Nodding update, thought I'd share as nice story...

[LauraBR]

You might remember that I posted a few weeks after I bought Sam (posted mid Sept ish) that I was having real problems with him nodding- seriously throwing his head up and down in the stable constantly.

My yard is STRICT re any kind of vice and if your horse has one- you are booted off sharpish. So, I freaked out a bit when someone complained about Sam, ranted at me about it and blamed me for a load of other horses starting to nod too.

Anyway, I ended up arriving at yard 7am-7:15am every day early enough to get my horse out before anyone else (to avoid him stressing) and have ever since. Would never go back now as I have ALL my jobs done before work including pessoa session so all I have to do after work is ride

ANYWAY... realised about a week ago that gradually, slowly.... he's stopped nodding altogether. Amazing given how bad he was.

I turn up 2nd or 3rd in the morning... he's stood quietly. They have to stay in all day... he stands relaxed and happy.

SO... it took over 3 months for him to settle. Hope this happy story is reassuring to anyone with stressy horse settling in- you'll get there! I assumed he would nod forever but he proved me wrong!

 

[lornaA]

last year i moved my horse to a different stable on the same yard, a bigger nicer stable i thought. well she hated it and was really stressed, box walking and nodding not a happy horse at all. well this winter i have moved her to yet another stable on same yard in much quieter location, in fact i hadn't moved her to it before cause i thought she'd be bored in it but she is thriving, not strssed out at all very settled and eating so much hay its costing me a fortune but she's so happy and relaxed for any one with a stressed horse it is worth experimenting with the routine and that to see if it helps.

 

[LauraBR]

Aw thats great news, stress is so tricky, fab when you can 'solve it'

 

[S_N]

YAY!!! That's fabby news!!! It's amazing how long some take to settle, whereas others are settled almost immeadiately!

 

[ruscara]

That is good news. I know you were very worried about this 'vice', not just because your yard doesn't like them, but because it showed that Sam was upset. I am so pleased he has stopped it and is calmer and happier now.

 

[LauraBR]

Thanks Caroline and SN...

He's done me a favour really... LOVE having everything done and dusted before work!

It's great to see him SO 'normal'. He's even getting cheeky in the stable little monkey (actually bit my bum today- got serious verbal telling off whilst I struggled to hide giggle... no signs of stress at all.

 

[Tempi]

thats a great story, and its brilliant that hes settled in now.

when i first got Archie down on the bottom yard i had to get down before everyone else on the weekends to turn him out as he freaked out totally if the mare next to him went out before him, i used to find him dripping in sweat, and throwing himself at his stable door. stupid woman with mare complained to YO who lukily (and nicely) told her that he will settle eventually, which is what i told her too. So this weekend just gone i arrived down a bit later to the yard and mare had already gone out - Archie was stood quite calmly just looking over his stable door, i was so pleased!

its great when you realise they are finally settling in properly!