Can it be mine turn to cry now??

Chellebean

Chellebean

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chellebeanequestrian.com
OK as you all or at least most of you know I have a new neddie :D Everything was going great until the farrier on Sunday. He played up for the farrier but that was expected as his previous owner in the 9mths they had him only got the farrier to him a couple of times.
Anyways, we are having serious turn out issues the last couple of days. He is showing signs of being very foot sore on his hind legs when walking down the drive. Yesterday he planted himself and it took me 45mins to get to the field and this morning was worse. After an hour and only getting 10mtrs from the stables I put him in the isolation field. He wouldn't even follow his feed, don't get me wrong he is loving his field though.
Now I am in 2 minds about what it is, whether it is just foot sore as there is no heat or sign of injury, or whether he has a strop on because he is currently in a field on his own and is extremely lonely! He will be moving as soon as I can track my YO down, as the yard isn't TB proof and I think this is just emphasising the issue. :(:mad:
When I am with him, he seems his normal self and loves a cuddle on his terms! It's just the turn out issue... what do you think?

Full english breakfast or a bowl of ceral for everyone :D
 
Erm basically he has been left in a field for 9 months, and nothing really done with him at all.

As for the foot sore, he is fine in a field and one smooth ground but the drive is gravelly (if that's a word). He just stands and refuses to move, we took it very slowly this morning and moved at his pace (one step every 10mins or so), he just looks weary when he puts his hind legs down.
The reason I also say it's coz he could be lonely and not wanting to leave the others is because he went fine into isolation paddock where it's a matter of feet away from the stables and he came in only slightly sore last night but again for a horse that didn't want to be stabled last week, raced to his stable and walked himself in :)
I am starting to think it's more in his head then anything but then it could be me causing it, as I want him moved asap. He had such a good first week too :D
 
Sorry if this rambles but hey ho:-

My tb ex racer usually plays up for the farrier - not in a bad way - but he just does not have the attention span to hold his legs up long enough for the farrier to do his back legs and he usually ends up in some really weird superman stance, this obviously puts a strain on him so he will be a bit sore after shoeing - i am always there to make sure the farrier does not give him a sly wack - but i am also concious of the farrier getting hurt so we now do shoeing at the end of the day,and when the yard is at its quietist.

His little world has just turned upside down - he does not know you from adam and he is jsut so unsure - you have just scared him with holding up his "get aways" and he needs horse company. He is not being naughty he is just desperatly wanting a horse friend to tell him everything is ok.

If he has been on isolation for a couple of days then really make an effort to see you YO and get him out with steady company as soon as you can - and tbh nothing is TB proof - not even a padded cell !

Good luck and they are such sensative soles - we just dont realise sometimes how sensative they are !

GW
 
I have a stressy warmblood who i usually turn out first, sometimes she goes straight out, other times she will plant herself and look across the fields. I find if I relax my shoulders and stand for a minute her head goes down and she is ready to walk on, making an issue of it doesn't help. It is very flat and open and windy where I am so I think she is hearing something and being the stressed type just needs to check it out, she has been at the same place for 3 years. She doesn't do it when the other horse is already turned out.
Your boy is probably just unsure of his surroundings, if you relax it might help to relax him a bit or maybe as you suspect some company will resolve the issue.
Good luck with it, i am sure things will improve given time.
 
So, do you have the same problems when bringing him in? Or just when putting him out?

I do think, if you think there is a problem, that you could do with a proper assessment. He could be bilaterally lame, and therefore not showing signs of lameness but in pain..therefore an assessment of each leg in turn is worth doing..I know that flexion tests can be a bit hit and miss but they are an indicator, and I would do this sooner rather than later before you get too attached and end up with something that you may not be able to ride for months and months, if ever.
 
Gingerwitch said:
Sorry if this rambles but hey ho:-

My tb ex racer usually plays up for the farrier - not in a bad way - but he just does not have the attention span to hold his legs up long enough for the farrier to do his back legs and he usually ends up in some really weird superman stance, this obviously puts a strain on him so he will be a bit sore after shoeing - i am always there to make sure the farrier does not give him a sly wack - but i am also concious of the farrier getting hurt so we now do shoeing at the end of the day,and when the yard is at its quietist.

His little world has just turned upside down - he does not know you from adam and he is jsut so unsure - you have just scared him with holding up his "get aways" and he needs horse company. He is not being naughty he is just desperatly wanting a horse friend to tell him everything is ok.

If he has been on isolation for a couple of days then really make an effort to see you YO and get him out with steady company as soon as you can - and tbh nothing is TB proof - not even a padded cell !

Good luck and they are such sensative soles - we just dont realise sometimes how sensative they are !

GW
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He did do the lean jobby with the farrier and pulled back a fair bit. :(

My biggest issue at hand, YO wont let me put him in a field with hers! There are no other liveries on the yard, so I am stuck. I have arranged for him to move to a yard where he gets turned out in a herd, I just need to see YO to tell her and arrange for a lift!
When I mean TB proof, the field I was shown was post and rail and the field I ended up with is barbed wired! Hence not being good for him, another reason to move him.
I do believe I have probably fried his poor ickle brain tho, so much so soon :D

So what would you suggest I do?
 
the watcher said:
So, do you have the same problems when bringing him in? Or just when putting him out?

I do think, if you think there is a problem, that you could do with a proper assessment. He could be bilaterally lame, and therefore not showing signs of lameness but in pain..therefore an assessment of each leg in turn is worth doing..I know that flexion tests can be a bit hit and miss but they are an indicator, and I would do this sooner rather than later before you get too attached and end up with something that you may not be able to ride for months and months, if ever.
Click to expand...



He is fine coming in and in the field! He had tests done just before they gave him to me and he was fine and I can get the report for that. It is only happening on the gravel at the moment, no on grass or concrete. Before Sunday, he hadn't had his feet done for at least 12 weeks if not more! He must be a shock to him on that alone :(
 
I had a TB mare who was a NIGHTMARE to turn out - she had a ridiculous memory and remebered having an accident on the drive, so just before we got to that place on the drive, she planted herself and would do literally anything to avoid being turned out.

We tried everything - waiting five hours with lots of praise, whopping her from behind, dragging her in a chifney, keeping her in for a month, etc etc etc... eventually we worked out that if she was ridden to the field, she was fine.

SO, I ended up having to take all her rugs and feed down to her field, and ride her there in the morning, and back in the evening. No issues when she was out, it was literally just the being turned out bit she couldn't cope with.

And USE MY FARRIER :D :D
 
If he were mine after what you have said about moving etc - i would keep him in unitl i can move him - and i would have him off the yard by tomorrow morn latest - tb's and barbed wire lead to one thing - big deep cuts !

Move - get all the upset out of the way today - and start a fresh from a new yard - oh and trust him - i would also get his back checked - i have my lads done every few weeks a the momement and if he is an ex racer - he could have a pretty sore back x
 
Gingerwitch said:
If he were mine after what you have said about moving etc - i would keep him in unitl i can move him - and i would have him off the yard by tomorrow morn latest - tb's and barbed wire lead to one thing - big deep cuts !

Move - get all the upset out of the way today - and start a fresh from a new yard - oh and trust him - i would also get his back checked - i have my lads done every few weeks a the momement and if he is an ex racer - he could have a pretty sore back x
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I Have no transport :'( trying to get some sorted... hoping I can convince his old owner to move him for me. Will go and check him at lunch and see what he's like.
 
the watcher said:
Before Sunday, he hadn't had his feet done for at least 12 weeks if not more! He must be a shock to him on that alone


I doubt it, unless an awful lot of sole has been trimmed away
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Just spoken to his old owner, he has been trimmed twice in 9 mths and he was done so long ago, he can't remember when he was last trimmed! He did have a fair bit off tho :(
 
He does sound like he is in some discomfort there. However, if he can walk fine when coming back in (presumably on the same gravel) then I would say he may also be trying it on a wee bit as he doesn't fancy going out on his own.

With regards to the farrier - it may be he does have thin walls/sensitive feet so it may be your farrier will have to take extra care when trimming him. My horse is never that good with the farrier but that is because he has thin walls and finds it uncomfortbale having the nails put in and he fidgets, leans back etc. For ease when doing this we actually will feed him when the nails are being put in so as to keep his mind off what's going on. He does have to have maybe 2 days off following being shod as he can be a little footsore. This may be the case with yours.

I don't suppose you can borrow/buy any Boa boots or similar for him to wear when you are leading him to the field? That way you will know he will not be in any great pain - no more so than when on grass so, if he is still behaving this way it is him being a bit of a monkey. Our old TB can be very stubborn in this same way (although not to the extent of yours) - he would get a whip on his bottom if he really planted himself, certainly if we knew there was nothing physically wrong. He has done it before and it is very hard to move him (and he's only a weedy little TB!)
 
Try shoeing him in a stable - if he has raced then that is what he will be used too.

Also, speak to your farrier about footsoreness - has he got shoes on? If so, does he need pads?
 
Firstly, I would suggest you don't put him in the barbed wire field - just use the isolation one if you do turn out again. He'll end up torn like a ragdoll otherwise.

Next, I would get the vet to check him over. he may need painkillers if his feet are sore, and I agree with above - a heavy trim + gravel is saying sore feet. Meantime, bed him down deeply and let him rest in the stable, and see what the vet says.

Whatever you do, don't make turning out into a battle. I agree with you, it's almost definitely partly being parted from other horses, in a new, strange place, that is upsetting him, on top of having sore toes. i reckon once he's been checked over, is pain free, and is put out with a mate, he'll be a different horse !

I'm sure it's not the horse, it's the trim ! ;) sm x
 
I went to see him at lunch and he seems more happy in there then the other field. He is now showing no signs of lameness at all, can turn tight circles and chase his mum round the field for treats :D
Will look at him closer when I bring him in tonight and see how he is doing tonight.
Not having him turned into a rag doll and will be staying in the isolation field until moved :D
 
He is walking normally today but dead set on not leaving the others in the morning, so had hassle getting him in the field again. He is in the small isolation field again where he can see everyone and what is going on (and has post and rail fencing), so at least he is getting turn out!
I ended up texting the YO last night to say I had a stable somewhere else so as soon as I had transport he would be moving (this yard was always temp, waiting for a stable to open at Oak Tree! albeit he is going somewhere else now due to not being able to wait for the stable) and she has offered me a lift! Will ask her if she can do it on Friday after work giving me notice to go and get the other stable ready.
I feel really bad, I know the yard is defo not right me or him but the owner has been lovely! I got there last night to a mucked out stable and him in it waiting for me :D
I know I'm defo doing the right thing but doesn't stop me feeling a tad guilty.
 
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