Horsey behaviour problem - need help

[miamibear]

Friends horse stabled next to Red is becoming very violent.

He was a very shy type when he came about 3 years ago, wouldnt be caught etc.

Now he is ok - nervous and scatty to ride but brill on the ground to lead etc.

He has started snapping at Red when i lead him past his stable, grabbed hold of him a couple of times. Yesterday i turned three of them out in the field (Red, violent horse and another) and Red was happily wandering to the nearest grass and violent horse ran at him out of canter and grabbed hold of his rug and ripped it. He looked so evil.

He gets turned out for a couple of hours a day but doesnt get exercised much. He is fed on low starch and sugar diet.

Does anyone have any advice or experiences to share with me so i can pass on. He has been like this a while but is getting gradually worse!

It was a new turnout rug - my pride and joy and im gutted but more worried because had he not had a rug on he would have ripped skin off!

Need some help desperately please

P.S Does anyone know if you can get matching colour spare rug patches for your rugs? Its a weatherbeeta

xx

 

[AmyMay]

How long have these two been turned out together?? Does he do it to anything else??

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Can you separate the horses in the field with eletric tape maybe? If yoy have to pass this horses stable so close that it can grab you, maybe a grill needs to be put up or this horse moved so it can't attack other horses, for everyones safety. Sounds like this horse is probably very inscure, so is getting in first so to speak.

 

[vickers22]

does the horse get a lot of attention?It could be due to this. Im taking it thats he is a gelding not a stallion?And is the other horse a mare?As if he finds Red threatning then he will try and stand his ground, make himself up as the tuff one etc.

 

[miamibear]

They were together all summer and no problems! They actually do like eachother - pine for eachother etc.

This behaviour seems winter orientated which is why im thinking it may be because of lack of exercise but he was in 24/7 almost last winter and not these problems.

He gripes badly at the other horse stabled next to him too and others in the field but Red seems to be getting the brunt of it at the moment.

We have all geldings in our field and in both stables next to him so its not a mare thing.

He used to be the one that ran away!

I dont want to end up with skin ripped off my horse!!

xx

 

[AmyMay]

Ok, so they know each other. So, is this horse hungry?? This could explain why he's coming over the stable door 'get away from my hay', and possibly why he being aggressive in the field.

Other than that - don't know really. Although the new rug could have had an affect - maybe he just didn't like it!!

 

[miamibear]

Maybe he didnt like the rug LOL he has had it on for a while but then it is a funky colour, maybe hes jealous!!

Hes not a hungry type of horse, he has ad lib hay and doesnt mind sharing his hay nets with horses. They get fed at the same time so no figting over food either.

i really am at a loss, maybe he just feels well and feels like boss!!

xx

 

[not_with_it]

We used to have one on our yard like this. He would charge at the stable door to bite other horses that went passed. He was definatley top dog and so intimidating being a big 17hh warmblood. He loved people and getting attention but he wasnt being ridden very often. I took on the challenge and started riding him and he was a changed person. It sounds as though he has a litle too much energy.

 

[miamibear]

Will suggest more ridden work too then! I think he does need more riding - he is an energetic horse anyway that needs a lot of work so lot a lot wont be helping him much!!

xx