calming down my horse

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Kikixo

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Hello you,

the horse I am looking after since a couple of weeks is quite an energy bundle. She hasn't been worked for about 3 years and now we just get back into training/ groundwork. Lots of different things to keep her mind busy.

Anyhow, since two weeks the horses are on the summerfield, and everytime I bring her in for a check up, tacking up, grooming, feeding etc she gets totally nervous. Basically she starts acting nervous as soon as her buddy out of sight. Are these signs of 'budyy sour' or is she just nervous?? It's hard to get to know much of her past, as her prev. owner did not do much with her or spend time.

Could it be helpful to give her something with the feed to calm her in general, because when riding she is just as nervous/ excited as well.

I know once I get nervous/ excited she will feel it and gets hyper or whatever, but at the moment is she the one who makes me likes this.

So has anyone experience with herbal stuff to calm down horses or can tell me if these could be signs of beeing buddy sour?

Thanks a lot for you help :)
 
I bought my girl last year and she was a bundle of nerves and very, very stressed. It has been a ummm, intresting year but we've have cracked it. I too did not have any history other than she had been a graded SJ and that she had spent the previous 6 months on no less than 8 dealers yards, where I guess they tried to make her jump. It has all been a case of trial and error, though most importantly I had to learn to listen to her. If I were to do it all again I would start at the beginning with tack, back and teeth straight away. I also had her shoes taken off as her feet were rubbish and I felt that she was uncomfortable. I gave her time to get to know and trust me and me the time to get to know and build bridges to her. She wouldn't stay in and wouldn't stay out without company so I always made sure she had some. Lots and lots of groundwork and treats to reasure her, along with tons of reasurance. Never smacked or shouted at, just loved and when I felt like I wanted to fetch the gun, I learned to walk away so we could both have some time out.
A lot of knowledgable people told me to get rid and it was even said by a few, that she was dangerous and unpredictable. All that did was make me more determined to get there with her. For months we didn't connect and she wouldn't look me in the eye, wouldn't pick up her feet or be groomed and even tried to crush me against walls! I won't deny that it did make me feel that we were getting no-where, that she didn't want me and that she was quite possibly beyond hope. There were many sleepless nights and I cried buckets.
The upside is she is happy! She's a joy to be around. I can do anything with her and she'd follow me through fire. She looks after me as I look after her and we do everything together. The downside is......it's just me;)
Don't give up and make the most of every improvement and when the day comes, when she looks you in the eye and asks for a kiss before you go for that canter across an open field on a mare that is completely trustworthy and yours, be proud that you got there.
good luck!!
 
elsbells you sound like you have the exact same problems im now expeperincing with a 2yr old bought at christmas past very vague and she is wild so anxious and nervous all the time and quite defensive. She will not relax in the stable if anything at all is going on even another horse being taken out fo 5minutes they all ahve to be in or all out or shes stressed out.
My yard owner ges very annoyed with her and she is quite and agreessive person who am sure would love to knock sense in to my horse! Not my way at all am very quiet and steady with her, but she is fiercly defensive rearing heavily alot when ever she does'nt want to do anything.
This is the first time i have strugled with a horse as usually find i can bring round most nervous horses with time and patience but this seems not to eb working with my madam, one dya she'll be lovely calm as and will walk out head down and all relaxed and the enxt day we cant walk to the field with out an all out tantrum,
Have decided to get a natural horsemanship trainer in to help to see if has any suggestions. I wouldnt dream of selling my horse as she is due to fear the next owner would not be so understanding and deem her'bad behaviour' worthy of a beating. But sadly the filly has not made height for me so fingers gross the NH guy can help as would like her to be a good girl before i find her a new home.
 
magnesium/calcium in her diet will do the trick. Apparently magnesium is a good calming supplement and there are plenty on the market now with this as an active ingredient.
 
Spot on Applecart, your right! My girl has it and I also give her micronised lindseed, seaweed and brewers yeast. hawks27, It's a case of trial, error and listening to all sorts of advice and deciding which way to go as well as to the horse too. My mare loves an open stable system, she is more comfortable with it and she also likes to be no1 in all things! It has taken a full year to understand her and get it as right for her as I possibly can, so that she is manageable. I have found there is little point in fighting a problem horse, but to learn to manage it instead. Other people will find it hard to understand what's going on and you as an owner have to lead the way and be commited. NH is fab and this is what I have done to a degree, but getting someone in to help you will give you the confidence that I lacked and is an excellent idea. Difficult horses are damm hard work, but when they come right, the rewards are massive and I have forgotten the pain,:confused: so much so, that I find myself thinking that I would just love to do it all again:eek::rolleyes:
Don't give up, she needs you.
 
Thank you all guys! I will have a look into the magnesium supplements..as I am taking them as well. haha

but you are all right! and this what we do as well, do lots of grooming, groundwork, just speding time together really. when i think she is too nervous, i just bring her into the schooling arena and groom her there. she stays like a one there with not beeing tied up.
 
I will look into the supoplements she could certainly do with something to help chill he rout as is a very highly strung horse. We did well with the NH trainer yesterday she is really enjoying the extra work as i have been mainly working with her in the stable and walking her out, shes quite an intelligent little devil and gets easily frustrated so i think heavy work to occupy her and quite frankly tire her out will help alot. One of my previous horses an old arab i found unmanagable unless worked hard most days he just had so much energy and loved to use it and she seems to be the way but shes also a grass pig and working in a grass paddock makes life hard as she constantly wants to stop and graze and can be quite the stropy mare if not alkoowed her own way.
I think she would love open american barn stabling where she can see everyone but theres nothing like that near me, my yard has excellent all year round turn out which is great as i like to keep he rout and as natural as possible but she is stabled at night and it is just a straight strip of timber stables at the top of the paddock so she can see her buddies with her head out she just hates it if she has to wait her turn to go out or if someone leaves whilst shes in. but have put a weave grill and breach bar on door to stop her from launching herself over and now shes realsied shecan't escape she has calmed down a bit but she still renowned for the odd temper tanturm her record to date was a few days after arrival when i said no to her for trying to barge past me out the stable and a 2hr temper tantrum insued! shes certianyl stuborn ive never known a horse keep up a paddywhack as long as her shes quite entertaining to watch sometimes very stallion like for a filly all paws and headshking snoritng and defiant! all i saw whilst watching her was the child of the vicks advert thowing himself on the floor screaming and paddying because he couldnt get his own way! my filly definetly has the terrible 2's roll on her 3rd birthday in august she may finally of grown out of her tantrums
 
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