Have you just moved your horse to a new yard? Here Rosie Jones, recommended associate of Intelligent Horsemanship, explains how you can help him settle.
I’ve found horses settle better when they’re kept busy, so work with your horse daily. Focus on work he finds easy and go back to basic training. I’d recommend working on long reining, simple gridwork or schooling and whatever else he’s familiar with.
Try to get him established into turn out routine with a little group for company as soon as possible. It can help to put him out in a smaller paddock with just one other horse first, before establishing him to the rest of the group.
Have a look at the new grazing he’ll be on. If he’s suddenly on richer or more grass, it might be providing too much energy for him. Big changes in grass can cause digestive upsets with behavioural repercussions so think about giving him some pre and probiotics while he adjusts to the change in grass.
If he’s not improved within a week, chat to the yard owner about whether anything can be changed, sometimes moving horses to a different stable can have an amazing settling effect.
