help - just moved stable - v stressed horse!! Long

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darksecret99

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New yard is not far from old, so I walked him to his new field yesterday at normal time etc - all fine, he made friends with his new companion (who he has met before) over the fence - fine all day grazing, fine to bring in and fine to stand in the yard for a groom... then I put him in the new stable and he totally freaked (even though there are familiar smells etc cos he has his stable mats etc)! going round and round and trying to climb over the door!!! He quietened down when I left (and spied from a distance!!)... but when I went back later he set off again.... (and his stable was a total pit this morning, so he must have still been stressing)

He was fine this morning when the chap gave them all breakfast, but set off again when I got there, was a total sh1t to lead to the field and has been pacing and not really settled all morning... (again spying fom a distance!).... hoping he will get tired of walking up and down soon and settle... it definately makes it worse if I hang around, so I have left him to it!!! Am I doing the right thing??!!! He is safe and secure in field and stable.... (and I am wearing, hat gloves etc when handling him....)

To make things worse he is off work (again!!) with a leg injury he should be resting!!! (Bad timing I know, but he only went lame a couple of days ago and it was too late to postpone the move...)

Any ideas how I can help him settle? Or should I just carry on as normal as much as possible .... I dosed him up with camer in advance just incase (not that that seems to have worked at all!)

Really dispairing!! He was like this when I first got him, but I didnt think he would get this stressed cos he's not moved far and all the routine and people are the same etc...

Blimmin horses!!!
 
Had exactly the same with mine a few weeks ago. When I was there, or he even heard my car engine pull up he would start calling, running up and down and getting wound up. I tried taking my OH's car to spy on him which worked a couple of times but he soon cottoned on.

In the end we put him in with his companions (he had been in the next field) after only being there for a day and a half (a mare he had hacked with several times and an old shetland). This really seemed to do the trick and whilst he was pleased to see me, he wasn't desparate. Mine was living out at the time.
 
Thanks

He was a bit better this evening, not sure if its just cos he has worn himself out though!!!

Will give the rescue remedy a go (the calmer seemed to have no effect!) - how much would you give a 17.1hh?

He can see the horse in the stable next door through a grill wall, so I'm not sure a mirror would help.... he seems to just want his mummy!!! He is a big baby though, only just 5.... hoping his stressyness gets better with age (if I deal with it in the right way!!)!!!

I feel mean leaving him, but I dont want him to think that making a fuss gets him attention.... I was purposefully trying not to do anything different to normal, no extra attention etc.... Hope I am doing the right thing!!!
 
My "nice sensable" cobs freaked when we moved yards, they were all together and knew the area but still got realy stressed. Archie even reared in his stable and fell over ! scary ! But they did settle, can't remember how long it took, not too long, hang on in there !
 
He was better again this morning.. still not eating as much hay as normal though (and his stable was a total pig sty again!!), but more than yesterday and didnt leave a morsel of his feeds!!

He was much better to lead out and seemed much happier in the field (despite it being the start of the shooting season, with some shots sounding rather close!!!).... phew.....

Thanks everyone... It helped just to go AAAAHHH to some people that would understand (cos I have been trying to maintain total calm while at the yard incase he could sense my stress!!!)
 
i had problems when i moved mine. i moved his hay from a rack at the back to a net next to his door so he didnt need to box walk, and i put a chain across his door and his door is open at all times, so he doesnt feel shut in. i dread ever having to move house again
 
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