my new horse is acting crazy!

I think you will just stress her out, bringing her home alone every night. Even if she is stabled at night she needs to be able to see other horses or she will not feel safe enough to rest or sleep. So I think you need to either stick with a livery yard or perhaps the farm 24/7. If there is shelter (even trees or hedges) she should be able to live out, most of the time. But you need to have support also. But you can't just let her loose in a field of strange horses or all hell will break loose and injuries will happen.
 
Get her a little friend to keep her company, if they have shelter they will be ok together if they get along ok.

You may have problem if they bond taking one out and leaving the other behind but we can cross that bridge when you get there ... that's another subject!
 
I wouldn't recommend sharing....unless they're particularly friendly!
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My shetland doesn't have a full size stable. He has a little "pen". It's definitely only shetland sized and I wouldn't even by happy putting our little pony in there for any length of time (she's 11.2)

Technically it can cost almost as much to keep a shetland as a larger horse. However, I prefer tiny ponies for companions as they don't eat as much hay, need as big a bed, usually only have a trim with good natural feet (no shoes required) can live out rugless all year as they have a hairy yak coat and could effectively live off fresh air...so no need for hard feed.

How big is this garage? As it's summer, and they could live out in the field, could you not section off a bit of it for a shetland sized pony? My shetland's pen is only 10ft x 7.5ft. He can lie down, turn around etc etc with ease. That said...he's not actually in that at the moment. I have two spare stables (used to have liveries) and he's currently in one of those. My pressure washer and exercise machine are in his little pen.

How big is your field?

As I said, it worked out well for me, although it was a baptism of fire and I asked myself many times in the first few months what I'd done. I do realise I don't own a TB though too.. I went for a horse that wasn't the prettiest, but I know her temperament was matched to my ability.

How old is your mare too? You say she's green. How much ridden work has she done? What about you? Any reason why you didn't canter her when you tried her out? I didn't canter my first horse when I tried him out.....because I'd never cantered before....that's how novicey I was five years ago!
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patches thanks for that reply it really cheered me up
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thank u!

i think im alot like you was , and im keen to learn more. i just need the chance.

I,ll be honest, the idea of sending her to a livery yard is the worst situation for me, the entire idea was to have a horse here at home... the feild at the side of my house, the large garage for her stable... with a custom built stable door etc etc... she has everything she will need here. except i guess like many have said....company. and YES the woman i bought her off knew full well she would be living here alone.

but the last thing i want for her is to be unsettled and stressed out being alone. so it sounds like i need to find myself a little shetland type pony or cob.

so my next question is, could they share one stable? ( it is MASSIVE) or would that not work? or could the shetland live out? could they both live out?

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It could work out when they get to know each other, but when you bring a companion home, you must keep them separated for a good week or so, with electric fencing if possible, until they have got to know one another. They could both possibly live out, but don't forget that the little companion may have different requirements to your tb, ie it may need restricted grazing to avoid laminitis.
 
the feild is 1.5 acre so i assume thats big enough... put it one way when she goes galloping through it i soon move out the way in case she doesnt stop and steam rollers me down LOL she nearly got me before! she gets so excited when i do put her out! her tail goes up she stands tall and alert and her nostrils seem to flare out! she does look lovely! but you can almost feel the excitment and energy waiting to burst out of her! thats why i originally thought, maybe i was feeding her all the wrong diet. but i guess that conclusion has been crushed by the fact she WILL need company regardless. all this said there are some positive points to her. she follows me around the feild! in fact she got so close before that she kicked the back of my heel ( i was screamin on the floor in pain) lol which i think she found amsuing! ha ha, also she knows her name, and as i said before she loves being indoors! and after this mornings escapades over the moors im glad shes indoors and not out! lol
 
also when i do manage to get the bit into her mouth she goes silly, she starts showing her teeth and sorta fightin the bit! I even thought at first i put it in wrong and her tongue was trapped... but it wasnt! she does starts making all these wierd faces like she is hurting with it in or as if something is stuck in her mouth! Im gonna deffo have the vet check her out about this just to make sure!
 
...but you might get issues with seperating them when it comes to hacking out your horse. Having only 2 horses means they get attached and may get very stressed if seperated even for a short amount of time. Just a warning.

Livery yard really would be best, IMHO.
 
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I deffo think this idea is better ( buying a little freind)
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A pocket pony......they can be little terrors themselves though. Cheeky. Mine is called Dinkter, but is often referred to as Stinker because he used to be a little toad when I got him. He knows his job though and has been an excellent companion pony. I have four in total now as my children ride, but he still has a place in our little herd.

Staying at home with your mare isn't necessarily a recipe for disaster but you do need to find an instructor to come and help you through the first few months at the least. Investing the money in as many as two sessions a week at this stage will reap rewards in the future.
 
i see your point helen. hmmmm so i deffo need to either send her to a livery yard? or get her a freind?


ive seen horses b4 on there own in feilds ... i didnt know they had to have other horses too! all thought i take your word for it i just didnt know that. learn something new everyday hey!

ive spent a fortune having the garage converted and prope fencing for the feild and the five bar gates etc etc i guess its all been for nothing! im not sure if im honest, if id be able to afford a livery yard! my feild is free, with my house and so is my stable .....


so i may need to sell her on! i dont want too but i may have no other choice and i want whats best for her!
 
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Think I'll bow out of this discussion now...seems a bit troll like to me, then again I have been known to be wrong from time to time
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I'm not a "troll"
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I know that back then people would've thought I was mad to buy a horse.....and indeed looking back I'll tentatively agree myself. However, with the right level of commitment, time and investment in lessons/help/reading material, it can be done.

I don't think I do a bad job with my lot now and most people seem surprised when I tell them I'm relatively new to horses.

Yes a livery yard would be better, probably even for me now because I'd love the facilities. However, I couldn't afford all four of ours in livery in terms of money and the time needed to be set aside to go to the yard. I can mull about and do my horsey chores at various times of the day to suit me. The horses have a routine as they're fed/turned out blah blah at the same time....I'm meaning the other chores you do "behind the scenes" so to speak.
 
bankendrescue okay so youve had horses for 30 odd years you say......... thats good! so im sure your very experianced...


im experianced with internet websites.... Obviously not horse ones.


you can think im a troll... Im NOT.

what is a troll even anyway theses days?


somebody who joins a website for some advice... Im not gonna be rude about it. . . think what you like.
 
Grazing muzzles are brilliant inventions. My shetland (and my section A) are in muzzles. Means they're allowed to continue to graze with their friends.

I keep the field in small sections over summer and strip graze it to make sure the grass is kept really low for them all.
 
patchs see again your like me.


not all of us can afford full time livery or even part time. i was lucky enough to move just a few months ago into the countryside part of my town, and the feild seemed ideal and the stable! but now the whole situation is turning into something else.......its going to turn into one massive expense that i really didnt think about !
 
patches your the only one with any optimism on here! I like your ideas.... im sure it could easily work.


if my horse needs company. fine i,ll buy another horse!

if i need to section my feild ,fine i can do that too! But arent livery yards really expensive? i,ll be honest i didnt account for that in my budget! but i guess i should find out prices before i dismiss it and sell the horse.
 
I think you have made up your mind to keep her at home, now you have invested in the field and stable etc. It may well work, but as others have said, get a companion as a matter of urgency, introduce it safely as mentioned in other posts and get some help from a trainer or instructor for the first few months. Please keep us updated. Oh and in answer to your point about seeing horses alone in fields before: It is always cruel to keep a horse alone, but some horses have been alone all their lives and know no difference, but this horse does and is also a stressy tb, so it is not ok under any circumstances to keep this horse alone. I think we have established that by now
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Good luck xx
 
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patchs see again your like me.


not all of us can afford full time livery or even part time. i was lucky enough to move just a few months ago into the countryside part of my town, and the feild seemed ideal and the stable! but now the whole situation is turning into something else.......its going to turn into one massive expense that i really didnt think about !

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I live on a 230 dairy farm. Seems a bit pointless moving the horses to livery when I have all this acreage here at home!
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I did/do know horsey people though, so always had somone to hack out with in the early days. Find an instructor......put an advert up for a hacking partner in your local tack shops. Are there many horses in your village/town?

I could afford livery, if I'm honest. I'm not exactly broke. I just don't need the support now, although I'd have loved it back then I'm sure. I spend in excess £200 each month just on tuition between me and the girls....plus Lord knows what for the horses farriery, feed, bedding, etc etc. I simply couldn't afford the time away from the farm to see to the horses and wouldn't want a livery bill to affect what I happily spend on the lessons. I wouldn't have four if I was in livery, but then I wouldn't need my shetland I guess if I was.

With a hubby that is milking twice daily, it helps that I can be around at home as much as possible as I have four children. Mother in law looks after the youngest whilst I ride....they're inseparable....but I'd be away for so much longer if I had to travel to/from a yard etc.

I like having mine at home and I do actually like being alone. Doesn't faze me at all. However, it IS a baptism of fire and you may (with the benefit of hindsight) been better with something more like my little mare. Mind you....she's a super safe ride, but can be a bugger on the ground to handle, especially if she requires treating for any ailments. She thinks we're all out to get her! She would walk all over, quite literally, someone who wasn't firm with her.
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patches your the only one with any optimism on here! I like your ideas.... im sure it could easily work.


if my horse needs company. fine i,ll buy another horse!

if i need to section my feild ,fine i can do that too! But arent livery yards really expensive? i,ll be honest i didnt account for that in my budget! but i guess i should find out prices before i dismiss it and sell the horse.

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Depends on what facilities you're looking for.

Around my area (Staffs/Cheshire border) DIY livery ...stable/grazing/use of a school is between £20 and £25 a week. I used to charge £15 a week, but I don't have a school here....just grass areas and the farm to ride in.
 
I just wanted to say not to take things on here to heart. The horse world is full of the "B-H" type people as you mentioned earlier
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. Not all TBs are loopy, I have sat on dopey TBs and mad cobs, it's far too much of an over generalisation.

You sound like you're doing the right thing(s), and your new pony is definately lucky to have such a loving and caring new owner, and it's great to have someone polite and kind on here for a change! Don't let it get you down, some people genuinely have nothing better to do with their time, and that coupled with massive inferiority complexes does not bode well for when "easy prey" comes along.

Good luck! Horses at my yard are kept in pairs in large pens, deep clean beds, lots of hay and they are hardly complaining
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Also the turning out and bringing in does sound a good idea - horses are turned out in company then stabled alone, often unable to see other horses. You can try it and see, anyway.

I'm looking forward to pictures of your new lady and her little friend!
 
jr - the thing is, your questions are so basic that people wonder whether yours is a genuine plea for advice or a total wind up. Lots of people (above) have asked what turnout regime your new ned is on but you haven't really fully answered. A new horse - any horse - needs some very basic things in order to be happy and to be a horse. As much turnout as possible + company + appropriate feed and forage for the work. If you're such a newcomer to horse owning I would have thought you would either have spoken about this with the sellers or bought a good book on basic horse care.

If you're turning your new ned out without any company, of course she'll fret and want to come in. If you don't know even that then I'm sorry but either you shouldn't be owning a horse or you are totally taking the p - in which case you'd better hope you never DO need advice because the genuine people who are trying to help won't try to help you again if you're just having a laugh because you're bored.
 
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bankendrescue okay so youve had horses for 30 odd years you say......... thats good! so im sure your very experianced...


im experianced with internet websites.... Obviously not horse ones.


you can think im a troll... Im NOT.

what is a troll even anyway theses days?


somebody who joins a website for some advice... Im not gonna be rude about it. . . think what you like.

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You're not a troll...good. Then you'll find some good advice on here
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Can you find a few sheep to graze with her?

One of our lovely ponies has just gone on loan and she has sheep for friends, as she's the only pony there.

Before everyone starts leaping up and down, she's a bit anti-social and her personal space is huge. There are ponies in the vicinity and her visitor list is enormous. Her best friend here was a cockerel nobody else can stand the sight of! We took ours round to ride out with her and she pulled horrid faces at them and couldn't have cared less when we boxed up and took them home
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.

I am going up as often as they need me to as although they are experienced with livestock and the little girl is already an encyclopaedia of information on horse-care, they are complete novices, horse-wise. Our pony is very on her toes in her new and very different surroundings and would likely scare them to death if they didn't have me providing backup. I imagine you are just the same as them, only you are on your own now.

I care totally about our pony and will do anything to help them have at least some of the fun we have had with her these last three years (how they have flown) and though we never had a moment's trouble with her, she has already tried to get the upper hand with her new people - in just two days.

Luckily for them (and NOT for ponio) I have been round straight away to sort her out. It will take a long time I think and shudder when I realise this happens all the time. Unsuitable horses for novices with no support. I don't need to go on
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There must be one of us nearer to jordanross than me - though I am sorely tempted to make the trip to Belmont to see what, exactly, is what.

Where's Bolton_Rider when you need him?
 
Hi and welcome. I'm going to assume you're a legitimate poster
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I am the owner of possibly the sweetest mare I've ever met in my life but we had many problems when she first came - partly because she wasn't as sold, but with hindsight considerably due to management.

What I would say is this - handle your horse in hat, gloves & boots at all times & buy a good quality heavy rope; thorowgood do particularly nice long-life nylon ones.

I do think she's lacking confidence and needs help from you - if you can afford it, a few months at a good livery yard is really what you need.

You need to be confident at all times around her - when leading her, don't give her too much rope and be alert to the fact that she's alert.

When she starts to run when you lead her, use your rope as a lunge line and elbow her in the shoulder whilst growling and asking for a downard transition by saying 'Hoi!' angrily, followed by some whoas & this will is most instances prevent more than a couple of panicked steps.

I would cut back her feed to solely hay and grass and definately wouldn't feed a pasture mix as it's high in starch; not a fan of sugarbeet for TB types either unless they need it in winter. I really rate Allen and Page's Calm and Condition.

Incredibly difficult, but all I can say is that firm, fair handling with confidence is the only way you'll get her to relax - when you go to put a bridle on, tie the headcollar round her neck, loop the reins over her head and use your thumb to open her mouth when you slip the bit in.

18 months ago, it took at least 5 minutes and sometimes help from an additional person to get the bit in but now it's a 10 second job with no fuss and a very relaxed willing horse. Changing her bit to a sprenger aurigan snaffle has also helped.

You will get through it, but help is invaluable - whilst this place is a goldmine of info, nothing compares to having someone on the ground to help you through problems.
 
Hi guys i know its late to still be posting ( prob all in bed by now) Ive been in there with daffi, i had a bit of a cry. im emotional like that! after some of the comments, i got quite upset. I dont want her to be on her own or fretting. Okay so i cant ride her just now but maybe i painted a much worse picture than she actually is! i took her a few slices of milk loaf bread... she was resting with her new fleece rug on, shes lovely, so sweet in her big straw bed! but i gently went in and she came str8 over to me so calmly and nice... and i cried! and she knew... and she came close and started licking me and muzzlin me! so for the people who said this horse isnt for me... I think your wrong.
i love her to bit already and even if i cant EVER ride her... it wouldnt really matter anyway, Im going to give her a few more days after all.... she only arrived at my house on sunday and i think myself and some posters on here are forgetting that! she obviously is going to be a little bit all over the place, the poor cow probably doesnt know if shes coming or going. but im gonna stay patient and not try the bit in her mouth or try to mount her again.... just for a few days until she is more used to me. My freind today who sued to ride years ago did say to me try the breathe into her nostrils thing.... i tried it just before, after i cried... it does work! well at least i think it does! she started noddin her head and licking my fingers... and nudging me... in fact she sorta reminds me of my dog! thats the kinda thing my chihuahua does if im upset! daffi is the same!

so for now like i said... I,ll see how it goes. as for the people who think im a troll... well i,ll take some pictures tomrrow of daffi and me! if anybody wants me to make some sort of action or write the date down for the photo....i will! sounds drastic... well it isnt me, whose acting all crazy about being a troll is it lol. night.
 
Brighteyes i have sheep in the top feild yes. i put a new 5 bar wood gate on to keep them out cos i thought sheep poo was dangerous? if it isnt then yeah i can get her as many sheep as she likes ! if they are any use as company for her then yep yep yep... i have loads of sheep freinds to give her!

annret thanks for the sound advice i appreicate it. Jordan
 
Stick with it. This sounds like she is just anxious in a new environment. Patience, kindness and routine will soon see a huge change. Just give her time to settle down.
 
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it was a pvt sale, it was an advert in the sun on line.

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People advertise horses in the Sun.....?
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JR - I have no idea whether you're genuine or not but if you are, then a couple of things in your latest posts struck me - firstly, please don't feed your horse bread. It can swell up and cause choke. I know lots of people feed bread and have no problems but you'd be safer giving your horse treats such as sliced carrots or apples.

Secondly, if you've got sheep - use them! They're great for keeping your pasture right for horses, and they will provide company of a sort. And I don't know where the 'sheep poo being dangerous' idea came from.

Thirdly, breathing into the nostrils ... this became popular in this country a long time ago courtesy of an animal behaviourist called Barbara Woodhouse. Frankly, it's barmy. Animals exchange breath as a way of finding out more about each other such as readiness for mating, what and where they've been feeding etc. Humans are meat-eaters (therefore predators) and have different hormones - you have no idea what you're saying to your horse by breathing up her nose!

I hope you are genuine because a lot of people have given you very useful advice on here; if you follow it up you and Daffi will be fine.
 
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it was a pvt sale, it was an advert in the sun on line.

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People advertise horses in the Sun.....?
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My thoughts exactly
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