Ulsakind and a calmer??

[Sarahs83]

Hi new on here! Can’t seem to find a answer to my question but I’ve just started my mare on ulsakind, as she’s turned into a stressing nightmare! She’s always been a bit stressy but the last couple of months she’s got worse, I’ve had all the usual checks teeth, saddle physio, but it’s none of them, someone told me to try her on ulsakind so literally these last few days I’ve been reading about them and all the posts, I’ve also started a calmer too, can I or should I feed it with the ulsakind? Or should I avoid it?

 

[Smooshy]

I was told by Top spec that I could feed a calmer alongside their ulsakind cubes.

 

[Sarahs83]

Thank you!

 

[chaps89]

It's probably worth trying one thing at a time - if you do both and notice a difference you won't know which is responsible. (Of course, both might make a difference but if it's only one then you won't know which, so better to do one at a time)

 

[Finnigan]

Feed a grass chaff like Thunderbrook Herbal chaff to keep the gut moving. Make sure forage is always available. Empty stomach produce acid which is surplus to requirements so ends up irritating the gut lining. Make sure there is always something in their tummy as the acid production doesn't cease, you need to give it something to digest instead of irritating the gut. Mine has ad lib hay, hes currently not eating as much hay as that's his thing this time of year. And I feed a good supplement to keep the gut healthy, its a Calming with Digestive support and muscle support too now. Sometime just gastric support is enough as calming is influenced by gastric sensitivity sometimes.

 

[Sarahs83]

I’ve had her on ulsakind and healthy tummy chaff, I cut the calmer out as I thought the same as chaps89, since I took her off the calmer she’s been a lot more stressed, to the point of bucking and kicking out in the stable and making a nice hole in our new stables 😑
I’ve owned this mare for three years and she’s gradually got worse, she is kept at home with my friends horse, and two sheties, last year it was literally impossible to do anything with her, in the spring/summer months we rent 4 acres of land in the next village, I couldn’t take my mare out as my friends horse would go mental then my mare would react and nap to get home, she tries everything even rearing, we have to ride separate due to work and family commitments and because of that we very rarely get to ride together, I have to walk my mare in hand to the school in the next village (20 min walk away) anyway because of this we put them both in livery through winter, as we haven’t any facilities at home only stables and a bumpy paddock, it was ok, however the paddocks was ridiculously small so much so by the time they broke into trot they was hitting the end of the paddock, I had to lunge to burn off all her energy before I rode her, she went fine in the school whilst in livery, but even hacking her out in company it was like she was going to explode!! This is out of character for her as she’s a gem to hack out in company normally,
So now we’re back home I’ve two sheties my friends horse and another I have on trial, she’s just a total stress head even now, she’s got her mate still in the paddock but now I’ve been going out with the other mare she’s still going mental and she’s not even in with this mare! She’s knocked my confidence massively as everything is just a fight! I’ve got the vet coming to see her on the 7th, as I’ve never known a horse what’s been so stressed, she’s been in the same routine from day one but trying to hack on her own or do anything with her is a constant battle, I love her to death and don’t really want to throw in the towel and let her go for project money as I spent £2k on her and I haven’t got that at the minute to replace her either, I even been at the point where I’ve wanted to give up horses totally 😔

 

[DabDab]

Oh goodness, that is certainly a gush of emotion, you poor thing.
Honestly, it does sound like the setup just really doesn't suit this horse for whatever reason. And I would give thought to finding her a new home - it may be that a buzzy yard environment would suit her much better. If so it should be relatively easy to find a new home for her. Maybe you could send her to a training/selling yard for a few weeks and see how she copes there?

 

[chaps89]

Have you tried cutting feed out completely? Some horses can be very reactive to alfalfa amongst other things.
It sounds like at home you have separation anxiety almost with how she's behaving with your friends mare, although it doesn't sound like the change in environment to the livery yard helped either.
I wonder if 24 hour turnout in a stable herd might help her.
It definitely sounds like you need the vet though as she sounds very unhappy, poor thing. I hope you get to the bottom of it soon, for both your sakes

 

[Sarahs83]

Sorry lol what was meant to be a quick reply turned into a essay,
At livery believe it or not she got worse than she was last year, her stable was horrendous everyday as she wasn’t the first one out, it was a nightmare to fetch her in from the field as once tied up to tack up she wouldn’t keep still, if anyone fetched their horse in first she started pacing, I thought this about the environment too hence why I brought my Shetlands home from Shetland livery and got this other mare too as then there wouldn’t just be her and my friends horse, last year she stood lovely at home for the dentist this year not a chance at livery she was rearing in the stable so she’s got to be sedated,
At home because of the way the paddocks are set out I’ve got to turn this new mare out first, it’s like 20 steps away from the stables if that, we’re not even out of sight,
The first year I got her I sent her away for a week to a local place for schooling and to see if she would hack on her own and she did, i did the same again last year for a month, to the girl i bought her off, she put up a battle but eventually did it if you went the right way,
I dare say if she was kept on her own and no other horse was shouting and screaming for her she’d walk away from home fine but that’s not going to happen as me and my friend bought the stables together,
I’ve not tried cutting feed out completely as she drops weight as quick as a hat, she has ad-lib hay all the time too, like I say in spring till summer or whenever the weather turns they’re turned out in 4 acre paddocks (divided into 6) and that’s 24/7 only time they’re stabled is through winter

 

[Sarahs83]

Just seems no matter where she is she gets stressed 😥

 

[Leo Walker]

You need a vet work up to establish whether she is in pain. This sort of extreme stressy behaviour is almost always rooted in pain. Ellietotz has just been through this with her mare. She finally got to the bottom of the pain and the mare is not chilled out and acting like a normal horse instead of a crazed stress head. This happened almost overnight as well, it can be that quick once you get to the bottom of it

 

[Bellaboo18]

You've tried ulsakind but have you tried treating for ulcers?

 

[Sarahs83]

That’s what the vet is coming for on Thursday, I had a lengthy conversation with her yesterday and agreed that we should at least get her scoped even if it’s just to rule it out, I’ve also been to see a friend of mine who does rehabilitation so we’ve agreed after we know the results of the vet that’s she’s going to go there, I was only feeding ulsakind as it was a recommendation by someone when we was at livery

 

[DabDab]

Sounds like a solid plan

 

[Sarahs83]

All I can do is try hey? If it turns out it’s just behavioural then I’ve got to get my brave pants on!

 

[Bellaboo18]

Sounds like you've got a good plan Fingers crossed you get an answer.

 

[Sarahs83]

thanks guys 😊 will let you know x