What's Wrong With My Horse?


mdtaylor
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I have a 14 year old mare that has recently lost her 30 acre pasture and is now stuck in a 10 acre pasture. Unfortunately this 10 acres holds the water a little longer than I would like so we do not let the horses out because they would tear up the pasture so bad. So she is confined to a stall/paddock that is maybe 400 sq feet. During this time she refuses to eat hay or grain. Drinking is fine, good bowel sounds. When we finally do let her out she gobbles up the grass and hay and goes back to eating grain again.

Is this just a rebellous child?

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She is spoiled on the good stuff. What child or person gets very hungry without much exercise? But...what child or person, exercised, hungry or not, is going to refuse the goodies? I am assuming the enclosure is about 20 X 20 = 400 sq.ft.? If she is used to 30 acres, or even 10, she probably has some pent up energy which can also lead to anxiety. Anxious creatures also frequently eat hastily..It doesn't sound like she is physically ill, but emotionally upset and trying to adjust to her new quarters.

I trained horses over 35 years until one fell off a cliff, landed on top of me, and broke my back. I still love them, but pelvic injuries prevent me from riding anymore.

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what they said!

I don't think she's spoiled, her world has changed and she's making her adjustments; did you say she does or does not have access to the ten acres?

When it is dry, yes. She has been there since June. Of course, it only just started raining again here in Texas...

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well like everything in life, sometimes we just have to deal with what we've got, mares do too

my experience with horses is relatively limited, but I rode regularly as a child and young adult; with all of the similarities I saw, there were always those unique things that made rebel rebel and gordie gordie...how is everyone else fairing?

with time and attention, she'll come around to her "new normal"

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I agree, if she's otherwise healthy and eating normally it's probably a result of being confined to her new quarters. It's a big change in lifestyle and horses get depressed too. You mentioned other horses... does the mare in question have any social interaction while she's in the stall, or has there been a significant restriction in that regard since the move? It's hard to say without observing your stable but I suspect it may not be just the diminished pasturage that's an issue for her.

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