New yard- horse unhappy

[shadowboy]

9 days ago I had to move yards as the YM left my previous yard to take on a bigger competition yard- this leaving me with no one to do my horse (who was in part livery) so I looked round three yards and picked a professionally run yard of 16 - since arriving he's been awful - doesn't graze, doesn't eat his hay, was abismal in the school today hence being trodden on and now unable to walk. My question is- is it a matter of leaving it for a while to give him time to settle or is it a case of quick move him elsewhere? I'm worried about his health if I keep moving him but also worried about his lack of forage eating? I can't drive at the moment and what with Christmas he would need to stay where he is at least for a week longer.

 

[Theocat]

If he's improving (starting to settle) I'd give it a bit longer (although I'd try different hay / haylage). If he isn't improving or is getting worse, I'd move. I'd forget ridden work until he's eating properly.

 

[Equi]

Is he alone or with others? Not eating if alone, is a major concern to be honest. If he is with others, hes probably being forced away and needs space.

 

[shadowboy]

He in an individual paddock and not eating grass or hay. He eats hard feed when in but only picks at his net. He can always see other horses but this is almost the problem- he's obsessed and spends hours staring at them

 

[Illusion100]

I'd be looking for a new yard.

I'd rather 2 moves in short succession than have an anorexic horse. 9 days is a long time to go without beginning to settle enough to eat normal forage amounts.

Best of luck.

 

[Tash88]

Was he turned out individually at the last yard and have there been any other changes in how he is managed due to the move? If he isn't happy on his own then maybe ask your new YO if there is a quiet gelding who he could share his paddock with? It isn't nice for YOs to see new horses unhappy and unsettled so generally they will try to accommodate the horse's needs where they can.

 

[Equi]

New yard. A horse that is obsessed with others that he won't eat, would not be out alone.

 

[Boulty]

I am the queen of yard moves... If he's not improved after Xmas then yes I'd be looking at moving him again

 

[Elsbells]

The horse has to live in the yard that we choose.........we just visit. I'd move.

 

[tankgirl1]

I'd be looking for another yard tbh

 

[tankgirl1]

Elsbells I LOVE your signature <3

And even if I live to be a hundred, I'll never know all there is to know about horses.- Grandad.

 

[shadowboy]

Since I have owned him (nearly 2 years) he has always been in individual grazing as this seems to be the norm around here. His feed etc has remained the same. The only thing that is different is that he's not in an American Barn, rather now he's in a u-shaped outdoor yard.

 

[Arzada]

Since I have owned him (nearly 2 years) he has always been in individual grazing as this seems to be the norm around here. His feed etc has remained the same. The only thing that is different is that he's not in an American Barn, rather now he's in a u-shaped outdoor yard.

Other things change too eg routine, personnel, hay, other horses. I wonder how important it is to a horse to know where it is. If I arrived somewhere unknown bearing no relation to any identifiable landmarks I'm sure that I would be unsettled etc. Perhaps the emotions are like being homesick. I think I'd look for another yard. Good luck OP - it's really tough

 

[DD]

Its the move which has unsettled him. if you move again then he'll be unsettled further. its all strange to him new environment new horses. give him time, forget riding for the present, go and groom him talk to him take him little walks about the place, show him every things ok. once he decides its not a threatening environment he'll start to relax

 

[JanetGeorge]

Downton Dame is right. The move has unsettled him - I sell quite a few so I KNOW that most take a week to settle down - some a lot longer - and much depends on YOU! The most laidback horse I EVER sold didn't settle - because his new owner was too nervous - that made him worse and he had to come home.

Keep as much as you can in line with what he knows - the difference in stable type shoudn't be a problem as long as he can see others. Just take your time, KNOW that he will settle, take him for walks etc. Lunge or long line him in the school. Don't attempt to ride until he is showing signs of being happy!

 

[shadowboy]

Sadly I can't get up to the yard now that he's trodden on my leg so I have a ruptured calf muscle- can't drive for a few days. He's on part livery which is fine as he's always been on part. In the previous couple of yards we've been on he's settled incredibly fast and been rideable straight away- when I moved him last year I rode him on a hack the day after- and the yard I moved to in October I did the same and he was so settled straight away. I hacked him Sunday for 10k and he was foot perfect but it's when your on the yard/fields/arena in the current yard. Something about it unsettles him. The staff are lovely and very kind and they have been keeping and eye on him and putting hay out (that he doesn't eat) the vista from the yard is extensive (it's on a hill) and so he just spends the whole night staring out his box; and when he's in the field he just stands in the gateway staring at the horses in their paddocks. When I can drive I'll see if I can find a small American barn set up somewhere. And in the meantime if he does settle he can stay

 

[Wagtail]

OP have you thought of advertising for a part time groom and taking your horse back to where he was happy and settled? People often agonise about having horses PTS and how badly it may affect their equine friends, but hardly ever do you hear about people agonising about selling a horse or moving a horse and the effect it may have on them or their equine friends. He may be totally distraught about losing his established herd. I personally would move him back and take time off to do him yourself until you can find a groom. The cost should not be too much more than paying for part livery.

 

[applecart14]

OP - I would try him on another type of hay of try soaking the hay if its a different consistency to what he is used to. He will adjust, you just need to give him time and try not to 'mother him' too much or he will pick up on your anxiety (sorry don't mean to sound blunt there).

All horses are different, you could put my horse on the moon and so long as he had a haynet he would not care where he was, but he is that way inclined and laid back. Each yard he has been at (four in eleven years of owning him) he has settled within minutes and takes it all in his stride. Every event we have stayed at with overnight stabling he has been fine with too.

 

[Casey76]

I'd give it a bit longer before making the decision to move again.

When I bought my mare, she had been living outside 24/7 with a herd of black horses. I moved her to my (then) current yard which was a busy riding school and it blew her mind. She was constantly on high alert, was incredibly jumpy and spooky, and would even jump in her box every time a tractor went by the external wall. after a month she was no better, so I moved her to the yard where my youngster was and she calmed down almost immediately, though it still took a good 6 months before she was completely chill.

 

[Damnation]

In my experience, some horses just don't settle or suit certain yards.

This mare, it took a year to settle in her new place. I couldn't move (limited yard choice here!) but the routine was so alien to her. Individual turnout when she is used to a herd situation, no winter turnout and no arena so she was stuck in for 6 months etc. She went from my slightly neurotic Warmblood to one that was barging out the stable, she *NEVER* barges!

After talking to the YO we have found a solution to suit her and now she is super chilled, to the point I can turn her out on her own and she doesn't go mental! (She used to all but jump put the field if she was on her own!)

You know your horse, you know if it is worth persevering with or if you need to move him.

 

[WandaMare]

I would concentrate on getting him back on his food for now as moving at this time of year isn't easy and you might end up unsettling him even more. Have you tried something really tempting like the bagged haylage, also while he's not eating enough forage I would put in regular feeds of something like hi-fi lite which can be fed as a hay replacer, with peppermint herbs or something similar to tempt him. Is there someone else who could spend some time with him while you are out of action, I would want to be walking him in hand and getting him as relaxed as possible rather than letting him stand and work himself up.

 

[ester]

I wonder if it is more the vista that is doing it!? As it can make them stop and stare.
have you had the chance to hack him out with any yard mates?

 

[shadowboy]

Funnily enough I hacked him out Sunday for over 2 hours (about 10k) with the horse in the next stable and he was foot perfect- went up front most of the way, popped him at the back for a canter in the woods) and he was spot on and chilled. Really spooky and unsettled back at the yard though

 

[BBP]

We moved a new horse in to the yard in November. He settled in straight away but my horse just lost it. I had him in the field next door but he kept galloping and charging the fence line until he tied up. It took 2 weeks before he settled and now he is out in the same field with the new arrival and they are firm friends. But for those two weeks I had to turn him out at night instead of day as I didn't trust him not to blow up to the point of tying up every day. Sometimes when it's a big change it takes time. Mine had lost his old nanny, his new young friend over summer moved out and then two new ponies came in, so it was massively stressful for him. He is currently being treated for ulcers which I think this stressful year has brought on. As long as he isn't being ridiculous every day is be tempted to give him more time, try different forage if needs be and see if a companion is possible.

 

[milliepops]

In my experience, some horses just don't settle or suit certain yards.

This mare, it took a year to settle in her new place. I couldn't move (limited yard choice here!) but the routine was so alien to her. Individual turnout when she is used to a herd situation, no winter turnout and no arena so she was stuck in for 6 months etc. She went from my slightly neurotic Warmblood to one that was barging out the stable, she *NEVER* barges!

After talking to the YO we have found a solution to suit her and now she is super chilled, to the point I can turn her out on her own and she doesn't go mental! (She used to all but jump put the field if she was on her own!)

You know your horse, you know if it is worth persevering with or if you need to move him.

^^ this. I've had to move sharpish in the past when it became apparent that a new place *just wasn't working*
In my case I thought i had taken care of everything and it would be perfect- nice turnout, nice stables etc etc but it was a total disaster and Millie lost the plot. i stuck it out for 6 weeks, just HOPING, but honestly I knew after about 2 weeks that it was pointless. Shame you can't get up there to see him at the moment, what a nightmare!

It's hard to work out what's going on in their heads sometimes, but my little cob is definitely affected by change in location and views - she was always staring out into the darkness when near woodland, but in open fields she is much more settled and relaxed. Sometimes the simplest thing makes a big difference to them.

 

[shadowboy]

I'm going to see if OH can get me up to the yard after he finishes work for the day (yep he's working Christmas Eve) as I really want to see how he is for myself rather than via text message from YO