Resorted to drugs!

TeamChaser

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Where to start. Have had new horse for 5 months and he's been a total dude. No issues hacking out in company, alone, riding/leading, ok in traffic. Has lead round novice team chase and jumped lovely clear at open hunter trial, trips to gallops and show jumping lessons and pretty much taken it all in his stride

Lulled me into false sense of security, last 2-3 weeks, absolute monster!! Suddenly decided he hates traffic, just absolutely out of his skin if I attempt to take him out on his own and prone to the odd meltdown with very little provocation.

Only 6 and think I know where I've gone wrong. Far too fit now for amount of work I'm able to do with him, at previous home he was out at night all year round and now in at night so having a lot more very good quality haylage than he's used to and he possibly isn't as settled as I thought. Think also element of him flexing his , not inconsiderable, muscle!

So on veterinary advice I've resorted to a calmer :-( Turning him away for a month doesn't feel like an option for an opinionated, boisterous boy so just have to work through this and hold out for a less fit horse and some warmer weather. Sure I will get my lovely chilled out dude back

Pointless post but hopefully someone will be along to tell me they've been where I am and feel my pain! TIA!
 

Magnetic Sparrow

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Too much haylage turned my gelding from a perfectly reasonable character into a maniac. Any chance you could feed hay instead and see if that makes a difference?
 

TeamChaser

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Too much haylage turned my gelding from a perfectly reasonable character into a maniac. Any chance you could feed hay instead and see if that makes a difference?

Going to get hold of some I think. Have cut food right down so definitely next thing to try. He's a lovely boy and actually the laziest out of my 3 boys usually but has been a nightmare last couple of weeks. He's worth persevering with and sure we'll get there.
 

TeamChaser

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I'd get him off the haylage asap!

What else does he eat?

Yep, worth a try. Have fed haylage to the other 2 every winter and whilst they have plenty of energy, not as bad as this one is. Guess they're all different tho and we're still getting to know each other so not as confident in my ability to predict what he might do next!

Just Top Spec balancer and handful of Just Grass chaff
 

gothdolly

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I could have written your post! I have now taken my horse off haylage and all hard feed, added a magnesium calmer and valerian cordial to his chaff and and have increased work and turn out time. I bought him in May, and he was an utter delight until recently!
 

TeamChaser

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Gothdolly I am sorry you"re having the same issues but glad it's not just me!!

Bit deflated to have ended up giving a calmer - have had nutty TB for 14 yrs and the other Irish lad for 6 and never used one. But I honestly think he would be worse if not sat on for a month so this seems safest option. He needs to be less fit but doing less work with a fit young horse is bloody challenging at the moment! I feel I need to work him through this 'phase' but would rather not end up killing myself in the process

Winter sucks!
 

gothdolly

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I think its just something to work through. We have fields that are deep in mud, no arena, the schooling paddock is too water logged and slippy to use etc, I'm at work in daylight hours 5 days a week so I suppose it was inevitable but it was a bit of a shock to find my lovely calm horse had turned seemingly over night into an explosive spooky idiot!
 

Crazydancer

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Haylage!!! My 24 yr old (owned by me for 23 of those) turned into a total loon on haylage in November - usually the most laid-back non-spooky boy going, and was acting like a wired racehorse! Switching to hay would be the first thing I'd try before anything else.....
 

TeamChaser

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They've been in at night and having adlib haylage since beginning Nov so bit strange that only recently affected him like this? Could be cumulative though and probably isn't helping when combined with other factors
 

ossy

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At only 6 maybe he's just not the type that is suitable to not do any work in the week and then be safe & composed out hacking at the weekend. He sounds like hes gone from doing loads over the summer to nothing and it's starting to get the better of him. I had an old horse who I wouldn't dream of hacking at weekend if i hadn't schooled at least twice in the week. Definitely try hay rather than hayledge and i would soak the hay too.
 
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emmad96

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Sorry for seeming dumb - but presuming its just a mag based calmer then what issue do you have with it? My mare lives on this: https://provideit.myshopify.com/collections/grass-issues/products/alleviatec?variant=12254295233 all year round. And she's out 24/7/365, fed minimal feed to keep weight on, and is worked 6 days a week (hacking mainly). Id just rather get through a hack without her melting down every time a bird flew off a branch or she saw a monster behind a power pole.
 

TeamChaser

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Vets have prescribed Potassium Bromide and we'll review in 7 days.

No real issue in using this but I've always I guess been of the school of thought that you work through these issues rather than adopt a quick fix. Perfectly prepared to concede though that no point in both of us getting stressed out when a calmer may just help him to settle again over the short term

He hasn't gone from doing loads to nothing. Usually ridden 6 days a week which would include lesson for hour, flatwork and jumping, and hacking for at least hour other 5 days. They do a fair bit hacking with lots of hill work at trot and canter. We've had some horrible icy conditions though so over the last month there have been a couple of weeks where he may have only been worked 4 days. When not ridden though, he is out for 12 hours
 

gothdolly

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Let me know how you get on with the potassium bromide. I think my error was feeding ad lib haylege and then icey weather meaning I couldn't work him. At his worst he was too wired to safely get off the yard, but he's slowly "coming down" and was quite composed last night.... He's been off the haulage about 3 weeks now.
 

TeamChaser

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I'd describe myself as a confident rider, well used to a silly, hot TB (who's never had a calmer) and team chase at intermediate level with other boy - I wouldn't take new one out on his own at the moment so he's bad enough!

I find the whole world of calmers bit baffling so have gone with vets advice. We're reviewing every 7 days so will see how he gets on. I'm pretty confident this will be temporary measure
 

LD&S

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I'd describe myself as a confident rider, well used to a silly, hot TB (who's never had a calmer) and team chase at intermediate level with other boy - I wouldn't take new one out on his own at the moment so he's bad enough!

I find the whole world of calmers bit baffling so have gone with vets advice. We're reviewing every 7 days so will see how he gets on. I'm pretty confident this will be temporary measure

Mine's only got to fart at the wrong time and I'm a quivering wreck, to have the confidence you do and have to resort to a strong calmer must mean it is serious.
Most importantly stay safe, I hope the changes you make are enough to allow you to safely ride him again.
 

TeamChaser

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Mine's only got to fart at the wrong time and I'm a quivering wreck, to have the confidence you do and have to resort to a strong calmer must mean it is serious.
Most importantly stay safe, I hope the changes you make are enough to allow you to safely ride him again.

Thank you LD&S. I will freely admit he has unnerved me a little with his antics! He's a big, strong horse and flippin pig headed and opinionated at times. I would rather have him being a bit more reasonable than risk either of our confidence being dented so calmer it is for time being

Determined he will keep hacking out as think it's necessary for him but it needs to be safe. He was actually very good this morning so we're making progress

Horses eh?!
 

AandK

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Has your haylage supply changed recently? Haylage made from meadowgrass shouldn't send a horse loopy, but I have known plenty go a bit mad if it is ryegrass haylage!
 

TeamChaser

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Have used same supplier for last few years and have been feeding the same since they started coming in at night in Nov. He's only been with me 5 months though so will be different to what he had in previous home I suspect. Strange that he was ok on this haylage for 3 months and then went nuts?! They are getting through a lot of it though as out for up to 12 hours so they're hungry when they come in given not much goodness in the grass now.
 

AandK

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Maybe it's not the haylage. As much as I hate jumping to the back/saddle/teeth conclusion, have you checked all of these? My horse loves a good spook on a daily basis, but has been much, much worse when something is bothering him (e.g. sore back).
 

TeamChaser

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Maybe it's not the haylage. As much as I hate jumping to the back/saddle/teeth conclusion, have you checked all of these? My horse loves a good spook on a daily basis, but has been much, much worse when something is bothering him (e.g. sore back).

He's had visit from saddler, EDT and Equine chiropractic since he's been with me so pretty sure it's not pain related. I think the haylage probably is contributing, as is fitness level, crappy weather interfering with exercise, settling in and just pushing his luck a bit!
 

LD&S

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Have used same supplier for last few years and have been feeding the same since they started coming in at night in Nov. He's only been with me 5 months though so will be different to what he had in previous home I suspect. Strange that he was ok on this haylage for 3 months and then went nuts?! They are getting through a lot of it though as out for up to 12 hours so they're hungry when they come in given not much goodness in the grass now.

Maybe it is sheer volume, I'm diabetic and a little sugar/carb is fine but I can feel it through my entire body if I have too much, I feel really fidgety and on edge, it's like there is something odd coursing through, quite unsettling.

IF and yes it is a big IF he is feeling similar though I don't condone his behaviour and think he should be put on the norty step to contemplate lol I would have a lot of sympathy though delighted to hear you had a better ride, hopefully with the better weather coming it will be the first of many SAFE rides.
 

tda

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Like you say, far too fit, feeling full of himself, and possibly a little teenage panic?

drop all but essential food, (soaked hay etc) and don't stress, carry with basics til he comes thru it x
 

TeamChaser

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Like you say, far too fit, feeling full of himself, and possibly a little teenage panic?

drop all but essential food, (soaked hay etc) and don't stress, carry with basics til he comes thru it x

Ah thank you tda, think that's exactly what's going on. He's a lovely chap really and I'm sure in a month's time I'll be looking back wondering what all the fuss was about !

Thanks all x
 

TeamChaser

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Maybe it is sheer volume, I'm diabetic and a little sugar/carb is fine but I can feel it through my entire body if I have too much, I feel really fidgety and on edge, it's like there is something odd coursing through, quite unsettling.

IF and yes it is a big IF he is feeling similar though I don't condone his behaviour and think he should be put on the norty step to contemplate lol I would have a lot of sympathy though delighted to hear you had a better ride, hopefully with the better weather coming it will be the first of many SAFE rides.

That's really interesting. He has been behaving like he can't contain himself and is very sensitive to stimuli. Makes you think
 

Char0901

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I have a youngster who was like this. Took him off haylage and he now has one net of hay in the day and one and a half at night. He has one scoop of 'Relax Me' in some Happy Hoof, morning and night. The difference is incredible. He is by no means is 'drugged', but the calmer seems to have helped him think things through before reacting... Usually in an explosive way.
He is calmer and seems a lot happier in himself and a lot more settled. Don't feel bad for having to resort to drugs, it's taken the edge of my boy and has made him a lot happier... and safer! x
 
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