I have a really high strung horse and i need help!

[lauren_xfx]

I’m wondering if somebody could help me with my mare...
She’s a 15.3hh Irish sports horse. I’ve owned her for a year now, and I haven’t really got very far with her..

Where she is stabled, the yard is split into two parts. Her stables and her field are very quiet and chilled, and we walk about 3-5minutes to get to the ménage on the main yard. The main yard is pretty big, so there’s a lot going on in terms of horses being turned in/out, people mucking out around the arena, wheelbarrows, buckets etc.

When she’s round by her stable, she’s really quite calm. If I take her round the main yard when nobody is about, she’s good to ride. However, when it starts coming into peak time and I have to ride when people are busy on the yard she kind of loses her marbles.
She spooks at almost anything and everything, but really really dramatically. She pretty much drops her shoulders and bolts the other way when she spooks, and once she’s spooked once she’s then really wound up and wired for the remainder of the session.
She shoots off the other direction as well if I’m to ride in the arena with other horses and they come towards me (they don’t even need to be close) or come past me closely.. this unpredictability and behaviour really knocks my confidence, because she feels like a bomb ready to explode beneath me.

However, when she goes to my instructors yard (which is really quiet both stables and arena) she’s a completely different horse. I’m at a loss as to what I can do to chill her out a bit. I think she’s a very anxious, highly strung mare in busy situations.

I took her out to a farm-ride and she was foot perfect, couldn’t fault her. Until a horse came into view, then she lost her marbles. It was like she was terrified and didn’t know what to do with herself until horses past her and disappeared from view again. In her previous home she did a lot of hunting, so I’m not sure if this has fried her head a bit??
At competitions, I can’t get into the warm up rings because there’s too many horses in there and she can’t cope with it, and it also stresses me out because I haven’t go any idea about whether she’ll spook at something and cause us to crash into somebody jumping etc.

She’s got a cracking jump and is absolutely lovely to ride when she’s going nicely, and my hope was to do low level events and BSJA on her - but I can’t get her to chill out and she keeps knocking my confidence when she blows up, so we’re a bit stuck!

I’ve had everything on her checked out, so she’s completely sound. I think she’s just got a bit of a crazy head on her!

Has anybody got any advice as to what I could do? To help with her behaviour/ my confidence/ any calmers to use?/ do I sell and get something more sane? Please help!

 

[be positive]

She sounds as if she is lovely when things are fairly peaceful and gets panicked by lots going on, my first thought would be to look for a smaller quiet yard, possibly your instructors or similar, where you can build up your relationship gradually without the stress of what happens where you are and then once things have settled you start to desensitise her to other horses being around little by little with you having more control of what is going on, your instructor being involved would be so helpful, she should start to accept more going on but each time she gets so upset you are being set back in your progress at the moment.
Calmers may help but will not solve the real issue of her being so upset by other horses which can only be done by keeping her within her comfort zone for a while so you can build up her confidence as well as yours.

 

[TPO]

What does your instructor say?

Could they come to your yard, rather than you to theirs, so they can see how she behaves when it's busy and then formulate a plan?

If she genuinely bolts then I'd start by working from the ground if it's safe. Going right back to basics and leading her through the yard when it's busy then letting her relax either in the (quiet) arena or back on her quiet yard. Then gradually build up the time spent when it's busy until she learns to relax without flooding her.

Another option might be to move her onto the busy yard and let her get used to all sorts from the safety of her stable?

Re warm ups then I'd start with less pressure and look at group lessons with local RC etc so she's around other horses without it being the known carnage that is BS warm up rings!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I would consider moving somewhere a bit quieter some horses just don't cope with big busy places with a lot going on, or it could be because she is not actually stabled where your school is on the busy yard she may just feel insecure there, could you not perhaps move her to the bigger yard and see if she settles.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

She sounds as if she is lovely when things are fairly peaceful and gets panicked by lots going on, my first thought would be to look for a smaller quiet yard, possibly your instructors or similar, where you can build up your relationship gradually without the stress of what happens where you are and then once things have settled you start to desensitise her to other horses being around little by little with you having more control of what is going on, your instructor being involved would be so helpful, she should start to accept more going on but each time she gets so upset you are being set back in your progress at the moment.
Calmers may help but will not solve the real issue of her being so upset by other horses which can only be done by keeping her within her comfort zone for a while so you can build up her confidence as well as yours.

I would also check that she is not reacting to any of her feed in anyway, just give her hay for a few weeks.

 

[blitznbobs]

Is there anyway you can introduce her to just one other horse in the school - someone you know who will do what you need them to do and start with the other horse just stood in the arena then when she can deal with that just walking round etc which might desensitise her a bit - what do you do when she gets wound up?

 

[tashcat]

I think a yard move might be a good idea - there's been quite a few threads on here I've read recently about some horses suiting certain environments better.

We've got one who can similarly react quite badly to other horses - his is a mixture of excitement and anxiety, and can get quite dangerous as he will kick if horses get too close (you can imagine warm up rings are a nightmare - no one respect his red ribbon and he just loses the plot!!).

So it might not be the answer you're hoping for, but we're 2 years in and I feel the time has made all the difference. It's just been a case of building him into his routine and gaining his trust - he's now become very attached, and whilst doesn't calm down completely, he's certainly manageable when mum or I are around. We always remember to laugh at him for being a daft boy, and sometimes I'll even sing to him if he's really worked himself up - keeping calm and treating her like she's being a silly billy might just help take the edge off both your nerves, and remind her theres nothing to get worked up over. I know its easier said than done! We had ours on calmers for a few months - I didn't notice a difference but could be an option to give you some more confidence!

I know everything has been checked but could be worth speaking to your vet and physio again in case it is anything physical and she's expressing it this way. Have you had anyone else sit on her? I wonder what your instructor might suggest? If mine is especially worked up, we take a few deep breaths and then practise lots of circles, loops and transitions - just calmly working on refocusing his attention!

 

[Hallo2012]

if shes a bit of an on/off stress head could it be ulcers?

 

[Templebar]

I would get a vet to check her out if not already, particularly her eyes. If everything is ok, then maybe look at a yard move, but i would also think a box in a place where she sees all going on but not being in the middle of it might help.

You could also try a muffling fly hood for riding work to see if that helps her relax with less stimulation. I know it also a bit wacky but i have seen people use those mojo horse patches and for some horses they appear to make a massive difference to their stress levels or the riders but both help one another.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I’m wondering if somebody could help me with my mare...
She’s a 15.3hh Irish sports horse. I’ve owned her for a year now, and I haven’t really got very far with her..

Where she is stabled, the yard is split into two parts. Her stables and her field are very quiet and chilled, and we walk about 3-5minutes to get to the ménage on the main yard. The main yard is pretty big, so there’s a lot going on in terms of horses being turned in/out, people mucking out around the arena, wheelbarrows, buckets etc.

When she’s round by her stable, she’s really quite calm. If I take her round the main yard when nobody is about, she’s good to ride. However, when it starts coming into peak time and I have to ride when people are busy on the yard she kind of loses her marbles.
She spooks at almost anything and everything, but really really dramatically. She pretty much drops her shoulders and bolts the other way when she spooks, and once she’s spooked once she’s then really wound up and wired for the remainder of the session.
She shoots off the other direction as well if I’m to ride in the arena with other horses and they come towards me (they don’t even need to be close) or come past me closely.. this unpredictability and behaviour really knocks my confidence, because she feels like a bomb ready to explode beneath me.

However, when she goes to my instructors yard (which is really quiet both stables and arena) she’s a completely different horse. I’m at a loss as to what I can do to chill her out a bit. I think she’s a very anxious, highly strung mare in busy situations.

I took her out to a farm-ride and she was foot perfect, couldn’t fault her. Until a horse came into view, then she lost her marbles. It was like she was terrified and didn’t know what to do with herself until horses past her and disappeared from view again. In her previous home she did a lot of hunting, so I’m not sure if this has fried her head a bit??
At competitions, I can’t get into the warm up rings because there’s too many horses in there and she can’t cope with it, and it also stresses me out because I haven’t go any idea about whether she’ll spook at something and cause us to crash into somebody jumping etc.

She’s got a cracking jump and is absolutely lovely to ride when she’s going nicely, and my hope was to do low level events and BSJA on her - but I can’t get her to chill out and she keeps knocking my confidence when she blows up, so we’re a bit stuck!

I’ve had everything on her checked out, so she’s completely sound. I think she’s just got a bit of a crazy head on her!

Has anybody got any advice as to what I could do? To help with her behaviour/ my confidence/ any calmers to use?/ do I sell and get something more sane? Please help!

I have found Equifeast really helpful for my queen of spooky mares.

They went right through her diet, eliminating things gradually, and we found she is sensitive to magnesium and her diet comprised of too much,. Other calmers were no good as they were calcium based. We started on the Cool Calm and Collected trial pack then went onto the Cool core, still tweaking things, then onto Optimax 5 day trial with the cool core. Now Just started the Bomproofing, where as my livery is staying on the cool calm and collected and doing well. My mare still does small spooks but that not nearly as drastic or as big and all in all 80% better. . So much more enjoyable hacks so much easier to deal with most issues https://equifeast-shop.com/horse-supplements/horse-calmers/

My advice give them a call. My mare was so bad any strange noise on the yard she would rush to the stable door snorting and puffing. Any spooky things she would make a drastic action, now we get an odd shudder or flinch

 

[Pinkvboots]

I have 2 really spooky horses and I use a school next door to my house so they don't live at the yard either which I think can make a huge difference, I have lived here for 7 years now and they can still be very unpredictable as it is busy with people horses, cars tractors and horses galloping about in surrounding fields, I have found that tactical schooling really help mine I vary it and make it quite difficult doing lots if transitions and lateral work, I find then they don't get the chance to get looky if they have to concentrate and they just get on with it and settle much quicker.

 

[honetpot]

I used to own a TB who had obviously been on the racecourse and would get stressed in any situation that was like that. Large open spaces, tannoy, not being in a group, being in the lorry on his own, large rattles and yet he was an easy ride.
Hunting for some horses is stressful, they meet lots of others going fast, can get run in to and kicked, then just general injury, and adrenaline rush. If you have ever seen a horse pumped up with adrenaline it's whole body tremers, their heart almost appearing as if its jumping out of its chest.
I think you will have to accept some things need to be avoided, I would change yards and find a calm hacking buddy and do lots of slow boring work. You would have thought our TB would have gone nuts at Equifest, but after the first day, we took him for four days, and when he realised that for an hours work he got to stuff his face the rest of the day, it just became usual. We took him round the show ground twice a day, and started when it wasn't busy. Dressage comps were easy, quiet and not too many horses, but a big local show on the side of a XC course, a nutcase for the whole of the day. Just too much space and stimulation.
He sounds as if he is worried that something is going to kick him, so if you can get the same horse in the school with him so he can lower his guard and relax and you get to relax too.

 

[Bob notacob]

OMG you must have Bobs twin sister.

 

[{138171}]

ask for a stable on the main yard and she will learn to not get upset by things and then you'll have a horse that you can do the things you want to with.

 

[Bob notacob]

Or a horse with a nervous breakdown.

 

[{138171}]

Or a horse with a nervous breakdown.

No not really, if done correctly it will be the making of the horse.

 

[Bob notacob]

We get a fair number of horses through here and frankly they either can handle the stress or they cant. In the riding school job you are looking for a complete saint of a horse .They either have it or they dont . You cant put it into them.