Weather changed now have a grumpy horse!!!

Alchemy

Alchemy

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This may sound completely ridiculous but since the weather has changed my horse seems a lot more grumpy! He wants to come in earlier and earlier and starts to pace (even with a field friend next to him) I turned him out this morning to stretch his legs (has arthritis and COPD so does need to be turned out pref as long as possible) and he just stood in the field shouting I know it was drizzling and he hates the rain but it wasn't torrential and he has suitable rugs on.
I know I get SAD but starting to think my horse does as well 😂

Does anyone else's horse get miserable in the winter months or is my boy just becoming a grumpy old man???
 
The only ones that I have had that seem to dislike being out in the winter have been the few that went out alone for some reason, the last tb livery that was on individual turnout initially hated being out too long in the winter, last winter he had company and was happy to stay out until I wanted him in, I think we can underestimate how much benefit they get from having another horse with them, they spend time mutual grooming, playing, snoozing, I had two in a field this morning taking a nap in the sunshine looking completely relaxed with the other two stood watching over them.
 
Sounds like the change in atmospheric pressure is causing him more pain than normal with his arthritis, which happens with a lot of them this time of year. It's not the weather, it's how it's making him feel. Where is the arthritis?
 
My pony has PPID, COPD (although this hasn't been a problem for a couple of years), EMS and arthritis. She had been happy all summer but in the last week or so she started to look miserable. Even though she seems the type not to need rugging I did put one on her and she is definitely happier. Could be she feels the cold or it could help her arthritis - if only they could tell us!
 
My old lad has been great since move and he now lives out 24/7 handled cold snap fine completely unrugged and been great, then the rain started!! Yesterday was greeted but a very cold miserable horse, turnout rug and warm feed later he was warm again but he was still miserable this morning, even tried to kick me when getting him for dinner! I think he just HATES the rain!! Hoping a few dry days not to cheer him up! I feel your pain though, grumpy old men are a nightmare!
 
This is an interesting thread. My oldest has decided that not eating now the weather has turned is the way to go! And he's not the only one, another friend has found the same thing with her oldest as well. I've had my boys teeth checked and some work was done, but he's still refusing his tea! Breakfast and his field bucket both disappear and he's quite happy out grazing; I've tried just about every combination of his current foods to get him to eat up in the evening but he's just not having it - just stands at the door until his mate has finished and it's time to go out again. Tonight I'm going to try feeding him outside to see if it's coming in that is the problem. If anyone has any other ideas - please share them!
 
had he got enough to eat out in the field? I've noticed my grass has really stopped growing much now it's got cold and there is less daylight. My older mare is grizzling to come in after a few hours, because she is hungry (not allowed to hay in the fields).
Cob won't ask to come in but she's there & ready to shove her nose in the headcollar when I do arrive ;)

Neither are grumpy particularly but very very keen to come in to their haynets.
 
I'm sorry that your horse is miserable in the winter months Alchemy, mine gets as sharp as a tack at the slightest bit of cold or rain on her backside :eek:
 
Mines the same Wednesday it was so cold and wet i hacked him out in the rain which was fine dried him off and put him out in a heavy weight turnout. Went off found the yard doing jobs for an hour or so, the minute he caught sight of me he galloped to the gate screaming tried to ignore the constant whinnying but in the end i gave up brought him and groomed him and changed his rugs, cue one very happy smug looking little horse i swear he was grinning!
 
Horses with cushings always struggle with the change in whether. I believe people have noticed changes in their cushings horses early this year...end sept/beg Oct.
 
Interesting as he has cushings too! I'm putting hay out and next week they are going out on the winter grazing so he will get more grass ( not for long bough as we only get tiny sections so by Christmas most of it will be gone :(, so hay will go out)
Wonder if I should put him on half a sachet of Bute ??
 
Not here. My little ones would knock you over to get out, even with full haynets. Big lad will happily stand inside and i could leave the door open and he won't leave until the nets done lol
 
Mine is the same kind of. Not depressed i guess but if given the choice he would rather stay in than go out. All of the horses in his field that come in seem to be the same way. They have grass the field is massive and still has enough grass for them. But they don't seem to venture far from the gate anymore. I don't even have to shout for my horse anymore when he sees me coming he is at the gate waiting. But he knows he gets fed lovely tasty hard feed and haylage when he comes in and he is out of the cold so who can blame him? He has thick enough rugs on too so he isn't cold. He is just a wimp he is not suited for the lifestyle of Scotland. He would love somewhere hot and dry lol.
 
Um...atmospheric pressure changes constantly. I never get this idea that it can affect arthritis and so on. It's constantly in flux, and can be lower or higher regardless of the season - it depends what frontal system is moving through. The weather is generally colder in autumn and winter of course, which would make arthritic joints more painful...

I do wonder whether the grass though plentiful does not satisfy them as much in winter. Mine have loads (9.5 acres between 2) and though they don't drop weight, if I were to put haylage out they'd eat it in winter. If I brought them in to eat it, they'd probably hang round at the gate waiting for it. As it is they are out 24/7 and when I do feed hay the time of day isn't set in stone so I don't have gate hangers. They can see me coming so only come over then.
 
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Nudibranch said:
Um...atmospheric pressure changes constantly. I never get this idea that it can affect arthritis and so on. It's constantly in flux, and can be lower or higher regardless of the season - it depends what frontal system is moving through. The weather is generally colder in autumn and winter of course, which would make arthritic joints more painful...

I do wonder whether the grass though plentiful does not satisfy them as much in winter. Mine have loads (9.5 acres between 2) and though they don't drop weight, if I were to put haylage out they'd eat it in winter. If I brought them in to eat it, they'd probably hang round at the gate waiting for it. As it is they are out 24/7 and when I do feed hay the time of day isn't set in stone so I don't have gate hangers. They can see me coming so only come over then.
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There are too many scientific studies proving the changes in pressure and the effects on arthritis for me to quote, but this is from the arthritis.org website

It's not your imagination; the weather can cloud your health. Here's what research reveals about the connection between weather and arthritis pain. Changes in temperature or barometric pressure, a measure that refers to the weight of the surrounding air, trigger joint pain, though researchers aren't entirely sure why.
 
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