Moved to a new Livery yard - my horse won't eat or drink - help!

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Frances28

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I moved my horse to a new livery yard on the weekend. She comes from a very small yard and is now in a 60 horse yard. She's not eating nor will she drink much. I am worried she's not coping with the move.

All the horses at the moment are turned out mid morning but I have to work early and frightened about turning her out earlier on her own!

HELP!
 
How much time are you spending with her? Are you doing the turning out?? How's she getting on with the other horses in the field, is there lots of grass in the field?
 
I see her every morning and evening to muck out and feed her. I talk to her and cuddle her alot. As I am at work early someone else turns her out and turns her in. I have no other choice.
 
My horse didn't eat his food the first night that I moved him - Is she eating Hay/grass when out or nothing at all?
 
I see her start to eat some hay, but when I return later nothing further has been eaten. She was so greedy at her old yard. I am not sure if she is eating grass as I don't see her in the field. This is the 4th day and just hope she starts soon!
 
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How much time are you spending with her? Are you doing the turning out?? How's she getting on with the other horses in the field, is there lots of grass in the field?

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So you have no idea what the interaction is in the field - and how she is getting on with the other horses??
 
When she was turned out for the first time on Sunday (the day after she arrived) she went with another horse and they galloped and jumped about. I checked on her an hour later and she was grazing within the herd. Then an hour after that (always keeping my distance so she can't see me) she was on her own, at the top of the hill away from the herd looking for home. Maybe I am just being paranoid. she was in all day yesterday as she hurt her leg.
 
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Maybe I am just being paranoid. she was in all day yesterday as she hurt her leg.

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Moving for some horses can be incredibly stressful - and as you have not observed what is happening when your horse is out - other than Sunday - it's difficult to know how these stresses are affecting her.

I would be taking some time to be the one to turn her out and bring her in to give her reassurance. Sugar Beet water will help tempt her to drink - and she will start eating her hay at some point - she won't starve herself.
 
It sounds like she is just adjusting to her new environment. Can you ask whoever is turning her out & bringing her in or whoever is around during the day to keep half an eye if she is settled in the field & eating ok?
 
Yes you are right. I could turn her out before I go to work at 6.30am but she will be on her own for 2 hours before the rest go out. I plan to do it every sat and sun though which is a start. The flavored water idea is a good one and I will plan to watch her in the field this weekend. I haven't ridden her yet - didn't think it a good idea!
 
Is there another horse you could offer to turn out for someone? Then she will have the chance to get to know that horse before the rst of the herd join her?
 
I'm sure she'll be fine, she will be exicted by new surroundings i should think and checking out what's going on. If she's not visibly fretting (ie pacing up and down/whinnying constantly) then you are probably worrying a lot more than her.

She is likely to be segregated from the herd for a while as if they are the same horses together all the time they will have their pecking order sorted and the 'boss' horse is not likely to let the under dog horses near her at first (they like to have this "my space" and "new horse space" thing!). It takes a good long time for us to settle any new horse in (and I dread it) as our boss horse (actually the small pony) is a swine and also my horse (his sidekick) is just pure evil to new horses!

I am sure she will be eating grass, horses aren't daft and sooner than you know it she'll have settled in and got herself sorted in the hierachy of the field herd structure.
 
Thanks LadyT - I think you are right that I worry more than she! This is my first horse and I just want her to realise why I moved her (bigger land, more things to do, more friends!). Any other tips?
 
Does she have a favourite sweetie (like polos or something?) - you could try putting some in a small quantity of sugarbeet and hard feed to see if that will tempt her to eat.

Is the hay good quality? Does it smell nice not dusty or damp? It might just be that she's having difficulty adjusting to it being different from what she had before?

Don't try to over face her with her feed if she's feeling stressed about the move. little and often is better.

Try flavouring the water as someone else suggested, of buy a tub of electrodex or another flavoured electrolyte and make up a very weak solution in a bucket to tempt her to drink. Plus the electrolyte will help counter any dehydration.
 
It takes some horses a long time to adjust to their new surroundings. When i emigrated with mine he didnt eat or drink for over 24 hours coming over and then refused at this side too. I also had a small nightmare when i then moved him home.

Try putting tea in her water. Horses love tea and it can get them drinking.

Try finding out if shes eating in the field also.

Other than that, you have to have faith in the fact that she will eat / drink when shes ready. She wont let herself starve.

Succulents can get them eating where other foods wont and they have decent moisture content also
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See, I think we give her horses too much credit for brain - they don't think about things like we do but we do tend to like to believe they do! It's just different for her, exciting - bet she's already stuffed herself with grass by now!
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You have all been wonderful! Thank you!

LadyT you are right - the yard said she had been eating grass today!

The apple cordial worked a treat and I added some polos and diced pears to her feed with some sugar beet and she gobbled it up! Thanks Jencash & farthingwoodfox!

Tierra - now I do have faith!

THANK YOU!!
 
Just to add, I would be cautious about turning her out on her own myself - rather making time to do it when everything else goes out.

Or as suggested, find something that can go out earlier to keep her company.
 
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You have all been wonderful! Thank you!

LadyT you are right - the yard said she had been eating grass today!

The apple cordial worked a treat and I added some polos and diced pears to her feed with some sugar beet and she gobbled it up! Thanks Jencash & farthingwoodfox!

Tierra - now I do have faith!

THANK YOU!!

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Glad it helped lovely
 
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