Apsetting the routine-does it have an effect on our horses??

[joey_olop]

Upsetting the routine-does it have an effect on our horses??

I was tallking to my OH last night about how much we have moved our 2 in the past few years(2 to be exact cos that is when we bought Flaire)

When I first bought Blackie I could hack alone, take him galloping in open spaces, jump 3ft generally things that I cant do now as he gets quite upset about it & I have lost my confidence

We have moved 5 times in 2 years & we have never been in the same place for more than a year (this is due to circumstances beyond our control-please dont judge me!) thieving, bitching, field management etc.

We are now at a place where we hope we will be there permaneantly(sp??)
Do you think I will ever be able to have the same fun on my horse that I used to??

Its sort of like something clicked in him & I have a feeling its where he has been un-settled so many times.

Flaire on the other hand just takes things as it comes & has quickly & quietly settled down each time. Blackie is quite a sensitive little chap bless him & I just hope Im not damaging him in any way by this constant moving all the time.

Your thoughts would be much appreciated

 

[jennywren07]

Ithink he'll be finw once he's had a chance to settle, and you too!! your bound to be on tenter hooks a bit after moving so much.

As you know me and Jen moved as much as you did when i first got her, she wasn't herself for about 6months after moving from Norfolk down here but she's back to her good old self now. Give it a bit of time and you'll soon be back to all those scary things (jumping 3ft? mad woman!!)

 

[joey_olop]

Thanks hun
I know I need to give it time but I have had him for 4 years now & it seems we are going backwards rather than forwards

lol-we only ever did that at home, never out I freeze at comps

Just realised title is meant to say Upsetting-what am I on today???!!!

 

[loziasa]

It can be really stressful on some horses to move around a lot, as they like stability and routine, however some are pretty happy to move around. My friend has two event horses that move around all the time, back and forth to different yards every couple of months. They are pretty laid back chappies and so they don't seem to be affected.

Hopefully, yours will settle down ok for you, and your best bet is to try and keep your routine the same even if you do move yards. I have just moved my girl back home and although I now have access to more turnout I haven't changed what she does, and she still only gets a couple of hours in the afternoon as this is what she has been used to all winter

 

[Shiny Boy]

I have moved a few times with my old horse, recently we moved to a place where we are all together (hubby horses cats dogs!). I hope we will stay here forever now that we have a place with land and have built stables.

My old horse settled in beautfully immediately, however, I have had him 20 years and for him, anywhere I am is a safe comfortable place to be. However, my young horse who had only moved once before when he was weaned, has been a different story! He is still quite spooky and not totally relaxed after 6 months... But - he does get better all the time and I am sure he will be totally back to his laid back self before the summer is out!

I think you need to give yourselves some time, as the other posters have said, you to get your confidence back and him to settle in properly, get to know his new companions and realise, that if he does go for a ride, they will all still be there when he gets back! Short easy rides alone to start with will reinforce the confidence you had before.

I lost my confidence big time a few years ago and I still have dodgy moments even now (doesnt go brilliantly with backing a youngster but we are getting there!) and I found that some space from serious riding, and only doing what I felt comfortable doing meant that over time, that urge you get as a rider, that longing to be in the saddle, to be out and part of a unit with your horse, overtakes any nerves you might have...

Good luck, dont put pressure on yourself or him, you will be back to normal before you know it!

 

[cinammontoast]

It takes a while for them to settle: even my lad took a couple of months to really 'bed in' to the new place last year and ages to bond: almost sold him because he seemed just to not give a damn about being with me.

Give him time, hun and let him relax. I brought mine in at the same time every day without fail, same routine of feed in the evening and ride in the morning. Now he's 110% chilled and doesn't mind when he's ridden but likes to come in still!

 

[joey_olop]

Thanks for all your thoughts everyone, they have been a great help

 

[Skeeder]

Hi I know how you feel my horse is on the move again on thursday he has been at his current yard since end of august last year and everything was fine and was chilled until recently when the yard has got really stressful his routine hasn't changed but he has got stressed with people bringing horses in putting them out kids running about not to mention being battered by a rig the list goes on so he has gradually got so stressed and then I am stressed so it wont help matters!
I moved from last yard as it was so chaotic now my friend has rented me a field and stable which I can have to myself lovely rides only trouble is the field is only really big enough for one ned and a few sheep but he seems to actually prefer being on his own he can see another pony in the distance!
Anything for a happy horse I feel awful as he will be on his own but I will just have to monitor him.
At least I can manage him without all the chaos I was beginning to really lose my confidence too!
Melxx