Frustrated horse

Nickers2002 · 10-10-2009, 01:43 PM

Ok, so my gelding - Nick - cribs on his feed bucket. He only does it a) when he runs out of grain/treats/carrots/whatever was in his bucket and b) if he's told to stand in the corner for his stall to be cleaned around noon. I spoke with my vet about this before and he said it's frustration/anxiety and to try and appease him. So he has larger hay pellets (Blue seal) mixed with his grain AM and PM so he has "more" to eat and he has stall toys.

Well, now not only does he still do the cribbing on his bucket (he only does it 10-15 minutes at a time and then walks away and if you remove the bucket he stops and doesn't crib on anything else), but he is also starting to "self mutilate". If I'm down near his stall or he's on cross ties and I stop paying attention to him for a few moments to get/do something he bites his chest. He hasn't left any marks yet or pulled out hair, but he is expanded from small bites to now grabbing the skin on the side of his chest by his leg and pulling on it. He also started chewing on his heel last week when I was in front of his stall talking to someone and not involving him. The vet is coming out on the 19th for vaccines and I'm going to ask his advice, but figured I'd ask on here too.

He has 2 likit toys in his stall, but it is impossible to keep them filled because he eats the refills in an hour. He has figured out how to hold each of them still (even the tongue twister one!) I am not able to keep him out 24/7 because of where I board and the BO refuses to give more than 3 flakes AM and PM while they're in the stalls. I do supplement my own hay in the winter so him and my mare have almost a bale a day, but I can't fill my trailer yet because one of the lesson students is borrowing it to go to a show (I'm going too yay!) He gets turned out at the moment from 4 PM to 8 AM, they're going to be switched to daytime turn out in a week. Oh, and we ride 4-5 times a week weather and time permitting.

Are there any suggestions to help with the frustration/anxiety that he's developing? I am going to ask my vet also for an rx to put up a hay rack and have it filled while he's in his stall (if it's vet's orders the BO can't complain) but besides that what can I do? He is a very smart horse and likes to figure things out...any toy suggestions? Thanks for reading all this and sorry for the mini novel

Saranna

Illeybrook · 10-10-2009, 02:17 PM

Hi,my first suggestion would be 24/7 turnout but as you do not have this option then i would say look at giving him a herb in his feed for calming.

Along the lines of this....
http://www.globalherbs.co.uk/horse/2....htm#Supercalm

I have seen a few horses do the same things as you describe and its all down the boredom of being stuck in for long periods of time.Maybe he was stabled alot before you got him,once they pick up a habit they dont usually stop.

Can he see other horses from his stable or touch noses with them? if not maybe a horse mirror would also help.

When my friend has her stallion in she puts a radio on for him,it relax's him and calms him straight away.

Hope this helps.

Nickers2002 · 10-10-2009, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illeybrook

Hi,my first suggestion would be 24/7 turnout but as you do not have this option then i would say look at giving him a herb in his feed for calming.

Along the lines of this....
http://www.globalherbs.co.uk/horse/2....htm#Supercalm

I have seen a few horses do the same things as you describe and its all down the boredom of being stuck in for long periods of time.Maybe he was stabled alot before you got him,once they pick up a habit they dont usually stop.

Can he see other horses from his stable or touch noses with them? if not maybe a horse mirror would also help.

When my friend has her stallion in she puts a radio on for him,it relax's him and calms him straight away.

Hope this helps.

I've had him since he was born so nothing formed from beforehand lol. The stalls have the gate type doors on them so they can all hand their heads out and he is actually right across the aisle from his best friend in the field. Touching noses is out of the question...he can be mean when he wants to be. I should have mentioned that he is on raspberry leaves because he also has stud like qualities (oh yea, I have a real good horse huh? Lol). Thanks for the suggestions and I'll look into maybe getting a small radio to bring with me tomorrow to see if he likes having one on.

Saranna

barrel_racer64 · 10-10-2009, 02:49 PM

I've also heard of the mirrors working. It might be worth a try if your radio doesnt work.

Nickers2002 · 10-11-2009, 05:18 AM

Bumping for more suggestions

meljean · 10-11-2009, 07:58 AM

Have you considered an implant, if he is "studdy", it could help calm him down. Also could staple under forelock? Have used that too. May also be feed too hot for him, if not on training schedule. Didn't see how he was bred/breed, so could be just a "busy" horse, may be one that any kind of stimulation revs up.

A CBC could tell you about hormone levels, could he have been proud cut? Even if part of testicle left could be causing problems, something to check into at least. One of our TB colts was thought to be cryptorchid, not sure of spelling, but one testicle did not descend. Sent to training, and lord he could run, but would get off, finally after several x-rays, found that undescended testicle was up near spine.

Several things here to consider. Hope this helps some.

Nickers2002 · 10-26-2009, 05:01 PM

Ok, so the vet came out today (he rescheduled from last Monday). He thinks it's because he's getting too much protien so he wants me to completely cut out all grain for at least a month, see if there are any changes and then go from there. If there are no changes then we are going to do bloodwork. He explained it that the protein he's getting in his grain (he's on a 10/6 pellet - Horseman's Edge) is basically making him have too much built up energy and that's what's causing him to self mutilate. So, we'll see what happens and hopefully this will help without having to do bloodwork...the bank is running dry lol.

Saranna

10-10-2009, 01:43 PM	#1
Nickers2002 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New Jersey Posts: 389	Frustrated horse Ok, so my gelding - Nick - cribs on his feed bucket. He only does it a) when he runs out of grain/treats/carrots/whatever was in his bucket and b) if he's told to stand in the corner for his stall to be cleaned around noon. I spoke with my vet about this before and he said it's frustration/anxiety and to try and appease him. So he has larger hay pellets (Blue seal) mixed with his grain AM and PM so he has "more" to eat and he has stall toys. Well, now not only does he still do the cribbing on his bucket (he only does it 10-15 minutes at a time and then walks away and if you remove the bucket he stops and doesn't crib on anything else), but he is also starting to "self mutilate". If I'm down near his stall or he's on cross ties and I stop paying attention to him for a few moments to get/do something he bites his chest. He hasn't left any marks yet or pulled out hair, but he is expanded from small bites to now grabbing the skin on the side of his chest by his leg and pulling on it. He also started chewing on his heel last week when I was in front of his stall talking to someone and not involving him. The vet is coming out on the 19th for vaccines and I'm going to ask his advice, but figured I'd ask on here too. He has 2 likit toys in his stall, but it is impossible to keep them filled because he eats the refills in an hour. He has figured out how to hold each of them still (even the tongue twister one!) I am not able to keep him out 24/7 because of where I board and the BO refuses to give more than 3 flakes AM and PM while they're in the stalls. I do supplement my own hay in the winter so him and my mare have almost a bale a day, but I can't fill my trailer yet because one of the lesson students is borrowing it to go to a show (I'm going too yay!) He gets turned out at the moment from 4 PM to 8 AM, they're going to be switched to daytime turn out in a week. Oh, and we ride 4-5 times a week weather and time permitting. Are there any suggestions to help with the frustration/anxiety that he's developing? I am going to ask my vet also for an rx to put up a hay rack and have it filled while he's in his stall (if it's vet's orders the BO can't complain) but besides that what can I do? He is a very smart horse and likes to figure things out...any toy suggestions? Thanks for reading all this and sorry for the mini novel Saranna __________________ "A woman needs two animals - the horse of her dreams and the jckss to pay for it"

10-10-2009, 02:49 PM	#4
barrel_racer64 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Somewheres in the U.S. Boonievilles Posts: 1,489 Images: 109	I've also heard of the mirrors working. It might be worth a try if your radio doesnt work. __________________ Horses should not be treated as people. They should be respected for who they are and what they are capable of doing! May we thank heaven for our horses and our friends. love my baby Tex!

10-11-2009, 05:18 AM	#5
Nickers2002 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New Jersey Posts: 389	Bumping for more suggestions __________________ "A woman needs two animals - the horse of her dreams and the jckss to pay for it"

10-11-2009, 07:58 AM	#6
meljean Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NW MO Posts: 1,024	Have you considered an implant, if he is "studdy", it could help calm him down. Also could staple under forelock? Have used that too. May also be feed too hot for him, if not on training schedule. Didn't see how he was bred/breed, so could be just a "busy" horse, may be one that any kind of stimulation revs up. A CBC could tell you about hormone levels, could he have been proud cut? Even if part of testicle left could be causing problems, something to check into at least. One of our TB colts was thought to be cryptorchid, not sure of spelling, but one testicle did not descend. Sent to training, and lord he could run, but would get off, finally after several x-rays, found that undescended testicle was up near spine. Several things here to consider. Hope this helps some. __________________ "If you listen to the horse, the horse will tell you what it wants to be." Dale Pugh "You can undo in five seconds, the training it took you five years to accomplish." Wyman E. Bennett

10-26-2009, 05:01 PM	#7
Nickers2002 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: New Jersey Posts: 389	Ok, so the vet came out today (he rescheduled from last Monday). He thinks it's because he's getting too much protien so he wants me to completely cut out all grain for at least a month, see if there are any changes and then go from there. If there are no changes then we are going to do bloodwork. He explained it that the protein he's getting in his grain (he's on a 10/6 pellet - Horseman's Edge) is basically making him have too much built up energy and that's what's causing him to self mutilate. So, we'll see what happens and hopefully this will help without having to do bloodwork...the bank is running dry lol. Saranna __________________ "A woman needs two animals - the horse of her dreams and the jckss to pay for it"

10-10-2009, 02:17 PM	#2
Illeybrook Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: England,UK Posts: 5	Hi,my first suggestion would be 24/7 turnout but as you do not have this option then i would say look at giving him a herb in his feed for calming. Along the lines of this.... http://www.globalherbs.co.uk/horse/2....htm#Supercalm I have seen a few horses do the same things as you describe and its all down the boredom of being stuck in for long periods of time.Maybe he was stabled alot before you got him,once they pick up a habit they dont usually stop. Can he see other horses from his stable or touch noses with them? if not maybe a horse mirror would also help. When my friend has her stallion in she puts a radio on for him,it relax's him and calms him straight away. Hope this helps.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
HElp! am frustrated with horse.	lover	Horse Chat	5	01-06-2007 05:47 PM
Do you ever have those frustrated horse days?	MelissaH	Horse Chat	10	08-02-2005 10:07 AM
frustrated HELP, horse has NO manners!	UnDun*	Horse Training	17	04-16-2005 05:26 AM
I'm So Frustrated Old Horse	AshsStorm	Horse Chat	73	12-26-2004 03:30 PM