HELP!-Upset and stressed horse

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darkbay12

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Hi I have recently moved my horse on Saturday to a new yard, hes a throughbred so naturally hot headed. Hes settled well into the field but everytime I bring him up to the yard he gets really het up, if I put him in his stable he dances at the door, shaking his head and box walking, just looks very unsettled. Hes also really bargy around the yard and wont be tied up without spinning round etc. I keep bringing him up to the yard trying to get him used to it but hes so bargy and unsettled and its hard to do anything with him, and this is quite unlike him as hes usually fairly calm on the ground.
I have ridden him and find it easier to control him and he does go well once im on.
This yard is also a lot quieter and relaxed compared to his old yard which was hectic and busy so im not sure why hes so upset and stressed?
Has anyone got an advice or things I could do to help him settle?
 
are there other horses on the yard? if not this is prob the reason. if his field friends are still out he could just be upset that he is leaving them as he has relaxed in the field and you are taking him away to a strange place. its very early days and he may take a little time to calm down..do you give him a feed or hay when he is in the stable? it can calm them down if they can be eating something...just be patient and he will get used to the new yard eventually...good luck
 
splashgirl45 said:
are there other horses on the yard? if not this is prob the reason. if his field friends are still out he could just be upset that he is leaving them as he has relaxed in the field and you are taking him away to a strange place. its very early days and he may take a little time to calm down..do you give him a feed or hay when he is in the stable? it can calm them down if they can be eating something...just be patient and he will get used to the new yard eventually...good luck
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yeah theres usually 2-3 horses in which are all extremely calm in the stables which I thought would help him. I give him a haynet and feed but he barely touches either.
 
Took my placid elderly cob about 3 weeks to stop being a complete idiot when he moved yards, with his 2 friends.
If he's used to busy, then quiet is probably very unsettling
 
my tb was the same, I've moved yards a few times over the years and he's been a loon for the first month each time. he settles fine after that though. i would work on groundwork in the arena to stop the barginess and get his manners back.

Mine didn't suit quiet yards at all though. It's like they are too quiet for him. He's much more settled on a busier yard. But he's behaved exactly as yours does for a few weeks, and then he chills out.
 
I had the same problem which got worse as time went on to the point where he had to be shod in the field as he was too worked up on the yard.
I moved after 6 months as I couldn't take it anymore as he was obviously unhappy for whatever reason and he settled back to his old self within 24 hours in the new place.
5 days isn't long but if it carries on listen to what he is trying to tell you.
 
Have you asked if you can try a different stable? There may be something that he doesn't like/is frightening him, or has he formed a strong attachment to another horse that has been left out in the field when he is brought in?
 
can you do some groundwork so he can get some confidence that you're in control of the situation/strange environment, so hopefully he thinks as long as mum is chilled then everything's ok?

If he's prone to being a bit fizzy it might be worth investing in a stable mirror :)
 
I recently moved my Welsh D mare to a new yard. Previously, she would stand by the gate at certain times of the day when she wanted to be brought in. Now she's an absolute nightmare to bring in at all. Part of our yard faces the fields and part of it faces away, I find that if I take her to the part of the yard where she can see the horses out in the field she will stand calmy, whereas if I take her round the back she will spin and pace and stamp regardless of whether other horses are in. So whilst she settles I'm trying to always stand her where she can still see the fields, if for whatever reason I have to take her round the back, she's always a lot calmer if one of the horses she's bonded with from her field comes with her.

She's gradually improving, and I always remain calm and I don't make a big deal out of anything.
 
One of mine was a bit of a nightmare when I moved him a few months ago - went from a yard of c.30 horses to just my 3 so quite a shock. He calmed down after about a month and is now more settled than ever before.

Have your ridden or worked him at all just to chill him out a bit?
 
Just keep persisting, ignore the behaviour - if you want to be proactive you could try a mirror.

Make the stable as safe as you possibly can - if it were me I would be bringing him in, riding and then putting him in the stable when he is tired. It will get better, but unless you continue putting him in the stable he won't settle - short periods at a time when he is tired :)
 
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