Hank

Jessey

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2004
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Suffolk, UK
So I mentioned in my update about Hank's crazy behavior the last few weeks, when I take Jess out he turns himself inside out, so I thought I'd see if anyone has any insight?

A couple of weeks ago I took Jess onto the road to trot her up, I went 75 yards out and back (in sight) and Hank threw a complete wobbly was breathing very heavily, it sounded like someone sawing :eek: his breathing had only just started to calm back to normal after the 10 mins it took me to tack up. I then took her out for half hour and when I got back his breathing wasn't bad but he'd sweated a blanket clip area.

On Thursday I walked Jess around the block, a whole 15 minutes, and by the time I got back Hank was dripping (it looked like it was raining under him). He's fit enough to jog alongside her for an hour when we go out riding without sweating much so it's got to be a stress reaction.

He has horses on both sides, he can stand just the other side of the post and rail from 2 geldings and they do hang out with him. In fact one of those 2 is the one besotted with Jess, he calls just as much as Hank does when I take her out....could this be winding Hank up more??? I was going to get him a mirror, but it doesn't seem worth it if real horses aren't enough to keep him company???

In the middle of the field I have a huge bramble bush and there is the dogleg of field round to the gate, and Hank and Jess often wander off from one another and Hank never bothers when he can't see her as long as she hasn't gone out of the gate.

Hank is also trying to do a runner out of the gate when I get back with Jess (after I have her in the field)....maybe for the grass in the driveway which I let them nibble after we have been out for a ride???
 
I feel for you , Tess has had major separation issues ever since we had Josh PTS 10 yrs ago, she attached herself to Acorn and then dropped him like a stone when Charlie came along - even if Acorn was in the field if Charlie went out she had a major meltdown to the point we got Nuts to keep her Company full term so we could get both the boys out - this worked to some degree, but she still fence walked when Charlie left the field but it only lasted for a short time and then she settled , but it was enough for her to sweat up - last year she was forced to be without him due to his lammi and box rest and she attached more to Nuts, However since we got Gem and she has been running with Tess since July she has stopped stressing even if Gem Is taken out, she shouts her disapproval but the running, fence walking and stressing has stopped and she seem suddenly to have accepted she is not going to be on her own even if one goes out, shes 27 now its taken 10 yrs to get to this point bless her - None of the others stress when others left the field just her and she was never a problem prior to losing JOSH so we have to relate it back to that incident, the bond she had with him was strong and she formed the same with Charlie - but now at last she seems to be content and ok. Can you put a finger on anything that may have happened to trigger the behaviour ?
 
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The only thing really around that time, on 3rd September I took Jess out for a 4 1/2 hour ride (and he was fine when I got back) and she was lame the next day, so he had her 24/7 for maybe 2 weeks and the problem has been the last couple of weeks........can they really forget how to stay home alone that quickly???
 
It sounds very odd. Hmm. I am trying to think of any possible causes. Seems even odder that he has horses that he can see and still gets sweaty???
Wonder if it is the one that had the hots for jessey that's made him worse?
 
Is there anyway you can open up an area of fresh grass that hasn't been grazed just while you take Jess out. It needs to be tasty to occupy him. Maybe he will settle to eat that. Then shut off as soon as you turn Jess back out in the field.
 
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I will do that next time I ride but I'm hopeful I have figured out the root of the problem :oops:

Hank was doing hour long rides with us before she was lame a month ago, since then we've mostly done 20-30mins and he does come back warm. My main concern is the heavy breathing and excessive sweating. He has always fussed for the first little while then settled, I assumed he's been carrying on more than normal due to the sweating but obviously I'm out with jess so don't really know.

What's changed recently..he's grown a yak coat! and its still in the high teens in the day here...... I'd be sweating and breathing hard even after my normal activity wearing this
FB_IMG_1506971108232.jpg
I knew he needed a little clip but never put the 2 together until tonight, I'm really hoping that's all it is :oops:
 
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