Stressy Horsey - please help!

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Amaretto

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My 4 yo.....
- Anxious if left alone (stable or horsebox)
- Spooky
- Difficult to keep his attention when schooling/on lessons (although works beautifully eventually when he relaxes - it's just getting him to relax and work a bit more over his back, then we are fine).

I know that most of the above is present in a lot of young horses, and that it will be sorted with firm, consistent handling, taking him out to see more (outings in the horsebox etc etc). Also know this will take time and patience. However, he is getting a bit too lively and concerning me a little...I don't want to lose confidence, and I don't want him to lose confidence in me too.

Has anybody used Nupafeed liquid calmer and did it work?

NB, He's a dutch warmblood of the more modern, blood type variety. He has a small amount of lo-cal balancer, daily turnout and ad lib haylage. Back checked, teeth fine.

Thanks everyone
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Ditto AmyMay and also have you thought about swapping to good quality hay? Haylage could be fizzing him up...?
 
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What else do you do with him apart from schooling?? And have you thought about 24hour turnout??

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He hacks out, lunges, done a bit of polework/jumping. I don't have the facility for 24 hr turnout unfortunately, although he is out about 12 hours a day.
 
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Ditto AmyMay and also have you thought about swapping to good quality hay? Haylage could be fizzing him up...?

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I could try
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It might be worth a try. He has plenty of variety for a young horse so I don't think he's feeling sour to his schooling or anything - maybe he just need time to mature?
Good luck with him tho & keep us posted
 
Grass is having its 2nd flush, so is really rich right now. I'd go for 1/2 haylage & 1/2 last seasons hay to cut back on the energy being given.

Are you mixing the balancer with anything? Some chaffs are high in sugar.

12hrs TO is better than most, the issue is that at 4, you dont want to be working him into the ground either.

Have you got a good friend who you can go out with/ swap horses whilst out riding & see what they think?

I'd happily go down the route of using something to take the edge off for reasons of safety. Never tried anything, so cant recommend.
Good luck

PS try a stable mirror for the lorry
 
some of the dutch lines are well known for sharp temperaments, eg Jazz, Gribaldi etc. Don't think they ever grow out of it, all you can do is manage it by getting them used to as many things as possible and sticking to a routine.
Agree turnout is good, but make sure your horse isn't getting to much grass.
Nupafeed did make a bit of a difference to mine but not enough to justify the cost to be honest.
Have you got a good instructor to give both of you confidence?
 
I've got a Dutch Warmblood who i've just retired bless him.
He is a stress head and often wears his eyes on stalks for no apparent reason!!
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He was getting to the point were i was begining to lose my confidence with him, even with leading him to and from the field
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Lovely girl in local feed/tack store suggested TopSpec Calmer which she had had good results with on her horse.
Within a very short space of time he had a completely different outlook on life, as it says on the tub, he has a 'more laid back approach to life'.
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He has been on it for 3 months now and i have reduced him down to half the recommended dose, i can see a slight difference in him but i can handle that.
Hope this helps and that he calms down for you.
 
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