a friend of mine, in May,  bought, off the field, a CatherstoneLiberator  bred mare. She should have seent he warning in that a well bred mare was so cheap!!! She has been completely stupid as its ugly, has poor feet and although easy to ride, its a nightmare in the stable. She bought it very cheaply (£1200) with a view to bringing it on in the sumer & reselliing. Although the schooling has gone ok, she has now brought it in for the winter & the problems have started if its left for more than literally 1 minute after its chum is taken out of its neighbouring stable, then it starts weaving...but not just a little bit, like no other I have seen. its front feet come 2 or 3 feet off the ground with each weave. it does it in the centre of the box, not over the door & within 10 minutes its running with sweat. Yesterday she tried completely removing its stable neighbour but it weaved and shouted the whole night & ate nothing all night & by the morning was tucked up & looking rough. My attitude is that it should be left on its own until it either kills itself or cures its problem but I dont think she wants to risk it!!! So does anyone have any ideas?

probably daft but what about a mirror in the stables.

A mirror is an idea, but doesn't work with all horses (and some seem to seriously freak out every single time they see themselves :rolleyes:) .... No chance of 24/7 turn-out for this mare? I've known many horses (esp ex-race horses used to full-time stabling, which we used to rehabilitate) to do much better outside than in.

I'd get in a good horse behaviourist, Sam. Or a TTouch practitioner.

This animal sounds rather distressed to me. Not sure why she removed the horse neighbour, as that would remove any last bit of interest distracting the horse from its behaviour... although I can understand she probably thought it was worth a shot. I'm not really up with the horse world any more but do agree that many horses are so much better left out. I think sometimes we expect far too much of animals and forget that at the end of the day, they are - well, animals :)

Hope your friend gets it sorted out.

Lindsay
x

lindsay, she removed the horse neighbour because that is the problem....every time she takes her other horse out of the stable,  for a ride, or to be brushed or clipped or walked out or led out, this  other mare goes ballistic, even if its just for a couple of minutes.  We thought that by removing company entirely for a few days, we might get her out of it, but she started doing herself so much damage in the box we decided to put the horse back next to her & think of some other plan!

Oh I see, fair enough. Yes I can see that would have been worth a try :) but it sounds as if the mare is partly very troubled when other horses go out. It's a difficult one.

Lindsay
x

I would also keep outside.  Providing there's a good field shelter and the horse is well rugged up and does not have a severe clip this winter, there shouldn't be a problem.

Sarah.

Keeping outside is not an option in the winter as the ground is too wet. She bought it to bring on & sell so doesnt want to just stick it out in a field, and anyway, anyone buying it will probably want to keep it in during the winter...... and no one would give it a second look if she took it to malvern or Ascot as it weaves the moment its tied up!!she wants to try & sort the problem out & then get rid asap. Mirror is something she is going to try this week The mare is actually harming itself everytime its left alone (3 times a day when other horsetaken away from it) and has gashes all down ts nose where its been banging it against the wall!

she wants to try & sort the problem out & then get rid asap

This problem could take a long long time to sort out.  Behaviour patterns are sometimes so ingrained it can take months if not years.

Still, we learn by our mistakes.

Debs

tbh I'd recommend trying to cut her losses. Weaving can take a loooong time to sort out (and some stabled horses will never kick the habit). If the horse is otherwise pleasant, I'd say your friend can sell her for £600-£1000 to a forever home where someone takes her for what she is and keeps her turned out. Just my two cents ... you see too many horses suffering like this. That mare needs TLC not a quick fix.

Right, well, she can give the mare to me if she likes. Here, she'd live out 24 x 7 with company and when she has settled and calmed she will not suffer from such separation anxiety - I know, I've had a few of them who suffer in such a way. I have an ex eventer who is just the same.

Its no wonder she has poor feet if she is weaving this badly. I'm afraid she has been robbed at £1200. I'd put her out as a broodmare - assuming she is good enough, somewhere she can live out in company - but weaving, bad separation anxiety and this type of behaviour in a stable means she would be better with someone like me - and I wouldn't pay that much for her.

Poor mare :(

That's a lovely offer Chloe :)

Out of interest, I don't suppose there is anything in the horse world like the DAP in the canine world and the FELIWAY in the feline? I haven't heard anything so presume not, but did wonder :)

Lindsay
x

There are calmers that you can add to feed. There are also a lot of people finding they get good results with giving horses Magnesium. Apparently there is a lack of this in the grass in certain areas and at spring, and autumn especially. The horses suffer a rise in calcium, which is not combatted because of the lack of Magnesium and a build up of calcium can cause the horse to be harder to handle and more spooky... apparently it acts in the same way as adrenilin.

I am probably not explaining it very well!

In my experience weaving and other stable vices (I own a cribber) are an outlet for stress. If you try to prevent it - it makes things worse. I would have this mare out at least, or if she has to be in I would not remove her friend until she settles down - then in small periods, keeping things very calm.

I am less traditional than sam though :D I'm one of those known as a tree-hugging, wand waving Natural Horseperson :D

Let me have her sam :)

That's very interesting about the magnesium/calcium :)
I understand what  you're getting at. I understand there is a fairly delicate balance between calcium and magnesium in the body.

Fingers crossed all will be well :)

Lindsay
x

Can horses get thyroid troubles as well?
Reason for asking is if they can perhaps it may also explain behaviour?
As it can change behaviour in dogs etc and stress can tip a borderline
animal over into the 'affected' zone.

But also interesting to learn about magnesium and calcium.
Perhpas this is her problem can you blood test to find out if she lacks
these minerals/nutrients in her system or is it a case of try the calmers?

Hi - yes, they can get thyroid problems. But a lot of horses take a long time to settle in a new home - one leading expert reckons it can take 2 years - and anxiety comes out in various ways. A calmer will help regardless - I use Top Spec on my ex eventer. I have owned him 6 months and he was a wreck when he arrived. Its taken 6 months of graft for him to let me catch him but he's fine now.

I don't like stabling horses - its not a natural environment for them - especially when they need a pair bond like this one. I'd suggest putting a shetland or small pony in a large stable with her when she's in - till she settles down and calms if the turnout option is not realistic. She'd definitely be the type I'd take on, but I get them in to keep and with 2 mares in foal already and 8 horses I am not looking for any more :D

Only think i can think of is yard her rather than stable her - could a section of yard not be penned off so she can see whats going on around her?

How is she when left in the field alone?

Em

cant she have a friend? i thought they liked small ponies or goats as full time companions?