Why do horses get 'tucked up'? Stress/ulcers?

Montyforever

Montyforever

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I'm sure there's not a single reason but can it be through stress? My welsh a is eating and drinking normally, has never been fed huge amounts of hard feed and I've had her for the past three years so pretty much know her inside out. We've had trouble on our yard with certain people going into my mares stables overnight when noone else is around and stressing my ponies out (it's a very long story! ..)
The past few weeks she's been getting worse a bit nippy which I assumed was because of the issues on the yard and she always stopped the nipping when she realised it was me and this morning she was tucked up. The last time I saw her tucked up was after she had spasmodic colic through stress (new stable out of sight of the other horses)
She's also finding it tricky to keep weight on the new routine since her laminitis she's obviously not allowed much grass.

Reading that back to myself it pretty much sounds like ulcers .. But I guess it still could be stress? :(

Any info/experiances appreciated :)
 
It would indicate pain to me but as she is stressy she could be twirling round her stable all night and getting run up - what is her bed like, does it look like she has been fretting?

What do you mean people go in her stable? How outrageous.
 
Yeah the bed can be messy some nights fine others. It's easy to tell which nights things have been done because she's upset/jumpy in the morning which isn't like her at all. Have tried stake outs to catch who's doing it but nothing yet :( we know who it is but haven't got the proof YO needs yet.

It's hard to judge exactly what is happening over night but beds are soaked through (even if it hasn't rained) boots/headcollars moved nails on the floor (brand new so not from the walls)

And she's funny with people she doesn't know well so just someone going to her door can stress her out. She is a very stressy mare so it's easy to wind her up :(

Been through all the move the horses stuff nowhere local/cheap enough at the mo :(

But it's getting to the point now where if her health is suffering ..

But yep could be her just storming about hopefully it is will be keeping a close eye on her!
 
Beausmate- unfortunately I can't afford to put one up :( and YO won't as he isn't horsey and I don't think he quite understands how serious stress can be in horses .. It's a pain trying to come to a solution when money is very tight. I've considered moving but realistically all the other livery yards are a good £25 + per horse and I can't go grass livery because she's lamanitic .. :( feel very trapped at the mo going round in circles looking for solutions
 
Agree with Beausmate, cctv in the stable that way you have video evidence. Would it be an offence if someone causes harm to a horse's health by stressing it?
 
Oops ment another £25 + a month per horse at least on top of what I pay now :on

Heatherann - not sure, not even sure if it can be called trespassing as I rent the stables but they are on a yard .. Very stuck for ideas at the mo!
 
That is awful and I would think her behaviour is caused by someone winding her up. I agree with the small cctv camera idea. I have one that is designed for cycle couriers to fit on their helmet in case of road accidents. It is about the diameter of a marker pen and 3in long,runs on own USB battery charge and has a long lead which connects to a 4in screen with recorder activated whenever movement triggers the camera. We found it very useful for checking out which pony was opening the field gate and to monitor a poorly pony that didin't like to be watched.
Not expensive and more modern versions are available now.
 
Have a look on ebay, there are some inexpensive cameras on there. Or could you borrow one for a while?

Think if you are renting something it's 'yours' while you are renting it, so no one has any right to be there without your permission unless they have a very good reason.
 
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