Stressed horse

[Loopslou]

I think Amber is stressed.

After Flash died she was very subdued, went very bolshy and then subdued again. Last Friday night when Milou arrived she fell madly in love with him. Once he was in the field with her and the others she didn't want to know him - although the gelding from hell was kicking out at all of them when they went near Milou.

The gelding from hell was sold on Saturday and was picked up on Saturday night.

She just doesn't seem to want to bond with Milou much. They are always in the same area of the field but she puts the ears back at him and tonight when they were next door to each other being fed in the stable she tried to bite him over and over.

She's even being antisocial and trying to bite us and her other long term paddock mate Matilda.

She was quite content to walk out in hand behind Milou during the week and when he strode on ahead she was keen to trot to get up close to him again.

Bascially I'm worried because she's only 4 1/2, in a month she has lost her "mum", gained a new paddock mate but also lost another paddock mate and now the other woman at the yard is viewing horses so she may be gaining another paddock mate and I think she will just flip.

Has anybody any ideas of things I can do to help her or do you all think it will calm down - I appreciate that Milou has only been there a week today.

[Big Ears]

i guess it will just take time to settle in again - also some horses just don't get on!

my mare can't be with geldings - she wees the whole time - which was a pity as i had a gelding on loan! dind't work at all.

maybe you just need to take her out a lot more on her own, fuss her, and I'm sure it will all settle down.

[Loopslou]

I've been making sure at feed times etc that I get her out of the field first before I get Milou out and then make a huge fuss of her too.

I can't understand it in a way because last Friday night she was all over him so I am wondering did she take a kick last Saturday when the gelding from hell beat Milou up and perhaps that has scared her a little.

I am going to ride her first tomorrow and then Milou and then on Sunday my sister in law is going to hack Milou out and I will hack Amber out. I haven't done much work with her this week because I've been trying to get him settled plus give her time to adjust so perhaps once they are working together they will settle.

[Tim]

She just doesn't seem to want to bond with Milou much. They are always in the same area of the field but she puts the ears back at him and tonight when they were next door to each other being fed in the stable she tried to bite him over and over.

.

When I had Remi last winter he was put into a field with a little pony mare, she was about 11hh at the most. She would have nothing whatsoever to do with Remi, (who was 17.2hh), and postively bit or kicked at him at every opportunity. Three weeks later, they were inseparable, if the mare left the field Remi would call for her and vice versa. Give it time, new horses need about 3 weeks to fit in and all will be well.

[Loopslou]

Thanks for the reassurance Tim ;)

I guess with losing Flash and falling in love with Milou and being so madly in love with Amber that I'm probably over reacting a good deal too.

Amber is such a baby still and is my wee baby that I do over protect her but I just love Milou so much now as he's filled a huge gap left by Flash that I just want them to love each other.

[Tim]

Thanks for the reassurance Tim ;)

..I just want them to love each other.

They will too, but they don't look at it from a human point of view, theirs is purely equine... :)

[Loopslou]

What was I worried about!

I noticed Amber was approaching Milou more in the field yesterday and now today they are inseperable!

Panic over!!!!

[Big Ears]

no next problem is that they will be inseparable so you will have the opposite problems!

[Loopslou]

Amber loves to get out so much that she will leave any horse! She's so flippin nosey its unbelivable, she has to be out as much as possible and if hacking in company HAS to be out in front - not bad for a 4 1/2 year old!