Time to retire my overly anxious OTT?

[Inky1986]

I'm at my wits end and would appreciate other peoples advice please.

I have owned my 17hh ex-racehorse for almost 2.5years and to say its been an trying experience is putting it mildly! He is by nature a very anxious (somewhat neurotic) character- easily flustered and doesn't react well to pressure. I have paid thousands in xrays, scopes, blood testing & professional schooling...and I don't feel like we have made much progress.

When I bought him orignally it was to take part in low level eventing and just have some stress-free fun rides, but I don't think he'd mentally cope with the competition environment. He turns into a nervous mess even trailering to our local indoor school.

The most calm I've had him was when he was used purely for hacking for 4months, but he has always needed a confident rider onboard.

I'm seriously thinking of retiring him from ridden work as I can't bring myself to sell him...I'd fret he would end up passed around. He is only 7yrs old.

Has anyone owned a horse they felt didn't cope in ridden work? I don't envisage much uptake for a stressy 17hh TB as a happy hacker, but maybe I am wrong!

What would your next step be?

 

[Merry neddy man]

As a track horse he would have been in a very set rhythm, all to a regular timework, is he still in that sort of system is his ridden work and feed balanced out , was he more settled after his professional schooling with being in more of a disciplined environment? Lots of things can upset a horse and some rely on routine. Let us know his routine work /feed / education/ and the HHO clan may be able to offer helpful advice. ELF will probably have some good advice.

 

[stangs]

If you’re in the UK, it’s possible a magnesium deficiency is creating the anxious temperament.

 

[DabDab]

Did you buy him straight from racing?

If he was mine I would probably turn him away for 6-12 months and then restart, building up slowly through hacking. And what what he is like at that point.

If he really is a good hacking horse then you might be able to find someone to share/loan him for hacking.

 

[Inky1986]

Did you buy him straight from racing?

If he was mine I would probably turn him away for 6-12 months and then restart, building up slowly through hacking. And what what he is like at that point.

If he really is a good hacking horse then you might be able to find someone to share/loan him for hacking.

Yes - he was straight from the track. He had a 6 month let down but maybe a year would have been better?
He is pretty good to hack out - alone or in company, but isn’t bothered by traffic/other livestock etc.

I say he needs a confident rider only because he can be nappy if it’s a new route- but just needs the rider to be patient & not heavy handed.

 

[Inky1986]

As a track horse he would have been in a very set rhythm, all to a regular timework, is he still in that sort of system is his ridden work and feed balanced out , was he more settled after his professional schooling with being in more of a disciplined environment? Lots of things can upset a horse and some rely on routine. Let us know his routine work /feed / education/ and the HHO clan may be able to offer helpful advice. ELF will probably have some good advice.

He definitely came back more settled after his training (there for 6 weeks), i think the combination of working 5/6 days a week & a quieter yard helped.

Currently I ride him 3 days a week & pay for my instructor to ride 2 a week. He isn’t the type of horse that can be pulled in from the field & jumped on.

Feed wise he is a fairly average ‘doer’ - lives out 24/7 (I’m in NSW), hard fed AM & hay PM.
- due to 3 rounds of ulcers it’s been a bAttle getting weight on, but I’m becoming more intuitive to his symptoms so treat with Omeprazole quickly.
- currently on 2 x Prydes EasiSport, 1 x Lucerne Chaff & 1x Microbeet. Supplements are Digestive EQ & Biotin.

sorry it’s so long winded!

 

[AmyMay]

Yes - he was straight from the track. He had a 6 month let down but maybe a year would have been better?
He is pretty good to hack out - alone or in company, but isn’t bothered by traffic/other livestock etc.

I say he needs a confident rider only because he can be nappy if it’s a new route- but just needs the rider to be patient & not heavy handed.

In that case can’t you enjoy him as a hack?

 

[Equi]

If you bought a horse to event and can only hack i could understand the frustration. As he’s only 7 I’d be inclined to Chuck him out for a year in a larger herd if you can so that any “buddy” isn’t going to be moving about a lot. Then bring him back in and retry him. 7 is still young, and he could still become what you want him to with time.

 

[ycbm]

Try taking him off the lucerne/alfalfa. I have one who would be the same if fed alfalfa.
.

 

[Regandal]

You could try cutting out the lucerne and most of the hard feed, just give hay and a grass chop. Try a decent gut balancer, not sure what you can get where you are but my horse does well on Coopers Gut Support. Or Protexin. Can you source hay made from grass?

 

[Bellaboo18]

If he's been treated for ulcers 3 times and they're still recurring I'd say you've not got to the route of why hes getting them.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

You could try cutting out the lucerne and most of the hard feed, just give hay and a grass chop. Try a decent gut balancer, not sure what you can get where you are but my horse does well on Coopers Gut Support. Or Protexin. Can you source hay made from grass?

I would give him Aloe Vera juice for his gut. I would also take the lucerne( alfalfa) out of his feed, having had several horses that can't tolerate it, although I also had one mare who could only cope with alfalfa - in the days before it was readily available here (!).

 

[Nicnac]

Do the above and groundwork. He needs to trust you. I'm not at all a fluffy person but we have been working with a youngster with severe anxiety due to their starting process. It really does work. Lovely to see the horse suddenly breath out and let the tension go. It really works their brains too which TBs tend to have in spades. No pressure hacking to see the world and realise it's not a scary place. Do you have any TREC type training locally?

If the ulcers are reoccurring, as Bellaboo said, you really need to get to the root cause before moving on or you'll just be forever treating the symptoms.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would drop the alfalfa as well its rocket fuel for my Arab's then possibly let him have some time living in a field then start him again.

 

[Tarragon]

Perhaps he just isn't the horse for you? He sounds like he might either suit a happy hacker or just a different type of yard.

 

[Orangehorse]

Yes - he was straight from the track. He had a 6 month let down but maybe a year would have been better?
He is pretty good to hack out - alone or in company, but isn’t bothered by traffic/other livestock etc.

I say he needs a confident rider only because he can be nappy if it’s a new route- but just needs the rider to be patient & not heavy handed.

Would he do endurance?

 

[Inky1986]

Thank you everyone.

- I shall cut the lucerne out
- Regarding the ulcers, would the next step be more xrays? maybe an MRI? I should probably talk to my vet and ask!! I was told by my previous vet it was most likely due to his stress levels and would be something I had to manage going forward, but I am willing to keep investigating!

 

[Inky1986]

Would he do endurance?

I think he would really enjoy this (me too!), but as a mild roarer would that hinder us much? I would be happy sticking with the shorter events.

 

[rextherobber]

One of mine is very very anxious and stressy, prone to ulcers, she has RER. She has never tied up in the textbook way in the time I've owned her, but does get very tense, tight muscles.

 

[Fransurrey]

I think he would really enjoy this (me too!), but as a mild roarer would that hinder us much? I would be happy sticking with the shorter events.

Depends how competitive you are. It would affect his grading at events, but I don't think it's a failure at vetting gates at lower levels. Check with EGB.

 

[Orangehorse]

Investigate Simple Systems feeds, they often suit Arabs/TBs, although not the cheapest and some of the feeds can be confusing. The owner of the company does endurance.

The forage feed seems to suit the type of horse that just wants to go and has lots of energy.
I tried it with my horse, he loved the feed but he just got fat and the owner of a warmblood said the same thing.