susan in greece
Olympic Poster
"you can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf" Joseph Goldstein
Posts: 556
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Post by susan in greece on Dec 29, 2009 10:30:49 GMT 1
Wish i were a more confident rider. Every winter i have the same problem in that i'm basically over horsed. It's not that she has no turnout, she has a small paddock that i have saved and this year strewn with several round bales of rubbish straw so its dry. But still there's not enough for a gallop and a buck, just a trot and roll basically...the main area is a a quagmire and very slippery and i would worry about letting her rip there. Day before yesterday with company she was dead fresh with the usual buck in the canter but fine although on her toes throughout. Yesterday alone we had a major strop and i was nearly off twice or three times before i got off. THEN she went bonkers on the end of the reins almost knocked me over. I decided to walk her home or in the direction (we were a couple've miles out and it was getting late) when another horse and a guy on a moped come along and she's off again, bucking and snorting on the end of the reins. I shout at them to back off, thinking the horse is a stally and blaming him for her tail upness and oooh she's in season. But no, its a mare apparently and they are not backing off. Get on, he says, it's getting late, get home. Go away say I, my horse is obviously dangerous or in season or i don't know what. I'll take her he says, you take my bike!! (This is Greece remember, things are different here). Anyway, we go on like this for some time and then he does get on and off he goes, gallops her up the track and back to me. And i'm feeling like a complete idiot. Get on her, ride her home. I'm rubbish. She needs a strong confident rider in the winter when she's fresh and wants to gallop and go like the wind. Not me.
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big e
Grand Prix Poster
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Post by big e on Dec 29, 2009 11:10:59 GMT 1
I think everyone at some point in time has got off there loony horse/pony and walked it home Theres no shame in that. There's no point having an accident where you might both be injured Can't offer any advice on overcoming your fear of a galloping fresh horse though, she's obviously picking up on your nervous vibes. My muched loved loony is going to start a new career as a broodmare from next spring because she too much horse for me. I may bring her back into work when shes's 20 something
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Post by julz on Dec 29, 2009 11:21:18 GMT 1
I rode wee J who turned out to be a loony in a housing estate two weeks ago... aint riding again until he has decent amount of tack on, and roads are clear again. (by decent tack i mean, martingale, to keep head down and flash/dropped noseband to keep gob shut) never ever sat on a pony who does what he did so violently!! scared pants off me.... and im in no hurry to repeat it.... but wont give up on him, as he'd make a cracker of a pony when he's sorted out.... wish i could afford an RA!! as he has other issues too
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Post by holi on Dec 29, 2009 11:57:44 GMT 1
Don't know if its worth considering but we use to have a horse that needed magnesium supplement in the winter as he had gut problems and didn't get sufficient in his diet. We knew it was this as he got turned out virtually the same amount of time in the winter with same exercise routine - just became a nutter!!
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Post by marianne on Dec 29, 2009 13:43:37 GMT 1
Susan, I entirely empathise :-( I'm not a great rider myself and only wish every ride was a "doddle" !
However just before winter I did introduce some Top Spec calmer to my mare's diet (purchased while on a quick visit to the UK) and I have to say it made a BIG difference to her behaviour while out and about.
Have you looked at calmers at all? I don't see myself feeding them all year round but certainly in cold/blustery conditions it's turning into a godsend for me!
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Post by rj on Dec 29, 2009 13:45:10 GMT 1
Is there any way you can exercise her on the ground before/instead of riding? Long-reining is such a useful exercise anyway, and will benefit her & you both. I agree it's a case of you at least partially 'causing' the effect. If you expect something to happen, it will - & also look at the food you are giving her in the winter. There is absolutely no point in beating yourself up about it, or making yourself feel bad (that's what other people are for!!!), though that is always easier said than done. It must be very difficult being so isolated from like-minded horse people, but at least you know 'getting on & riding' does the trick, even if it's not what you want to do at the moment. Keep safe, and if you don't want to ride, don't. But do plenty of ground-work to strengthen the relationship with her, and that will help when you do get on.
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Post by portiabuzz on Dec 30, 2009 0:52:32 GMT 1
be careful and keep safe xx be confident in yourself (easy for me to say i know)...Best of luck xx
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tamzin
Intermediate Poster
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Post by tamzin on Dec 30, 2009 8:22:55 GMT 1
What feed does she get? it can make a lot of difference.
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susan in greece
Olympic Poster
"you can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf" Joseph Goldstein
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Post by susan in greece on Dec 30, 2009 9:54:19 GMT 1
Your comments are all welcome and so sensible and I appreciate them, thanks
Diet and turnout are obviously both at play here. Without going through the whole story she lost a LOT of weight this summer (following our second excursion into barefoot land, lami scare, then abcess) and she has only really come up in the last month, although still lacking muscle. I don't want her dropping weight again in mid winter. What is available here to feed is limited and really so different to what you get in the uk principally because grass hay is not available. She gets oat and wheat hay, alfalfa and sugar beet with minerals and BOSS and my options are to vary those. I am going to reduce the alfalfa and increase the sugar beet basically.
The comment about magnesium is interesting as i am aware alfalfa is calcium rich whiich i gather effects magnesium absorbtion but i am loath to start adding supplements, (IF they can be got here as i am not sure they even are available and if are are really expensive). I would rather find the happy medium with what's available to us in feed.
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Post by jill on Dec 30, 2009 10:08:22 GMT 1
Oooh, sugar beet always went straight to my old mare's head! I proved it, after suspecting it for a while, by eliminating it from her diet. Then I gave her a small amount to disguise some medication and she was off again. Worth checking that out - can you get some low sugar beet like Speedibeet, or replace it with chop or hi fibre nuts or similar? And oat hay - is that just straw or is there any grain left in it? Because that will also go to her head. And I second the magnesium too - check out ebay sellers of Magnesium Oxide and see whether they will send it out out you. Transformed my horse from a spooking idiot into a sane sensible horse in two weeks! You could of course start a whole new trend and speak to some of the UK feed manufacturers about setting up an outlet in your part of the world - Simple Systems would be great, but Spillers, Baileys and Dodson and Horrell all do high fibre nuts. What you want for weight is oil (high in calories, can you get linseed?) and protein from the alfalfa, I would keep that TBH and look at some of the other items in her diet. Jackie JA Taylor will probably advise you best, depending on what you an get hold of out there, but rather than risk your safety and relationship with her, maybe retire her for the winter, or stick to groundwork, as suggested above.
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Post by zack&buffysmum on Dec 30, 2009 13:17:05 GMT 1
I too can never give my TB sugarbeet - he turns into a fruit loop on it. He has dried chopped grass in his feed instead of chaff and he is on a low energy mix and add lib hay. I also give him plain magnesium oxide as a suppliment in the winter as he is WAY too much horse for me without it! :0) Even on this diet he has been a 'bit of a plonker' over the last couple of weeks or so, caused I think, by snow - and more time in the stable because of it and less exercise.
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susan in greece
Olympic Poster
"you can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf" Joseph Goldstein
Posts: 556
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Post by susan in greece on Dec 30, 2009 14:07:30 GMT 1
I take your comments on board but I will stick with the reduced alfalfa plan. I think for most horses it is agreed that sugar beet is a slow release, non heating feed and usually my mare is fine with it. There are always exception aren't there but i am going with her history and the thing i have increased is the alfalfa...increased on other years any way.
However i am going to look into getting some mag oxide. What quantity do you feed it in?
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Post by jill on Dec 30, 2009 14:13:20 GMT 1
I feed the equivalent of about a teaspoonful daily, that was enough to make a difference. You can feed several times that and all it will do is make them excrete more (loose droppings) but that I found was sufficient for my 16.3ish warmblood (the chap in my avatar)
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Post by sarahbing on Dec 30, 2009 17:26:22 GMT 1
I would second what Jill says about the Mg0. I bought mine from Jackie JA Taylor on her. It is not a huge pack so may be poss to ship to Greece at not too high a cost? It really works. On the reduces Alfalfa, can you try alfalfa stalks? I use this as chaff, so they can have the bulk and the calories without too much protein and sending them bonkers. May be worth a google. A couple of other things. If she is scary in hand on the reins (been there, its more scary than being on top and makes you wish you hadn't got off!!) can you long line her? It may avoid being squashed! ALso, is there anyone out there to help exercise in winter. After all, its all in the equation calories in vs calories out. Once you've looked at the feeding, have a look at safe ways of increasing the calories she is using up. Keep safe x
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susan in greece
Olympic Poster
"you can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf" Joseph Goldstein
Posts: 556
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Post by susan in greece on Dec 30, 2009 17:57:05 GMT 1
Jill, Caspar is beautiful and looks the epitomy of undangerousness.
Sarah, I have never longlined. I lunged for the first time for a very long time today and it went better than i expected it to. Perhaps i should get the kit organised and have a go at the long lines. and yes very scary holding the reins attached to a bucking horse....and i do have long rope reins too!
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