Horse problems and joining up

[nuttymanxmare]

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Got to the yard yesterday to find Arleta chewing the wood of the top of the chicken run thats in her field (when I say chewing she was demolishing it). I have never seen her chew wood before.

I attempted to lunge her and she wouldn't listen to me at all. She wouldn't stop when I asked her to and she was walking at a snails pace.

To top it off I decided to feed her in her stable and she got really silly and kept scaring herself over the slightest thing.

At the moment I have her on quiet mix and top spec calmer as the grass is dying off and am lunging her once a day. I know its early days but I hope this is what its going to be like with her all the time.

I was thinking of trying joining up with her do you think this will help?


Im soo disheartned at the moment with her.

[Drummers mum]

If its any consolation, Drummer has been super spooky lately!

I think you need to give yourself more time. Did you know her before you bought her?

Do lots of groundwork and join up could be good but I don't know enough about it.

[Naturally]

Have you ruled out "windsucking" ?

[nuttymanxmare]

Not entirly. I have seen her chewing the wood but not sucking the air in. I think she's doing either because she is bored or has a deficiancy in something.

Im going to leave a haynet in her field for her and give her some toys.

By the way which is the best book/website learn about Joining up?

[Bay Mare]

Re: Join Up - I, personally, wouldn't try it unless I knew what I was doing. There is so much to take in body language wise and acting on it at the appropriate time that I would much prefer to get the services of an RA (Intelligent Horsemanship Recommended Associate (http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk)) in. They cannot teach you to join up but they can do join up with your horse. You can, of course, observe while they're doing this.

A few thoughts (all jumbled up, I'm at work so checking in while I can) ....

Does she know how to lunge?

How old is she and how long have you had her?

Does she *need* hard feed at all? I found out that my mare is sensitive to a lot of stuff in feeds. At present she is just on hay, grass, a bit of alfalfa and a couple of apples a day. Once she starts to 'need' feeding again I'm going to have to look at straights.

Does se have turnout? Is she part of a herd? Does she have field buddies?

Have to go now but will check back in if I think of anything else.

[nuttymanxmare]

Hi

She is 11 and has been lunged before lots of times so she does know what to do.

She's on hard feed at the moment as there is very little grass. but only a scoop of quiet mix and some Top Spec Calmer.

Shes usually turned out on her own however she does have horses in the fields next to her.

She was turned out like this when she was with my friend.

Ive had her for three weeks but I used to own her a few years ago before I sold her to my friend.

Hope this info helps

[Naturally]

Wood chewing can lead to windsucking, and yes, she may be deficient in something. I'd be looking at minerals first, so if she doesn't have one, try and get her a mineral block as a first step. Also seaweed meal is excellent source if you can get some. It's best if they can eat it as they like, but if you can't keep it weatherproof, just add tablespoon or so to feed. It's quite expensive, but worth it for the horse.

Can't help you with Join up as I'm a PNH student, but you can buy his video's in saddlery's etc, also has a website I think.

Hope that helps