stressed and anxious mare

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kellie1189

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Hi guys looking for some advice please. I bought my new mare 2 months ago now when I went to try her on various occasions she seemed settled and relaxed unlike the behaviour she is now demonstrating with me. The first night she came she seemed relaxed and fine eating away. The next morning she was very stressed rearing pacing around the stable kicking out and squealing at others next to her. We changed her stable which seemed to settle her a bit more but when horse are being turned out brought in or she is taken away she is still pacing and rearing in the stable. It doesn't matter is horses are in the barn with her she is still stressed. Her ridden behaviour was fine until 2 weeks ago where she is now displaying unsettled and stressed behaviour when ridden. I have tried all sorts and running out of options of what to try with her. She is turned out all day, I have taken her off haylage and ridden 5-6 times a week.
People have suggested either trying a calmer or balancer what are peoples opinions and experiances with either. And is this something i'm going to have to use long term. Thanks in advance
 
Did you have her vetted? Maybe have the bloods checked from that if you did. Sorry I know that doesn't help much but with such an extreme behaviour change I would be a bit suspicious! It could of course just be she's taking a while to settle?
 
Changing her feed is a good start - she may have bad reactions to grains/soya/molasses. You could try a supplement for mares, like moody mare or such like? Is she in indoor stabling? Perhaps she'd be better in outside stables? Have you had her checked for pain, etc? Could she have gastric problems like ulcers?
 
It may well just be the way she is. My mare takes absolutely AGES to calm down in new situations. I'm talking months and months. I would give it a lot more time and make sure that you try to establish a consistent routine with her, along with keeping her new 'friends' consistent too - don't swap and change. It will take time for you to get used to her little ways, as well as her getting used to you and the new surroundings. Some horses are just a lot more stressy than others, and much as it's a pain in the backside (believe me, I am grey with my mare!) they do settle eventually.

However, if she doesn't after a few months, perhaps speak to your vet and get her checked over for physical causes.
 
Sometimes horses take a long time to settle. She may have left a really close buddy at her old place and is now feeling incredibly anxious and grieving the loss. Often mares can get like this when moving homes. They get separation anxiety because they have been wrenched away from their old friends and fear it will happen with their new ones. My late mare was 'psycho' for at least six months. So many people told me to sell her, but once she settled we had the most amazing bond and she would do anything I asked of her.

However, it may be that she was doped when you viewed her and if you had bloods taken you should think about having them tested.

ETA: No harm in trying a calmer. I can recommend Top Spec calmer. Worked really well for a couple of horses here. I am not sure why a balancer would help.
 
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Thanks guys i've had a 5 stage vetting which she passed with no problems and had all bloods and came back clear. Plus it was my own vet which did the vetting so confident nothing un-towards in that respect. She is stabled inside and was when I purchased her although our new yard is larger then where she came from as in theirs more horses and bit more going on. Ill keep trying with her and see how she goes. Ive never had one not settle before so bit unsure on how to deal with it. Thank you again for all your help beginning to think i was alone on this one!
 
Does she calm down eventually? Mine started to do this (picked up bad habit from stable mate) she wasn't terrible, no rearing but pacing and odd door kick, and settled after about five or ten mins (I called this her reflecting time) I completely ignored her behaviour and rewarded her with attention when she calmed and I did practice runs taking horses out for increasing lengths of time and then bringing them back, rewarding when she was calm, she is ok now, calls when her next door neighbour initially goes but then calms down quickly.
 
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