Does spring fever really exist?

[SirBrastias]

Please tell me this is a real thing?! Feel like pulling my hair out. Poor horse was on box rest for the first two months of the year due to a fracture near his elbow, he's now turned out and in a small amount of work but for some reason has turned into a fruit loop! He's still polite (to a point) but everything at the moment is just stressing him out and he spends most of his time running about flicking his toes out with his tail in the air.

I'm hoping its a combination of him slowly losing his coat (he was a wooly TB during the winter), the green grass coming through and he being turned out with a mare who generally seems interested in him (normally he's out with a different herd of four inc geldings who are all pretty close). Him and his mare friend recently lost their third companion a lovely boy in his late thirties who they were both very attached too so I think they've bonded together to get through it.

When I first got him, he acted like a the 'stereotype' TB - really anxious and stressed all the time. In the two and a half years he's been here he's grown in confidence and come a long beautifully until the last two weeks were it seems he thinks I'm leading him to slaughter every time I bring him onto the yard.

I do remember him being a bit loopy this time previous years but he just seems to have forgotten that I'm the good one who feeds him and loves him unconditionally and that life really isn't that stressful on a quite farm where he gets everything handed to him.

Anyone else believe in spring fever or am I deluded?

Didn't mean for this to be so long! Just needs to air my woes. Good news is, even though he's a pain in the arse still love my ickle horse.

 

[*hic*]

Well there have certainly been a large number of threads about spring-related behaviour over the past few weeks!

 

[SirBrastias]

Ooooo that makes me feel better! Will go see if I can dig any out.

 

[JVB]

If it helps my TB has been behaving like an idiot going to the field each morning for the past week.... grass is coming through...

 

[Eggshells]

Sure hope so, otherwise someone as replaced my horse with a fire breathing dragon who thinks he can fly.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Sure hope so, otherwise someone as replaced my horse with a fire breathing dragon who thinks he can fly.

Think that a lot of us can relate to that!

My maxi cob gets fired up on spring grass, and also other forbidden foods (carrots, micronised linseed, pasture mix, top spec balancers....). I have him now out 24/7 on a bare lami paddock, with a little soaked hay twice daily. He is remaining calm and in control of himself.

I notice the difference in his behaviour at once (for the worse!) if I let him have a graze of richer grass.

 

[SirBrastias]

Anyone have any idea when they'll turn back into dopey beasts who don't think the world is out to get them? I was hoping for around May time but he's got to be re-x-rayed and jabbed before then so fingers crossed he quieten back down sooner.

My boys on a bit of sugar beet, happy hoof, top spec fast fibre and top spec cool balancer. He was on top spec cool and condition cubes but I switched to the fast fibre while he was on box rest. None of it seemed to affect him then and he looks lovely (he was a bit skinny after the box rest but is finally starting to look better, he's always had a lovely coat and good feet on top spec, although I know a lot of people steer clear). I did run out of the progressive earth pro hoof supplement so I half wondered whether he may be a bit low of mg?

 

[kirstys 1]

Turning out my 21 year old sec A stallion in the morning is like leading out Skippy the Bush Kangaroo!

 

[Sheep]

I'd say the combination of the lovely sunshine and the lush grass is enough to send some of them loopy! My usually grumpy old git of a horse is in lovely form, he is bouncing around like a 4 year old at the minute (he is an arthritic 18yo) and my bf's mare spends her days trotting around the field like a lunatic, displaying the most wonderful elevated paces, tail up and snorting like a dragon. Lots of bucking, farting and squealing going on. The mare is a hot-headed little horse anyway so she's always on the sharp side so not much difference under saddle, but I think it is fair to say most of them are feeling very good at the moment!

 

[budley95]

I've had mine 9 years and he has NEVER jogged in the whole time I've had him - even out hunting or xc, last week however, he was jogging everywhere, even in the school! He's gone back to his ploddy self after strip grazing him and cutting down his hard feed. Even my friend's pony who's super chilled sppoked the other other day and just kind of went "splat" with all 4 legs at once - unheard of for her!

 

[Ceriann]

Mine bounced past some ponies in the our next door neighbours field at the end of a short hack yesterday evening - she is usually v unflappable, and dont get me wrong, was totally safe, but she was excited and snorted. Given she is v laid back usually i took advantage and had her trotting up hills etc.

 

[HaffiesRock]

Same here, normally non spooky pony was a right numpty on Sunday. Went to a show and EVERYTHING was trying to eat him! My number, my coffee cup, our rosettes, anything that moved... He was also very flighty, snorty and breathing fire.

 

[Woolly Hat n Wellies]

The gelding I share is 14, a cob cross, has been safe for a complete beginner to hack on. Recently my very experienced mother has been riding him because he's been pulling like a steam train and dancing around on his toes like a baby TB! He's also grazed his fetlock charging about the field like a great big orange hummingbird.

 

[pip6]

We feed grass nuts all year which helps reduce fizz when it starts growing as their system is used to it. However, we all feel better with the sun on our backs & longer days, which will always get them expressing their wellbeing.

 

[soulfull]

I hope so. This is my first spring with new mare and normally she is a forward but polite ride. Yesterday at her first show on grass she was a very silly bouncy mare!

 

[pines of rome]

Mine has gone bonkers, throwing himself all over the road this morning as he did not like the look of some bluebells, for goodness sake!!!!

 

[SirBrastias]

All these replies are not only making me feel better but also making me chuckle at my desk! Planning to try a bit of schooling tonight but as no school and only a 30 acre hay field to do flat work in not sure I fancy my chances.... Keep trying to tell horse he's a retired race horse and returning to work from a elbow fracture but it's all falling on deaf ears.

Here's to it being hot enough that they all give up and decide it's too much work being constantly excited and spooked by every little thing.

Though anyone have any theories why this year has been worse than previous? I know it was wet but it was a fairly mild winter.

 

[Fat_Pony]

New spring grass is high in potassium and low in magnesium. So supplement magnesium with some salt and that should give you a better behaved horse

 

[ilvpippa]

I did riding after she's been out is easier as she can't be bothered to mess around as she's too stuffed on grass & sleepy from snoozing all day!

 

[kerrieberry2]

Telegram Sam confirms it does

 

[Tobiano]

I did riding after she's been out is easier as she can't be bothered to mess around as she's too stuffed on grass & sleepy from snoozing all day!

second this! I always try to make sure mine has been out before I ride. On Sunday poor lamb was half asleep as I brought him in from the field where he had clearly been wrestling all night to get grass into his muzzle, made for a nice calm ride!

 

[Echo24]

This makes me feel better! My youngster who is a really dobbin has started jogging to and from the field. We had a rear yesterday as I wouldn't let him tank off with me and he threw a little buck last week! He was also very snorty and spooky which is very out of character for him! Can't wait until he's out 24/7 and hopefully chills out a bit more!

 

[SirBrastias]

Starting leaving mine out Monday night and it seems to have helped. Did ride yesterday and apart from neighing at anything that vaguely resembled a horse and performing a giraffe impression he was actually very good, think the work helped him settle and focus though he's still very unfit so he may have just tired quickly

It's nice that we're all comforted in the fact that all our horses have suddenly decided that they're atleast two hands bigger, 5 (or in my case 10) years younger and unhandeled!