Help for a friend please.

Montyforever

Montyforever

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Situation is very complicated, so i will try my best to explain everythin fully :)

A few months ago my friend bought a horse from a livery on my yard, 6 yr old safe cob perfect for friend so everything was well, horse was kept with the dealer for a few months as friend had never owned a horse before and needed some guidance.

He had never been stabled before, seen chickens, deer or geese or met the horses before so understandably was a bit excitable on the monday morning when my mum turned him out. Dealer has now come back saying he cant be stabled otherwise he wont be safe for friend to ride. He has never been stabled before

Please please please tell me i am not going mad, and stabling a safe, happy and loving cob will not turn him into a monster pony. It is an open barn with a decent sized stable, a lovely big bed, plenty of hay and water and 3 other horses.

Ok so second problem - rugging.

He is a 6yr old, h/w cob with a trace clip. He was out in a 400g h/w turnout AND a m/w turnout last night and it was only 6 degrees.

What rugs should he be wearing, i would have said -

Under 10 degrees - m/w with neck
Under minus - H/w with neck
And if it gets freezing possibly a fleece under.

Possibly less?

Thanks in advance for any advice and i will be sending this to my friend :)
 
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Can't help much with the stabling side of things I'm afraid - although like you I fail to see how you'd turn him into a monster with stabling (Unless he'd had issues with stabling in the past) and I'd never keep any horse stabled 24/7 (although I don't think you were suggesting that!)
My cob was clipped out about 4 weeks ago, and last night was wearing a 100g shires rug as he'd got sweaty in his lesson and I had to wash him off. before last night he's been out in a no-fill rainsheet (except for the chilly spell we had a few weeks back). He would BOIL in just 1 heavyweight, but he's a very warm pony. I'm a bit worried as I've left his 100g rug on today, so I hope he's not too warm!
 
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I can't see why stabling him would have turned him into a nutter. There is a cob on our yard which gets a bit overexcited when it is turned out but it certainly isn't dangerous, just needs work on its manners IMHO. So has this horse just moved to your yard?

I'd be inclined to look at what it's being fed firstly - they might be blowing its mind! If he has just moved to the yard then it's natural for him to be a bit on his toes for a while.

As for rugs... it depends on the horse and how warm he feels, how well he holds weight etc but personally I'd have it in a LW for now. Remember he has plenty of his own hair left so I would just put a neck cover on, maybe put a sheet underneath. Personally I wouldn't put him in a MW until it's getting below 0C unless he feels cold (cold at base of ears etc). I don't fetch out the HWs until it gets to about Dec/Jan time and is really cold. My IDx with blanket clip is in a full neck LW with cotton sheet under for turnout, stabled at night with a 110g full neck stable rug and the LW turnout over the top (it is about 6C during the day here ATM with some rain, down to just below 0C overnight). I did debate getting out the MWs but it's just not cold enough yet here IMHO. I really dislike horses who are too warm - my horse sweats if he has too many rugs on so I'd rather he had adlib haylage and generates his own heat.
 
Yup it's complicated. Are the dealer and the "livery on your yard" the same person?

Where does your mum fit in to this - is she on your yard or is the horse and your mum on another yard?

Why on earth would someone who needs a "safe cob" not choose one that was safe under all circumstances not one that had to have special conditions to be safe. A safe cob should have seen all the things you say this one was upset about.:confused:
 
It just takes time once he is used to being stabled he will be fine. If its done slowly like bringing him in for food each day in stable and keeping him in for a little bit each time building it up he will get used to being stabled.

As for rugs thats def far too many for him to be in already, what you suggested sounds ideal for him with his clip at the moment.
 
jemima_too said:
Yup it's complicated. Are the dealer and the "livery on your yard" the same person?

Where does your mum fit in to this - is she on your yard or is the horse and your mum on another yard?

Why on earth would someone who needs a "safe cob" not choose one that was safe under all circumstances not one that had to have special conditions to be safe. A safe cob should have seen all the things you say this one was upset about.:confused:
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Dealer was a livery on my yard :)

My mum looks after him durning the week on their yard.

And this is exactly my point, if hes not safe unless hes out 24/7 and not fed how is he safe?
 
Dealer might be saying cob needs 24 x 7 turnout to ensure reduced energy levels! if the cob is getting less work etc then maybe the dealer felt that being out for this time would help keep the cob calm for your mum. We have a variety of horses living out at our yard so I don't see any issues with it and previously, with some more hyper horses (including some cobs!) they were stabled during the day but turned out at night all year round.
 
It is possible he just does not like being stabled and gets very stressed by it. My friends horse is totally safe as long as he is kept out 24/7 but will become total idiot if he is stabled over night, even with his field buddy next to him.

Very Jekyll and Hyde character but absolutely no trouble if things are done his way. He is a Shire x.
 
Gluttonforpunishment said:
It is possible he just does not like being stabled and gets very stressed by it. My friends horse is totally safe as long as he is kept out 24/7 but will become total idiot if he is stabled over night, even with his field buddy next to him.

Very Jekyll and Hyde character but absolutely no trouble if things are done his way. He is a Shire x.
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No this is my point he is absolutly fine being stabled, not stressed at all.
But they havent ridden him since the move. They think stabling him overnight will give him too much energy
 
The people that had my pony on loan were advised by a PC instructor to keep him out 24/7 as he was being a git to ride and kept bucking!
However it did stop him from doing it ;) he lived out 1 winter when he was a 4 yr old and then after that settled down and the next winter he was able to be stabled at night without him reverting to his previous behaviour!!
 
My reasonabily sensible cob goes insane if stabled. I can bring him in for a few hours in the day but otherwise its out 24/7. Last winter I tried him in for a few nights because of the snow, this is 4 years after I tried him stabled once before..me thinking well he's nearly 10 now he might be more controllable...within 3 days he'd had me over, the Yo'er, her daughter and the biggest bloke we could find to help hold him!! He couldn't be ridden because he would buck and he jumped out the stable causing damage to his legs!!! So yes I completely understand what the dealer is saying and I'd be finding 24/7 turnout for the cob.
 
cobgirlie said:
My reasonabily sensible cob goes insane if stabled. I can bring him in for a few hours in the day but otherwise its out 24/7. Last winter I tried him in for a few nights because of the snow, this is 4 years after I tried him stabled once before..me thinking well he's nearly 10 now he might be more controllable...within 3 days he'd had me over, the Yo'er, her daughter and the biggest bloke we could find to help hold him!! He couldn't be ridden because he would buck and he jumped out the stable causing damage to his legs!!! So yes I completely understand what the dealer is saying and I'd be finding 24/7 turnout for the cob.
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Yeah but hes had 2 nights in now, he was only slightly fresh in the morning eg walking faster than normal and barging .. hes a pretty placid boy :)
 
montyforever said:
Yeah but hes had 2 nights in now, he was only slightly fresh in the morning eg walking faster than normal and barging .. hes a pretty placid boy :)
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If that's his worse then I'd stick with it but keep an eye out. Nothing harder than teaching a cob manner if they learn bad ones...my lad had no handling when I got him at 3 and it's been a real battle to teach him! He still will use his weight if he can!! Hate for the owner to get scared of handling him due to bad behaviour. Personally if they want out they go out, but I'm lazy and really really really don't do mucking out!!:D
 
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