Really upset - don't know what to do!? Sorry Long and Ramblin'!

[Wagtail]

Please don't get too worried, *everyone* told me to sell my mare when I first got her. She was a complete loon! You name it, she did it! But after 6 months she started to settle and now after 10 years I can say she's the best horse I've ever known. She is/was the most intelligent, talented and affectionate horse ever. I stuck by her then when everyone said she was dangerous. Even now when she's retired through injury, I have stuck by her and she is a lady of leisure. And a very expensive one, but she's worth it!

 

[Carpetsmum]

Agree that food could be part of the problem
I've owned my cob for 6 years and have just learned a lesson the hard way! I was unceremoniously dumped on the driveway before Xmas and still have scars to prove it. This was a complete personality change for my boy (people had been advising me to feed oats through the summer to give him a bit of energy) and I was shocked and distressed at his behaviour. Thats when people started telling me that I should sell him for my own safety!
I got in touch with an instructor I used before I moved yards and she advised me to stop feeding hard feed and base his diet on forage. He's now on High Fibre Horsehage which is low sugar and energy (he has an allergy to dust spores in hay) and Dengie Hi-Fi light with a balancer.

Result! Back to my boy!

Take the good advice you've been given on here and give it time!

 

[CBFan]

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YO said that too about lunging! I have now asked that he just has the same diet he had in his previous home (hi fi lite - just 2 handfulls, and only hay). I have spoken to his old owner and she reckons it is certainly the feed. So we'll see what happens. He wasn't brought in at all today (so no feed at all, presumably - just hay in the field). I'll talk to the yard girls daily. It is still upsetting me (tears bubbling up again - whimp!) - but I feel like there might be light at the end of the tunnel, and everyone (except YO! ) is being really positive and helpful. I can't believe it's irreversible!

A 'horsey' neighbour called round yesterday and we watched the videos of when I went to look at him - he went PERFECT for me! (even in an outliine - not that I understand what I did to get him in it! )

Ah bless ya! I know How you feel! Been there done that! Give yourselves a couple of days off and on your next visit to the yard make sure you go with a possitive mental attitude. Go to learn how to lunge with the aim of maybe just having a sit on him when you're done. The next time build it up so that you have a walk round the school on him after lunging and the next time you might have a little trot. Just to get yours and his confidence back! I would recomend investing in some rescue remedy - works on some but not on others but I really think it's worth a go if you are at all nervous.

Don't be too paranoid about 'too much lunging' He isn't going to get fit overnight but just beware about it becoming a long term, every day occurrence.

And also just another thought. Could 'Horsey neighbour' come to the yard with you to help you rather than your Y/O who seems to have rather a negative attitude and to be quite honest, probably isn't helping situations. Horsey Neighbour sounds much more positive!