New horse not interested in people? Ideas what to do?

[Aarrghimpossiblepony]

Here we go again.
Have to say H&H can be a very difficult place to post.
There are nicer more patient ways to address people asking for advice.

OP, it's not only the horse that is all over the place it is you and your other half as well.
Not in a bad, having a go way, but it's hard for people as well as horses to understand what each of them wants.
It's desperately disappointing trying out a horse, liking the horse, bringing the horse home and it changing character into something that you don't recognise.

So first off, don't feel guilty about being disappointed. It's not something you are doing wrong. Little things fair enough, just practicalities like not tying up on the yard. But the horse doesn't not like you, just doesn't have the foggiest about what is going on at the moment, or why or where you come into the picture.

The suggestion of turning away for a few weeks is good. Keep them in the field, you go to the field to feed, groom, interact ect. so there's one less change (field to yard) to cope with. And build that up to a short walk in hand away from the field.

I personally wouldn't put him in the box, if the horse is that spooked, a small contained area might not be a good idea. And the problem is if it does go wrong, all sorts can happen. And where do you go from there?

 

[Beausmate]

Sounds like my nutter (ex-racer) He takes a while to settle into a new place, won't tie up, waves his legs about, box walks, chases the other horses, barges through you, arses about with the farrier, shakes at the slightest, possibly, might be stressy situations and is generally a pain in the bum.

I found he is happier with a window in his stable, he also prefers living on the top of a hill. Guess he's always going to be 'on the lookout'.

And this is with his friends with him. He ignores them too, apart from when they get in the way, then they get chased.

For a while after he's moved, when he hacks out he keeps stopping and staring, every time he's in a new place. A couple of years ago (he doesn't go out any more) after we moved, I noticed he always stared in the same direction, so I got a map out and discovered he was staring towards his old yard. The only time he hasn't done this was when we moved 250 miles away. He's an idiot most of the time, but he's got a seriously good sense of direction!

He's settled now, took about three months this time. I'm one for chucking them out for a while too, it breaks down all the new things into more manageable situations.

 

[criso]

I guess time will tell, if he doesn't settle (and it can take a few months) and he was settled in his previous yard, then something isn't working.

Do you know much about his previous home and the type of set up and routine?

It might be worth having a word with his previous owners, nothing accusatory but just saying you are worried that he is not settling and asking more about what they found worked for him to help him settle.

In the meantime keep everything very low key and quiet and maybe try and pick times when you know it will be quieter to bring him up to the yard.

 

[Spring Feather]

I think its interesting to think both ways . I do know with Mum's mare she was very unsettled when we bought her having been purchased and owned by someone else for 10 weeks and essentially left in the field (when she had been use to daily contact with the same 2 people since birth (then 5)). She improved immensely being handled and having some attention while on the same yard as it was just more what she was used to - she is a very people orientated horse.

It took 12 months for Frank the welsh to settle down completely too.

I think it's very different when you keep horses at livery as opposed to keeping them at home. I'm able to spend as much or as little time as I wish with the horses. I'm also able to spend hours watching them without any human interaction at all, from inside my house. So I can see them displaying their natural behaviour which also gives valuable information about how best to respond to any horse who has been taken out of it's usual environment. I have a lot of competition horses and racehorses come here to let-down, so for them it can be a huge environmental change for them to deal with. Many have never ever lived outside. Some come here displaying lots of behavioural vices, some seem very lost and withdrawn, some are people orientated, others don't want to be around people. Any type is fine by me as I take their lead on how to try to resolve their insecurities. Time is not a factor. It takes as long or as short a time as is necessary to help the horses settle. Again this is a difference between me and many other owners, I have loads of horses to ride whenever I choose so it doesn't matter at all to me if the one who came here as a lost soul takes a long time to come round. I have all the time in the world

 

[PolarSkye]

Thanks polarskye that's the sort of story I was after, some experiences of others that was interesting. I hope the yard is not causing the problems I guess there would be no way to know without leaving but I think that would upset him more to move again?

I think only time will tell . . . if he doesn't settle, then you've got your answer . . . agree with SF that time in the field is a good place to start. Maybe try walking him through the yard (in a bridle) once he is happy being led/handled in the field just to see what happens?

I can only draw on my own experience and say that I wish I had listened to my horse (and my gut) earlier and removed him from somewhere he was clearly tense and frightened much sooner . . . but hindsight is a wonderful thing - and every horse (and every horse and owner combination) is different.

P

 

[Annagain]

Rather than bringing him to the yard for feeding, could you just take him out of the field and feed him next to the gate for a while and build up your interaction there, and even have him shod there? I appreciate that getting to the yard at the same time might be difficult, but if you and your OH could go together for a while so one of you can hold him while the other gets to know him, finds his tickly spots, picks up his feet, makes a bit of a fuss of him etc that would deal with the issue of him upsetting the yard as you'll be out of the way and might help him feel a bit more secure?

It took my boy a good 6 months to settle too, not so much with me but with his fieldmates. He was always on the periphery afraid to join in, partly as he's bottom of the pecking order so was scared of them and partly I think as he was pushed from pilar to post before I had him so he was worried about creating a bond and then losing his friends. 8 years on he's the centre of everything. He's still bottom of the pile, but he's so unthreatening they don't need to be nasty to him. He's EVERYBODY's friend and is always grooming and playing with the other horses, even the head of the herd who is horrible to everybody else! He still hates it when a new horse joins though and when all the others are careering about getting to know each other, (despite new horses going in the field next door for a week first, it always happens!) he stands out of the way (usually hiding behind me with his head on my shoulder!) until the fuss is over and then says hello in his little quiet way.

 

[Spring Feather]

Just as an add-on, forgetting any of the other horses who came here with issues as they aren't really what you're interested in, the couple of horses I've had come here who stare off into the distance constantly and have no wish to be around people, I have put them in fields with hills in them. This seems to help that type of horse ime as they can view all around them. I'm lucky in so far as I have all different types of pasture fields here so it's easy for me to be able to move horses around to where might suit them best. The stary ones who came here did seem to prefer to be on higher ground and in fields with minimal tree lines around them. Other horses like that may prefer to be in a low, valley type enclosed field with hedgerow all around. It's all trial and error and if you want the horse to remain at this yard (which of course you do) then perhaps a bit of tweaking his lifestyle here and there could be all that the horse needs to find his inner peace.

 

[PolarSkye]

Just as an add-on, forgetting any of the other horses who came here with issues as they aren't really what you're interested in, the couple of horses I've had come here who stare off into the distance constantly and have no wish to be around people, I have put them in fields with hills in them. This seems to help that type of horse ime as they can view all around them. I'm lucky in so far as I have all different types of pasture fields here so it's easy for me to be able to move horses around to where might suit them best. The stary ones who came here did seem to prefer to be on higher ground and in fields with minimal tree lines around them. Other horses like that may prefer to be in a low, valley type enclosed field with hedgerow all around. It's all trial and error and if you want the horse to remain at this yard (which of course you do) then perhaps a bit of tweaking his lifestyle here and there could be all that the horse needs to find his inner peace.

SF - this is really interesting . . . thanks for sharing.

P

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I too was worried about the sedation faracat! But farrier is adamant that the crack needs drilling and setting with glue that would last the life of the crack. It's a quarter crack if that makes any difference? The farrier reckoned that the reason his feet were so bad is that he's always been bad to do- I sure hope that's not the case! Arg! I don't know what to do regarding the sedation it really worries me

I actually have the farrier's safety as part of my concerns RE sedating him. I just wonder if it would be wise to put off the shoeing for a week or so?

Can you photograph the crack and post it in the Vet/Hoof section of this forum?

Just as an add-on, forgetting any of the other horses who came here with issues as they aren't really what you're interested in, the couple of horses I've had come here who stare off into the distance constantly and have no wish to be around people, I have put them in fields with hills in them. This seems to help that type of horse ime as they can view all around them.

It's funny that you should mention this, as chestnut mare much prefers being on a hill and when worried she does head for the top.

 

[Dry Rot]

I don't suppose you could borrow one of his field companions from his old home for a while?

Or even get an old rug that smells of his previous home?

Anything to remind him of his previous life. I'm thinking he has made an enormous leap into another world and probably feels abandoned and lost. Small wonder he thinks nothing of new human distractions and only of what might be over the horizon.

Finding out about his previous routine, feeding, etc. makes good sense.

 

[shadowboy]

here's his hoof- this is the worst crack. Ill repost it in the hoof section

 

[cheeryplatypus]

Wow that crack looks quite bad. I'll leave advice on that to the experts on here!


In terms of general behaviour though...
How much down time are you spending with him (just hanging out in his company and not trying to touch or do anything with him)?
I'd at least try hanging out in his field and when he stares into the distance walk over and stare too then sigh and turn your back on what he is staring at and sit down away from him. Maybe he will start to see you as leader and look to you a bit more. Don't expect too much, he may gradually move a bit closer to you as a sign he appreciates your company. Take a book to read!

 

[PolarSkye]

Wow that crack looks quite bad. I'll leave advice on that to the experts on here!


In terms of general behaviour though...
How much down time are you spending with him (just hanging out in his company and not trying to touch or do anything with him)?
I'd at least try hanging out in his field and when he stares into the distance walk over and stare too then sigh and turn your back on what he is staring at and sit down away from him. Maybe he will start to see you as leader and look to you a bit more. Don't expect too much, he may gradually move a bit closer to you as a sign he appreciates your company. Take a book to read!

Great advice.

P

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

I think you've been given some great stories of encouragement here. As I read your OP, I got more of your emotions than anything. Like you've been let down because despite your best intentions he just isn't acting "normal". You can't take it personally or you'll never help him. I think if you read all the stories you'll see that the one thing they had in common is they didn't get hung up on how they felt, they just did what they could for the horse.

Terri

 

[PolarSkye]

I think you've been given some great stories of encouragement here. As I read your OP, I got more of your emotions than anything. Like you've been let down because despite your best intentions he just isn't acting "normal". You can't take it personally or you'll never help him. I think if you read all the stories you'll see that the one thing they had in common is they didn't get hung up on how they felt, they just did what they could for the horse.

Terri

And yet more great advice . OP, despite earlier misconceptions, I do think you really want to do right by this boy . . . it shines through that you care about him and are trying to balance what's right for him with what's right for the rest of your horsey family . . . best wishes to all of you in figuring out what works for all of you.

P