Is there anything I can do?

TheresaW

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 January 2006
Messages
9,340
Location
Nottinghamshire
Visit site
I moved my horse on the 1st Jan to a new yard. On the day he moved, he went beserk. He was rearing and thrashing about in the stable, lungeing at the door and dripping in sweat. After a couple of days he seemed to settle right down and was back to his normal self. A week later, another horse from our old yard came to the new yard and they have been turned out together and Mac has been really happy. On Sunday, something happrned to upset Mac. Have no idea what, but he was rearing, tharashing sweating etc, and in the end, ended up coming over the door and we had to get firebrigade out to free him. He refused to go back into that particular stable and so we moved him to one nearer his friend. His original stable was in a barn with one other horse and it has crossed my mind that maybe he was a bit claustrophobic about being inside. The stable he is in now, is outside and he can see his friend and 2 other horses. He seems almost back to himself, but he isn't quite. On Monday evening, his friend was ridden in the school and although he was calm, Mac didn't stop calling the whole time Bob was gone. When I went in earlier to turn them out, I turned out Mac, went off to get Bob, and when I came back, Mac was at the gate waiting and let out such a big call and acted like he thought he wasn't going to see anyone again. I don't know what to do to help him. My guess is that he is feeling really insecure at the moment, but what can I do?
frown.gif


Sorry for the long post and well done for getting to the end.
 
Sounds very much like our two bigs ones who are bonded badly! - i have opted to have stables at end of the yard which face the other way from the school, so he cannot see what is going on.

The other thing that we do is only take titch away from fred for very short periods but always return him and not make a fuss about it.

He is getting better but it takes time.

I would also try and get a top door possibly? - so in moments of panic he is in the dark, it can calm them down sometimes...
 
Where he is in the new stable, it is like a little courtyard where him and the other 3 look into the middle. He couldn't see Bob in the school, I think he was just upset that he wasn't there. Will ask about top door.
 
Have you tried a mirror- I remember reading a post on here about them really reducing seperation anxiety. Might be worth a try
smile.gif
 
my gelding is the same when i take my mare away, he neighs the whole time, whether i go round the block or away at a show for the day, sometimes he gallops up and down the field untill he runs out of steam. I have seperated them in the fields so they can see each other, but not able to act like a little herd. He does eventually calm down if i take the mare out for the whole weekend.
 
try and get someone out to do some reiki healing with him too, one of our liveries had a lady come to see one of the horses that a bit unsettled, i was quite impressed
 
When I moved my TBs I always put them on a calmer for the first month or two - made the whole moving process much nicer for all.

Luckily my lovely hairies are easy going - as long as they have food they are happy.
 
Sounds like he is already calming down a bit. The move has been a big upheaval to him, having his freind on the yard now is a bit of familiarity and he is probably terrified that he may disapear. He will settle doen given a bit of time I am sure. Good luck.
 
Top