Horse Unsettled After Move (Possibly Donkey Related) - Advice!

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Tierra

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Hey guys,

So we just moved into our new house today and annoyingly, the transport company could only move Jack today also.

He arrived at around 6pm and is in a stable diagonally opposite the two donkeys (who are sharing).

Since then hes been very unsettled, snorting and storming up and down. When i last checked on him, he'd started to grab mouthfuls of hay at each circuit of his walking. He'll stick his head in the water bucket and toss it around a bit. I finally persuaded him to take a couple of bits of carrot from his food trough (which is at the end of the stable closest to the donks).

Hes passed droppings (4 since arriving), he did have colic last week and has had NO hard feed since then. He's had hay for his breakfast and his lunch so has eaten today and hes having the odd mouthful here now.

So far, ive not got his back travel boots off as hes stomping around. Hes got a thin summer sheet on and although he was sweating earlier, hes no longer sweaty.

Does anyone have any advice? I took the smallest donkey to his stable earlier to say hi and Jack wasnt impressed. The donkeys are cowering in the back of their stable while jack stomps around
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Do you guys think theres nothing i can do other than just wait for him to chill? hes better than he was when he arrived but hes clearly quite unhappy with life atm!

p.s. hes never met donkeys before
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Some horses find donkeys absolutely terrifying. Don't force the issue - keep them at a distance and leave them to get used to each other. Don't fuss him - as long as he has hay and water I would leave them in peace for a bit and peek in later. Sometimes an anxious human just adds to the stress.
I'm sure he will soon settle down. There is a donkey in the field next to our yard. My mare had never seen it, but one evening whilst I was in the school it started to 'sing' - she slammed the brakes on and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. I've walked her past it a couple of times and now she ignores it. Written it off as some kind of large dog I think
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Thankfully they havent made that noise yet
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They were building upto it earlier but gave up half way through (sounded like one of them smokes like 60 a day and had a bad smokers cough tbh!)

Ive left the lights on in there.. im not sure if thats a great idea or not really but they are on. I want him to chill a bit over night as i was hoping to get him turned out for half an hour in the morning (my horse hasnt been turned out properly for 8 months and hasnt seen grass for a year so im kinda desperate to get him back to being a horse)
 
Bless them! They might not be best friends by the morning - but I bet they have agreed a truce
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Update us on Donkeygate in the morning
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p.s Jack will love a bit of turnout - and of course a roll in some mud
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Yea, i think the donkeys are quite freaked by him too
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Theyve been with horses in the past but perhaps not one stomping up and down and snorting like mad (but jack is a snorter anyway).

Thankfully now hes home i can keep checking on him. I think he hates me atm :*(
 
Do you have some sedalin you could give him to help him settle?

My old horse hates donkeys with a passion, he would be mortified if he had to share lodgings with one. Hope your chap comes to terms with it - likely to be a waiting game I'm afraid. Ironic he's called Jack
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No, no sedalin. I dont think you can even buy it here without a vet tbh.

Ive left him alone for the night. I managed to get a slightly thicker rug on him and his back boots off. In the process hes crushed my foot (and being an idiot, id gone out with trainers on) - im now 99% sure i have a broken foot / toes.

So sod him! :P I'll see him in the morning and hope hes in a more pleasant mood by then
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How is he this morning? Hope your foot isn't too sore
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He's probably a bit stressed with the move, never mind the donkeys, so just give him time. Might help once he's turned out, and can have a good snort and run around.

My old gelding was terrified of donkeys. Two moved into the yard opposite us, and hacking out became a nightmare. He never got used to seeing them
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My current mare loves donkeys, and always stops for a chat over the fence with them.
 
When i went in this morning he was still stomping around, but he'd poo'd plenty over night and eaten some hay.

Decided the best thing was to throw him out. Although getting him out was a battle, hes burning some steam atm. He has horses next door to him so im hoping they'll help him to chill. Hes eating a little bit and then running about more.

Ive put the donkeys in the winter field which is opposite jacks and over a small dirt track. (Incidently, my donkeys are little sh*ts! as i found out when trying to put them out! :P).

Sooooo theyre all staring at each other. 2 donkeys versus one jack having a big stare down over the fence
 
According to our old Clydesdale, Donkeys are the spawn of satan.

He was not impressed at being stabled next to a miniature donkey when being on display in a pets corner open day - much snorting and he kept his beady eye on it all day - poor little thing could have stood under his belly it was so tiny.

I know a lot of horses find them odd and hate the noise but given time adjust. My old arab loved Pedro, my grandmother's donkey - and that was a truely horrible spoilt monster.

Hopefully he will settle down and I hope your foot is not broken.
 
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(Incidently, my donkeys are little sh*ts! as i found out when trying to put them out! :P).

Sooooo theyre all staring at each other. 2 donkeys versus one jack having a big stare down over the fence

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I'm sorry, but the image of you dragging two naughty donkeys to the field, with them all now having a stand off has just made me LOL
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Aaaaaaaah you have no idea. I put jack out first into the summer fields and he started running round like a crazy fool. Fine.

Went to get donkey one (male). Now ive been warned he kicks and hes very ummm in your face
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The donkeys have been used to just having the door opened and going
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They clearly havent been led anywhere. Theyre also used to doing this in pairs.

Soooo grabbed donk one.. the boy. He barges out and proceeds to show me his ass. Slapped him on it, spun him round and closed the door. He then decided he didnt actually want to go out. Dragged him all the way down the barn, he barged through the door and straight into the field. Let him go and put the fencing up. Fine!

Went to collect donk two.. three year old (very small) female. I figured she'd be quiet.. Wrong. Leadrope on, door open and donk one proceeds to charge straight out. Span her round and shut the door and shes pulling me down the bar. Managed to get at her head towards the barn door and shes just pushing... So im stood there, literally with my chest against donk twos head yelling for my OH to get ready with the electric fence. She charged me straight out of the barn and zoomed off into the field to donk one
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So far, i think i got b*tch slapped by the donks
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So far, i think i got b*tch slapped by the donks
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I think you have too!
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Good luck for round two!
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Donkeys - 2 : Victoria - 0

Just had the second show down with the donks!

I brought them in at lunch time as we had torrential rain. It brightened up again so thought id put them out. Grab donk 2 (girl) took it outside leaving donk 1 in the box.

Donk 2 planted and would not move. I dont just mean being a bit awkward; it just stood and wouldnt move in ANY direction. Friend with me wasnt horsey but we tried everything from enticing it with sweeties and hay to slapping it
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In the end, we had to make a kinda run way back into the barn with random objects, grab a lunge line and smack it on the ass... FINALLY (and im talking 30 minutes later) donk 2 was back inside.

And there it is staying for now until i can get some proper fencing up next to the lane so that at least if i let go, they cant get anywhere
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Jack is still patrolling the fence line of his new field
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Im going to drag him in soonish and hope that 6 hours of cantering up and down will have tired him out.
 
God V, sounds like a plot for a Carry on movie
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(carry on being an Ass!
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)
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At least Jack's kept it to cantering around and wearing himself out! I wonder how he'll cope being in tonight with them
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He's probably quietly amused at the donks being a pain for you!
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Seriously, i wish i could set up a web cam or something for you guys.

I swear to god you would have all been p*ssing yourselves earlier if you'd seen me with the donks!!!!
 
I had a little donkey board at my farm for a while and my guys (who have also never met donkeys before) were totally enthralled by him. A couple of horses were snorting and running around, but most of them were just super-interested.

I'd just wait till he calms down before going in to take off his boots. He'll get used to the donkeys, they always do. Good luck.
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Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh i took the boots off
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He then stamped on my foot and im pretty sure hes broken my toe
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Hes literally spent all day running around today and hes STILL got the energy to stamp about and snort in his stable
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As for the donks - its war between me and them
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I'll try get you all some piccies tomorrow!
 
I'm sorry but had to laugh at your problems with the donkeys. Ours is a little sh*t. It once took me nearly an hour to lead him to another field about quarter of a mile away. We started out fine with him following his pony friend. Then he just planted. Daughter carried on with pony, put her in field then came back to find us in the same spot. Eventually got him moving, then when he got within earshot of pony he took off and cantered the last bit, with me sprinting alongside him.
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They don't say stubborn as a mule for nothing do they. Seriously if they haven't been handled much you do have to be very firm with them, we've had ours for over 20 years now and generally he is pretty good to deal with, but when we first had him he was a nightmare, had to be sedated just to have his feet trimmed. Good luck, and hope Jack settles down soon. Hopefully he will get over his shock at the donks in a while, Murph, who is a real grump with the other ponies, adores our donkey and plays with him.
 
Hehe...sorry, as a donkey and a horse owner, I have been giggling at all the donkey antics. Don't worry, it doesn't normally take long for them to at least accept each other, even if they never become best buddies. Just remember, donkeys are more intelligent than horses and learn very fast, and they WILL test out new people.Love to see photos
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Just had a minor nightmare with jack.

I left him out most of the day today. He hasnt had grass for a long time but he wasnt actually eating much. There are horses in the field that backs onto his and he spent most of the day patrolling the fence in walk, trot and canter.

I went to change rugs tonight and he looks THIN. He only came here yesterday and he was probably slightly over weight then but tonight he looks absolutly awful.

Noticed he hadnt really touched his hay and hes refusing treats from me also. As a last resort, i got him licking a herbal treat thing while i soaked some hay for him. Touch wood, ive just left him picking at some hay and my OH is collecting some haylage tomorrow.

He IS drinking, hes had a wee and hes definitly poo'd in the field although not since i brought him in at 5pm.

Hes calmer than yesterday in that hes not storming up and down anymore but i hate him not eating much
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Donks are fine except for the fact that they want to bray everytime i walk in (for food i think
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). So im having to trickle feed hay to them so that they think im continuously feeding them without actually giving them anymore than they should have. Im sure the first time one brays, jack is going to collapse :P
 
Sorry, but I am sniggering here at my desk. Donks sound like real little characters (should that read little s**ts?). I'm sure Jack will settle soon. Being moved from the busy yard he was on before to this peace and quiet, and having turnout too, is bound to be a big deal. Before long he will be loving it, and you will all settle into your new home.
 
Well ive found out that the last owners just opened the stable door and let them loose. They'd fenced in like a runway area which they chase the donkeys down to the field and then fasten the gate.

soooooo I dont think theyve been handled much
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The first time PF saw a donkey she was utterly horrified. I can't even begin to describe the hystrionics when it actually brayed. She was almost as gobsmacked the first time she saw a coloured pony and a shetland, but the donkey really freaked her out. When she comes back to new yard, she'll have to get to know the mule
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(they scare off pumas, don'tcha know
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