TB’s changed

[Elisejo]

Hello,
Today I’m having issues with my TB,

he went out in the field yesterday for an hours as usual, went out fine and came in fine, this morning I put him out again, and when bringing him in once out of the gate reared at me face on cms from my head, told him to get down. He did then asked him to walk on nicely through the car park, he was barging pushing, trying to trott and swing his head about and began rearing again...... one of his hooves caught my shoulder. And I dropped the lead rope, he reared again then just turned and walked to a small patch of grass and began eating. Once I got the rope again he started. I didn’t go into the field to collect him, just called him as he went straight to the gate..... nothing in his diet has changed, nor stable buddy. The only difference I can see is winter turnout is poor (sooooooo muddy) so can only be out for an hour a day, and when severe weather hits it floods our arena to work him...... during summer he was amazing loving, cuddly, happy to be ridden walked in like a dope on a rope. Even had my little brother with autism riding him. Now it’s like he’s a totally different horse.... I know he turns 6 on the 24th Feb 2021.
any ideas? Is it just winter tantrums, is it teenage years?

 

[TPO]

Standing in 23hrs will do it and he's possibly hungry too if standing out in mud

 

[Goldenstar]

You will need to give him much more work if he’s only going out one hour a day .

 

[Elisejo]

Standing in 23hrs will do it and he's possibly hungry too if standing out in mud

There’s loads of grass in his field so not a hunger thing, on ad lib hay in his stable too

 

[Goldenstar]

If I was in that situation with a six year old it would be working twice a day one hour walking hacking and half hour in a school or two lots of 45 minutes hacking .

 

[milliepops]

I agree it's a lack of exercise. My 11yo TB is super laid back in the stable and is dealing with limited turnout well, it's really been a test of his manners and he is being a total star.
the one next door is wired, I have to turn it out when mine go out and I've had to resort to aiming at the field with the horse on a lunge line, it's not getting any additional exercise and turns itself inside out because of all the pent up energy.
Sounds like yours is more like the latter.

In my situation, it's not my circus and not my monkey, i just have to get the horse to the field in the morning and forget about it. In your shoes, i think you need to find a way to get your horse some more work or field time.

 

[TheMule]

It sounds like the poor horse just can’t tolerate his living conditions any more. If you only have an hour turnout a day then you have to work extra hard to make his life bearable through hand walk, hand grazing and proper exercise

 

[AmyMay]

‘Winter turnout is poor, sooo muddy’, yet there’s plenty of grass... ?

 

[Elisejo]

‘Winter turnout is poor, sooo muddy’, yet there’s plenty of grass... ?

The gateway is really bad, and the owner doesn’t want horses out for hours as they’ll ruin the field, but there is loads of grass once he out of the gateway

 

[TheMule]

The gateway is really bad, and the owner doesn’t want horses out for hours as they’ll ruin the field, but there is loads of grass once he out of the gateway

The owner has is wrong IMO. Fresh, underworked and cooped up horses go out, run round and churn up fields. Happy, settled, adequately exercised horses go out and eat grass.

 

[RachelFerd]

You've answered your own question - your TB hasn't changed, his turnout situation has changed. Both of mine were on a 1hr a day rule recently - I did more work with them to prevent them losing the plot. We're now back onto being allowed 6 hrs, but actually we don't have much grass and 2-3 hours is plenty for them (with additional work in hand and under saddle) because they start playfighting and injure each other out of boredom if they are out too long.... can't win!

 

[Trouper]

I'm afraid it's not just the physical movement they need. With TBs you really need to keep their brain's working as well so I would be doing as much schooling or in hand work as I could.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

The owner has is wrong IMO. Fresh, underworked and cooped up horses go out, run round and churn up fields. Happy, settled, adequately exercised horses go out and eat grass.

Exactly, our horses are out 24/7 for the first time this year, although the field they are in is very wet, there is more grass than there has been in past years because they are not going out every morning and charging around, as they usually would have done. OP, you need to find some way of getting your horse ore turnout/exercise. I would want to find a yard with a more knowledgeable YO

 

[Jenni_]

My ISH (1/2 TB) is similar at the minute, and she is usually turned out for at least ten hours a day, although its been hit or miss with our relentless ice and snow at the minute. We've been confined to the tiny indoor school for work, which we can't canter properly in as its a bit tight.

She's overly grumpy, like flying a kite when turning her out, and is a hot mess to school. Like riding on a knife edge constantly. Rode Sunday morning, doing small poles / jumps in the indoor, then a 1 hour hack in the afternoon, and straight into the outdoor school for the first time in over a month- she turned herself inside out just being in there at the thought of going faster than a walk or a trot. Took me 5 minutes to get her forward, and then I literally cantered round the edge in a 2 point seat for ten minutes before her brain was clear enough to get a half decent trot out of.

I agree - if the horse can't be turned out for longer work them twice a day. TB's need their brains worked as much as their bodies.

 

[MummyEms]

My TB has definitely become more sharp recently and she is still going out most of the day every day. Think it's the cold weather too.