Calmers for stressed gelding?

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lilyhopkins_

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I brought my 17yo thoroughbred x nearly 6 months ago, he was everything I was looking for when I went to see him. At his old home him lived out 24/7 all year round (he had been there was 7 years) but sadly there's nowhere that offers that near me so he has to go in a stable at night. He has all year turnout though, going out at 8am and coming in around 4pm. When I first got him he was an absolute nightmare on the yard and in his stable. He wouldn't stand still, pawing, neighing and pacing all over the place. Then in his stable he wouldn't eat and just stood there weaving to the point he was dripping in sweat.
We moved him stables so he is one where he can see other horses better (the one he is in at the moment) and he got better. As time has gone on he has settled better and loves to come into his stable in the evening now but still weaves a bit in the morning. He has a breakfast in the morning and will eat that and then carry on weaving but it absolutely fine once out of his stable and being lead up to the field. Also, if the mare next door to him is on the yard then leaves he will full on freak out, neighing and everything. If she's not there or she's there and stays he's absolutely fine though.
Yesterday, though, he was a nightmare, he got so stressed out for no apparent reason. When I took his rugs off he drenched in sweat (despite it not getting above 2 all day!) and has somehow cut his head. The lady who puts him out for me in the morning (I am unable to get down to see him in the morning) said he was a nightmare, barging her all over the place. I know she is one to exaggerate so I don't know if he was actually doing this or not.
He has also only just come back into work after having Christmas off and the entire time he's in the ménage he will neigh. He got so much better around October last year but now it seems like we've go back to the beginning again. He's on a calmer by Simple Systems at the moment but it seems to be doing nothing. Should I just give him longer to settle? Is there any calmers out there that would help with this? I want to get him out low level competing in the summer but at the moment that seems impossible. :(
 
If it's him being riggy then Global Herbs RigCalm may help. I'm certainly finding it really effective.

May be worth contacting them as I've found the company really helpful xx
 
Supertrooper said:
If it's him being riggy then Global Herbs RigCalm may help. I'm certainly finding it really effective.

May be worth contacting them as I've found the company really helpful xx
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I've looked into that before, I don't think it's him being riggy. It seems more like bad separation anxiety. Thanks though.
 
I don't think calmers will help in this situation.
He's clearly not settled yet. There might have been a reason he was out 24/7 as h might just not suit being kept in. Is the yard busy or quiet ?
Also what is he being fed as this can also have a large affect on their behaviour
 
No calmer is going to make much difference to a horse with separation anxiety, you need to try and deal with it in other ways, moving him to a different box helped but has probably allowed him to become too focused on his mare friend, if he gets upset when she is taken away from him his reaction while over the top to us is perfectly normal for him, he sees her leaving and thinks she may not come back so the only real way to deal with it is to have a plan to do a little each and every day, it may not be possible unless the other owner is willing to help and you both have the time.

One thing that may help is a stable mirror, it may require a few moves to get in the right place, some will accept that as "company" I have know a couple of stressy ones become very settled with a mirror.

Is he turned out alone or with others? how is he to ride generally? often this type of anxiety does not cause issues when they are out competing unless they travel with another and decide that is their new best friend, I have had one that was like that although in every other way he was fine if he traveled with any others he spent all of his time stressing and calling to them, he went anywhere important alone and behaved perfectly.
 
be positive said:
No calmer is going to make much difference to a horse with separation anxiety, you need to try and deal with it in other ways, moving him to a different box helped but has probably allowed him to become too focused on his mare friend, if he gets upset when she is taken away from him his reaction while over the top to us is perfectly normal for him, he sees her leaving and thinks she may not come back so the only real way to deal with it is to have a plan to do a little each and every day, it may not be possible unless the other owner is willing to help and you both have the time.

One thing that may help is a stable mirror, it may require a few moves to get in the right place, some will accept that as "company" I have know a couple of stressy ones become very settled with a mirror.

Is he turned out alone or with others? how is he to ride generally? often this type of anxiety does not cause issues when they are out competing unless they travel with another and decide that is their new best friend, I have had one that was like that although in every other way he was fine if he traveled with any others he spent all of his time stressing and calling to them, he went anywhere important alone and behaved perfectly.
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I have considered a stable mirror in the past, might actually look into getting one now.
He's turned out with two other geldings but doesn't seem to care too much about them. When he was in regular work he was perfect to ride. Now he's not in regular work when he is ridden he gets stressed out, he'll still do everything I ask, just neighing the whole time he's going it.
 
It basically sounds like his routine has changed because of having less exercise and his sort of reverted back to being how he first was, I would get him back into his ridden routine and just ignore the calling have a plan for schooling making it more interesting and a bit difficult so his having to think about what his doing, it's very cold at the moment and a lot of horses get excitable and fresh if not in regular work.
 
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