Something to help a horse focus?

[poiuytrewq]

I’m not looking for a normal calmer, just something to take the edge off and make him less “high alert”
After a great summer, exactly the same as this time last year is creeping in.
I go out to bring in in the morning and instead of standing dozing before having a stretch and wandering over to meet me at the gate, he’s now trotting flat out up and down the field. Standing giraffe like, listening before shooting off somewhere else. I can catch him but it’s annoying!
He’s constantly listening and looking in the distance at nothing.
This progresssed last year to breaking out regularly so he had to come in more.
Ridden wise keeping his attention is hard work, with my instructor we are trying to improve his (trotter) way of going but tbh it’s impossible to get anything nice out of him outside of her indoor school (nothing to see!)
She says he has the attention span of a very small gnat!- and that was before this started again.
Any ideas? Last year I had blamed giving new hay (clutching at any reason I could!)
The field is currently the worst bit, It’s Been so nice with him so chilled out there and not having to worry if he’s still going to be in place next time I go out.
He got terrible to ride last winter so I’m really keen to nip this in the but this time knowing what’s coming up
I’d hoped, being one down this year they may have been able to stay out over winter but that’s not looking very very unlikely

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

What's the grazing like could he be hungry?

 

[J&S]

Or could it be the Autumn flush in the grass already ?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Grazing is pretty poor, purposely. I put hay out but he’s over weight, my farrier thinks he’s had laminitis in the past and lives with two tiny cushings ponies so I never have him on hood grazing.

 

[SEL]

Baby cob is getting a scoop of the big mare's magnesium oxide because he's being spooky and silly. I'm not sure if it's grass or because it's getting chilly overnight but it has helped.

 

[maya2008]

I find Global Herbs super calm takes the edge off so they can think.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Baby cob is getting a scoop of the big mare's magnesium oxide because he's being spooky and silly. I'm not sure if it's grass or because it's getting chilly overnight but it has helped.

I may give that another go, sure I tried last year but it’s cheap enough to be worth a shot.
It’s as if the hunt is around every morning!

 

[SEL]

I may give that another go, sure I tried last year but it’s cheap enough to be worth a shot.
It’s as if the hunt is around every morning!

I met my lot galloping round madly on Sunday morning - couldn't get them in for breakfast. Assumed the hunt was in the area then spotted on instagram that they were miles away.

Normally I open the gate and they all toddle into their stables for breakfast rather than doing laps of the field.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I met my lot galloping round madly on Sunday morning - couldn't get them in for breakfast. Assumed the hunt was in the area then spotted on instagram that they were miles away.

Normally I open the gate and they all toddle into their stables for breakfast rather than doing laps of the field.

I have done that in the past but wouldn’t with this one again after he sailed off into the distance instead of into his stable!
We also have a road to cross at the moment to get in and out of the field.
Annoyingly I can’t see them from in the house so I’m not sure when this behaviour starts, he’s not going all night as he’d be dripping and loosing weight.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Mine get a bit silly when it get colder at night and they are still on sumer hay rations so I do up it a bit as Arabi will drop weight otherwise, but if yours is overweight it won't hurt him and will help him loose a bit hopefully.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Mine get a bit silly when it get colder at night and they are still on sumer hay rations so I do up it a bit as Arabi will drop weight otherwise, but if yours is overweight it won't hurt him and will help him loose a bit hopefully.

No he needs to loose something it just really stresses me out that he’s so unsettled also if it escalates as last year the having to go find him from various wrong fields, or a few times the road verge, and constant fence repairing is highly annoying!
I just want him to be normal it’s been so lovely just seeing him graze or sleep out there.

 

[WelshD]

Salt made a huge difference to my pony's focus - if you haven't already, have a look at the Calm Healthy Horses webpage

 

[poiuytrewq]

Salt made a huge difference to my pony's focus - if you haven't already, have a look at the Calm Healthy Horses webpage

I haven’t but I will do thank you. He has a block but it’s lasted way too long for him to be using it. I can put literally a quarter teaspoon on his little feed before he will refuse it so it is something he doesn’t have enough of.

 

[silv]

Salt made a huge difference to my pony's focus - if you haven't already, have a look at the Calm Healthy Horses webpage

This

 

[Dave's Mam]

Salt is great, although most think that a lick is enough. It's not really. They're really for cattle with rough tongues & horses smooth tongues don't pick up enough, although they do enjoy licking, it's probably soothing.
Ordinary salt added to feed is the best way to get it into them.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I have also found Max Gut Health has been good for settling Dave. I know some haven't had the same result, but it's the same that different calmers work for different ponies & is also dependant on your area.
Magnesium is only useful if your forage is deficient. The area I am in has a very low Magnesium content in the soil, therefore adding it to feed helps.
Also loading periods & being prepared in advance help. EG Calming Cookies are great, but not if the adrenaline is already up.
Hope this helps & you get a calm pony again soon.

 

[poiuytrewq]

This

I’ve looked at it and although interesting I can’t see anything that’s would help me, he’s also quite head shakery at times but has none of the things they list as the causes and to try giving up, apart from grass and as above he doesn’t get a lot and there’s no rye

 

[poiuytrewq]

He just won’t eat with salt, although I will try again and just see what I can build it up too.

He was out this morning fencing still up so assuming he jumped

 

[bubsqueaks]

We've used Equimins Tranquility Herbs before - all natural add to feed takes the edge off

 

[Widgeon]

I had a surprising amount of success (I'm a bit skeptical of calming supplements but I was beyond desperate!) with Science Supplements ProKalm.

Although I would agree with others that given this behaviour only starts in the autumn, it would seem to suggest that there's an external cause, rather than him just being a generally anxious or flighty horse.