My horse is stressed. Any advice?

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bigben

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Hi, I have recently moved by five year old warmblood to a new yard (two months ago) and I'm having big problems with stress. It's a bigger yard, more horses, but with good management and excellent facilities so better for us both, but he's constantly wired. He's been suffering from separation anxiety and he's proving to be a big challenge under the saddle at the moment, bucking, squealing into canter, very strong. Four times now he's had a colic episode, once that required the vet, the other three times pains that passed. Once this was after a windy day and I hadn't rode, the other times I had ridden. It's spasmodic and almost certainly caused by him getting himself worked up.
I'm really worried about the effects of all this stress on his health. The separation anxiety is getting better slowly. I've put him on a probiotic and calmer (Magic) but the calmer seems to have very little effect.
Does anyone have any experience of a stressed out warmblood like this?! Any recommendations for a better calmer? Or how long it can take for horses to settle on a new yard? He settled after a few days on the last yard.
Must point out that some of this stress is also excitement. Either way the result is the same. He 'feels' everything, very emotional horse.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
 
My mare used to get very stressed - she still does but is vastly improved. I have her on Equifeasts cool, calm and collected took a long time to start working but she is so much better since
 
he's always been a bit hot headed so I can't get away with anything heating. he's on a purely fibre diet, twice a day, Alfa A original and Happy Hoof. He's allergic to maize and gets fizzy even on cool mix. Holds weight very well. Needs a lot of riding and has always been the case - give him three days off and I know about it next time I get on. The grazing is very good and he's on haylage. Gets turned out at 8am and brought in at 4pm.
 
my 17.2 was very high spirited on the ground and ridden I found no calmer worked at all I made sure the feed i give him had no grain in it but in the end i had to have him in a quiet enviorment to chill him out a bit, but saying that when i reserched his sire, and grandsire, his grandsire was exactly the same behaviour wise and the more articles i read on his his grandsire the more i came to the conclusion it was in his genes so i learnt to live with it.
 
He's always been bottom in every field he's ever been in. He's got one best buddy who moved with him from his old yard - another five year old warmblood whom he is turned out with (not possible to separate them) and two other geldings (new) who he gets on with very well. His buddy is who he has separation anxiety about mostly. He's a follower, definitely. Whenever another horse is in the arena and leaves he panics. Also at competition... perfect in warm up when he is with others horses, soon as we go to do our test, he panics, bolts up the centre line etc. This 'separation anxiety' is new to this yard and it is improving very slowly, but I think must be a major factor. I'm trying to ride him through these - not make a big deal or only ride when there are others in there etc, but the colic episodes are giivng me second thoughts. I don't want to encourage the separation anxiety
 
Ryu was terribly stressed at the yard I had him at when I first got him, (hes WB was 4 at the time) had explosive tantrums when left alone or even if I shared the school with another horse and they went in before us, we moved yards early Spring and the change was dramatic, he went from seperate turnout to a herd of 9 geldings and a more open plan stable block (bars between boxes) and settled instantly the turnout was similar although in the summer he was able to go out 24 / 7. He went from being a nervous wreck to by the end of the summer a confident young horse which I could hack out on his own. I think if we'd stayed at the previous yard I simply could not have continued with him, this has meant sacrifies for me as the new yard is DIY and at times has being a struggle. Have you considered moving again, does he have company turned out / when hes left in, Ryu has a stable mirror which he likes, worth a try?
 
Would hate to move again. I could move onto DIY where I am but figure the routine of FULL, all horses doing same thing at same time is better for him. He's relaxed in his stable and field, anxiety only when ridden which of course makes me think is it me, saddle, pain etc. But then he is - slowly - getting better in the indoor. The few times I have ridden him in the outdoor arena he's stressed again. So anything new is a problem and seems to overload him. Having only been doing outdoor a few minutes at a time.
Has to be said I think he is also (in addition to these problems) going through a very challenging phase at the moment. Lots of temper tantrums and testing of me, squaring up to me etc.
 
I would have him all checked out just to be sure, but imo young horses do have temper tantrums well maybe i just buy ones that are not all there in the head, but you have to just ride through and not let them put you off and always end on a good note, When i first got my boy i could go 2 hours on him while he was prating around and all i wanted was to walk the long side, so when i finally got that i would get off and gradually the prating around became shorter and the good work became more, he was working medium advanced when i had to have him pts but he always came out and had 10 mins or so bucking around, it was just something i put up with, it takes time but if you persevere you will get there in the end
 
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I could move onto DIY where I am but figure the routine of FULL, all horses doing same thing at same time is better for him

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Aha.

Would definately move to DIY - a lot of his anxiety is probably to do with not seeing you. And it is quite possible that the people that are handling him are winding him up.

I would definately consider it.
 
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another five year old warmblood whom he is turned out with (not possible to separate them)

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just want to say that this isnt good - horses that cant be separated from others are going to be very very difficult to handle, as you are already finding out.

If i was you id get him separated from his 'buddy', put him in another field (with others) and stable him away from him if hes not already.

ive got a 17'2 5yr old Dutch Warmblood. Ive had him nearly 4months now. He still hates it when his 'neighbour' goes out to her field if hes still in for whatever reason. But unfortunately hes got to get used to all this. he also has a 'field' buddy which is already starting to cause big problems for me. Hes going to be separated from him in a couple of weeks time, as hes very strong minded and if i dont do it now im going to have very serious problems to deal with later on.
 
Thanks, that's comforting strangely! last night all I wanted to do was walk and we were jogging (this was outside arena) I got a tiny bit of walk and then moved to the indoor where he is better. Was fine if strong in trot and then bucked in canter (and I mean the sort of buck when you know they really mean it!). Bit of squealing and snorting and general temper tantrum - he doesn't buck all the time just tried it this time as a new tactic. But then he worked nicely so I stopped there. Problem is he wants to dictate the pace and make all the decisions so we are having a battle of will at the moment. He says "I want to gallop" I say, no, we're going to do working canter, collected or whatever. I am winning these battles but an hour later he has his feed and does the colic thing. People say there is such a thing as the terrible fives, maybe it's that. Of course he isn't pulling a sickie or anything, but the colic does weaken my resolve and I end up full of self doubt that I'm doing the wrong thing.
 
At the moment I'm following the rule that I don't play to his anxiety - if the other warmblood is taken out to be ridden he has to get used to it, same if he is taken out to be ridden. I ignore the box walking and screaming that he does and it works. He now doesn't get stressed at all when they are separated but does whinny when he gets back to his stable. Same with the field, he is fine if other horse is taken out. Separating them entirely is difficult because of the way the yard is run - too long winded to go into, but the full liveries are all grazed and stabled together and asking the owner to put my horse in with the DIYs for example just wouldn't be possible. As he is improving - slowly - I'm accepting it as gradual improvement. It's very difficult to balance not playing to his anxiety with not stressing him out further - it's fine line, I think. My attitude has always been not to make a big deal out of things, otherwise you communicate that to the horse, always end on a good note and do things slowly. But, as I say, the colic episodes, do weaken my resolve.
 
First off all I wouldn't feed him anything only haylage. Secondly Seperation Anxiety is a 'posh' term for Napping. Your horse is taking the mickey he's being naughty. It sounds like He's got you completely under the thumb and doing whatever he wants. If you saw another horse behaving like him what would you think?

I would have some lessons and get some help otherwise you are going to end up with a horse you aren't going to be able to do anything with in the future.

Sorry if I sound harsh
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you definately have the right attitude towards it, its the same as i do with my gelding. I dont make a big deal out of anything. When his nieghbour goes out to her field and he starts being an idiot in his stable i just walk away and leave him. He calms down after about 30seconds now. he used to get himself so stressed out that he would be dripping in sweat when she left, so we're getting there!

have you tried feeding Coligone suppliment in his feed? From what i know about it it helps to relax them and can help prevent colic in nervous/stressed horses. H's Mum on here 'invented' it. If you do a google on Coligone it will bring up her website. I know a lot of people who use it with brilliant results. And i know lots of people on here will reccommend it aswell.

ETA - DD is right, your horse will start napping badly if you dont get the better of him soon.
 
I'd try a full digestive supplement. i.e. pre, pro etc not just a pro biotic- I've used dengie triple action at times of stress before. I also feed coligone, and think it would help with your boys condito, mit's good for gassy stressy tummies. I'd also try feeding hay instead of haylege. Haylege can be acidic, and won't help with colic (my vet told me this, big lad gets spasmodic if he's not ridden enough).
Also, is he getting enough work? I know you are rideing him regulary, but is he actually getting tired? I often feel big lad, pretends he's done enough, but in actual fact he's quite fit and can trot for miles (no joke) with out breaking a sweat!
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Hi, from the owner of another very bright, sensitive WBx mare
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Welcome to the club, maybe a new Clique
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My Jazz is a very dominant mare who I've owned for 10 years, she is rising 13 now. Oh my how she saw herself as leader of the pack. At 17 hh and drawing herself to full puffed out look at me hugeness...But how I grew to love her
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and her beautiful spirit, it just needed channelling, somehow !
No 1 whatever anyone says I always remember horses are sociable herd animals, being alone is NOT natural for them. So onto ideas, IMO it takes a good 2 months for a horse to start settling, don't push it or make big-deals,stay pretty black and white, routine is good and that include's YOU being there, a constant in his life. What pushed Jazz over the edge was her best buddy dying and moving from her almost lifelong home to the Isle of Man within a month. I'd never ever again underestimate the effect of grief on horses. When my old pony died she hardly noticed despite being with him longer than my old mare, her mate. I mention this in case moving yards has also meant leaving a bonded partner ? Jazz changed into a really clingy horse and napping was a big possibility, defo take heed on this one. I belive her confidence in us and herself hit rock bottom and as her owner I see it as my responsibily to help her but still retain her spirit. Any other similar thinkers please PM me too! So,for now before napping becomes habit, I now hack her out with others, different horses so she learns it's OK to go out and leave special friends behind, they'll still be there when you get back Jazz! She leads 9/10, to increase her confidence.She really stresses when left alone in the stable now so I deal with it by leaving her a little longer each time. She is better alone tied up outside so I use this to our advantage and as a little lesson. She will also lead out on her own with no probs so we do this too. I've started the Parelli 7 games and as soon as the ground is harder we'll lunge etc too, anything to keep her working, listening to me .In fact any ideas on other fun ideas for games, please let us know! Jazz will re learn BUT I wish it to be through partership and my good leadership not through brute force. Feedwise she is on Timothy haylage, Dengie HiFi Lite, orDH Fibergy as 2nd choice, Baileys Lo CaL(all the vits/mins/pre or pro biotics) Redwings Hedgerow Herb mix and I'd really recommend you have a chat with Dr Roger Hatch of Trinity Consultants re 'calming ' powders.(I'll PM the www) I was recommended to him and am pleased with the product, obviously it has to go in conjunction with lifestyle to stand a chance but you sound like the type to try.It maybe he is just young or showing off or this might be his basic personality. OK sorry for rambling and I hope you find something in my post that helps a little. Good Luck and Best Wishes to the pair of you
Caz
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Oh, I forgot to add these important aspects , another thing that increases stress amongst other things is negative Magnesium balance. May be prudent to check if he needs this added as a supplement too. And Jazz responds well to EMRT too. I'll PM you !
 
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