AGAGE
Well-Known Member
Sorry for the length of this one!!
I'm not sure what is going on with my horse psychologically! I have owned him for the last six years and he is now 18 and has always had this strange behaviour and I don't know what to do about it.
Every time the seasons change from summer to autumn/winter he becomes distressed. He is turned out during the day and in at night all year round, although this pattern reverses if there are too many flies. He is fed twice a day and gets adlib hay, is exercised 3x week.
When turned out in the morning, he wants to come in after about an hour, or even 10 minutes. He paces and weaves at the gate, creating lots of mud and mess. It has got to the point that he sweats himself up. He also calls if anybody walks past the field, he screams at them, and generally looks anxious. He is turned out with one other horse-his best friend, who continues to graze and appear unaffected.
I have put carrots and hay in the field for him to go out to, so that he has something to look forward to in the field. He eats the carrots and a bit of hay and then starts weaving.
I cannot bring him as and when he chooses as I work full time. My sister can get him in at lunch time and has resorted to doing this. However, when in his stable he appears to want to go out in the field again. It would appear that he doesn't know what he wants! He also has arthritis in both hocks and COPD, so I really don't want him standing in his stable all day for health reasons. His previous owner used to bring him in as and when he wanted. He is also a TB and can be really sensitive to change. However, I would never have thought horses would react like this to seasons changing as this a is a natural phenomenon. In previous years the behaviour has phased out by january, however he is creating a huge mud bath by the gate and he is obviously very anxious about something.
Has anybody else experienced this type of behaviour before. I work as a psychologist (human) and I'm stumped, would know what to do if he was human!
Any suggestions or thoughts appreciated.
I'm not sure what is going on with my horse psychologically! I have owned him for the last six years and he is now 18 and has always had this strange behaviour and I don't know what to do about it.
Every time the seasons change from summer to autumn/winter he becomes distressed. He is turned out during the day and in at night all year round, although this pattern reverses if there are too many flies. He is fed twice a day and gets adlib hay, is exercised 3x week.
When turned out in the morning, he wants to come in after about an hour, or even 10 minutes. He paces and weaves at the gate, creating lots of mud and mess. It has got to the point that he sweats himself up. He also calls if anybody walks past the field, he screams at them, and generally looks anxious. He is turned out with one other horse-his best friend, who continues to graze and appear unaffected.
I have put carrots and hay in the field for him to go out to, so that he has something to look forward to in the field. He eats the carrots and a bit of hay and then starts weaving.
I cannot bring him as and when he chooses as I work full time. My sister can get him in at lunch time and has resorted to doing this. However, when in his stable he appears to want to go out in the field again. It would appear that he doesn't know what he wants! He also has arthritis in both hocks and COPD, so I really don't want him standing in his stable all day for health reasons. His previous owner used to bring him in as and when he wanted. He is also a TB and can be really sensitive to change. However, I would never have thought horses would react like this to seasons changing as this a is a natural phenomenon. In previous years the behaviour has phased out by january, however he is creating a huge mud bath by the gate and he is obviously very anxious about something.
Has anybody else experienced this type of behaviour before. I work as a psychologist (human) and I'm stumped, would know what to do if he was human!
Any suggestions or thoughts appreciated.
