chunk at 16hh - I have cobs that are the same (except smaller!), but they both get 10 kgs haylage. I know it is only a couple of kg's difference, but mine do get 'difficult' when they are hungry.

Hope you get to the bottom of it x
 
L&M said:
Just as an aside, I wonder if he is grumpy and bored because he is just plain hungry?

I know he is a cob and a good doer, but quite a chunk at 16hh - I have cobs that are the same (except smaller!), but they both get 10 kgs haylage. I know it is only a couple of kg's difference, but mine do get 'difficult' when they are hungry.

Hope you get to the bottom of it x
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Perhaps, although when we bought him he was a little under his weight (not skinny at all but needed to put on some) however know he is the total opposite, he is a little over weight and although it doesn't seem much for his build it is what we have been advised to give him. He has always got grumpy when food is involved though :') he is a bit of a food monster. Thanks again :) x
 
could be hungry- my 15hh mare is getting ad lib hay in the stable and in the last 2 weeks is eating at least 10kg of hay overnight and there is still enough grass in the field that they are grazing for most of the day. she also gets 14stubbs scoop (dry measure) of soaked molasses free sugar beet pellets, 1/2 stubbs scoop hi fi molasses free, 1 mug micronised linseed, salt and pro hoof supplement-she also gets a scoop of chaff before work when grazing is not good.
could be ulcers or could be lacking something in his diet that would show in bloods.

edited as seen your reply-if he is overweight feed him soaked hay not haylage as he can then have more in quantity which means he will feel fuller and he will have food in his digestive system helping to prevent ulcers. 4kgsisnot going to last him long so he will be spending a lot of time with no food in his system which is not healthy
 
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Does the fact that he chews his stable suggest at the iron deficiency/ anaemia to? I know they do that when they are lacking something and he is not a crib biter, although companion is so could just be copying.
 
I doubt wood chewing would be a sign of anaemia, but could be a lack of fibre, or possibly just boredom - 4 kgs of haylage overnight wouldn't keep mine occupied for long….could you provide him with some other low calorie things to nibble, like a swede on a rope?

I would still be tempted to get a vets opinion though…..x
 
I certainly would get his teeth checked. Also I know cobs tend to be good doers and often pile on the weight but they still sometimes need a pick me up. My cob, when he was in work, would lack energy at certain times because I was trying to keep his weight down and feeding lots of low energy fibre. At these points I would add a small amount of corn oil to his diet, this gave him a boost. It was better then adding cereal to his diet which seemed to give him too much, so much that it was like he could not handle it.
 
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