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  Discussion on New problem with pacing along fence
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Member:
Mbh851

Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 6:25 am:

My 15 year old gelding has just come off of 3 months of stall rest and limited turnout in a small paddock. In the stall his only vice was to bang on the door when he was out of hay. The paddock was right next to the field where he was turned out before and he would occasionally visit across the fence with a horse with whom he was turned out before. The other horse in there is new to him.

He was finally able to be turned out 4 days ago, in that same field. He has always been the kind of horse who would DrOp his head and graze anywhere, in any new situation. Instead of enjoying his freedom again, he paces the fence by the gate nonstop the whole time he is out. The first day this happened (second day out I believe)he was lathered with sweat and had to be walked out before he could go back to his stall and be fed. The next day I was able to get there and bring him in; he was pacing with nostrils flared and grinding his teeth and didn't seem to relax til he got into his stall and DrOped his head into his hay. Yesterday he was still pacing but did seem a bit calmer. The last two days the most aggressive of the two horses, but the one he was turned out with before for a year, has been gone most of the day.They are DrOpping hay along his route.

It seems to me that this must be stress related. I really don't want it turn into a long-term habit if I can do anything to prevent it. The horses he is in with are agressive and he does have bites on his back, but that seems ineveitable on returning to the herd. I've thought about moving him to a different field, giving him some Ace before turnout or seeing if having an additional horse in the field would help as there are ony two now (the agressive ones) and maybe he needs another one to pair up with.

Any suggestions welcomed!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 7:45 am:

I think you need to relax and let him reintegrate as long as he is not in physical danger. If you think he is pacing to the point he might hurt himself (for example bruise his feet), the ace is sensible until he adjusts a bit.
DrO
Member:
Jojo15

Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 10:30 am:

what about natural relaxers, like quietex.. its a powder and you can put in their feed. I would do this for my TB before trailering. I think it helped.
joj
Member:
Dres

Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 2:03 pm:

Linn, can you throw out some hay along the fence line to give him something to do other then pace..??


On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with SPOTS..
Member:
Cmitch

Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 2:53 pm:

I have just started putting my horse out, after 60 days of stall rest (with no injury---long story--misdiagnosis). I rode him for 4 days, and he was calm under saddle with no drugs, so, given the fact that we weren't worried about a RE-injury, just still didn't want him to be so excited that he actually did hurt himself, we decided to turn him out (if we were worried about re-injury, I would have ridden him up until we were trotting before I attempted turnout). Day 1 -- 3 cc's of ace, wait 20 minutes, hand graze him for 15 minutes and then let him go---didn't run once, Day 2-- raining, but 2.5cc's of ace, hand graze, let go, no running --although only out like 30 minutes, b/c it was raining and didn't want the ground to be too wet. Day 3 -- 2 cc's of ace, and just let him go out on his own---MANIAC, pacing the the fence (running, bucking...... I, like you, do not like running like that when they look out of control, so I brought him in. 2 hours later--same day, took him out, no more ace, still just from the morning, hand grazed him for 20 minutes, then let him go---no running. Sooooooo, I think the ace combines with taking him out there to hand graze first, really helps. Dr. O, how long does Ace last? How long does it take affect?

It is so stressful, while your horse gets back into the routine. I just can't imagine when everything was normal, and my horse just went out like every other normal horse, but I guess we have to be patient..... Just tkae you time, and baby steps, and USE the Ace!! Keep me posted.

Cindy
Member:
Cpacer

Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 6:29 pm:

Hate to ask an ignorant question, but what is Ace?
Member:
Cmitch

Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 8:02 pm:

a tranquillizer that can be given in the muscle or orally (or in the vein by a vet). It does not have any neurological affects, and when used in the correct amounts, keep shorses fairly quiet. You need to just make sure you don't give too much, because they aren't as suyre on their feet with it, if they get to running.
Member:
Mbh851

Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 8:41 pm:

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. DrO, you were right; he has settled down considerably today. As Cindy said, it is very stressful and easy to worry when things are not going well. I have been through a lot with this horse, and am just trying to get him pasture sound and able to be out and enjoy being a horse, as he will be retired. When this occurred, I was a bit overwhlemed thinking there was yet another strange problem developing, when I had thought we were over the worst. And he seemed so distressed in a way I hadn't seen before either.

I'm grateful it was short-lived and appreciated all the responses. Good luck with your fellow, Cindy. I know how hard it is when it seems like things will never be back to normal.

Now I think I'll sit back ...and take a little Quietex.

Linn
New Member:
Revkaren

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 8, 2006 - 12:52 am:

I have a 3 year old Arabian gelding that has started to pace. He is at the trainer's barn and has a stall and paddock. He now has to be kept in the stall because he was DrOpping weight and picking on his neighbors. He is worked 5 days a week and is turned out at least twice a week in a large turn out. What can we do to break this habit before it is deeply ingrained?
Member:
Scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 8, 2006 - 8:23 am:

Hi Karen, welcome. We had an arabian at our barn last year that was a terrible fence pacer at turnout, also somewhat in his stall. What helped him was free choice hay, when alone. When turned out with a buddy, that matched his personality, it all but disappeared. I think it is a nervous habit, that is hard to control.
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