My new horse came in today... he's off the track... very nervous. Has bad diahrea.. I know that's normal, we gave him electrolytes in his grain.. anything else I can do?
for the first week or two, just let him settle in his stall and gently talk to him from outside the stall, then move at a pace you and your horse are comfortable with to turn him out and in a couple of months you could be saddling him...!
I have an OTTB!
Check out a SmartPack magazine or even give them a call, they have natural herbal supplements that you can give your horse to calm him until he gets used to things. Also if he's very nervous it is likely that he may have or may develop stomach ulcers. There are also many supplements that will help him in that area too.
Check out: http://www.smartpakequine.com/BrowseSupp...
Some of them are REALLY expensive, but you can find cheap ones. The customer service people are AMAZING, give them a call and explain your situation and they can tell you which ones specifically they recommend.
Check out: http://www.smartpakequine.com/BrowseSupp...
Some of them are REALLY expensive, but you can find cheap ones. The customer service people are AMAZING, give them a call and explain your situation and they can tell you which ones specifically they recommend.
My Nervous Appendix
Look in different magazines and look at different sites online.
mine?
I have used probiotics that come in a tube. They help the horse to get its intestinal bacteria right. I would give some soaked beet pulp, too. It has lots of fiver and calories but it isn't really sweet and doesn't get digested too fast and make the horse nervous. I would start to walk the horse every day to get to know him. There is a kind of homeopathic remedy called "Rescue Remedy" that is for anxiety, fear or shock that you can put in his water. Put in 10-15 drops in his bucket, or put it on your hands and rub his muzzle, if he lets you. I found that when I got two horses this summer, and they were upset by the newness, heat and bugs here, that they like th scent of geranium oil. Lavender oil may work even better since it is for calming.
Good luck with the horse. Have you read or seen Monty Roberts? He did a lot of his work with race horses, to help them go into the gates without being frightened.
Good luck with the horse. Have you read or seen Monty Roberts? He did a lot of his work with race horses, to help them go into the gates without being frightened.
Let him settle in first, for a couple of weeks. If he's still a stallion and young I would reccomend gelding him. And after the first couple of weeks change his feed to something pelleted Strategy by Purina is very good. And my horse is kind of high strung also so we switched him to Vitality Ultra by Nutrena. Otherwise spending time with him like walking him around the arena and getting him more used to his surroundings will help alot. Also giving him a pasture pal. There is also good supplements that you could use one of the best i've ever tried is WHOA. Career wise OTTB's are very good at eventing and jumping. Good luck!