Laddie's temperment

Hmmm, well...as you know, Laddie is a first ever "althelte" that I am feeding on my own. Over the years I've had 2 back yard ponies who got fat just thinking about feed, and all the others were leases and freeleases.

Anyhow, I just bought him in June, and he's from Vancouver Island where it never snows and they ride all year round. This is his first winter here and my first experience as well.

So, his previous owner gave me a list of what she fed him with exact ammounts and that's what I've been following. Well, it's not working out for me. LOL

This is what he WAS getting.

8 cups of beatpulp *before soaked*
4 cups of alphalpha pellets *before soaked*

I would go home with it and soak it over night with hot boiling water. Then I would go out to the barn at 4 *feeding time* and then I would mix in the rest of his feed.

8 cups of Phase 3P Complete Pellet
2 cups of Canola oil
2 table spoons of Boitin
2 table spoons of Dr.Reids Vitamins

Then I was giving him about 4 literes of that in one bucket, put aside for his morning feed and the rest of what was left, he'd eat in his stall over night.

Well, he was going INSANE. If you stood in the alley way looking at him in his stall....it looked like he was swishing his head from side to side. He would literally be working up a sweat on 2 spots on his neck and in some areas on his chest.

THEN...you enter the stall and watch him....and he's literally Piaffing!! LOL. WOW, now that I know my horse can Piaffe! I've got to get a vid clip of this......

So, I then discussed this with my dear Alwaysbrokepaints and ZeusMoose, which I then found out that I am feeding him HOT HOT feeds. OK. I also called a Horse Neutritionist in Vancouver and they said "OMG".

So, this is what I've done

4 cups of Beatpulp *before soaked*
NO alphalpha

Take that come and soak it over night, go back the next day and mix

8 cups of Phase 3P Pellet
No Canola Oil
1/2 a table spoon of Biotin
2 table spoons of this new stuff called "Cool Calories"
No Dr. Rieds Vitamins

He now gets the majority of it in the morning instead of the evening, and only 1/4 of the bucket in the evening.

SO......problem fixed? No.......now what *scratches head*

We put him in his stall in the evening, he is put out all day....but when he gets put in that stall, he still goes bonkers. He's almost running through the stall door. Screaming his head off. Swishing his head side to side...BUT, he is eating his feed quietly in the evenings now, where he wasn't before I cut it all back. I am wondering if it is "Seperation Anxiety".

He is out in a huge pasture for the day with his little Minni Donkey Buddy Zac, and a 30 somewhat year old mare. Could that be the problem?? They get put into their own stalls at night...he can see them....so why is he doing this??

What could be the problem???

ARGH!! HELP!

How long has it been since you changed his diet? He might need a liitle longer to adjust.

Is he given Hay at all or is the beet pulp his ruffage?

It wouldn't seem to me that he is haveing Seperation Anxiety since he can see his buddies and he gets to be with them all day.

have you gotten into the stall with him to see if there is anything out of the norm that could be a culprit?

As far as his diet .... good quality grass hay and the vitamins that you are giving to him now should be enough. As long as you feed 1 1/2 % to 2 % of his body weight. split up in 2 or 3 feedings.

These are just some thoughts.

Give Mr. boob a kiss on the snoot for me.

Well, he's out in the pasture for the day, and I've watched him out there. He is normal and just being a horse. Playing with his buddy Zac and they are inseperable. I think I may have to buy him! LOL

Anyhow, when he is in his stall that is when he goes whacko. He screams and winnies and paces back and forth at his stall door.

He gets lots of hay. What the owner feeds him is unbelievable! Her horses, she can feed them all with one barrel load of hay. With Laddie, he gets the whole flippin' barrel, we cannot believe it! LOL

He drinks lots, lots, lots and eats his grain/feed.

I don't know what is going on. There is nothing in the stall that should be bothering him *scratches head* just very stumped here. He is getting ignorant in his stall too. I was in there with him last night, and he just never paid any attention to where I was. He plowed right into me a couple of times and just pushes me over if I am near the stall door. I got so ANGRY. The second time he came at me he got foot in the chest.

It seems like he zones out and just wants out of the stall. I don't know. I am getting frustrated and angry at the same time.

Thanks Thunder!! I love kissing my "Big Boob" all the time. He's my baby!!! I'll be sure to give him a smooch from you tonight when I go and see him!

Maybe over time he will realize that he's not going to get back out of the stall no matter how big of a fit he throws...

Hey I know! You might want to get him some stall toys! Like lickit's and those ball things! He could just be bored... and adjusting to the new place.

Good luck and let us know how this is going!

Also is he fattening up yet? How much has he changed weight wise???

This is a new behavior though. He's been in this stall since the 31st of October. He gets put in at night and is out all day with his two buddies.

He wasn't doing this during most of November. About the middle to the end of November this started.

Today, he wasn't bad when I went and fed him at 9:00pm (was at a x-mas party for the salon). He nickered at me and was a sweetheart.

He just seems to be this way as soon as he's put in the stall.

I dunno *shrugs shoulders*

Yes, he is gaining weight, shinny coat and looks great. He is still a tad tender on his fronts, but other than that...he's great.

I've never had this experience with him before, but then again, I've only had him since June. And I've never had him disrespect my space ever before either.

This is stressing me out and he had me crying last night. I just don't like seeing my horse like this....this isn't him!!!! He is a very mellow, quiet, safe horse to ride and be around...this isn't my horse!

I think he needs time to adjust and you have to find someway to excersise him. He is used to be exercised year round and wether you take him on a trail ride, lunge him or just do quiet walk/trot with him in the arena, you are going to have to do something. He is going stir crazy and just turn out isn't doing it for him. He isn't being able to metabolize what he has eaten. He is used to metabolizing with excersise. You can't take a performance horse and let him sit. Just can't do it. I think once you start working him, everything will be just fine.

I agree 100% with the above post. /\ Exactly what I was thinking.

I am going to have to start doing something with this poor boy. I'll have to get shoes put on his fronts if I am going to start riding him again. I cannot ride him without those front shoes on him, his feet are way to tender and soft to work without them.

He is a Thoroughbred and does not have strong feet like other horses have. He has only been on Biotin and other food strengtheners for only a little while, and he has NEVER been without fronts on his feet EVER. This is the very first time he's shoeless.

If I start riding and working him, he'll need those put back on. That is why I took them off, because I was going to leave him for the winter and let his feet grow and rest.

Even my Ferrier said to not ride him without shoes on the front, and he even told me to take them off and let his feet grow. I was going to leave shoes on the front because that is what his previous owner told me, but my Ferrier looked at his fronts and said "If we keep putting shoes on those two feet, pretty soon girl, there will be no where to put shoes."

I've told you this already.....

Eventgirl said

my Ferrier looked at his fronts and said "If we keep putting shoes on those two feet, pretty soon girl, there will be no where to put shoes."



He is absolutely right!
But there is a way you can ride your horse without nailing shoes on ........ Boa boots. They slip on like tennis shoes, you go ride and when your finished riding for the day you take them off. You can do anything you normally do while wearing these boots. they are less expensive in the long run than nail on shoes .... and you will still need your farrier for the regular trim.

These really do work very well

Great advice Thundergoddess!! Boa boots, are those the same as Easy Boots??? I must look into these!!!! Are they safe to use over the winter??

I guess you could say they are in the same family as the Easy boot but I haven't heard good reports on it.... the BOA comes up higher and they don't come off until you take them off ... some folks like the Old Mac's .. but they have to be fitted by a pro ... the BOA has different sizes and it has a fitting knob on it that tightens. In the jeffers catalog they are $135.00 for a set (2) front is good enough. sizes are from #00 to #4. to get a Jeffers catalog call
1-800-J E F F E R S, ask for there equine catalog it's free.
(533-3377)
Its all worth a try

www.horsesdacor.com/HorsesDacor/catalog/easyboots/Boa/BoaBoots.shtml (http://www.horsesdacor.com/HorsesDacor/catalog/easyboots/Boa/BoaBoots.shtml)

This looks like a good site for the BOA

Thanks so much girl!! I am going to look into those and use them until I get shoes put back on his feet! Great help! Thanks!

If you do use them you may find that you wont want to go back to nail on shoes. A horse doesn't get contraction from boots as they do from nailed on shoes. their hoof wall isn't destroyed by the boot and the nailed on shoe does. ( I will stop preaching) LOL .... Oh wait you know that you can show, Jump, etc, in these boots? yep it's true.
You are very welcome sweetie, I just hope his soreness gets better soon. I know that he will be fine and you do to, but I'm sure it breaks your heart when you see him on a hard surface and he kind of says oww mommy.

Really?? I can show in these boots?!?! I was told otherwise...I was told by my Eventing firend that I will not be permitted with them. The Vet will say "nope" and scratch me. Events are full of Vet checks...depending on the level you are at.

I am SO GOING to call my riding coaches and see what they say, cause if I can just use the boots and let Laddie's feet rest for the year..I AM SO DOING IT!!!

Eventgirl, Can you just lunge your boy good and long. Just the controlled effort and the exercise will help but it will also remind him that you lead and maybe he'll regain his respect for your space. That's about all I've ever done in the winter unless you have the perfect deep enough snow to be easy going without being slippery! Also with this colt I have i've been driving him around the stall whenever he gets pushy at feed time. Just using myself and an agressive attitude (you may need a crop or something he respects) and drive him safely away and around the stall. When he settles and moves around the stall in a relaxed way, stop him and praise him. Then when he's calm and accepting your caresses, get his feed. Works for me! The next day he waited calmly for his grain! Good luck.

That's one of those NEW things I was talking about. They had those when I was in horses before but they were for medicinal purposes only. These new ones are too cool, you could virtually ride anywhere without shoes!

Great advice Jsee!! Thank you so much!

I realize that the rules are very st ricked, and you are right you should check what the requirements are long before show season. I hope they are fine with it your big baby boob will have happier feetsies.

there is another boot, you already know it, the easy boot? But they have a new style that the athletes really like. It has a gator built in and it is said will not come off.