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 The Rose of Rodeo...
Posts: 2560
  
Location: Where we still run to look when the siren goes by. | I have a gelding that is mentally high maintenance, he has come a long, long ways in the years I’ve had him and is a lot less of a mental case; pretty much a normal horse now with a few quirks. Now that he isn’t so high maintenance I haven’t had to spend as much time on him and can focus more on my other head cases  Then over the summer he started acting almost depressed and not his usual self. He had also pulled a muscle so I was having to leave him home and he really didn’t like that. He isn’t real buddybuddy with any horse and there was always another horse with him, but he would pace and work himself up until we were back.
What are your thoughts on horses feeling depressed? I don’t like to anthropomorphize but depressed is the best way I can describe how he’s been acting..
I’m hoping to spend more time with him and see if he snaps out of it, otherwise maybe Hotbearlvr will prescribe me some horse sized Prozac 
Edited by Rodeo Rose 2013-12-13 10:48 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 294
| I would get some blood work done. Maybe something is lacking. Or cookies.. lol |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| My gelding LOVES me, and only tolerates my mom. My mom lives at the farm, so she does chores.
My gelding will get to the point in the winter, when I'm not making as many trips to the barn, that he doesn't eat, gets listless, and depressed and GRUMPY. I have to make it a point to go and play with him to make sure he's happy in the winter time. Even riding him around at a walk for 10 minutes just makes his day.
My mom can immediately tell when I've been there in the winter because he'll be perky and nicer to her. I don't even have to tell her.
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 The Vaccinator
Posts: 3810
Location: Slipping down the slope of old age. Boo hoo. | Horses thrive on routine and "mentally high maintenance" horses definitely thrive on routine, i.e. feeding, grooming, riding and turn-out routine. Putting these horses into a routine is the best thing you can do for them. They worry so much -- and routine calms and reassures them. When things happen every day at the same time in the same order their stress level goes way down....
For example, the mare I show has quite a bit of TB so she leans toward being a worrier. Having a routine is vital to her well-being. She is a total lap-dog with a solid routine. With no routine she is "lost", looky, and "depressed". |
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The Rose of Rodeo...
Posts: 2560
Location: Where we still run to look when the siren goes by. | He had bloodwork done when I had him in to check his torn muscle and everything came back normal. He is on pasture, grass hay AM & PM with a flake of alfalfa and free choice minerals. Waffles are his favorite so maybe need to make some for him
I didn’t think about routine but yes, he does a lot better when we’re on a routine and we kinda lost it after he got hurt and put out to pasture. In January I will be starting a new job and the hours are a lot better so I will have more time available to mess with him.
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 Dr. Ruth
Posts: 9891
Location: Blissfully happy Giants fan!!! | Your horse sounds exactly like my mare. The road we have traveled has been crazy. And that same type of depression thing has been the cause of a lot of worry for me. I have spent way more money than I care to say trying to figure out what it is. She has been seen by 5 different vets now and had many, many many different tests and things done to her. And it isn't a buddy or routine issue. In the summer ALL of my horses get hauled and taken with me.
What I am praying it ended up benig was an injury that could not heal on its own and that we really didn't know was a true injury. She had surgery on it in November and is now at Cold River Equine for 3 weeks rehabbing. I can tell you when I got her back from her 2 week stay at the vet after surgery she was almost back to herself. She is more calm but her eye is bright and vibrant and she has a good amount of her energy back.
I didn't quit trying to figure out what was wrong with her. Hindsight say had I taken the day off and went to Dr. Tanner first I would have not had to spend the money I did but whatever. I am a firm believer that if my horse is not acting like they usually do, I am not stopping until I figure it out. My gut instinct has been pretty spot on when it comes to this stuff and I stick with it.
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The Rose of Rodeo...
Posts: 2560
Location: Where we still run to look when the siren goes by. | sassy&tessa - 2013-12-13 11:22 AM Your horse sounds exactly like my mare. The road we have traveled has been crazy. And that same type of depression thing has been the cause of a lot of worry for me. I have spent way more money than I care to say trying to figure out what it is. She has been seen by 5 different vets now and had many, many many different tests and things done to her. And it isn't a buddy or routine issue. In the summer ALL of my horses get hauled and taken with me.
What I am praying it ended up benig was an injury that could not heal on its own and that we really didn't know was a true injury. She had surgery on it in November and is now at Cold River Equine for 3 weeks rehabbing. I can tell you when I got her back from her 2 week stay at the vet after surgery she was almost back to herself. She is more calm but her eye is bright and vibrant and she has a good amount of her energy back.
I didn't quit trying to figure out what was wrong with her. Hindsight say had I taken the day off and went to Dr. Tanner first I would have not had to spend the money I did but whatever. I am a firm believer that if my horse is not acting like they usually do, I am not stopping until I figure it out. My gut instinct has been pretty spot on when it comes to this stuff and I stick with it.
Exactly! SO said he’s just crabby because it’s winter and cold. I’m feeling it’s more than that, I’ve always gone with my gut too and it’s been right on so far..
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Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| I think part of my guys issue is the fact that he's bored. He knows when his shoes are gone, we aren't going anywhere. It's funny how he perks up in the spring when we get shoes on!
I can kind of see his point. I get crabby and depressed when I don't get to ride, it's cold out, the ground is frozen and hard, and it's DARK all the time! |
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