He's SO Fresh! Advice Please...

milesjess

milesjess

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Are anyone else's horses full of beans at the moment? With the sun shining and grass coming through my lad is full of himself.

I've had him 4 months now and he still isn't 100% settled. Just wondering how long it took your horse to settle into their new homes?

He's always on his toes and strong to lead to field/ school/ stable, quite spooky and generally lively. I spoke to his previous owner who said he'll settle but needs time to adjust.

He's just had a new saddle fitted and back checked, which was all fine. He's due to have his teeth done also.

Any thoughts? He's in a routine, but still on 1 hour turnout a day due to poor fields (hopefully only 1 month of this left until he's on the other fields for full days).

He's not dangerous or nasty at all, just seems to get very excitable.
 
LaurenM said:
What are you feeding him? Can you turn him out in a manege for a few hours?
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Forgot to mention feed! He's not on hard feed at the moment as he's a very good doer and in light work, he has a net of Haylege AM and PM. I'll sometimes give him the odd Carrot/ Apple.

I'm not sure the YO would allow us to turnout in the outdoor :(
 
I would say more turnout will be the key so hopefully in a month when he can get proper turnout he will be better. It constantly shocks me how people run these livery yards yet do not have adequate acreage to allow people to turn their horses out all through the year.

No wonder the horse is strong going to the field - you'd be desperate to get out too if you were shut in a box for the majority of your day!
 
I would just advise you to hang in there! My mare was loopy after all the snow...just started to settle and now spring is in the air so we are back to square one!! :) I reckon they will all be back to normal soon but until then maybe more turn out or cut back feed... have you tried lunging to get the fizz out before you get on?
 
ladyt25 said:
I would say more turnout will be the key so hopefully in a month when he can get proper turnout he will be better. It constantly shocks me how people run these livery yards yet do not have adequate acreage to allow people to turn their horses out all through the year.

No wonder the horse is strong going to the field - you'd be desperate to get out too if you were shut in a box for the majority of your day!
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Yes I do agree and hopefully it'll help him to relax and burn off some energy.

Unfortunately the turnout isn't the best, but it won't be for much longer.

Thanks.
 
Yeah I lunge him before riding and if I'm not riding I'll give him a good lunging session. He is fresh on the lunge but it does help, however he'll still be on his toes when leading him back to his stable... Once back at his stable he's fine and settled. Not sure if he is nervous or anxious maybe?
 
Same problem with my thoroughbred. He's been out of work since September due to me being injured and is becoming a nightmare to handle inhand, suddenly remembering he is 17hh!
 
I would have expected him to have settled into his new yard and routine by now, but it might be the lack of turnout just doesn't suit him and you might just have to wait until that increases before he calms down. Was he on haylage with his previous owner? Sometimes that can make them fizzy? Might be worth considering hay instead. (if hay on its own isn't enough you could supplement it with a little bit of chaff with a general vit/min supplement just to keep him ticking over)
 
To be honest more turnout is the obvious answer. Mine is a different horse when he's out 24/7 (an easier horse!) at the moment he's in at nights as I'm on a livery yard, I hate to imagine what he would be like if he only had an hour out a day!
 
Yup, as everyone has said more turn out def the way forward. TBH there are only a very few horses that can cope with being stabled 22hrs/day (assuming turn out = 1hr, ride = 1hr). It isn't dissimilar to a prison regime, enough to send even some of the sanest, least imaginative and least active horses/people slightly round the twist! In the short term if the yard has a walker you could see about getting him out on that for a while each day but, keeping next winter in mind, you might want to consider moving to somewhere with better turn out...

ets: a sharer/paying someone at yard to hack out during day might help too...
 
Thanks guys. Having had a good think about what's best for him and your thoughts I might move yards, going to see one tonight which has turnout all day, everyday and better facilities. Bit further to drive but I can accept that!
 
Have to agree with those who say more turnout is the answer. He wll burn off some of his energy just mooching around the field all day and Im sure will be an easier horse once turned out more. I would be looking to find a yard with all year round turnout tbh, even if it means compromising on facilities.
 
There is an "also" - all my horses need to "bottom out" from time to time, which means going out, competing, training whatever. You keep them ticking along, they are fit and then they get bored. My laid back boy is always considerably nicer after having actually gone out in the trailer. If you can't get out then a longer hack might suffice? Mine are only out for 1/2 day each because after that they start to yell to come back in but they definately need a change of scene from time to time!
 
To be honest more turnout is the obvious answer. Mine is a different horse when he's out 24/7 (an easier horse!) at the moment he's in at nights as I'm on a livery yard, I hate to imagine what he would be like if he only had an hour out a day!
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I totally agree with this! If it were my horse, I would be looking for another yard with guaranteed daily turn out ASAP. Horses weren't meant to be confined in boxes 23 hours a day!

At my first yard, my "difficult" mare didn't get enough turn out in winter. Then I moved her to a place with daily turn out. "Difficult" mare is now a sweetheart I can ride anywhere! It makes such a different, for their mental health as well as their physical energy levels--they're socializing with other horses and having fun! Going out every day has made her a very happy bunny!
 
my lad gets turned out and now does about 20 mins full gallop with his friend around the field. hes out for 7 hours a day at the moment and plays solily for about 5 of them. he would be an absolute timebomb if he was kept in and only got an hour out. im sure the turnout at your new yard will calm him down. i agree with the other poster about the acreage. its a sign of a bad, horse unfriendly yard if they have too many horses than their land can cope with.
 
Think you are exactly right to look for a different yard with proper turnout. I think all your problems will disappear if he is out - ours are out for 12 hours a day at the moment and come better weather 24/7. Wouldn't fancy even going into the stable with mine if he was only turned out for an hour a day!!
 
milesjess said:
Yeah I lunge him before riding and if I'm not riding I'll give him a good lunging session. He is fresh on the lunge but it does help, however he'll still be on his toes when leading him back to his stable... Once back at his stable he's fine and settled. Not sure if he is nervous or anxious maybe?
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I should imagine he's absolutely fed up!
One hour's turnout per day, really isn't enough. If I were you I'd look for a yard with better turnout arrangements,because you will only have to face this again next year, even if things get better during the summer.
 
How much (weight kg) of haylage is he getting? what type of haylage is it.

I know one of my horses if he is hungry gets a bit sharp!- may be phone one of the feed companies and see what they suggest feed wise.

May just be that he is feeling well, and if he's not able to be turned out, he's been doing more work, the more work they do the fitter they get, the better they feel in themselves!

Hopefully you can turn him out soon- even if it's just for an hour or two at a time so you can let him down a bit so he's a bit quieter.
 
K27 said:
How much (weight kg) of haylage is he getting? what type of haylage is it.

I know one of my horses if he is hungry gets a bit sharp!- may be phone one of the feed companies and see what they suggest feed wise.

.
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good point Micah is the same if he is hungry. In winter he always has 10 -15 in his stable to have some haylage and a wee before I ride.

In summer when too much grass he gets 30 mins to an hour to recover from full tummy of grass and a wee lol
 
Good news. Seen new yard and it's fab. Only 4 other horses on there, he'll have his own huge field, no time restrictions etc and 24/7 turnout in the summer. I think he'll be a changed horse :D
 
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