URGENT HELP NEEDED - ASAP PLEASE

[Halfpass]

Just as I seemed to be getting somewhere with my youngster, she was trusting me and becoming affectionate and we really started to form a bond, it all goes pear shaped.
All horses on yard are on a 5 day wormer, so have all been in since Friday night. Alee had been fine in her stable since the first incident of her jumping out but kind of new that this may be stressful for her. She had been fine until this morning. Go to yard (after a night shift so shattered) to find her bed trashed her box walking with eyes on stalks. Took her out of box and walked her in hand for 20 mins and she was as good as gold then turned her into school for 10 mins to let off some steam. Again she was fine kept neighing to her friends and just stood in middle of school so put her back in stable. She was very reluctant to go in but she went in after a small amount of persuasuion. She went straight to back and started to paw the floor and box walk. Just as I was leaving I looked round to see her rearing at door (with anti weave grill to stop her getting over) and getting both front hooves over grill then panicking pulling back and pulling weave grill off with her!!!

Managed to get into stable to get grill out but now everytime I go into stable she barges at me to get out won't eat hay (or feed with wormer in!!) and is looking very thin tucked up sweaty and generaly very stressed. She never really eats a lot of hay when in stable maybe a section a night but if thats all she's having over 5 days she is going to loose even more weight. She won't even eat her hard food with / without wormer so what can I do? Can't turn her out even if I pick up poo and its seems a bit extreme to sedate her for worming but haven't a clue what to do. Have left her in stable with top door shut today (I need sleep) but I feel so cruel. I'm at my wits end and beginning to think that buying a youngster wasn't such a good idea

 

[sojeph]

Can she see any other horses? If not can you move her somewhere where she can?

 

[Super_Kat]

When my baby was weaned she had to go in the stable (had never really been in one much before) and she didn't have a massive amount of turnout, she didn't like it much and was a nightmare but I had no other option but to keep her in so she just had to deal with it and eventually, after a few weeks she was fine. Yours will get used to it eventually, I'd just leave her to it.

 

[Halfpass]

Yes all of her field mates (mares) and all the geldings too. Nice little enclosed yard so no probs there.

 

[Halfpass]

Yeh I can see where you are coming from but she looks awful skinny and isn't eating and how do I muck her out etc etc over the next few day when evrytime I open the door she tries to barge out. It kind of seems stupid that i'm keeping her in to worm her and she's not even eating it!!

 

[sojeph]

Does she tie up? Is she more relaxed outside the stable? Maybe if you brought her out of the stable, tied her up, brushed her and titivated with her a bit until she relaxed before feeding her the wormer and a haynet? Can you walk her out in hand? A nice long walk to take her mind off being in.

 

[_daisy_]

my 4yo used to do this and she was only stable on a night - have you thought about a calmer just to take the edge off her whilst you get the worming over and done with? maybe just mix abit with some molasses with her wormer.

it helped my mare - she used to stand in the stable for all of 10 minutes and when i went back to her she was completely soaked from head to toe with sweat. She also had horses in the stbale block that she could see but it didnt help.
Since being on her calmer she is so realxed in the stable.

btw I use Equiliser from the vet - none off the shelves helped her.

 

[Halfpass]

When tied she just paws the floor. Did walk her this morning and turned her out in school over half an hour in all and it made no difference. She actually seemed worse in stable although calm whilst walking out and in school. She had never been stabled until I got her 8 weeks ago but has been fine with it when she comes in at nights.

 

[Halfpass]

That had been my next plan. Is there any that I can buy over the counter that work quite quickly? Would the vet give me some without seeing her (saw her a few weeks back though)

 

[runaway]

I have no experience with youngsters, which I gather is what your lady is, but want to try and help

so please don't shoot me down

Appreciate it's probably not easy but is there anyone else on the yard that can give you a hand. If they can deal with opening and closing the door while you deal with your horse and make her stand back etc you can then get in and muck her out. Or can you take her for a walk in hand while they muck her out? That way she gets a break and you can spend some time building on the bond.

Is it possible for you to fit a grill, like the stallions have, so that she can see out but there's no chance of her coming over the door. You could modify the weave grill by filling the gap in with some galvanised wire.

I hope you can find a solution, remember the old saying "got to be cruel to be kind" and I mean by saying that that although having to have her in for worming etc is causing her some distress at the end of the day she needs to get used to being stabled doesn't she?

 

[runaway]

if the vets have seen her recently and you get on pretty well with them they should be able to give you something for her if they feel it suits the situation. Give them a ring.

(Think my previous reply is all but useless as not really sure now if you've a baby youngster or just a 3/4 yr old

oops sorry!)

 

[_daisy_]

i tried Feel Good 30 ones and another one but can remeber the name and they were crap - went to my vet and had a chat with him. Told him my problems and he was more than happy to give me the calmer.
I think he was happy to give it her as she can be such a stress head at times. The last time he came out he saw how bad she was so I think that helped.
I think if you explain the problem in detail there shouldnt be a problem with getting the calmer.
my vet recommends the one ive got to alot of people who have youngsters starting out. Give it a go nothing to loose.
Was talking to the lady who has recently been helping me with the lading problems - see my post below yours) and her husband mentioned that giving them pure magnesium has helped his - he went to town on the reading up side and its supposed to be loads cheaper - its sold for cows at local feed merchants and doesnt cost half as much as a normal calmer.

 

[Halfpass]

yeh my OH can help me out no probs. Would really rather not go down sedating route but my main worry is her weight loss but I guess I can addrress that once the worming is over and she is getting daily turnout again, its just so heart breaking to watch. And I totally agree with the cruel to be kind thing its just not easy especially with no sleep since 6am yesterday!!!

 

[Halfpass]

Not useless at all. Think i really know I just need to stick at it for next few days I just need reassuring. She is 2 1/2 BTW, thanks for your advice

 

[runaway]

I knew someone who fed a valerian calmer with good results and at the same yard they used magnesium too but think you have to be careful about how much and what levels, E_C_W will probably know what's what on that front as she's investigated it already. It probably wouldn't harm her to have something to take the edge off as they can wind themselves up beyond the point of being rational. My horse did it once when I turned him out he started off having a canter and whinny and it turned into a blind gallop of madness, thought he was going to crash through the fence and he initially wouldn't let me catch him either

By the time he'd finished he was white with sweat and blowing like he'd just done the National. Scared me silly.

 

[_daisy_]

HP - Can totally understand why youre worrying - i think youll be able to sort the weight problem out once shes back on turnout like you said. Id certainly get to talk to your vet - i doubled the dose on the clamer for the first few days and i really noticed a difference.

hope you get it sorted

 

[Halfpass]

Cheers you guys for your advice. Knew you would calm me down.
PLAN:- walk her in hand tonight whilst OH mucks out

.
If no better tomorrow call vet for some calmer.
End of week come back on HHO to ask for feeding advice to put weight on!

 

[_daisy_]

never thought about roping you OH to do all the mucky jobs -

ill tell you know before you have to ask later - i feed my 4yo calm and condition - again worked wonders for her

let us know how you get.

 

[Maesfen]

I so know where you're coming from!!

Firstly, as it's Panacur Guard (I presume) what's to stop you syringing the amount down her followed by giving her her feed so you know she's had the wormer? It won't be a huge amount (sorry, can't remember what she is).

If she's never been stabled until 8 weeks ago, then her behaviour isn't surprising. Even the best behaved can become devils when they're stressed sometimes. Don't know if you remember Stan, the yearling I sold at Doncaster a few years back? He was homebred, an absolute saint of a colt, loved being in the stables with the others, never a problem at weaning time, nothing; you'd say butter wouldn't melt! Our boxes at home have full length grills between them so they can see what's going on and talk to next door. When we got to Doncaster (loaded straight away though never been in a wagon before, just accepted it like a trooper); I had forgotten that all their boxes are solid walls with only grills to look through over the door so they can only see what's in front of them. He went ballistic, I'm not joking, doing exactly what your filly is doing. If I took him out it was fine, he'd walk round for England, but to try to take him back to his 'prison' I had no chance unless someone was behind him, then the same as you, couldn't get in or out. It took me twenty minutes to get his bridle on he was throwing himself around so much and this is a colt that usually just stood and let you do what you liked with him. His bed was all scraped back and trashed, he was sweated up, wouldn't eat his supper, nothing but I just had to leave him to get on with it, I had no choice. He had everything he needed except company (as luck had it, the boxes opposite weren't occupied so he had nobody to see unless they walked past and if anybody walked past he would rush to the door and press himself againgst the grill - I felt awful, so guilty cos I had forgotten what the boxes were like and hadn't tried him in the normal wooden ones at home as preperation before this. The next morning \I was back there at 6am and his bed looked like a herd of camels had been in it but all I could do was put extra straw down as he was still so stressed; he hadn't eaten his supper or any hay and drunk very little water. I had to walk him round for over an hour just to get him to settle after I had struggled for half hour to get his bridle on, he was wicked and so unlike himself. If anyone came in to look at him he'd be up on his back legs, wouldn't stand still, pulled faces, the lot. I was so embarrassed and upset for him it was untrue and so unlike him to be unbelievable. Outside, apart from not standing still, he was perfectly behaved, but in those boxes he was a nightmare. Luckily, something of his true self must have shone through cos Andrew Nicholson bought him; I was more chuffed about that than if he had gone for racing! If someone had said Stan would be like that, I would have laughed at them, he was a pussycat; how wrong I was - sorry that was so long as an example!

I'm sure your filly will be back to normal once she can go out again regularly in the meantime, give her all the attention you can, have her out as much as possible and walk her around as much as you can, it does help, honestly; also, if you can, get someone to be there when you put her back into her box so you can get in and out safely. It might be an idea to wear your hat when dealing with her in the box just in case.
Let us know how you get on but don't worry, it won't last forever!

Weightwise, once she is back to her normal routine she will relax and be able to use her feed properly. I find Bailey's Top Line cubes are good or you could try the soaked oats diet, that helps a lot too.

 

[wizzi901]

I had this problem ANY time our little rolo was stabled, in the end the YO put top door on, we used to shut it, and that did do the trick, bit noisy for the first half an hour but it seemed if he couldnt see out, he didnt try and GET OUT!!

Not ideal but he did calm down over the years and as long as door was high enough he stopped jumping over it.

He was only 10hh!!

Radio is another option but not great if he is chucking himself around. Failing that and this is drastic, good old fashioned hobbles....again a thing we tried but didnt work 100 % as he could still leap about, so dont use that unless you are left with NO OTHER OPTION!

 

[Super_Kat]

Just a thought, what about mirrors? They will make the stable look much bigger and it will give her a friend

 

[Patchwork]

Re. the barging out of her stable - could you put up a bar/rope across the doorway? That way you could go into and out of her stable safely (e.g. when mucking out) without risking her diving out every time you open the door.

 

[wizzi901]

If this horse is anything like our little one, a rope/bar wont do it, they go under over OR THROUGH!! very fast!!

 

[GTs]

Why does she need to be kept in for 5 days to be wormed - sounds like you are choosing the difficult route.

 

[Seahorse]

Sorry to hear about all this. Hope she calms down soon. Sounds like you've had some good advise from peeps on here.
Sam x

 

[Halfpass]

Its only a hosre term problem while she is on a 5 day wormer all other times she is fine but yes mirrors are def and option if it continues in the future.

 

[Tia]

I agree; but perhaps the YO says she has to?

 

[Halfpass]

Yeh you are right tia he does. If it was my choice I would do worm counts. Far cheaper and easier especially with a youngster you can't take for a good gallop each day!!

 

[amandaco2]

maybe if you have her in the box and a mate tied up outside the box so she can touch another horse to reassure herself and then gradually move the horse horse away.reward her for calm behaviour not the otehr way round.you may need to do it on a weekend day so you can be down all day and beg someone to borrow their calm horsey!ithelped my friends youngster-my mare was tied up outside his box and she went to bite him each time he stuck his head out screaming so he soon shut up and munched his hay!!!
other than that i cant really thing of anything-if she can see others-is there anyway a little gap could be put up so she can touch noses with a neighbour that may reassure her.

 

[runaway]

Found out the name of the magnesium supplement the yard I used to work at fed. It's NUPAFEED

they swore by it's ability to calm without changing your horse (if you know what I mean!)