Advice Please

spot22

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19 January 2014
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For the last 3 weeks our 12 year old mare will not tie up on the lead rein . She reared up a coupe of times for some reason . She seems to be scared of her own shadow at the moment . I now have to tie her up with a long lung line . It has helped a bit but I sence she is not 100% happy. She seems very spooky at the moment. Any advice ?
 
Hay net? Has she been frightened by something? Do you always tie her in the same spot and do you have somewhere else to tie up? Does she like being groomed and you could try a soothing groom with treats?
 
She does not like being tied up outside her stable , hay net is always in her stable. I now tie her up with the lung line opposite her own stable , she like being groomed. What is a soothing groom ? I sense that she does not like being left tied up while I muck out her stable. She seems very sensitive to strange noises like doors banging or if someone drops something near her. She just seems on edge all the time. I just can't put my finger on the problem at the moment. We have tried calmer in her food for the last 12 months . She is very strong to ride ( according to my daughter ) . She does not like being left out in the field on her own and paces up and down if she is the last one to come in at night. Her breed is a ISH . She has had in the past 3 physio sessions on her back. Maybe it is just the way she is
 
Many horses don't like being left alone in the field :confused3: Most yards I've been on have a strict rule re no horse being left alone in the field. If she doesn't like being tied up while you muck out, muck out with her in the stable.

A soothing groom=a good brush down. Is English not your first language?
 
I suppose being born in Scotland does qualify me as English being my first language lol. I assumed a smooth groom was some special brush you use on the horse , you will have to excuse me as I am new to the equine world and am just learning the lingo.
 
Why don't you turn the horse out in the field while you muck out? That would avoid your problem.
As for her being on edge, do you feed her on alfalfa? It can make some horses very spooky. even if you don't feed alfalfa, it would be worth looking at her diet to see if something else could be affecting her.
 
You say you tie her up outside the stable and her haynet is inside. Have you tried giving her a haynet while she is tied up outside? She may just be bored and acting up, give her something to do - ie eat.

All the faffing around with lunge lines and changing her feeds is probably making her more anxious.
 
The weather is driving horses crazy. They are sensetive animals and react to their environment. What we have at the moment is not normal and they know it. Persevere and dont panic ,work with your horse and not against it. (Mike write this out 100 times !!!:o:o) It will all turn out OK honestly:)
 
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