Ex-racehorse very anxious in stable

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Akkalia1

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Any thoughts on this would be very welcome. Have had my girl since March, she's 4 and her last race was at the beginning of March. Ever since having her she's had plenty of turnout, I suspect having had very little or none for much of her life. For the first month she was out during the day and in at night, then out 24/7. Generally speaking she's very settled in the field. While she was in at nights she was always very keen to get out in the morning, grinding her teeth and pacing about a bit, although seemed to have been generally settled during the night. The teeth grinding seemed to be an anxious thing and I've seen very little of it recently.

However, when I try and put her in her stable now she's very unsettled. She'll actually rear and buck and box walk. She always has her shetland buddy in next to her but this doesn't seem to matter. Her box is large and airy with an open outlook. The obvious answer is to not stable her but there will be times when she needs to be in, even for an hour or two after or before a ride, for vet visits etc, but also she'll come in when the weather is bad as her field has no shelter - even natural shelter and is very exposed. In the winter I suspect she'll need to be in a fair bit, she hates driving rain. So I need to work on getting her settled in the stable but I'm unsure how to do this. Bring her in for a little while each day, gradually extending it?

The only other thing I notice when she's put in her stable is she gets very itchy - quite often trying to itch her legs and stamping out as if at insects. Not noticed this in the field. Because I've just been popping her in for a short while her beds not been down but the shavings are banked round the side - could there be any mites that are causing the itching and making her unhappy in the stable? I suspect it's not that though and more likely anxiety. The one time I had to have her in over night since having her out 24/7 she had obviously been unsettled as bed was all over the place and I had heard her whinnying occasionally (stables are in my garden).

When I turned her out last night having been in for an hour (I brought her in to ride but a heavy slow-moving thundershower arrived and I popped her in til it cleared, riding aborted) she did several handstand bucks in a row as if in frustration then settled down. This morning when I went to see her in the field she was lying down having a snooze, so much happier.

Not sure how to approach this, anyone else experienced this?
 
Sorry to hear your having problems but ex racers rock!!! Mine is slightly anxious in the stable, not as bad as yours sounds tho. Over the weekend we installed a stable mirror, the transformation is amazing. It doesn't work for every horse, they are fairly inexpensive, I would highly recommend you give one a try x
 
Agree about the stable mirror, it worked a treat with my NF pony and also made him calmer when other horses went out hacking.

Is there any way you can make a little pen outside the stable so she can move in and out as she pleases. I did this with one of mine and it was very successful. He was a chronic box walker when I took him on (and he tried to jump over the door a few times which totally scared me) and it stopped it completely over time. The pen I made was about the same size as the stable and he would stand very happily and calmly under the overhang. Eventually he learnt to stand just as calmly properly inside the stable but it allowed him to take his own time to get his confidence with being in.
 
I had an ex racehorse that never settled in a stable once out of racing. She got so stressed if you tried to stable her that she would shake, grind her teeth, poo a lot and refused to eat or drink. I just accepted that stabling her was mentally cruel and she thrived out 24/7. She was rugged in her older years as required and always had hay available when the grass was low. We did put up a windbreak which was well used and made a huge difference when there was driving rain.

She did 'do' a tendon once, but mended perfectly by keeping her in a pen/small area made with electric fencing.
 
Rather than being an "I hate my stable" issue it could just be a routine thing. I'd imagine if you were to bring her in at the same time each day- say at lunch time or what ever. Ride and wash her off. leave with a feed and hay net then turn out a set time, you may well find she settles (although wont straight away!)
I had the same with mine, he was a nightmare for ages even when i had a "rough" routine going! He got injured and i took him to work with me at a racing yard where routine was ridged and he was a different horse!
 
Glad to hear the stable mirrors worked with your horses. Mine was destroyed after 24 hours, my horse decided it would be more fun to eat it than make believe he had a 'friend' . He has no imagination :)

You might like to try a little transistor radio left out of harms way. Research has shown that horses prefer classical music or talk show type radio stations.

Lots of small nets hung around the stable, a sod of turf, apples bobbing in her water bucket, or a snackaball filled with high fibre nuts might keep her amused otherwise.
 
Thank you - all these suggestions are great. She likes playing with things and picking things up with her mouth, so some toys may help. Although quite frankly the state of her last night I'm not sure. I did wonder about a mirror too. I tried letting her wander about the yard with her stable open but even in the yard she was unsettled, pacing around and whinnying. Although bring her in and tie her up for a groom in the yard and she's perfectly settled.

I did wonder if it might be a routine thing. My previous ex-racer didn't mind the lack of routine but then she did have one when she was younger, she was a lot older when her routine was far less rigid. My new one is still a fired up baby so it could well be the lack of routine upsetting her too.

Obviously if it's stressing her out too much though and I can't find a resolve, we may just have to find ways around having to use a stable.

I do love ex-racers, but I think she may test me a little this one :)
 
applecart14 said:
Glad to hear the stable mirrors worked with your horses. Mine was destroyed after 24 hours, my horse decided it would be more fun to eat it than make believe he had a 'friend' . He has no imagination :)

You might like to try a little transistor radio left out of harms way. Research has shown that horses prefer classical music or talk show type radio stations.

Lots of small nets hung around the stable, a sod of turf, apples bobbing in her water bucket, or a snackaball filled with high fibre nuts might keep her amused otherwise.
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I use a radio as well....it's on morning through evening.

OP - the biggest thing that stood out to me reading your initial post was that there's a possibility that there have been mice or rats in the stable. It's far more common than you think and some horses just can't cope, especially if they've been lying down and startled by one around their legs...I've seen it before and seen it make a horse become stompy and unsettled in the stable. Also the same was that after initial stomping and box walking, often trashing the banks, the horse would lie down and settle. Honestly, I think it was anxious going in, then trashed the stable as a way to make sure anything in there left. Can't prove it, but it made sense.
 
_GG_ said:
I use a radio as well....it's on morning through evening.

.
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Can't remember where I picked up that tip from, but I know some find it comforting.
I used it for my horse when he suddenly refused to go in the trailer and it went a long way to making a lot of difference.
 
applecart14 said:
Can't remember where I picked up that tip from, but I know some find it comforting.
I used it for my horse when he suddenly refused to go in the trailer and it went a long way to making a lot of difference.
Click to expand...

The minions (Mini Shetlands) here stay in through the day but there's usually nothing else on the yard. If I don't leave the radio on, they much on hay, groom each other and are generally active through the whole day. If I leave the radio on, they snooze, lie down, are generally totally chilled out all day.
 
_GG_ said:
I use a radio as well....it's on morning through evening.

OP - the biggest thing that stood out to me reading your initial post was that there's a possibility that there have been mice or rats in the stable. It's far more common than you think and some horses just can't cope, especially if they've been lying down and startled by one around their legs...I've seen it before and seen it make a horse become stompy and unsettled in the stable. Also the same was that after initial stomping and box walking, often trashing the banks, the horse would lie down and settle. Honestly, I think it was anxious going in, then trashed the stable as a way to make sure anything in there left. Can't prove it, but it made sense.
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Now that's interesting, after my previous mare died the shavings were banked up for a long time and we had mice living in there. I presumed it was because the stable was vacant, I didn't think it would happen when in use. But maybe that's what has happened. The time she was in all night she'd absolutely trashed her banks by morning, dug them all up. When she was in last night and I was watching her she was also pawing frantically at the banks.

What do I do about that one?? Not sure where the mice would be getting in if they are there - when they were in previously I just figured they'd got in while the door had been open for a few days because they couldn't seem to get back out. But maybe there is a way in.

Radio also an excellent idea, I've been meaning to get one.
 
Akkalia1 said:
Now that's interesting, after my previous mare died the shavings were banked up for a long time and we had mice living in there. I presumed it was because the stable was vacant, I didn't think it would happen when in use. But maybe that's what has happened. The time she was in all night she'd absolutely trashed her banks by morning, dug them all up. When she was in last night and I was watching her she was also pawing frantically at the banks.

What do I do about that one?? Not sure where the mice would be getting in if they are there - when they were in previously I just figured they'd got in while the door had been open for a few days because they couldn't seem to get back out. But maybe there is a way in.

Radio also an excellent idea, I've been meaning to get one.
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Oh, they'll get in no matter what you do...and they don't have to be actually living in there to wander around and startle a sleeping horse. I guess you could try sticking one of those mouse repellents in or around the stable? That said, a horse trashing it all for a while should be enough to make it an undesirable place to live :)
 
I rather fancy a stable cat and have thought about it before. An excellent excuse. Plus my mare loves other animals. Tried introducing my house cat to her and she loved him - he was terrified :D A rufty tufty stable cat would do the job! Might also get a repeller as have a plug. It seems to have helped in my attic in the house...
 
Yes, just the two of them. I'm not sure really, she's generally not that bothered about him although she likes him well enough. In the field she's relaxed and happy to graze away from him. He's always in the stable next to her and she can see him as there's a half height partition.
 
Have to say Jill, I do wonder about this with her. I spoke to my vet about it who said if I still had my suspicions after having her with me for a couple of months, I could put her on what is essentially gastroguard but under a different name and slightly cheaper. He said they don't have a scope and quite often they suggest trying the treatment if ulcers are suspected and see if there's an improvement.

She is a touch girthy and a number of other things make me a little suspicious of ulcers.
 
Actually you don't always need to scope anyway someone said to me - blood and faecal samples can be used to test too, is that right?
 
Akkalia1 said:
Have to say Jill, I do wonder about this with her. I spoke to my vet about it who said if I still had my suspicions after having her with me for a couple of months, I could put her on what is essentially gastroguard but under a different name and slightly cheaper. He said they don't have a scope and quite often they suggest trying the treatment if ulcers are suspected and see if there's an improvement.

She is a touch girthy and a number of other things make me a little suspicious of ulcers.
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It's probably a bit of a no brainer to be honest. The vast majority of horses in training have ulcers and if she's getting stressed coming in...it certainly won't help.

Go with the treatment and see how it goes.
 
I imagine he is referring to Peptisol (?sp), around £19 a day, but if you don't mind sailing a little close to the wind you could send for Abrazole from Abler, which is just over £200 for the 28 day course. If insurance is paying, go with the Peptisol.
He means diagnosis by therapy which was what my vet was going to do (he went on holiday so I got the Abrazole anyway!!)
 
Akkalia1 said:
Can you claim on insurance for treatment if you've not an official diagnosis first by scope? She is insured.
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I would think so if your vet is prepared to confirm the diagnosis from presenting symptoms - worth asking him? If you have an excess more than £200 go for the Abrazole and don't bother with a claim, it will only muddy the waters IME
 
Yes, I was thinking that TBH. Will have a chat with my vet and go from there.

She's such a sweetheart but we are having a few teething problems :)
 
Akkalia1 said:
Any thoughts on this would be very welcome. Have had my girl since March, she's 4 and her last race was at the beginning of March. Ever since having her she's had plenty of turnout, I suspect having had very little or none for much of her life. For the first month she was out during the day and in at night, then out 24/7. Generally speaking she's very settled in the field. While she was in at nights she was always very keen to get out in the morning, grinding her teeth and pacing about a bit, although seemed to have been generally settled during the night. The teeth grinding seemed to be an anxious thing and I've seen very little of it recently.

However, when I try and put her in her stable now she's very unsettled. She'll actually rear and buck and box walk. She always has her shetland buddy in next to her but this doesn't seem to matter. Her box is large and airy with an open outlook. The obvious answer is to not stable her but there will be times when she needs to be in, even for an hour or two after or before a ride, for vet visits etc, but also she'll come in when the weather is bad as her field has no shelter - even natural shelter and is very exposed. In the winter I suspect she'll need to be in a fair bit, she hates driving rain. So I need to work on getting her settled in the stable but I'm unsure how to do this. Bring her in for a little while each day, gradually extending it?

The only other thing I notice when she's put in her stable is she gets very itchy - quite often trying to itch her legs and stamping out as if at insects. Not noticed this in the field. Because I've just been popping her in for a short while her beds not been down but the shavings are banked round the side - could there be any mites that are causing the itching and making her unhappy in the stable? I suspect it's not that though and more likely anxiety. The one time I had to have her in over night since having her out 24/7 she had obviously been unsettled as bed was all over the place and I had heard her whinnying occasionally (stables are in my garden).

When I turned her out last night having been in for an hour (I brought her in to ride but a heavy slow-moving thundershower arrived and I popped her in til it cleared, riding aborted) she did several handstand bucks in a row as if in frustration then settled down. This morning when I went to see her in the field she was lying down having a snooze, so much happier.

Not sure how to approach this, anyone else experienced this?
Click to expand...

Hello, I haven't read all the replies so sorry if this is covered already - my mare used to be just like yours though (with the rearing and scratching on the walls and everything! Think it's nervousness related) and is now OK with a bit of work. Basically we had to use positive reinforcement and tiny baby steps to not force the issue. Often people say just leave them and they'll get used to it, but I always find that working with nervous horses it's the opposite - they need to know that they're NOT going to be forced, but that you're listening to them. Perfect time to work on it while you don't really need to stable! What I did with mine was initially to put her feed in the stable and every time she came in, we'd go into the stable to the feed. We wouldn't eat the whole thing in there, just start at 30 secs with you there too and the door open - then you both leave and finish the food in the yard. Next step, one minute in stable before you leave. NExt step, you stand outside the door for 30 secs of the minute - then both leave the stable and finish dinner outside. And so on and so on - you're always listening to her and never pushing her far enough to tip her into her nervous activity. This really worked for my mare, and even improved e.g. loading and so on.
 
Morgan123 said:
Hello, I haven't read all the replies so sorry if this is covered already - my mare used to be just like yours though (with the rearing and scratching on the walls and everything! Think it's nervousness related) and is now OK with a bit of work. Basically we had to use positive reinforcement and tiny baby steps to not force the issue. Often people say just leave them and they'll get used to it, but I always find that working with nervous horses it's the opposite - they need to know that they're NOT going to be forced, but that you're listening to them. Perfect time to work on it while you don't really need to stable! What I did with mine was initially to put her feed in the stable and every time she came in, we'd go into the stable to the feed. We wouldn't eat the whole thing in there, just start at 30 secs with you there too and the door open - then you both leave and finish the food in the yard. Next step, one minute in stable before you leave. NExt step, you stand outside the door for 30 secs of the minute - then both leave the stable and finish dinner outside. And so on and so on - you're always listening to her and never pushing her far enough to tip her into her nervous activity. This really worked for my mare, and even improved e.g. loading and so on.
Click to expand...

I think this is the way to go with her. If you push her she just gets really wound up. Put her in with her feed after a lunging session yesterday and she ate her feed and stayed in for a few minutes in a fairly relaxed state and then I put her out. Baby steps indeed!
 
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