Crazy gelding, new yard - tears (long..)

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Hoppa

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I know this topic has been done already, but I am at my wits end... spent last hour blubbing under my duvet.

Have had my rescue gelding for 2 1/2 years, at first he was very stressy, box walking, weaving, spooking. Couldn't be brought in last or turned out first, if in a field on his own would jump 5" to get in with other horses. If you tried to bring him in and other horses were still out he would tank off back to the field gate. etc

18 months ago I moved him to a very big yard, he was always led in and out with another horse and never left in the fields, great in his stable even if he couldn't see other horses, would happily tie up with a haynet on the yard. Still had a few issues to work on, like he didnt like going in strange stables, would hack with my boyf on foot for hours but not great hacking alone. Most of the time so chilled and dopey.

Sadly I had to move him, in a hurry. Found a lovely little private place. One other small horse and 2 mini shetlands. First week he was amazing, beyond my wildest dreams, in a paddock on his own and everything. Then the owners decided to put him with the other horse. Now he goes bonkers when they take the other one out, even with the shetlands for company. Although he is getting used to it slowly (we've gone from cantering and screaming to pacing up and down when the other one goes out)

Today I tried to take him up to the yard on his own (to treat an eye infection), even with Sedalin, he went nuts, I tried giving him a feed but he wasnt interested. In the end after 15 mins i took him back to the fields. I was worried he was going to break the rope and jump the gate (and then cross the road) to get back to his mate.

I really want to give this place a go, it has a lot of very good points which will help him. However he is so healthy and strong now, i am really worried about him doing himself (or me) an injury.

:-(
 
He's obviously very insecure. I'm sure in time and with routine he will settle again. However time is never an easy thing as the short term feels horrific.

Could you try bringing in the other horse at the same time?
 
personally I would go back to individual turn out. some horses just can't mix being a herd animal and a pet, especially in new places
 
I have two horses - one not too bad, but the other one, a mare, very similar to yours. She was in a field with a few mares, but when her best friend left the field, she would canter round and round and generally go mental. I spoke to my vet who said that if there were other horses out with her, she would settle down - and she has done. She still might have a few canters round, but I just let her get on with it. It's awful to have to watch, but she has settled down eventually. She was the same when I brought her in on her own. She wouldn't settle. She is still very stressy, but generally, as long as she has regular work, she is much better. You might have to ignore the behaviour for a while until he gets used to it, but with both of mine, time has proved to be the best thing. Good luck!!
 
I have been on a few yards where horses have been attached to one horse. When that horse leaves the horse goes crazy. I'm affraid only way we have ever sorted one was to just let it get on with it. Will now be left in field on own with just a small trot around. Does whinny constantly though
 
Thanks everyone, seriously thinking i might have to call it a day with this one. Which is a shame after 2 1/2 years. :-(
 
The horse has no real respect for you because he is relying on the other for leadership.

Get a 'Be nice halter and a long rope. When he starts messing around give him a good hard jerk with both hands on the rope and growl at him - put some fear into him by giving him a shock so that he looks at you and thinks, 'What the hell?'

Correct every time he thinks about the other horse and make sure that he is concentrating on you

He is potentially dangerous to both you and himself (and any motorist if he gets across the road) boss him. Correct him firmly and fairly. Be consistent all the time and you will have a better horse.
 
Foxhunter49 said:
The horse has no real respect for you because he is relying on the other for leadership.

Get a 'Be nice halter and a long rope. When he starts messing around give him a good hard jerk with both hands on the rope and growl at him - put some fear into him by giving him a shock so that he looks at you and thinks, 'What the hell?'

Correct every time he thinks about the other horse and make sure that he is concentrating on you
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I agree with the pressure halter and I agree with the concentrating on the op. However putting FEAR into him WILL NOT help. He needs to trust you and believe that being with you is "safe". Not be scared as that is probibily the reason he is the way he is.He doesn't trust her enough to stay with her as the horse's "safe place" is with his friends when it should be with the OP.

Sounds mad OP but how about getting a behaviourist out to help you? There must be one in the area. If not I would go with a Intelligent Horsemanship type person. (Monty Roberts methods). I have seen a Kelly Marks demo on a very scatty horse that I knew well and she worked wonders! Its worth a try :)
 
Separation anxiety is really quite a normal behaviour in horses as they are herd animals and need each other for protection and security. When they feel insecure they are bound to behave in ways that do not suit us some more so than others. On a big yard with lots of horses around and a routine he was obviously very happy and now you have pulled the rug from under his feet. This is the trouble with small yards and small groups or pairs of horses - you are much less likely to find this in a larger group or individual T/O.

I do think you need to take some responsibility - it's not his fault you have moved away from all his friends and familiar surroundings and I do think you need to remain calm and give him time to settle. You can't just call it a day after a couple of weeks!

My gelding turned into a horse I did not know when I moved from a big yard (of 4 years) to a smaller yard and he became very attached to a mare which didn't help. It took at least 6 months for him to become comfortable but TBH he was never really that happy there. After a year I moved again to my current yard and he settled right away even though he is in individual turn-out. He will go out alone which I never thought he would never do but I still couldn't leave him out alone when his next door field buddy comes in so we look after them together.

A controller type of halter would be useful and sometimes a jerk to snap him out of his focus on the other horse is needed in these situations. If he is a danger to you and potentially himself you could use a chifney as a short-term measure. However maybe this type of set-up won't suit him in the long term - it doesn't suit every horse.

I do wish you luck though because it's a very difficult behaviour to deal with.
 
My new mare has only just started to settle in her new yard after 3 months.

She was ripped from her home of nearly 7 years from a foal, to a dealers yard for a month with lots of horses coming and going then I moved her to where we are now when I bought her.

She is bolshy on the ground, would use the lead rope as a tow rope, wouldn't tie up, had few stable manners, planted in the field, difficult to catch. She tanked off once when being brought in and trashed the wing mirror on someones car, broke through the fencing in her field a few times, was a total blummin nightmare.

So I used an Eskadron control headcollar. Myself and the YO treat her exactly the same so she has consistency, fairness but firm. She is not allowed past our shoulders (her nose) when leading her. We carried on tying her up outside until she understood it's normal, behaving is much easier and life is much happier if chilled out.

She was insecure, needed to trust someone and have a boss.

She craved leadership and that is what she got. We don't give an inch at any point.

She's a totally different horse now. She has always been as safe as houses ridden but now she's a dream on the ground too.

Yesterday, I brought her in, tied her up outside, groomed, checked her over, tacked up and she didn't move when her headcollar was taken off and the bridle put on, before she would have been off making a break for the grass! I just had to check her with the headcollar once when walking in, she put her nose past my shoulder - still testing :rolleyes: but complies straight away.

It's taken 3 months to get to this stage. It's not been easy and she still suffers from seperation anxiety if any of the horses go out on a hack without her or if she goes without them, but it's just noise, she whinnies for the whole hack :D

We're nearly there, still not fully there. In my case she's a new horse to me and I'm a new owner to her so our trust and respect is work in progress but it's going in the right direction.

There have been many times when I've just wanted to give up and sell her, but with the support from others, we're getting there.

Don't give up so easily. Enlist the help of others just to give you a bit of moral support, get a control headcollar, be consistent, firm but fair. Don't give an inch and certainly don't give in and give him what he wants.

Hope it works out for you. I've been there but it can work :)
 
Hoppa said:
Thanks everyone, seriously thinking i might have to call it a day with this one. Which is a shame after 2 1/2 years. :-(
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Lots of good advice given. It will take time and unless you are prepared for the two steps forward one step back scenario and handle it with patience but firmness and not lose your rag then sell him to someone who can.
 
I think you have 3 problems here.
Moving
Separation anxiety
No respect

Youve turned his safe world upside down,by moving him, unsettling for even the best of horses. Hes still adjusting to is give him and yourself time to settle down.
Youre not in control of the situation, and i find this really magnifies the problems, try to chill and break the problems down.

If he was better on lone turnout, go back to that if its available.
Some horses are just better on their own, if they can see others.

I do think it sounds like you need to work him from the ground to respect you,
from what you describe, he doesnt see you as someone worth listening to :o you need to be able to control of him, and gain his respect when he starts to act like a twit, or it will come to grief.
I always use the Richard Maxwell ways if working horses, using a rope halter and pressure release, i know its the basis for all training, but i really like his
way of working, you can get a dvd from his site, and for me that rope halter is
the best bit of kit in my toolbox of horse equipment. If i need to deal with a bolshy or bargy horse, that and a good rope is all id need.
Also you could to get an experienced instructor to give you a handling and
groundwork session to help you gain his respect. Good luck:)
 
sussexbythesea said:
Separation anxiety is really quite a normal behaviour in horses as they are herd animals and need each other for protection and security. When they feel insecure they are bound to behave in ways that do not suit us some more so than others. On a big yard with lots of horses around and a routine he was obviously very happy and now you have pulled the rug from under his feet. This is the trouble with small yards and small groups or pairs of horses - you are much less likely to find this in a larger group or individual T/O.

I do think you need to take some responsibility - it's not his fault you have moved away from all his friends and familiar surroundings and I do think you need to remain calm and give him time to settle. You can't just call it a day after a couple of weeks!

My gelding turned into a horse I did not know when I moved from a big yard (of 4 years) to a smaller yard and he became very attached to a mare which didn't help. It took at least 6 months for him to become comfortable but TBH he was never really that happy there. After a year I moved again to my current yard and he settled right away even though he is in individual turn-out. He will go out alone which I never thought he would never do but I still couldn't leave him out alone when his next door field buddy comes in so we look after them together.

A controller type of halter would be useful and sometimes a jerk to snap him out of his focus on the other horse is needed in these situations. If he is a danger to you and potentially himself you could use a chifney as a short-term measure. However maybe this type of set-up won't suit him in the long term - it doesn't suit every horse.

I do wish you luck though because it's a very difficult behaviour to deal with.
Click to expand...

Was going to say all this. Some horses just need the security of company. The hadling issues aids may help you but the lomg term issue is the horse' happiness.
 
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