ADVISE PLEASE - stressed horse

Topstripe

Topstripe

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My horse gets stressed when left on his own in a field, even though he has others in a field at the side of him (albeit he cant really see them due to a large thick hedge!). I am on a yard and this is the only field I have use of. We had the field divided and my friend moved her horse the other day into another field she had acquired and as such he will be turned out by himself again.

He is on box rest at moment due to a shoulder injury but he is now sound and want to turn him back out on Wednesday however he gets stressed and fence walks. He doesnt tend to do it straight away but more later on when he wants to come in.

I have today moved the electric tape and put out short 2 metres lengths coming out on right angles to the fence so he doesnt have a full straight fence to walk to tyr and get him out of the habit.

Someone else has suggested a calmer to try and take the edge off.

Someone else has suggested starving him the night before she he is really hungry when he goes out so he has to take up his day looking for his food?!? However is seems to be when he wants to come in when he is really bad with his fence walking.

He looses so much condition and I am worried he is going to injure his shoulder even more by fence walking and getting stressed?!

Any ideas would be grateful!
 
Is there any chance he could go into another field where he can see other horses so basically you swap fields with someone?.
Calmer is only really a short term method, I wouldn't use it for longer term for sure...ermmm...other than possibly getting a snack ball?....enterainment purposes more than anything or make the hedge smaller?....I have no idea really sorry.
 
My boy is like this but is turned out with others! I would like to get to the stage with him that I didn't have to rely on others bringing him in (it costs me a small fortune) lol
He is currently on box rest too so I don't have the problem to much at the moment but worried when I start to turn him out again :( I did have the issue at the start when others were turned out he would go mental but now I have Ollie on a calmer.
Ollie is on Magic liquid calmer and it is currently working a dream with him! He is almost like a donkey, I say almost through gritted teeth :D
 
Thanks guys for your advise!
Chellebean - I know what you mean, I had to rely on my friend to bring my horse in if I was going to be late as I could not leave him out of his own.

I will just have to cross my fingers and hope the tape I have took down from the gap in the hedge will mean he can see the other horses better in the next field. Also the right angled tape will stop him from doing it...we will see.

I have asked if I could swap fields with the YO but to know avail. I also asked YO if I could borrow her retirement old gent to put in with Ginger (electric fenced off) but her answer was, her system at the moment was working well and she did not want to break it!!! Therefore figured no one is nice enough on the yard to swap fields - they all like their fields. I am on a very small yard - only 5 liveries and they are all quite selfish LOL. Not interested in my dilema AT ALL.
Yes I need to find a new yard hee hee...
 
Quite seriously, I'd move yards asap. Horses are herd animals and find reassurance in a herd. Other horses the other side of a thick hedge won't cut it. Some horses learn to live with it but most don't. Calmers and such are only sticking plaster over a deep wound. You need to address the underlying problem or you'll end up with a very unhappy horse, possibly with all sorts of health problems ranging from ulcers to injury from trying to jump the hedge/fence. You wouldn't keep a dog locked in a hamster cage so why keep a miserable and anxious horse in an environment he isn't engineered to survive in?
 
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