Anyone else got grumpy horses right now?

Iceni

Iceni

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I have a cob mare, who while isn't very cuddly is usually easy to deal with and handle in every way, until that is, this weather started! She is a typical cob, seriously greedy and will constantly tell you she is hungry, starving in fact, the whole time. She's fine in the stable but prefers being out, so while it's dry she stays out and my TB comes in. Anyway, she is now getting very unpleasant when I turn him out in the morning. Yesterday I let my TB go and went to get a tissue out of my pocket, but she presumably thought something more interesting was coming out, so walked past me barging me off to the side and went to attack my TB who was some yards away facing the other way. Couldn't believe the cheek of it!:eek:

Today I turn him out and she's a little way down the field, but when she see's me she comes a running to see if I've got anything interesting. I give her a pat, all's calm and well, again my TB is mooching around some way away from us. I go to straighten her rug a little and she swings her front end round and knocks me straight over. Luckily there's so much snow here I had a soft landing, but this is getting ridiculous!:mad::mad:

I had my horsey helper (v experienced lady) come round yesterday just to chat through among other things what I was feeding them etc, and my mare is getting plenty of food (haylage and chaff only). She's not usually mareish so I'm a bit baffled what the heck's got into her and what to do about it!

Anyone else having the same thing?:confused::(
 
I own a grump, but he's not grumpy with people just with other horses, but he's always been like it, so no sudden changes.

I'd be a bit worried if he went all sweetness and light and turned into a big softy over night come to think of it. :D
 
Is she being ridden at the moment? Mine hasn't been ridden for 2 weeks due to work/holiday/ snow now I'm off sick :(. She has also been coming in early due to the weather! Not a happy mare even tried to kick me when I was doing her leg straps up this morning! Has her ears back most of the time! Think she's bored.
 
She's not been ridden in about two months now. I wasn't well for a long time and we've had bad weather for nearly two and half, three weeks. Her behaviour has only gotten like this the last two days and to a lesser extent since the heavy snow fall couple of weeks ago, but wasn't anything that bad, just impatience!
 
So why's she's taking umbridge with me :( She's always been boss ever since she arrived, so nothing that new with the way she's being with my TB, but not had this cheek towards me before. Do you think it's something I said...:confused:
 
Our horses can't go out because of the ice on the lane at the moment. Fortunately we have an indoor, but it can become quite boring riding in there everyday. My lad is quieter than usual, although still very sweet-natured. I think he's just become quite institutionalised.
My trainer's horse is very depressed though and she is really battling to keep his spirits up.
So far the two of us have tried to keep the boys entertained by: jumping, riding to music, riding in formation, teaching them spanish walk, lateral work... my trainer even turned her boy loose in the school to try to cheer him up.

Poor boys. Can't wait to get a bit of grass under their feet and fresh air :(
 
Mine is but its not due to the weather, its due to the fact that I have started looking after a few other horses for friends who are in the same field as him and hes so jelous!! He used to be so nice, now when I turn them out he runs over and bites them or chases them off - If anyone else turns them out he just ignores them. The cheeky git!
 
Mine's a roughie toughie cob but just hates the cold wind and is a real wuss. I've noticed that even if I turn him out, he's standing over the gate looking very mournful poor lad, and just lives for after 3pm when he can come in and guzzle all my hay which I'm paying an arm and a leg for! Blimmin horses.

I last rode him at the weekend; normally we aim to get out for a quick trot once a day as I work from home/self employed, but I don't wanna risk the roads, so he's probably missing his hacks.
 
yes! mine has ad lib hay so no way he is hungry but he flipping bit me on Tuesday night. (because I dared to straighten his rug!) I have had horses for 20 years and never been bitten before.

Dont know why he is in such a strop as his routine is unchanged. Just a bit colder!!

Little git!
 
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Thanks everyone, nice to hear I'm not the only one!

What do I do just put up with the moody cow and hope she's better when the weather gets brighter or act now before she takes any more liberties?! Someone said she needs one good smack on her body next time so she doesn't ever do it again? Sounds like a hard thing to do, but don't want this escalating...:(
 
I'm quite worried about mine.

My mare's a little on the mareish side and threatens to bite and kick all the time, but she seems happy enough.

my gelding on the other hand has just turned into a complete skegness donkey, can't be bothered to do anything and doesn't seem to want any attention. he's not eating or drinking much and being really anti social, normally he loves cuddles and prefers human attention to other horses.

He's 17 and this is the 5th winter i've had him, I can't work out if it's coz of the weather or if there's something wrong. But he's being really naughty and I can't quite work it out... plus, his cough seems to be getting very bad...

any suggestions? :(
 
Yes!! I have four horses (only one ridden though, apart from elderly hunter) and they have all been really moody these last two weeks! They're usually lovely, sweet-natured horses, but I have narrowly avoided being bitten too many times to count!
 
Yep! I was thinking the samething this morning. My haffy is normally a very happy chappy, but the faces i've been getting the last few days, I even thougth he was going to bite me today :0. Hes not hungry or cold, think hes just fed up and bored.

roll on summer.....!!!
 
Not so much grumpy, but going absolutely bonkers!! I went to feed the TB last night and had 16.2hh worth of mare at head height, all four hooves off the ground :eek: then went to feed the WB and he was rearing and bucking...
They have both been like this since the bed weather came in.... (bless them?)
And yes, they are going out daily...
 
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Unusually mine is particularly ungrumpy at the moment! Having been stuck in for 10 days I expected him to be obnoxious by now, but no, he's like an angel..I wonder whether he's sweetening me in preparation for the major explosion which will occur once he's allowed out! :rolleyes:
 
Mine is fuming atm :mad: he is very much a horse that needs to be ridden regually and doing stuff but because everything is frozen riding has become difficult.... last night he was actually grunting at me and looking around at me as if to say "you dare take my rug off" lol nothing a few polos and a foot soak and rub didn't solve ;)
 
I got bitten on Tuesday! He has been in for over a week (getting an hour in the school daily) and has turned into a horrible, nasty piece of work!

Dont enjoy being round him at all at them moment! not hungry or cold, just bored and fed up.

I get ears flat back as soon as he realises he's not playing out. bless him.
 
Luckily we do have genuine all year turnout or else I think we'd all have quit by now!
Our yard all stayed out 24/7 till the 3rd weekend in November but are are all in at night now.
They're pretty much all grumpy at the mo as can't work them as even the school is frozen.
Mine's taken to nipping (such attractive hands when sporting large bruises!), others are being bolshy bargers, whilst some are picking squabbles with any equine in reach.
Can't be great for them either!
 
Mine are out 24/7, getting plenty to eat & being absolutely foul. I think they get greedier and a bit more food possesive with the weather and are also bored & fed up not being ridden.
 
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