Horse suddenly not ok on own?

V

Velvet turner

Member
Joined
16 June 2021
Messages
28
Visit site
I have been working on leaving my homebred 3yo in her stable whilst we hack out for the past 4ish months. Started with literally 1 minute at frist and have gradually built up over time to about 30 mins. She has been good as gold, so chilled, just stands eating her feed or hay, only ever one neigh as we leave and then silence, even when she hears us coming back. The 2 ridden horses (only 3 at sole use yard) had a week off and sunday morning we rode them for the first time in a week. We aimed for 30 mins however came across a crow eating a pigeon alive (so random) so i got off to help it and ended up being about 45 mins in total. When we got back she had jumped out of her stable and was stood at the yard gate waiting for us - very chilled just waiting!

Yesterday i decided to start the whole process again to build her confidence back up and tied the other 2 to the yard gate so they were only just out of sight whilst she ate her feed and she went crazy. Trembling, screaming, going around her stable (but still taking mouthfulls of feed) so i immediatly went to get one of the others back again and turned around to see her jump out of her stable again. She wasnt as lucky this time and had cut her legs open and needed staples to a cut down to the tendon on her fetlock.

It is so strange that she has been fine and now she went crazy. As soon as she is tied on the yard and not in the stable she was absolutly fine, its the stable thats getting to her. Literally the only thing that is different is twice last week i turned her out in the field first and then put the others out to join her, where as i normally lead them all out together. And she has started going to inhand walks, thats the only other change. She LOVES her stable when at least one other is there and is chilled as anything when in there.

She goes on inhand walks by herself and has no issue. I am happy to go as slow as she needs but i do feel strongly that horses should be able to spend small infrequent amounts of time by themselves for injuries like this when they need box rest so the others can at least have an hour in the field.

Has anyone had this issue before where they have been fine and then one day just not?
 
Lucky Snowball said:
Could something have frightened her while left alone in stable eg hedge cutter, helicopter, shooting- just thinking what happens here!
Click to expand...
I did wonder this but she not generally phased by anything. Its on a really quiet country lane with no neighbours and the people we rent the yard from were not home. I thought maybe a car backfiring or something may have caused it!
 
I know a few mares having a bad season at the minute, which could make her more anxious than normal. And once she has jumped out once it will make her more likely to do it again, if it "worked" for her the first time and she was calmer on the yard.

Poor girl! If she is normally a chilled out type she may also have just scared herself more from being scared, if you know what I mean.
 
Do you have a rat problem anywhere nearby. A friend's horse was the same and eventually they put a camera up to try and pin down what was happening, and it was rats appearing around her feet that terrified the poor horse. My old horse on the other hand would never so much as blink an eye on pretty much any wildlife joining him in the stable. :confused:
 
Hormones is a good shout, i didnt think if that! One other thing that has sprung to mind is i ran out of Equimins advanced about a week ago, and she had a day or so without and is now on a different lower brand vitamin supplement, i wonder if it is something like a magnesium deficiency causing the anxiousness?
 
Controversial maybe, but I just wouldn't be leaving a 3 year old alone. They are very young. It's just not good for them mentally and could lead to either injuries from box walking or jumping out, or ulcers from the stress even if it looks like they tolerate it. Have a companion to keep them company then everyone can just relax.
 
Velvet turner said:
Hormones is a good shout, i didnt think if that! One other thing that has sprung to mind is i ran out of Equimins advanced about a week ago, and she had a day or so without and is now on a different lower brand vitamin supplement, i wonder if it is something like a magnesium deficiency causing the anxiousness?
Click to expand...
The mag levels in Equimins advanced are fairly low for the average horse, it was the one supplement I’d add more magnesium when I fed it. Although the advanced does have B vits in it, hence the yellow colour and smell of it - and those are generally good for the nervous system regulation/stress too, so it may be the lack of B’s rather than lack of magnesium from that particular supplement.
However, a cheaper alternative for the B’s would be brewer’s yeast for a horse, as it gives all B’s except B12.
Horses should manufacture B vits in their guts themselves, so B vits are not necessary in a healthy gut horse usually. Youngsters can be prone to worms and their damage so can have sensitive guts, so maybe the B’s helped yours, but without giving a heaped teaspoon of brewers yeast to experiment, it’s hard to pinpoint the cause of sudden stress.
 
not much help but would never leave a horse in a stable on its own after seeing a horse jump out and had to sit on its head watching its lungs and heart beat outside it body when it ripped its self open jumping out a stable where i used to work if there was a gun close i would of shot it my self seamed like ages for vet to arrive
 
I don’t have much to say but I think I’d try putting the youngster out in a field with decent post and rail? I find that if Saus has space to move around in and grass to eat she’s much better on her own. Do you have a horsey friend who could stay with your 3yo and keep them occupied/keep an eye on them/message you if 3yo is getting a bit hot to handle?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top