Behavioural issues

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JHarrison410

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Hi guys I’m after some advice. I’ve had my horse 11 years and his behaviour in the recent weeks has changed drastically! He gets so silly at bringing in time it’s really affecting my confidence and making me miserable. To be honest he scares me and I know he picks up on it. I don’t know what to do with him/about him. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good calmer that actually works? The change in his behaviour is down to I think being on his own in the paddock. He has horses either side of him. He was never meant to be on his own but they’re my circumstances. I’ll speak to the yard owner but I don’t think there’s much he can suggest. It doesn’t sound like the others on the yard want to help me out by either having mine with theirs or putting one of theirs in with mine. I will speak to his physio too. I just feel like I’m smacking my head against a brick wall atm :/ any advice will be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.
 
Is he hungry? Does he have plenty of grass/hay in the field? Is he coming in last? Is he also on his own when he comes in? Does the change in behaviour coincide with his being on his own?
 
Burnttoast said:
Is he hungry? Does he have plenty of grass/hay in the field? Is he coming in last? Is he also on his own when he comes in? Does the change in behaviour coincide with his being on his own?
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He has plenty of grass and hay when he comes in. He stresses lots more when front field comes in first start pacing up and down the fence line but I try to fetch him in first. Soon as he’s on the yard he’s absolutely fine. He’s just really struggling with being on his own I guess but they are a herd animal after all. It’s just upsetting I can’t help him to chill out. I don’t know what it is for him that he’s just a prat with me on the way from the field :/ I think his behaviour definitely has something to do with being on his own
 
Barton Bounty said:
I think its just the time of the year for Orbi, he hates being out in any sort of wind 🤣 which isnt ideal as its windy 85% of the time in scotland 🤣 so when Im not walking fast enough he flicks his head up, being cheeky as he knows what he is doing 🫣
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Yes Chester absolutely loses his head when it’s really windy. He’s just become such a sensitive spooky horse since the move and it’s breaking my heart because I’ve had his since pretty much a baby and I feel like I’m losing that bond we’ve had :(
 
JHarrison410 said:
Yes Chester absolutely loses his head when it’s really windy. He’s just become such a sensitive spooky horse since the move and it’s breaking my heart because I’ve had his since pretty much a baby and I feel like I’m losing that bond we’ve had :(
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It will probably just be a blip! Try chamomile for him
 
Use a bridle and wear gloves. Try to come in before the others. We have one on our yard which the owner gets worried about and she resorts to feed in a bucket and the horse walks in eating but this really isn’t a good solution.
 
MidChristmasCrisis said:
Use a bridle and wear gloves. Try to come in before the others. We have one on our yard which the owner gets worried about and she resorts to feed in a bucket and the horse walks in eating but this really isn’t a good solution.
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I currently use a chiffney on him and still gets silly :/ I’ve ordered him his D&H placid again - I didn’t think it was making a difference but not come to think of it, it might have been doing something
 
Are you positive that getting him in with others isn't an option? I'd really be pushing for that. If it were to be impossible, then I'd be considering options elsewhere. Horses are herd animals and often thrive off of companionship with other horses. Or even the presence of another in the same field. There are 2 horses at the yard that share a field. They never interact and are never in the same part of the field (they don't interact negatively either, they just sort of exist). Take one away though and the other notices for sure.

Personally if I have to deal with "gadgets" (a chiffney or some other set up), feeding a calmer, putting myself in danger/at risk, and dealing with a silly horse when it could all be solved with a change in turnout, then I'd be looking to find a different turnout arrangement. Life is too short for both of us to be unhappy.
 
JHarrison410 said:
Hi guys I’m after some advice. I’ve had my horse 11 years and his behaviour in the recent weeks has changed drastically! He gets so silly at bringing in time it’s really affecting my confidence and making me miserable. To be honest he scares me and I know he picks up on it. I don’t know what to do with him/about him. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good calmer that actually works? The change in his behaviour is down to I think being on his own in the paddock. He has horses either side of him. He was never meant to be on his own but they’re my circumstances. I’ll speak to the yard owner but I don’t think there’s much he can suggest. It doesn’t sound like the others on the yard want to help me out by either having mine with theirs or putting one of theirs in with mine. I will speak to his physio too. I just feel like I’m smacking my head against a brick wall atm :/ any advice will be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.
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I'm sorry to hear you're having this issue. It is upsetting when things aren't working well. As you and others have said it seems it's his situation that didn't suit him and his behaviour is his only way of expressing this. I agree with the comment that it is not a nice, kind or long term solution to force a behaviour through gadgets.
I thought I'd share my own experience. I'd had my little horse for some 12 years when I moved house and yards. He became an entirely different character. He would rear coming in from the field which I'd never seen before and he was difficult or hacking. Like you I'd had him since young and I often wondered what on earth i would have thought of I'd have sold him and they had reported this behaviour. I don't think I would have believed them, or I would have thought it was something they were doing!
He was there a year... it was very difficult. Then my circumstances changed and I moved him back to where he'd been the previous 12 years. He slept for a week.
This was a long time ago now, but I still think of it. Horses, as we all know, have dear friends and homes that they feel safe in. Sometimes when we move them they miss their old friends terribly and don't feel the same way about their new home. I think you're doing all the right things to try and get him in early and get him company etc. I thought of this which I'm sure you've already considered along with moving yards(which may be not be possible of course) what about getting a companion pony?
 
Thank you for your message! As I was reading it I thought it’s as if you’re describing my current situation! I just feel so helpless :/ I will ask the others on the yard see if I could move him in with theirs but I don’t know how that’ll go :/ I honestly think he’d be absolutely perfect if he had someone in the field with him but it’s whether others would be willing to have him in with them. If not I’m going to have to move again and I hate it for me and him :/ all I can do if ask if it’s a no then it’s a no and I guess I’ll have to look at moving yards again. It’s just so frustrating the whole situation but it is what it is.
 
TheMule said:
You have identified the cause of his stress and the solution already- I’m not sure there’s much else anyone can add?
Get him out with company asap, that might mean moving yards.
If he is stressed when you bring him in then he is stressed the whole time he's out as well
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He’s fine out all day it’s only at bringing in times.. odd I know but I’ve tried to think of everything and anything that it could be that’s making him react the way he is but I honestly think it’s because he’s on his own. He’s being a prat with me when I’m bringing him in because I think he’s trying to tell me somethings wrong and it’s the only way he can tell me but it does stress me out and scares me especially when he’s never behaved like this. I will ask others see if I can move him with them if not I guess I’ll have to look for another yard.
 
JHarrison410 said:
Thank you for your message! As I was reading it I thought it’s as if you’re describing my current situation! I just feel so helpless :/ I will ask the others on the yard see if I could move him in with theirs but I don’t know how that’ll go :/ I honestly think he’d be absolutely perfect if he had someone in the field with him but it’s whether others would be willing to have him in with them. If not I’m going to have to move again and I hate it for me and him :/ all I can do if ask if it’s a no then it’s a no and I guess I’ll have to look at moving yards again. It’s just so frustrating the whole situation but it is what it is.
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Would it be too costly to own another pony as a companion?
 
I guessed you would have thought of it... as if we think of anything else when we have horse issues!!! It is difficult when you're at livery or when you rent... and really most of us are in that position after all!
Hopefully, one day the livery yards will reconsider the single horse in a field situation. Now that it is accepted that this is not how it should be for them. In the meantime, we are all trying to do our best with the restrictions of the old way of thinking.
 
JHarrison410 said:
Possibly but there’s no stable for another horse. I’ve already thought of another horse for companion at least but they’re not another stable to have another horse :/
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Can he not be brought in first ahead of the other horses so he's not so het up? There must be a way round it so you don't have to move him.

Some yards in winter have a 'bring in' option at lunch times. That way he's still going out for a few hours but if the others come in at say 3pm which is the situation where I am (where I'm having my stable held for my next horse) then that might be a good option.

I've never had issues with my last two being in individual paddocks, whereas when previous horses were out in a herd I had one with a horrendous broken leg and another with a kick that required staples and was potentially life threatening had he run on it at the time.

Now I've been left with a large vet bill for my retired boy thanks to a massive kick from an unshod hoof, again in a herd situation! If he'd been said, the horse that kicked him would have broken his leg I'm sure of it.

For me individual turnout is a total no brainer for any future riding horse.

In individual turnout my horses were constantly playing with the others either side of them over the fence despite mains electric fencing, probably because they had thick necks on so they both got daily contact but without the risk of being injured.
 

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Birker2020 said:
In individual turnout my horses were constantly playing with the others either side of them over the fence despite mains electric fencing, probably because they had thick necks on so they both got daily contact but without the risk of being injured.
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This is another reason I am not a fan of individual turnout. Horses in fields next to other horses in fields is asking for trouble.

OP, can you bring your horse in earlier so that he doesn't stress and therefore become difficult? I used to find that there was a 'sweet spot' where, if I left things a little too late, my horse just wanted to be with his herd. He lived with others (mares and geldings) in a large paddock. (In Australia, a paddock is not a small place. A paddock can be any size - what you in the UK call a field - and often is in fact a lot bigger.)

JHarrison410 said:
He has plenty of grass and hay when he comes in. He stresses lots more when front field comes in first start pacing up and down the fence line but I try to fetch him in first. Soon as he’s on the yard he’s absolutely fine. He’s just really struggling with being on his own I guess but they are a herd animal after all. It’s just upsetting I can’t help him to chill out. I don’t know what it is for him that he’s just a prat with me on the way from the field :/ I think his behaviour definitely has something to do with being on his own
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He's not being a prat, he's just acting on his instincts.

I notice now that you do try to bring him in first. I presume that sometimes you cannot, and that's why you are asking what to do(?).
JHarrison410 said:
Yes Chester absolutely loses his head when it’s really windy. He’s just become such a sensitive spooky horse since the move and it’s breaking my heart because I’ve had his since pretty much a baby and I feel like I’m losing that bond we’ve had :(
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I don't think you are losing the bond with him. He just needs to feel safe and the other horses are his safety net, which is understandable. You would feel the same in a potentially dangerous situation; I'm sure you'd rather be with people who could help you rather than with your horse if danger threatened. What I'm trying to say is: his behaviour isn't personal, it's for safety.

:)
 
Lois Lame said:
This is another reason I am not a fan of individual turnout. Horses in fields next to other horses in fields is asking for trouble.

OP, can you bring your horse in earlier so that he doesn't stress and therefore become difficult? I used to find that there was a 'sweet spot' where, if I left things a little too late, my horse just wanted to be with his herd. He lived with others (mares and geldings) in a large paddock. (In Australia, a paddock is not a small place. A paddock can be any size - what you in the UK call a field - and often is in fact a lot bigger.)


He's not being a prat, he's just acting on his instincts.

I notice now that you do try to bring him in first. I presume that sometimes you cannot, and that's why you are asking what to do(?).

I don't think you are losing the bond with him. He just needs to feel safe and the other horses are his safety net, which is understandable. You would feel the same in a potentially dangerous situation; I'm sure you'd rather be with people who could help you rather than with your horse if danger threatened. What I'm trying to say is: his behaviour isn't personal, it's for safety.

:)
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There’s no communication with one of the other people - she’s not a very nice person and very difficult to deal with. That’s established now so will just stay away from her. The other one is lovely and lets me know if she’s bringing in early. I’ve tried to bring him in first, at the same time and just after and it made no difference at all he would still play up whilst walking back to the yard. I’ve spoke to his physio and she recommended a calmer for him and it’s completely transformed his behaviour. I know I’ve not lost the bond with him I said it felt like I was because his behaviour changed completely towards me. But he’s so much better after the calmer. I’ve asked both ladies of mine could move over with theirs and they both said no so that’s that. Thank you all for your advice!
 
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