# Moving Depression



## myhorseMia (Nov 20, 2012)

I have decided to move my mare to a western barn, since i am fed up with the rude treatment, arena hogging, and bad mouthing the western discipline at my barn. I am moving in exactly one week, and the place is filled with friendly people, nice horses, and a great facility. However, whenever my mare is moved, she becomes very stressed and depressed, and she refuses to eat for 2-3 days. What could i do to make her more comfortable? Oh! By the way, my friend owns a horse at the same barn we are moving away from, and we are moving our horses (who happen to be best friends) together. They will be in the stalls RIGHT NEXT to eachother! I think this will also help with stress, since this gelding will be by her 24\7. I am moving her to the barn 5 minutes from my house. Where she is at now it is 25 minutes away. What could i do to make the trip as stress free as possible? I plan on leading her around the property after we get there, so she can see nothing will hurt her. Thanks!


----------



## Ashleysmardigrasgirl (Jun 28, 2012)

Try to see if you can bring some (maybe a few days worth) of her usual feed and water to the new place.

Good luck


----------



## cebee (Apr 4, 2010)

When ever I have moved barns I have tried to spend the first day or 2 there, just hanging out. If possible ( and if there are other horses in the pasture you may not be safely able to...) walk the fence line with her so she knows where the boundaries are. Her usual treats are good as well. I have found my horse adjusted fine. Expect the usual fights when they establish a pecking order, and remember that it will bother YOU more than it does them. ( spoken from experience here!! ) If you are concerned that she will not eat, maybe you can feed her apart from the others, especially if she is low on the pecking order. 
It sounds like you have good reasons for moving. Enjoy the new barn!


----------



## myhorseMia (Nov 20, 2012)

Ashleysmardigrasgirl said:


> Try to see if you can bring some (maybe a few days worth) of her usual feed and water to the new place.
> 
> Good luck


Thank you! I will do this!


----------



## myhorseMia (Nov 20, 2012)

cebee said:


> When ever I have moved barns I have tried to spend the first day or 2 there, just hanging out. If possible ( and if there are other horses in the pasture you may not be safely able to...) walk the fence line with her so she knows where the boundaries are. Her usual treats are good as well. I have found my horse adjusted fine. Expect the usual fights when they establish a pecking order, and remember that it will bother YOU more than it does them. ( spoken from experience here!! ) If you are concerned that she will not eat, maybe you can feed her apart from the others, especially if she is low on the pecking order.
> It sounds like you have good reasons for moving. Enjoy the new barn!


Yeah i am hoping to do that since i will be starting my first day of my two week spring break the day we move her. Thanks !


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Having another familiar horse will make a big difference.


----------



## myhorseMia (Nov 20, 2012)

Saddlebag said:


> Having another familiar horse will make a big difference.


I sure hope so! Me and my friend do everything with our horses. We turn them out together, we trail ride together, we graze them together. The gelding (friend's horse) is used to moving since he is always at horse shows for 2-4 days. I really hope it works out! I'll post an update in about a week and a half. Thanks!


----------



## myhorseMia (Nov 20, 2012)

I moved her on Saturday March 16th and she had a lot of anxiety. The second the other horse was out of her sight she panicked. For the first two days she had anxiety. Now it is 100% gone and she is the best behaved she's been in a long time! I love it! I have been at the barn every single day for at least 3 hours for the past 5 days and she is absolutely wonderful! She has been eating ALL of her hay and grain, and she gets along great with the horse we brought her with. Their stalls are right next to eachother, and whenever i take her out he neighs for her. Me and my friend usually ride together and they do wonderful. On sunday i made a mistake of trying to ride her for a few minutes and it was bad. She spooked she bucked she even did a small rear. But i can't blame her. I did everything too soon and it was my fault 100%. She is totally perfect now and i couldn't ask for a better horse. I love it and hope it continues!


----------



## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

No you didn't ride her too soon. She's buddy sour and you allow it. It sounds harsh. But that's what it sounds like.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## myhorseMia (Nov 20, 2012)

Phly said:


> No you didn't ride her too soon. She's buddy sour and you allow it. It sounds harsh. But that's what it sounds like.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I don't really think that's what it was. That's a great observation but i saw her behave and i think i figured it out. She had been stung by a wasp in her left nostril the day i rode her. I found it the day after. But she's doing great now. I rode her today and her buddy was away at a horse show and she was absolutely perfect. She seat stopped perfectly, worked the cattle wonderfully, and when her buddy returned and went to his stall (she was put away for about an hour to be with him and take a break) she was still perfect after taking her out after she had been with him. Thank you!  She has settled in well and we are loving the new barn.


----------



## JustWingIt (Jul 29, 2012)

Sounds like she's settling in well! Very exciting! 

Just one word of advice though, be careful about buddy sour behavior when she is spending all her time with one horse. My gelding got VERY attached to a mare at my barn and I had a hell of a time working him through it. He's a lot better now, but he has to be in a separate pasture from the mare.

Have fun at your new barn!!!! And have fun with your mare!! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------

