Horse wont settle in his stable

[Clare_horse]

hi
ive owned my horse for 5 years and we recently moved yard as he came with me to university, I choose the yard very carefully so that it was 100% right for us but the problem im having is that when hes in the stable and im not present hes getting very upset and agitated which is resulting in him sweating up even if I only disappear for 5 mins.

the stable hes in is round a corner so he cant really see much but that has never really bothered him before hes normally laid back and chilled.

I have tried putting a mirror opposite his door but he took no interest in this, so I moved it into his stable and hes looked at it a handful of times and still gets upset if im not outside/ in stable with him.

ive also sat in the stable for hours with him so that he realises its not that bad but hes still not settling!

hes got a play ball, a few licks and a lick it ball hanger in his stable but hes just not interested in any of these either.

is their anything anyone else can suggest that may help him settle abit?

thanks!!

 

[Turks]

Sounds like he needs more turnout! Failing that I'd try working him v. hard so he's tired and hopefully hungry too. Turn the stable into a rewarding place for a tired hungry horse.

 

[Bojingles]

You say his stable is round a corner - can he see any other horses? He may well feel insecure with the move and be getting upset if he can't see others. My cob has never been keen on being in so she's been out 24/7 for most of the year now. She's recently needed vet treatment so has been coming in randomly during the day, and she's fine if others are on the yard but gets really, really agitated, upset and sweaty if she's in on her own. When she was coming in overnight last winter she was ok with it. So I'm thinking a change of routine and no company?

 

[blitznbobs]

Get him a mirror... Can work wonders.

 

[Clare_horse]

thanks guys
hes turned out 24/7 at the moment but I bring him in through the day for when im riding ect and that's when the problem starts
I don't really work him hard as hes only 5 so don't think that's an option as hes only even in light to med work

he cant see any at the moment but hes never been bothered about that before but I cant bring the ladys horses in whos next to him as she leaves hers out.

I might see if I can steal someone elses stable for a bit and see what hes like some where else on yard.

just theirs no spare stables so he needs to get used to it :/

 

[DD265]

It sounds like he hasn't completely settled yet and has closely bonded with another horse so gets stressed if he's away from them and you aren't there to comfort him.

I'd always make sure that he has hay to nibble on when you bring him in. Is there somewhere on the yard that you could tie him where he could still see others?

 

[Clare_horse]

hes totally settled in field on yard and things but where I tie him up its the main bit of yard, its just the stable that's the problem.
I don't think hes bonded with the horse in field with him as they don't really get on but tolerate each other.

yeah he has hay and food and stuff but still doesn't help just as soon as I leave stable hes getting worked up and obvs I cant stay their 24/7 although I would love to haha!

 

[be positive]

There are several issues here, he is only 5 so you have moved him for the first time in his life, apart from when he came to you as a baby, that is going to be a shock to him. You are not bringing him in with others in a routine so he will be even more unsure about what is going on, the fact the stable is round a corner will mean he feels shut off, even if there was another one in he wouldn't know.
I would be patient with him, make life as uncomplicated as possible, get him in, work, feed, turn out with minimum time shut in and I guess once he is in at night and has a routine he will settle, even if you don't stable overnight he should settle down given time, you cannot make them settle just make everything as easy as possible for them to do so.

 

[Clare_horse]

its not the first time hes moved yard we have moved a few times due to a number of reasons but hes always settled straight in without any problems as hes trusts me 100%
and he can see some of round the corner but even if I leave him to fill a water bucket up he gets into the same state. and he doesn't spend much time in stable maybe 10- 15 mins max while I tack up or brush ect as I don't want to stress him to much so ive been building the time up slowly but hes fine as long as im their.
and I am been patient with him just upsets me to see him get into the state he does as hes never done it before so its just a shock and I only posted on here to see if anyone could suggest something to put in his stable or something to maybe do other than what I stated he has to see if it settles him!

 

[Tern]

its not the first time hes moved yard we have moved a few times due to a number of reasons but hes always settled straight in without any problems as hes trusts me 100%
and he can see some of round the corner but even if I leave him to fill a water bucket up he gets into the same state. and he doesn't spend much time in stable maybe 10- 15 mins max while I tack up or brush ect as I don't want to stress him to much so ive been building the time up slowly but hes fine as long as im their.
and I am been patient with him just upsets me to see him get into the state he does as hes never done it before so its just a shock and I only posted on here to see if anyone could suggest something to put in his stable or something to maybe do other than what I stated he has to see if it settles him!

Have you got a friend on the yard who would let you put him in their stable and vice versa so you can then leave and see if he gets in a state? It may just be where his stable is placed if he is used to being next to others.

 

[trottingon]

It sounds like you're doing all you can OP. Just maybe picking up on what others have said, keep him in for as short a time as possible when you bring him in, keep what you do to a routine when he is in, and if the horses on the yard come in at night over the winter, perhaps don't stable him overnight until the horsey-neighbour he can see starts to come in at night, so he's not in overnight on his own.
Other than that its just a waiting game to see if/when he settles.
Good luck x

 

[PolarSkye]

Just a thought . . . how is he if you're not around - as in he can't see, hear or smell you? Does he settle after a while then?

I only ask because I have a stresshead . . . can turn himself inside out if stressed in his stable (box resting him is a nightmare), but if he is left completely alone he settles right down.

P

 

[Joyous70]

Just a thought . . . how is he if you're not around - as in he can't see, hear or smell you? Does he settle after a while then?

I only ask because I have a stresshead . . . can turn himself inside out if stressed in his stable (box resting him is a nightmare), but if he is left completely alone he settles right down.

P

^^^^This!

I have a complete stresshead of a mare too, she will get really agitated, barge the doors, kick the wall, generally get herself in a right state, if i stand with her or go into her stable she will eventually calm down, if i put a headcollar on her and tie her up in her stable its like her safety blanket and she will happily eat hay. If i have to bring her in overnight, its easier for me to put her in and leave immediately as i hate seeing her get so agitated, however, once I get in my car and leave she is a calm as calm can be, (other liveries have watched her for me)

 

[BeingKate]

this may sound a bit of a silly suggestion

I had a lovely albeit quite firey and stress mare who used to colic when I was away for more than a night. In the end I hung up an old tshirt of mine that Id worn to sleep in that night. She had a massive sniff of it when she went in her stable, and didn't colic that long weekend when I went on holiday - the first time I hadn't had to fly back in tears and get the vet out (only to find she was OK when she saw me, little minx bless her)

 

[Clare_horse]

thanks im going to try him in a friends stable in new few days to see what happens then and if it is the stable im going to ask to be moved asap x

 

[Coblover63]

I'm having the same issue with one of mine. He's 14 and been with me for two years. Never had an issue with him in a stable. He came home for the summer and lived out with employers ponies and when he came back to join my other three, we had had to move yards unfortunately in that time. Like yours he is fine to tie up and in the field with the others, it's just when he is in the stable that he is very unsettled. Mine is slightly different as he is in the corner of a barn with stables either side of him and one across the way. He doesn't behave any differently if any other horses are in. The only difference I can think is that the last stable I had was an "outside" one and this one is about 12ft away from "outdoors" so it's more indoor. Or maybe it was just a move too much for him after spending the summer at home. I also tried him in one of the other stables I have for one of our others, in another block and he was still upset and agitated.

I'm bringing him in, tying him up to groom and then ride and then popping him into his stable when we get back to have a token gesture feed (something nice to associate with the stable) and then a minute or two after he's finished, before he has a chance to start walking round and stressing, I turn him back out again. I did leave him overnight a couple of weeks ago (there was a neighbour in too) and he wasn't sweaty the next morning, but since they he still behaves the same, no worse but no better. I'm sure he will settle in time, I just feel so bad that he's so clearly distressed

 

[Clare_horse]

hey guys ive managed to leave him alone now in his stable for about 20 -30 mins while I poped out people checked on him just I didn't want to be their if he got upset so I went to the shops 2 mins away and I came back he was stress but not sweaty so I suppose that's a plus!
although in that time he managed to knock his mirror down in-between the walls!! -_- (it wasn't fastened on) and looks like he may have had a kick out at the wall to as their appears to be a new dent in the wood!!!

he does seem to be getting better I now bring him in straight into stable brush him tack up ect in their and hes happy I then ride or w.e and then bring him back into stable and untack feed ect and hes totally fine with this thank god!

the people who are in same field as me are thinking if this weather stays the same to have them in end of November so its time to crack on with getting him in stable for longer but taking each day as it comes!

thanks for every ones input! x