HELP PLEASE-VERY DIFICULT GELDING IS GETTING WORSE

[Muddywellies]

I think youre doing quite well personlly. If you are still getting on and hacking him out, then all is definately not lost. Personally, I would put him on a supplement. A magnesium based one. Cheapest option is brewers yeast. It wont chnge your horse's personality, but might take the edge off. Secondly, always always be safe. Wear your hat, gloves, and decent shoes. Then, I think you have to work with what youve got, rather than against it. And sometimes, to make subtle changes (to routine/equipment/feeding/attitude/pproach) can make the world of differrence. I am also a huge fan of lungeing. You can get lunging lessons which are useful. My horse used to be a complete IDIOT, and I had to lunge him first to settle him before i could ride. Sometimes I never even managed to get on. Sometimes I would have to lunge him till he was knackered ! You can vary your lunging quite a lot, use poles and different exercises. It will give your horse something to think about, and will be exellent for his schooling. If your TB was mine, I wouldn't get on till i had lunged him to assess him and get the fizz out of him. If he is paddying on the lunge , dont stop. Only stop when he's settled and concentrating on you, not the mares. You might get dragged around a bit, so once again, be very safe, and wear full safety gear. But don't get het up - just stay calm and quiet.
Also, is he too 'well' ? Watch he isn't overfed. (too much grass?)
I could go on and on, but just remember, you can't go against nature and instinct. I think it would be rude of us to do. However, there are ways that you can work with it. I have spent 5 years really not liking my horse and wanting to give up, and finally now, we are getting somewhere.

 

[arwenplusone]

Lungeing is a good idea but be careful as you will inadvertently make him very fit.

Some good suggestions on here.
RE regumate, you can give to geldings. It is used on stallions sometimes to suppress their behaviour, but it is not what the product was intended for (so you could get in a mess if there is a problem with it) - it is quite expensive & it will probably not do much. Sounds like he needs some firm handling & maybe a bit more to do? good luck

 

[nicky_jakey]

Hi McNally,

I really sympathise with you as I had this exact problem 2 years ago. I also have an ex-race horse. two and a half years ago the yard I kept him at got sold & I moved him closer to home. It was a small 'low key' DIY yard where the horses predominantly lived out. The mares & geldings were mixed. I moved him there in the October & at first all was well. However, when the mares started coming into season the follwing year he became a real pain. His behaviour was appauling - extremely stallion like, dominant & trying to literally throw me around. I'd had him about 3.5 years at this point so knew this wasn't his normal behaviour. He was awful to deal with, you couldn't stable him & trying to ride in the school was a joke as he was more interested in what the other horses were doing.

I tried everything to try to 'calm' him down - rigcalm, homeopathic remedies, changing his feeds. There is a hormone injection the vet can give for 'riggy' horses & it almost came to this. Sadly nothing worked.

The final point came when he injured himself on a hack & I realised there was no way he could be stabled. Imagine box resting your horse - impossible, someone would get badly injured

So, my answer was to move yards. 2 years ago I moved to an 'all gelding' private yard. He virtually transformed overnight. Back to his 'normal' self. We've never looked back since!

Now I accept that all horses are different, but what you describe is extremely similar to how mine was - basically dangerous to handle / ride. Now luckily I knew that it wasn't him, but the circumstances he was kept in. My suggestion would be to try another yard - you have nothing to lose.

I'd be more than happy to discuss / talk further if you think it will help & I'm not that far away if I can help in any way.

 

[Bosworth]

I would ignore your vets comment about the unlikliehood of him being a rig and get the blood test done. His behaviour sounds very riggy and a blood test will establish that once and for all at a relatively low cost. Not all racing yards are well run professional set ups. In fact most colts are cut before they get sent to a race training yard so the trainers would be unaware whether one or two balls were found. Once in training he may have been kept in a single sex yard.

it also may just be that he was in racing for a long while and has been totally institutionalised, and is struggling with life on teh outside. Probably gastric ulcers as many exracers get them due to the nature of the racing diet.

get the blood test done, its over in seconds and once you have that result you can move forward. Change his diet to a fibre and oil based on, and give him as much turn out as possible.

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/content/view/47/97/#southcentral

McNally, if you go onto the IH website here you'll see that there are a number of Recommended Associates in your area, Any one of them are worth contacting for help with your horse. They are all very nice people, none of them will mind you ringing them up for a chat and advice. Go on, what have you got to lose? Don't despair!! K x

 

[McNally]

Thanks again!
I will try lunging him- he's not great to lunge (um oddly he's very lazy) and as he usually plays up worst on the way home- even after a long ride i'm not sure he is wear out able!
I will try my hardest to get him more exercise, and to find help.
Also will have the bloods done- just to rule that out.He is fed about a scoop a day of healthy hooves, biotin, garlic and magic- which i only tried recently- he has got worse since i got it.
As for still riding him i have no choice! somedays i really would rather not but in the long term thats going to make it worse, i am good at blocking out the previous day and pretending i wasn't terrified!
Promise to try harder and let you all know x

 

[nobbster]

hi, i have the same problem wiht my 7 year old gelding he just gets ridiculous wen i try to take him away from the mares, i have actually broke down where he has been so badd at 1 point had him in control headcollers and bits even a chiffney he would still try it.

i have currently tried him on no more moods from equine america fingers crossed seems to be working a bit, i dont think he is a rig as not mounting mares ect... jus really clingy and as i have no other gelding in my part of the yard no other option to keep him with the mares.

but i would reccomend no more moods.

good luck p.s if ou find a solution long term let me know pleeeaasssseee xx