Strange Cob Behaviour...

[charlieblitz]

Hi,

Me and my mum have just got a cob mare, she was previously owned by a woman who regularly put her children on her back, and was sold as bombproof and when she was sold to us we were advised to put her on a high energy feed to get her going a bit more as she seemed quite docile and calm.

I've ridden her once and she was a bit jumpy and energetic, and even did a little buck which we put down to her being excited to be out of the stable. The yard she is at turn her out for about 6/7 hours twice a week and we thought this would be a good opportunity for her to burn some excess energy, but when she goes out she tries to follow you back out of the field and looks absolutely miserable and just stands around, all the other mares are running around and having fun but she just stares at you until you bring her back in, and then she is dragging you back to her stable.

I tried walking her round with the lead rope in the school today to see how she would be and she was crazy! She was jumping around and almost pulling me over and just going mad in there, I'm so confused!

She's only 5 so she is young, but we bought her because we thought she would be a calm little plodder and she's just strange, any idea on what this is because of?

 

[Mince Pie]

Right let me get this straight, you have a young pony, who doesn't know you or your mum, is in a new place with no one she knows/trusts, is being fed a high energy feed and is only being turned out twice a week? When it's put like that can you see the problem? Cut out all feed, and feed good hay/balancer, ride/lunge/loose school her every day, if she's not going out she needs working and working hard so she has burnt off some of her energy. I'd also hand graze every day as well - so hand graze in the morning and ride/lunge/loose school in the evening.

 

[charlieblitz]

No she's not on high energy feed, she's on the same feed as the thoroughbreds at our yard which is a low energy feed to calm them down, although I do see what you're saying. I just don't understand why she is so against going out in the field to graze, when all the other horses are glad to have a break from their stable but goes so crazy in the school.

 

[Mince Pie]

What exactly is she being fed?

 

[charlieblitz]

I can't remember the exact brands, but we're still using up the nuts and mollichaff we were told to buy, we've varied it a bit and now bought apple mollichaff and hilight horse and pony mix that we'll probably start using in about 2 weeks or so when we're finished with the first lot

 

[Mince Pie]

Definitely wouldn't feed the mix Mine is on a 1/4 scoop nuts, 1/2 dengie hifi lite (molasses free) and a small amount of speedi beet and is in work 5 days a week schooling, lunging, hacking and jumping. You want her going in to the spring slim as most cobs see grass and put weight on!

With regards to the field was she introduced over the fence or just put in? It may be that if she hasn't 'made friends' then she is more comfortable around you/your mum as "the lesser" of two evils, and as she settles in, she may be happier in the field.

 

[charlieblitz]

Haha well she's definitely put on weight, we are also loaning a TB who is on that feed, and we tried to give her about half the feed he has, but we couldn't do up her girth today, when 2 1/2 weeks ago it was fine so she's definitely getting a bit fat! I've never been responsible for sorting out what feed they should have, and how much etc. so this is all a bit confusing for me.

 

[sandi_84]

I can't remember the exact brands, but we're still using up the nuts and mollichaff we were told to buy, we've varied it a bit and now bought apple mollichaff and hilight horse and pony mix that we'll probably start using in about 2 weeks or so when we're finished with the first lot

I'm not a feed expert in any way so can't make any comments on your choice of feed in regards to nutritional value but I would agree with Broke_but_happy in that if she isn't getting worked and is only getting turn out for up to 14 hours per week she does not need fed! it will just razz her up unfortunately and you will end up with the situation you have just now I'm afraid.

Also be aware that changing a feed from one type to another suddenly can cause a lot of stomach problems and possibly even colic (I know a horse who coliced because his normal haylage ran out and he had to be given hay).

She may just be one of those horses that doesn't enjoy being out in the field (it happens) or it could be that being new to the herd she has not found her place in the herd mechanics yet and is either not feeling able to mingle with the others or is being chased off. You may find that soon she will be accepted/accept her new herd and will be off away from the gate enjoying herself too.

Feeding a horse to give it more oomph can do very strange things and unless you are comfortable with the possibility of massive bucks/ tanking off/ major spooking at everything/ spinning/ napping and a whole host of other things I would advise you to just let your new horse settle, let yourself settle with her and get used to her. She's only young and if given time and the correct training may be exactly what you want in a horse although it does beg the question - sorry if this sounds rude - why did you buy a calm plod which you say you wanted and then feed her to make her whizzy and full of energy?

Why does your yard only offer turnout a couple of times a week? If it were me I'd want turn out as much as possible even in this weather but this seems like an incredibly incredibly small amount of turn out even to me! Most yards with restricted turn out still allow for a few hours every day even if it's just taking turns allowing horses turn out in the school.

If you can find out the exact brand and type of feed she's being given someone more feed knowlegable will be along to advise I'm sure.

For what it's worth I have a 7yo cob who gets worked once in a blue moon at the moment (due to lack of time because of light constraints at this time of year) and when the days lighten up he gets worked up to 4 times a week for up to an hour and a half - 2 hours (built up over time!) - and that is extremely light work! - and he gets fed... nothing! He doesn't need it (I have learned my lessons ), he gets enough hay and grass and if I fed him actual hard feed he'd become tubby which is detrimental to his health or, depending on what I fed him, a spooky, unruly menace which is detrimental to my health and sanity

 

[sandi_84]

Haha well she's definitely put on weight, we are also loaning a TB who is on that feed, and we tried to give her about half the feed he has, but we couldn't do up her girth today, when 2 1/2 weeks ago it was fine so she's definitely getting a bit fat! I've never been responsible for sorting out what feed they should have, and how much etc. so this is all a bit confusing for me.

If she's put on so much weight over 2 1/2 weeks that you can't do up her girth that is a stonking amount to put on in such a short time. Fat horses are really not good

 

[charlieblitz]

She could go out on a third day, but on that day we have to put her out and bring her in and we don't always get time to, so she may only end up for being out for about 3 hours on that day but I'll try and get her out as much as possible to get used to it.

I didn't intend to make her fizzy, but I honestly know very little about feeds and didn't realise she would react so strongly from them, as I thought the low energy mix wouldn't affect her, let alone make her bounce off the walls!!

 

[sandi_84]

She could go out on a third day, but on that day we have to put her out and bring her in and we don't always get time to, so she may only end up for being out for about 3 hours on that day but I'll try and get her out as much as possible to get used to it.

I didn't intend to make her fizzy, but I honestly know very little about feeds and didn't realise she would react so strongly from them, as I thought the low energy mix wouldn't affect her, let alone make her bounce off the walls!!

That's alright I'm baffled by feeds (mainly because I don't use them! ) too but definitely get rid of it I would say. If she starts to loose condition after the fat gets burned off then introduce something but get advice from your feed store, don't go on what other people feed theirs, your horses needs will in all likely hood be completely different from others especially since she is a cob and you say they are thoroughbreds and it's likely that her work load with be different from other peoples horses workloads.

Is there a charge service for turning out/ bringing in? Or even someone who could do one or the other for you? If so I would make use of it but even so 3 days a week turn out with a total of 17 hours a week out still seems a very small amount to me.

 

[hairycob]

If you are baffled by feeding Edinburgh Vet School are running a free online equine nutrition course (coursera website). You may still be able to sign up for it - it's well worthwhile.
If it helps my 2 cobs are on a pretty typical winter cob diet.They are on hay with just a mug of speedibeet to put a mineral supplement & a 50ml scoop of linseed. One has to have his hay mixed with barley straw to keep the weight down. That's with about 12 hours turnout a day & ridden 2-4 times per week depending on the weather

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Your horse doesn't need anything except hay and turnout. TBH I wouldn't ever stay at a yard that only offers turnout every other day (at best).
In an ideal world your horse would go out every day for at least 8 hours and better yet, 12 hours, with company. Then you wouldn't need to ride every day, if you haven't time.
Please cut out all hard feed before your horse is seriously ill. Can't your YO advise you about feed (although maybe not if they consider limited turnout to be ok). The Coursera training would be very useful for you and is pretty straightforward.

 

[charlieblitz]

We've had her off feed for a week now, and she's currently only on haylage with grazing, she seems to have calmed down a lot most of the time, but occasionally jumps around at me, not quite sure why, she's fine being on the lead rope with my mum etc, but as soon as I take it she gets excitable and leaps around for some reason, I don't know why.

No they put the horses out as much as possible but there's quite a few horses so they have to split it amongst them, we get her out as much as possible.

 

[Darremi]

Nothing strange about this behaviour.

Simply a question of too much food and not enough exercise = barmy horse.

You need to get on and ride her regularly and she will calm down even more. If you are not confident enough to do this then get her on the lunge in the school and trot and canter.


You were given very poor advice in the first place regarding the high energy feed.

 

[charlieblitz]

So it seems :\ she's a lot more chilled now though thank god!

She only seems to jump around with me though, we'll be walking along happily and she starts leaping around behind me and being all silly, then someone else takes her and she's back to being quiet and relaxed.

I think I might try lunging her as I'm not the most confident rider, and I don't feel 100% about riding her without an instructor there.

 

[Mince Pie]

Perhaps she is sensing your lack of confidence if she is only messing around with you?

 

[charlieblitz]

I think that might be it, shes definitely not helping with the lack of confidence!

 

[Darremi]

She does not respect you.

You need to have the confidence to discipline her on the lead when she misbehaves.

You need to lead her up and down and whenever she does something silly you firmly stop her and growl until she realises she is doing something wrong. Make her stand still and walk on over and over again until she does it properly.

If she tries to move or walk off when you want her to stop, poke her in the chest with a finger and hold the rope firmly.

Accidents can happen when you do not teach a horse proper manners.

 

[charlieblitz]

I'll definitely try that, I do always tell her off and she does stop playing up but I think because I don't spend lots of time with her she forgets her manners around me a bit.

My mum spends more time with her so she has the better relationship, whereas I spend more time with my thoroughbred so he has better manners around me.

 

[sandi_84]

Really pleased that she has calmed down a bit now Hopefully over time if you are firm and confident with her she will become as well mannered for you as your TB, onwards and upwards

 

[el_Snowflakes]

Stop feeding her & get her into a good routine. She's young & her surroundings are new. You are feeding her up to give her more energy & surprise surprise that's what she's got! More excercise to fitten her up & ride her correctly to get her moving off the leg so she's not lazy- extra feed is not the answer. You are likely to have an overweight laminitic come summer!

Agree with having a look at the university of Edinburgh short course from coursera. Iv done it myself, it's informative & best of all free!

To put things in context, my 18 year old warm blood is in light/medium work which includes jumping & competing & I only feed her a couple of handfuls if 'just grass' daily to give her her supplements. I doubt your cob needs anything at all! The joys of a good doer

 

[Pearlsasinger]

So it seems :\ she's a lot more chilled now though thank god!

She only seems to jump around with me though, we'll be walking along happily and she starts leaping around behind me and being all silly, then someone else takes her and she's back to being quiet and relaxed.

I think I might try lunging her as I'm not the most confident rider, and I don't feel 100% about riding her without an instructor there.

I'm glad that she is more settled now that she's off the hard feed.

When you lead her don't let her get behind you. Lead her at her shoulder, stay alert all the time, so that you spot her looking at anything which may start her jumping around and can speak to her or make her stop/move sideways/whatever you need to do to keep her attention on you. The more you practise, the more confident you will become. I wouldn't advise a novice to lunge, that can cause more problems. Can your mum be there when you ride?