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Expert
Posts: 1543
   Location: MI | I have a 10ish year old gelding that has improved greatly in the time I've had him with anxiety. But, I'm having a hard time helping him get rid of the last of it.
In the past, he has been very "mare sour" to the point of being a bit studdy - more agressive to the other geldings, talks a lot when the mares are around, sniffs poop, etc. This has improved greatly (we've gone back to the basics, worked on his feed), and he is doing excellent at home. But, this is still an issue when we haul one of our mares along. He has improved, but still won't focus easily on me and this translates into big issues on the barrel pattern. I feel like I was fighting him all. day. yesterday.
I have a call in to the vet.
Just wondering if there is anything specifically that has worked for anyone else?
I've heard that Silver Lining Keep Cool might help?
I'm hoping that someone has worked through this too; I'm not looking for "this is why I don't have geldings and mares". I really have enjoyed seeing this big guy progress, and I'm really rooting for him to make it the rest of the way. Thanks for any thoughts or ideas! |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
      Location: Arkansas | Bump |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
       
| You might try tying the gelding on the opposite side of the trailer when you go somewhere. |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
   Location: MI | Thanks Streakysox. He was on the other side of the trailer this past week, from the mare and gelding. I’ve heard that rubbing vicks in his nose might help, so I might try that. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
              Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | He sounds proud cut.. Did you buy he already gelded? |
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 Location: my piece of paradise | I have a gelding who is the same way. He will even mount and breed my mares that are in season. He is aggressive towards other horses to the point that he is kept by his self and he prefers it that way. I keep him tied by himself on the otherside of the trailer when we haul. He does talk and call for the others but after about 30 minutes he settles down. I do not tolerate it while on his back, he is reprimanded very quickly when he is unfocused and trying to call for them. I have had him tested and he does produce higher amounts of testosterone and vet and I think he was not properly gelded. I keep him on medroxyprogesterone injection every 2 weeks and it helps a lot. It is aggravating but he is a really good barrel horse so I put up with it. |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
   Location: MI | Thanks. I've been wondering if he was proud cut, or at the minimum, gelded late. He was gelded when I bought him year. They kept him seperate from the mares because they said it was an issue. At home it isn't an issue at all anymore, but away it is. When riding, he doesn't typically call, he is just SO unfocused and bracy that we can't get a decent pattern. I haven't figured out how to break through that effectively yet when we are hauling a mare along.
I think I will get his testosterone levels just to see. Someone I read about said that their horse had extra testicular tissue, and once that was removed they were quite good to go. But I know it's a very rare chance that will be the problem here. It just bothers me to see him so upset.
Thanks, I really appreciate the thoughts! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
      
| Ridenrun4745 - 2018-06-18 7:50 AM
Thanks. I've been wondering if he was proud cut, or at the minimum, gelded late. He was gelded when I bought him year. They kept him seperate from the mares because they said it was an issue. At home it isn't an issue at all anymore, but away it is. When riding, he doesn't typically call, he is just SO unfocused and bracy that we can't get a decent pattern. I haven't figured out how to break through that effectively yet when we are hauling a mare along.
I think I will get his testosterone levels just to see. Someone I read about said that their horse had extra testicular tissue, and once that was removed they were quite good to go. But I know it's a very rare chance that will be the problem here. It just bothers me to see him so upset.
Thanks, I really appreciate the thoughts!
For the time being, until you can get him tested, I would put some Vick's in his nose so he doesn't "smell" the mares. We've used it on a lot of studs. |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
   Location: MI | Thanks, I appreciate that. I'll try it! |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
 
| I haul a stud, I also haul mares sometimes with us. This is a training problem in my opinion. Herbs, rubs and tricks aren't going to help with this issue. Teach him to pay attention to you. Then if he acts inappropriately, get after him. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 387
     
| I would call your vets, sometimes hormones play a part, I had a mare that was like that, she had too much testosterone in her system so we gave her progesterone (depo-provera) shot once a month, it helped soo much! all we had to do was pull blood and test her levels |
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