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Location: on my horse | I've got a sensitive gelding with a big motor who likes to internalize his stress and we're about to move across the state so I can finish school. He'll have to go from a dry lot pen and pasture turnout to a stall with turnout whenever I'm able to provide it, which should be for at least an hour every day because I've got an apartment really close by him. I'm worried about him developing ulcers or other issues with the move and the living situation change, and just worried in general.
I feel really bad for him but I don't have any other choice but to stall him for a few months with the move. I've never been a fan of stalling all the time and he's never been confined like that before  
This horse is the most important thing I have in my life (outside of family) and I just want to do what's best for him, is there anything I need to do to help him transition? the Equine Antacid post got me thinking about some kind of gut help like Forco or THE or anything else.
As far as boredom he has a ball that he loves and I'm thinking about getting him one of those treat things that he will have to roll around to get them out. He doesn't have any joint problems, isn't a cribber, and doesn't stock up, and I'd like to keep him that way.
Also, his water tank won't have a power source near by, is there anything I can do to keep it from freezing without hauling hot water to thaw and mix with every day?
Someone tell me to quit stressing about this and that it's not as big a deal as I'm making it out to be! |
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 Elite Veteran
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Location: Sunny California | I'm a worrier too, but there are things you can do to help. I would bring his ball and install the toy. I'd also get a heavy duty slow feeder hay net (mine has thick straps) that will hold a couple flakes of hay or more and hang it in his stall. Hopefully you can get some grass hay to stuff in it. This will help with boredom and stomach issues. If you're worried about ulcers I'd put him on some sort of meds for it. He will be fine. I'd tell you to not worry too much about it, but I know with me, once I get worried about something I become obsessed with it. Good luck. |
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Elite Veteran
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Location: NC | First off good luck!
I agree with slow feed hay net as well. On the water issue, we have the same issue so I know your pain. I haul hot water in the am usually when gets down really cold. (under 20) One thing that helps the ice though is last year we found bucket coozeys. Its like an insulated wrap that goes around, under and a small piece goes across top (if you have a playful horse like my mare, expect it to be off each day ;)) It actually helped though last year even when the polar vortex hit and it was just downright nasty. Not sure if that will help you though. |
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  Playing the Waiting Game
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| Before the jolly balls I hung a plastic halloween pumpkin for trick or treating in the stall with horse cookies in it... if the horse bumped just right they got a cookie.. NOW of course you can get on made just for horses... keeps the boredom down. |
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Expert
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Location: on my horse | Those are are all great ideas! I really like the bucket coozy and am going to see about getting him one, the pumpkin idea is genius too, I think I could do it with a milk jug too. I'm trying not to worry too much about my boy but it's hard because I feel guilty for uprooting his life with mine and moving us but it has to happen. By summer I should be able to move him to a different place or rent somewhere else with more room for him.
ETA I think I can make him a slow feeder too. I worry about hanging something like that for him because I like him to eat with his head down because he's already got enough chiropractic issues and he loves to paw at things and get his feet in his feed and water so I could just see him hanging a leg in the slow feeder bag
Edited by redmansmyman11 2014-12-02 1:00 PM
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Location: Northern CO | If you are worried about the slow feeder net and would like him to eat with his head down you could build him a slow feed box. I just built one for my guys and so far I love it and I spent very little to make it. You can make it any size you would like. Let me know if you would like some ideas or a plan for one I have done several of all different types. I have also made some from heavy duty rubber type trash barrels. They are also nice and tall so really hard for them to get a foot into and seem to be rather durable so far. They also fit well in a stall corner and you can use one of the handles to secure to the wall so it will not tip over. But anyhow good luck with your move. Your fella will do fine with a mom that cares as much as you seem to. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i think its gonna be hard on him............is there no turn out what so ever for him..............
m |
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Expert
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Location: on my horse | I'd love to see some designs for making him a slow feeder, I was thinking about that actually!
MRuggles there are places for me to turn him out (some even with grass) and I plan to as much as possible, AT LEAST an hour a day barring serious illness or physical injury on my part that would keep me away from him.I just can't leave him turned out and go home and abandon him because it's a public place.
I'm not going to be boarding him at a facility where someone is on hand to turn out, etc. I'm keeping him at the fairgrounds in a stall with the rest of the rodeo horses from the university. He'll have other horses around but I'll do all the care. Luckily I found a place literally across the street to live. |
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Location: SE Louisiana | mruggles - 2014-12-02 3:42 PM
i think its gonna be hard on him............is there no turn out what so ever for him..............
m
God did not design the horse to live in a box.. |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Glad to hear you'll have other horses nearby, that should help him out some.
I would also suggest some BOT wraps. You say he doesn't stock up, but mine randomly did six weeks into his stall rest. I put them on every night when I feed and take them off at the morning feeding and haven't had any issues since. |
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Expert
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Location: on my horse | komet. - 2014-12-02 4:50 PM
mruggles - 2014-12-02 3:42 PM
i think its gonna be hard on him............is there no turn out what so ever for him..............
m
God did not design the horse to live in a box..
I know they aren't designed to live in a box and that's what makes me so worried about this move. He'll have all the turnout time I can give him. I've arranged my school and work schedules to leave afternoons free just for that purpose. It's not ideal at all but it's the best I can do for him for the time being and I'll do everything in my power to keep him happy and healthy. Like I said in a previous post this horse is my world and he gets the best I can give him... Unfortunately for the next few months that's stall life  |
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Location: on my horse | Longneck - 2014-12-02 4:53 PM
Glad to hear you'll have other horses nearby, that should help him out some.
I would also suggest some BOT wraps. You say he doesn't stock up, but mine randomly did six weeks into his stall rest. I put them on every night when I feed and take them off at the morning feeding and haven't had any issues since.
Good idea! |
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | redmansmyman11 - 2014-12-03 4:27 PM I'd love to see some designs for making him a slow feeder, I was thinking about that actually! MRuggles there are places for me to turn him out (some even with grass) and I plan to as much as possible, AT LEAST an hour a day barring serious illness or physical injury on my part that would keep me away from him.I just can't leave him turned out and go home and abandon him because it's a public place. I'm not going to be boarding him at a facility where someone is on hand to turn out, etc. I'm keeping him at the fairgrounds in a stall with the rest of the rodeo horses from the university. He'll have other horses around but I'll do all the care. Luckily I found a place literally across the street to live.
see now im really stumped.....it was never my thought that you are abandoning him...but cant you leave him out in the day and stall him at night especially since there are turn outs..........i must be missing something
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| A lot of places don't let your horses be turned out if you're not there. No unattended turn outs. That's what I assume she is saying. I had the same problem when I was in college. Once you get there and get settled in, you can see if you have a better place for him. Maybe somewhere where you turn him out for a few min in the morning before school, clean his stall out, put food in there, let him run around and buck. Then put him back in til you get there in the afternoon, ride him, then turn him out again after you ride so he can roll, you do the same as in the AM, feed and clean, then he goes back. And on his days off you just make sure you turn him out longer, and jumping on him bareback and wandering around for a few minutes is great for him too! I bought both my horses from people who had them in dry lots or pastures and I had to stall them both for about a year and a half. I don't like wrapping or using BOT boots in stalls to help to not stock up b/c it'll make him dependent on them. I wouldn't worry about the stocking up, if you're letting him out every day, he will be fine. Stocking up doesn't cause injury unless seriously prolonged, and since he doesn't stock up now, he shouldn't when he gets to his new barn. Best of luck, you'll be ok! |
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Location: on my horse | mruggles - 2014-12-03 7:57 AM
redmansmyman11 - 2014-12-03 4:27 PM I'd love to see some designs for making him a slow feeder, I was thinking about that actually! MRuggles there are places for me to turn him out (some even with grass) and I plan to as much as possible, AT LEAST an hour a day barring serious illness or physical injury on my part that would keep me away from him.I just can't leave him turned out and go home and abandon him because it's a public place. I'm not going to be boarding him at a facility where someone is on hand to turn out, etc. I'm keeping him at the fairgrounds in a stall with the rest of the rodeo horses from the university. He'll have other horses around but I'll do all the care. Luckily I found a place literally across the street to live.
see now im really stumped.....it was never my thought that you are abandoning him...but cant you leave him out in the day and stall him at night especially since there are turn outs..........i must be missing something
m
Hannah's right I can turn him out in the track infield or any arena or livestock pen but only when I'm there to watch him. Because it's the local county fairgrounds and not an actual boarding facility I can't leave him out all day without me there because my luck somebody would need the arena or let him out of the infield on accident or something. I'll just have to hang out with him. Lucky for me I'm an English major and have a lot of reading for school 
Thanks for all your advice girls it's helping calm me down. This horse is like my child haha |
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | redmansmyman11 - 2014-12-04 1:21 PM mruggles - 2014-12-03 7:57 AM redmansmyman11 - 2014-12-03 4:27 PM I'd love to see some designs for making him a slow feeder, I was thinking about that actually! MRuggles there are places for me to turn him out (some even with grass) and I plan to as much as possible, AT LEAST an hour a day barring serious illness or physical injury on my part that would keep me away from him.I just can't leave him turned out and go home and abandon him because it's a public place. I'm not going to be boarding him at a facility where someone is on hand to turn out, etc. I'm keeping him at the fairgrounds in a stall with the rest of the rodeo horses from the university. He'll have other horses around but I'll do all the care. Luckily I found a place literally across the street to live. see now im really stumped.....it was never my thought that you are abandoning him...but cant you leave him out in the day and stall him at night especially since there are turn outs..........i must be missing something
m Hannah's right I can turn him out in the track infield or any arena or livestock pen but only when I'm there to watch him. Because it's the local county fairgrounds and not an actual boarding facility I can't leave him out all day without me there because my luck somebody would need the arena or let him out of the infield on accident or something. I'll just have to hang out with him. Lucky for me I'm an English major and have a lot of reading for school Thanks for all your advice girls it's helping calm me down. This horse is like my child haha
aahhh ok gotcha....the bots (quick wraps and mesh blanket) imo would help him alot .......good luck
m |
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Location: SE Louisiana | mruggles - 2014-12-03 2:48 PM
redmansmyman11 - 2014-12-04 1:21 PM mruggles - 2014-12-03 7:57 AM redmansmyman11 - 2014-12-03 4:27 PM I'd love to see some designs for making him a slow feeder, I was thinking about that actually! MRuggles there are places for me to turn him out (some even with grass) and I plan to as much as possible, AT LEAST an hour a day barring serious illness or physical injury on my part that would keep me away from him.I just can't leave him turned out and go home and abandon him because it's a public place. I'm not going to be boarding him at a facility where someone is on hand to turn out, etc. I'm keeping him at the fairgrounds in a stall with the rest of the rodeo horses from the university. He'll have other horses around but I'll do all the care. Luckily I found a place literally across the street to live. see now im really stumped.....it was never my thought that you are abandoning him...but cant you leave him out in the day and stall him at night especially since there are turn outs..........i must be missing something
m Hannah's right I can turn him out in the track infield or any arena or livestock pen but only when I'm there to watch him. Because it's the local county fairgrounds and not an actual boarding facility I can't leave him out all day without me there because my luck somebody would need the arena or let him out of the infield on accident or something. I'll just have to hang out with him. Lucky for me I'm an English major and have a lot of reading for school Thanks for all your advice girls it's helping calm me down. This horse is like my child haha
m
I'm sure you know this, but I thought I would remind you... horses that spend a lot of time stalled are inclined to get hurt when they are 1st turned out to run. They have a lot of energy to burn off and they seem to want to do it all at once... Be careful when you let them go. You have to be ready to step back because you never know what might happen. It's nothing to have them spin in place and kick up the heels before exploding into a blur of running beauty.. They run just fine but sometimes they forget how to stop in time..
Edited by komet. 2014-12-03 5:57 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | komet. - 2014-12-03 4:55 PM
mruggles - 2014-12-03 2:48 PM
redmansmyman11 - 2014-12-04 1:21 PM mruggles - 2014-12-03 7:57 AM redmansmyman11 - 2014-12-03 4:27 PM I'd love to see some designs for making him a slow feeder, I was thinking about that actually! MRuggles there are places for me to turn him out (some even with grass) and I plan to as much as possible, AT LEAST an hour a day barring serious illness or physical injury on my part that would keep me away from him.I just can't leave him turned out and go home and abandon him because it's a public place. I'm not going to be boarding him at a facility where someone is on hand to turn out, etc. I'm keeping him at the fairgrounds in a stall with the rest of the rodeo horses from the university. He'll have other horses around but I'll do all the care. Luckily I found a place literally across the street to live. see now im really stumped.....it was never my thought that you are abandoning him...but cant you leave him out in the day and stall him at night especially since there are turn outs..........i must be missing something
m Hannah's right I can turn him out in the track infield or any arena or livestock pen but only when I'm there to watch him. Because it's the local county fairgrounds and not an actual boarding facility I can't leave him out all day without me there because my luck somebody would need the arena or let him out of the infield on accident or something. I'll just have to hang out with him. Lucky for me I'm an English major and have a lot of reading for school Thanks for all your advice girls it's helping calm me down. This horse is like my child haha
m
I'm sure you know this, but I thought I would remind you... horses that spend a lot of time stalled are inclined to get hurt when they are 1st turned out to run. They have a lot of energy to burn off and they seem to want to do it all at once... Be careful when you let them go. You have to be ready to step back because you never know what might happen. It's nothing to have them spin in place and kick up the heels before exploding into a blur of running beauty.. They run just fine but sometimes they forget how to stop in time..
He does that anyway when I turn him out in the pasture lol so I know to be careful. Thanks for thinking of stuff like that (= |
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