Methods of helping a horse thru stress

[welsummerchicks]

I seriously doubt a change of diet will have any effect on what is most likely a lifelong or many years long habit of having equine companionship.

I would also not recommend any temporary companions - get one horse and stick with that one. Not good to be making a lot of changes.

 

[Sierra pachie bars]

We bought a mare, she's just not here. Think I will put a rush on bringing her home.

 

[Thomasturkey]

I have had a lot of luck calming horses down with diet that are stressed by separation anxiety. You can still put weight on them with a low glycemic diet. They will not be pacing up and down.

 

[jettgirl24]

I agree on the companion... Hopefully you can get the mare there soon. Horses definitely mourn the loss of their companions and if he's now alone it's even worse.

I lost my TB gelding very suddenly to a heart attack or an aneurism (we decided not to do a necropsy so not positive which) about 9 years ago. He was extremely close with my mom's mare but we also had my retired gelding and a yearling on our farm as well. In the days and weeks following Seven's death there was a definite sense of grief amongst all of the remaining horses and my gelding became EXTREMELY protective of my mom's mare and the yearling. He seemed to turn into their protector and he would not allow anyone to stray more than a few feet from the herd. It was very interesting (but absolutely heartbreaking) to watch our horses go through the grieving process and it made it clear that much like us, they need support to get through it whether that be from their humans or from other horses.

If these horses were lifetime companions this may be very difficult for the one that is left behind. I think the companion will help but as I'm sure you know he will probably really benefit from a lot of human attention right now. It's good that you have the vet on call in case he starts to go down hill but hopefully he will pull out of it and bond with his new companion.

A side note - It sounds like you took in two horses that have had a very difficult life and have already had to make the toughest decision for one. Just wanted to give you the props you deserve for giving them a home. Even though you had to put down the other horse, at least he could go peacefully and not be left to waste away locked in a tiny pen. You are doing such an amazing thing for the reamining horse by giving him a chance to live out the rest of his life in health and happiness.

 

[welsummerchicks]

A low glycemic diet will not stop pacing caused by the deprivation of a years long or lifelong companion. This is a mental/psychological behavior caused by anguish and deprivation. Horses are feeling, living beings with a complex social and emotional life - these things cannot be taken away by diet changes.

'Low glycemic' is a misnomer for a diet composed mostly of low glycemic index foods. The idea is that after eating the feed, the blood sugar level will change, depending on what is fed.

Many people feel they have created a better equine diet by not feeding grains like oats and corn.

However, with horses there are many more variables that affect the actual blood sugar impact of the feed than simply what is fed. Rate of intake, in particular, can affect the affect of a feed on blood sugar.

The even more difficult question is if these dietary changes were actually to change a horse's blood sugar levels (either to reduce, raise or make them more consistent), what effects can that actually have.

However, the commercial products aren't always changed in a way that has a material effect on overall diet, or even, that has any possibility of benefitting. We have so many buzzwords today - this kind of sugar is bad, that kind is good...

There are a great many claims made for horse feeds that play on the emotions and come under the heading of marketing. Careful analysis of a commercial product is needed to determine if it really is capable of changing the actual nutrients consumed overall in the ways claimed or with the benefits claimed; often it does not.

It takes going way beyond the usual buzzwords and internet spiels and marketing, to really understand how feeds are utilized by animals and whether specific ingredients really do affect nutrition and performance in the ways claimed, or even, if any affects they do have, are beneficial.

The more I study this subject, the more I realize that there is an awful lot of misinformation going around about 'low glycemic feeds'.

 

[Thomasturkey]

It has worked on 100's of horses for me. I am also familiar with all the products available in every feed store in Norco where this horse lives.

 

[Sierra pachie bars]

I am going to try eveything suggested here. This horse is amazing and don't want any steps back where he was. I am going to go out today get the panels we need for the mare now. Then going to see if I cant get her here earlier then we planned. As for feed no I have changed nothing he gets exactly the same pellets I have always given him. I was told to switch to hay, instead of pellets by the vet now that his teeth are fixed. But holding off until he's not stressing out. He seems ok today. He is just staring off into the hill like he's waiting for something.

 

[ultasol]

See if you can borrow a pony or donkey. My parents had a mare who was part of a sister-sister draft team. Due to cancer, one had to be PTS about a year and a half ago. If it weren't for a donkey companion, I believe she would have lost all will to live. The only thing that brought a spark to her eye was the darn donkey.

 

[Sierra pachie bars]

Our new mare is coming tomorrow I hope. We didn't expect to bring her home so soon , but put a rush on it. He's doing ok, still calling. He is drinking and eating . I spent hours just brushing him. He loves it. At least for now he hasn't lost his will to eat. He was a few days ago not eating all his food but he's cleaned his feeder today.

 

[BlackBart]

I know this is going to sound stupid to some people but I had a similar problem and had a Animal Communicator come and see the horse. It had gotten that bad.
Whether you believe in them or not, is not important but what she told me to do, is.
From my experience this is what I would do.

I would go and talk to the horse , have a conversation with him all about what happened and why. Tell him a new friend is coming.
Reassure him.

To my dismay, right after I did that with my mare (she had lost a foal) everything was OK.
To this day, I have running conversation with my horses. I tell them everything, about work, visiting friends etc. Every since I started this, (years ago now), the dynamic has changed, for the better.
I do it with the chickens too. I am sure my neighbor thinks I'm crazy but the jury is still out on that one

well maybe the haven't read the verdict