PercyMum
Well-Known Member
I bought my little TB mare a little over 3 weeks ago, so I know it's early days but there are a few little niggles I'm having that I wondered if anyone could tell me if its just 'ex-racer' stuff that will settle down. So here goes...
1. She cribs, and it's getting worse. Admittedly it's not full on but she does it out in the field more than in her stable. She didn't do it when I went to see her (or I didn't notice it and I did view her about 6 times!!). She gets at least 7 hours turnout a day, 10kg of haylage when she comes in and is fed on conditioning chaff and a balancer. No hard feed, and the haylage is more like hay. No idea why she is cribbing, and especially why she is doing it in the field,where there is plenty of grass. She has come from a 24hr turnout routine so it can't be that she isn't used I being turned out. Any ideas how to stop this? I have read that crib biting is diet related but I'm not sure what I am doing wrong feed-wise.
2. I guess related to the above but she is a bit ribby. Great condition of her coat and she is bright-eyed and chirpy but still much more ribby than I'd like. She isn't losing weight but I'd hoped that going from what she was on (24hr turnout, no feed or hay) that I would start seeing some weight go on. Or am I being impatient?!
3. She is getting little bumps all over her that seem a bit itchy but not terribly so. First thought was rain scald but it definitely isn't (no goo or scabs).
She hasn't been in any real work since she arrived due to waiting for a saddle and a cut on her hock that she did the day before I picked her up. This cut is in an awkward place so the vet said not to exercise her, just to turn her out. Could she be getting stressed due to lack of work? She doesn't appear outwardly stressy, perhaps a teeny bit clingy to my gelding but I guess that's to be expected.
Anyway, the point of this essay is to ask if there is anything I can be doing to help her settle? It's new territory for me as have had very easy horses before now!!
Thanks in advance!
1. She cribs, and it's getting worse. Admittedly it's not full on but she does it out in the field more than in her stable. She didn't do it when I went to see her (or I didn't notice it and I did view her about 6 times!!). She gets at least 7 hours turnout a day, 10kg of haylage when she comes in and is fed on conditioning chaff and a balancer. No hard feed, and the haylage is more like hay. No idea why she is cribbing, and especially why she is doing it in the field,where there is plenty of grass. She has come from a 24hr turnout routine so it can't be that she isn't used I being turned out. Any ideas how to stop this? I have read that crib biting is diet related but I'm not sure what I am doing wrong feed-wise.
2. I guess related to the above but she is a bit ribby. Great condition of her coat and she is bright-eyed and chirpy but still much more ribby than I'd like. She isn't losing weight but I'd hoped that going from what she was on (24hr turnout, no feed or hay) that I would start seeing some weight go on. Or am I being impatient?!
3. She is getting little bumps all over her that seem a bit itchy but not terribly so. First thought was rain scald but it definitely isn't (no goo or scabs).
She hasn't been in any real work since she arrived due to waiting for a saddle and a cut on her hock that she did the day before I picked her up. This cut is in an awkward place so the vet said not to exercise her, just to turn her out. Could she be getting stressed due to lack of work? She doesn't appear outwardly stressy, perhaps a teeny bit clingy to my gelding but I guess that's to be expected.
Anyway, the point of this essay is to ask if there is anything I can be doing to help her settle? It's new territory for me as have had very easy horses before now!!
Thanks in advance!
