Stressed Horse - advice please

[michelle]

I have recently moved my horse to another livery as there was no where to school her and the horse she shared with had become very attached to her. When parted he would trot and canter at the side of the fence and call her none stop until she returned, he made a real mess of the paddock!

Anyway we she has been at the new livery for two months now and is settled except when she leaves the other two horses and is put into her stable. Minnie becomes very stressed and calls to her buddies and walks around her stable and can barge anyway in her way. Not good as she is 15.2 hh and quite a big horse!

When I bring her into her stable I have started to groom her and talk to her in a soothing voice and this does ease it however she still remains stressed - any ideas what to do with her.

I can bring her out of the field and tie her up outside her stable - no problem. I can then take her out on her own - no problem.

Minnie does not have any vices and I do not want her to get any. You cant shout at Minnie and you certainly cannot smack her or use any physical force as she gets upset and gets the "shaky legs" where it looks like her knees knock.

Any advice greatly received and is this behaviour usual for mares?

[september]

Hello Michelle,sorry to hear Minnie's abit stressed.Have you tried stable mirrors,I haven't tried them myself(I don't have stables)but they're supposed to work a treat as they don't recognises themselves, so think they have company.Then there's stable toys to.I can remember being hit on the head by a giant toy apple hanging in a stable at a local riding school,it nearly knock me out .lol

[lotte]

Hi Michelle,
first I want to tell you that this isn't uncommon, especially if your horse was attached to a previous friend. We have a mare where I work, she weaves terribly and gets upset when shooting or hunting happens or if she gets seperated from her friends. We have her stabled with her friends opposite her and recently moved one next to her which soothed her a bit. Can Minnie see anything/anyone when she is in the stable? If she could be stabled near/next to one of her friends this may help. also, what september was saying about the stable toys the 'equine decohedrons' are good. You can fill them with food and the horse has to work hard to get it out.
I definately don't think physical force is the way but sometimes if you tried talking to her in a firm voice she may take notice, I have a very sensitive horse but she sometimes is pushy and I have to tell her to stop and she does listen. Try to be as calm as you can or if she can't be stabled near her friends is there a really calm horse that she could be with? or is there a barn/corell that she could stay in with company?
i hope this helps, remember you are not alone!
keep us all updated
lotte

[rosiehannah]

sorry to hear your girls upset. as september suggested, you could get a stable mirror, they are good. my friend bought one when one of her horses was on box rest and it helped, and when we got a new horse, we moved it so the new horse thought they had company stable toys are good, just be careful where you hang them, or you will be cursing when you walk into them ;D

hope this is helpful

hannah

[michelle]

Thanks for the advice to date. Minnie can see her mates when they are in their stables but she is worse when she comes in before them! I will try a mirror in her stable and position it away from the door but on the adjoining wall of the empty stable next to her. I had to speak to her in a firm voice tonight and that worked for a short while.

I wouldnt mind but she is totally bomb proof when out on the roads. I rode her the other day on a narrow lane a coach, a full car transporter and a very loud sports car came passed altogether and she was not a bit worried! She never ceases to amaze me I think that is why I love her to bits.

Its nice to know there is advice out there when you need it - a big thanks.

[michelle]

Just an update on the stable mirror - my husband made one for a fraction of the cost and it does the same job. Minnie now more settled in her stable.

[rosiehannah]

thats good thats shes more settled ;D

hannah

[september]

Awww glad to hear she's settled ;D.Did the mirror work instantly?

[michelle]

I dont know about your horses but Minnie does not like anything new in her stable and it was the same with the mirror. What I found was that where the mirror was placed was where she began to stale which is where she used to sleep, but she has now got used to it and has began to stale where she used to before - if you get my drift!!