I am loosing the will to ride!

[TJ&Ozzie]

As title really. I have 2 horses who have been together for 3 years. My pony is retired and I have a veteran TB who I like to hack and do the occasional pleasure ride on.

I broke my arm at the end of last year so haven't been riding. I have just started little hacks again to get my boy started off, which is lovely. Untill I get home to find the pony in a sweating mess the paddocks churned up, fence everywhere or his stable turned inside out and him lame! He has a grade 4/5 heart murmur so I am sure none of this is good for him. He was fine last year and I had some lovely long hacks and days out coming home to normality (a bit of neighing and charging about but otherwise fine) husband said he was fine and used to settle as soon as we were gone and would graze. Now however we have pyscho pony and I really am at the point where I don't want to go out for a ride and leave him.

Another horse or pony just isn't an option if I wish to stay married (which I do! Lol) so I call on the great font of knowledge that is HHO for help and words of wisdom!

Tea and homemade scones and jam for those who get this far

 

[Tapir]

I got a stable mirror for my companion pony who is left behind when I ride my other one. She was never exactly distressed at being left alone but was definitely unhappy. She is so much better now. She still calls when we get home but her stable is no longer full of droppings and she seems much calmer about the whole thing. She gets a decahedron thing with nuts in to keep her occupied and she has a webbing grill over the top of her door to make sure she doesn't try to jump out. I wouldn't even try to leave her slone in the field whilst I rode as I think she'd go nuts.

 

[mandwhy]

How long are you taking the horse out for? Have you been building up gradually? I think you should maybe try giving the pony a haynet or treat ball or whatever might distract him and just take the other horse round the corner, maybe for a feed or a graze then bring him back very quickly.

My horse charges around whenever anyone takes their horse out and keeps doing so basically until they are out of ear/smell/whatever other senses range, which is about half a mile. She starts it again when she knows they are coming back. So you might want to experiment with how far to take him, as if i took a horse around the corner but so she still knew they were there, she probably wouldn't calm down.

 

[cavalo branco]

Homemade scones-Yum!!! I just take one of mine out at a time, ignore the neighing but make sure the one at home is securely in the stable, shut the yard gates just in case and believe repetition is the best cure!

I did start with a treat ball for the stabled one (only had my own yard with 2 horses for a few months) but now I find as long as I separate them regularly they know the routine. After a spell of riding in my school or not riding for a few days it gets tricky again!! Just keep going, it will get easier. Start with a short separation and work up.

 

[TJ&Ozzie]

Thanks all. I really worry about his heart when he gets in such a state. I am literally just riding the other side of our driveway at the moment and he can see him all the time. He was fine last year, it is so frustrating!