Bad mood / grumpiness ?

R

Ruskii

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Jun 21, 2000
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For the last 1-2 months I have noticed (or maybe he has been all along and I've only just noticed ?) that my horse pulls his nostrils back slightly if you get close to him.

He went to a trainer in the summer and had come home happy enough - or so I thought - but since Nov he has been a lot more miserable. He hasn't snapped or threaten to kick or done anything "bad" but I can feel something is off with him. He's never been an affectionate animal at all and he's never had much of a personality either. It sounds horrible I know as it sounds like I'm making him out to be a shut down sort of character but he's not, he's just not an easy character to read really. My husbands horse was full of personality and you could always pretty much tell if something was wrong or how he was.

Mine has had some spark over the years I've had him but it's almost just like he's -dare I say it- depressed ?! He has little interest in things, (except food) and will merrily ignore any human contact or just pull his nostrils back and his ears will turn back (not pin them) and have a very "just leave me alone" attitude about him.

Is it worth having a blood test do you think? I was looking at him tonight and he just seems a bit of a puzzle to me ! What else could I do ?

Please no one mention animal communicators as I don't subscribe to that.
 
Is he doing much? Kia can be like this on occasion usually when he's being handled only basically and not spent anytime on.

Why was he sent to a trainer, backing etc? Problem solving? What sort of daily stimulation does he have?
 
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He was sent away for harness training - he's bomb proof on the roads and so it was a good fit for purpose for him too. He enjoys being out and about but the most we were doing was once a week.

He is doing absolutely nothing now except being in his field and coming in at weekends to give him a break from the field (I'm on clay and it's dire in places out there) he likes being in though. I thought perhaps his diet was missing something but he has had always been on pink powder with a handful of fatty chaff so he gets all the vits and mins he needs. I've been giving him Devils Claw as well just case his arthritis is flaring up - no difference. Even tried bute for a week - not much difference. So I really don't know.
 
My first thought is its winter. So you might just be noticing that he is more quiet than his normal quiet.
It's interesting you say about being hard to read because on occasion I find myself saying this with mine. She is naturally a laid back, calm, placid type, but she doesn't hold back if she has a problem and I'm that problem.

He might have a bit of virus or anemia. When mine looked run down and as you say a bit depressed, that's what bloods came back with. Initially vet gave us iron support, second virus she had to fight it herself.
 
The old remedy for a horse thats a bit down is a pint of dark beer in the feed :) its iron rich and has lots of good things in it (everything in moderation ;)) to perk them back up.
Perhaps he's just exhausted after dealing with the wet and clay all week and really does just want to be left to rest when he comes in?
 
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Never heard of the beer thing before. Made me laugh out loud:D
Has anything else changed in his life? e.g.: living companions changed, being bullied etc?
Does he live alone or with fieldmates?
When I first met mine he was definitely depressed and it was due to his very poor living conditions, lack of food and water and being severely bullied. (still makes me want to cry when I think about it:()
Later mine was also found to be anaemic but it was visible symptoms of waves of fatigue.

I do believe that if an owner thinks there horse is "off" then something is more than likely wrong or out of balance.
 
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I had heard of the guiness thing before for them, so I gave him a Guiness this morning with his breakfast and went up this afternoon to tend to him and he threw his dinner bowl at me ! Complete with nodding head and LOTS of nickers and whinnies, he was VERY excited at seeing me pick up his dinner bowl - he obviously loved it ! Turned his nose away when there was none in his dinner ! :eek:
 
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It's funny how they're so different - my girl is easy to read, she's good at making her feelings plain! I can tell how she feels about most things!

Maybe he's just bored and depressed because it's winter and he's not doing much. Horses can get depressed, I remember reading something about it (no idea when or where though.) Does he perk up when he's ridden? Or worked inhand? Groomed? Or is it literally just food that cheers him up?
 
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