Settling In Time

[FjordBCRF]

We are moving barns, again, as the barn we just moved to at the end of December decided they didn’t want any outside trainers working out of their barn anymore. It’s a very nice place, but I’m not too inclined to stay there on my own accord.

My trainer got me connected with one of her mentors, visited her facility and we are moving in over the weekend. The owner is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist and a USDF L Graduate with distinction; retired from a non-horse job a few years back and is full time with horse life. Goals hahaha!

The good news is, new barn is I-D-E-A-L. Small, private barn, owners are on site and have the same care philosophy I do. They just finished a huge new Olympic size dressage arena that I’ll be able to ride and drive in. It’s within 10 minutes of 3 parks with miles of bridle trails I can ride or drive on, and is generally well located for other horse related things. I am so beyond grateful she had a stall and was willing to take me as a boarder.

Fjordy was off yesterday and today and I’m going to give him the next couple days to have a normal/low/no stress days going into the move. It’s only about 20 mins away so a quick trailer ride at least. Given this will be the second move for him in less than 2 months, I want him to have ample time to get comfortable. When we moved at the end of December, we pretty much just picked up where we left off and I think he could have used more settle in time, we were seemingly having some confidence issues in the indoor there with shadows/doors/lighting etc. He is soon to be 6 so he isn’t a seasoned mover arounder.

I’ll be out to see him everyday and was planning to at least at a minimum explore the indoor and outdoor spaces on foot and do some groundwork/positive reinforcement, grooming, stretching and feel good stuff. The good news is, the new indoor Im sure will be much more to his liking than the one we’re coming from so I feel good about that. I had appts with my body worker, my chiro and reiki (first time for that) all scheduled end of Feb/early March and those will need to be changed. Thinking of reaching out to see how quick I can get those rescheduled for him to enjoy before getting back into work.

Any other thoughts on making him feel at home and getting comfortable?

[atr]

If you are happier, he will be happier. I honestly wouldn’t make a Big Deal out of it and would pick up asap where you have left off.

[outerbanks77]

Agree. We take them to shows/clinics and expect regular work. I think it helps to stick with the regular routine more or less. I moved my mare when she was turning five and she was pretty keyed up the first week. In hindsight I might have put her on Esomeprazole or Gastroguard during the transition, but she didn’t have problems.

[fivestrideline]

Put him on ulcergard, and maybe a gastric supp if he isn’t on one, and continue business as usual. We expect them to go show, trail ride, etc etc and just… get off the trailer and go. No reason to make a big deal out of the move!

[FjordBCRF]

Ok awesome. That’s always been my thought as well is that we haul out and do things…and he’s fine with that and actually seems to enjoy it. He is already on Tractguard for digestive support and I give him Platinum Balance for extra pre/probitics when we travel. Ill look into seeing if I can get ulcer guard; that you are suppose to do a day or two days before?

[fivestrideline]

I would start two days before, so for example if I’m moving Friday morning, I’d start Wednesday night. Gives it time to kick in.

When I move my worry wart, he gets a month of Nexium to give him time to settle in. My very self assured horse would get a week of ulcergard, and both stayed on a gut supp. It seemed to work, but YMMV!

[endlessclimb]

I’d probably spend day one hand walking him all over kingdom come so he can see everything on the property up close and not be looking at it from afar wondering ‘WTF is that?!’ Some hand grazing if allowed would be good to settle him, too.

After that, back to business as usual!

[FjordBCRF]

@endlessclimb

I’d probably spend day one hand walking him all over kingdom come so he can see everything on the property up close and not be looking at it from afar wondering ‘WTF is that?!’ Some hand grazing if allowed would be good to settle him, too.

That is exactly what I did with our last move! I think maybe because I was already highly stressed out by having to move out of a unsafe situation in the matter of a couple days, in bad winter weather, plus the stress from moving in general, he probably started off feeding off my energy to a good degree. The new barn we went to was nice, but I knew there were some dynamics going on between the trainers so it was never a warm and welcome feeling there, so maybe that was playing into some things too.

Maybe I need the omeprazole

[endlessclimb]

One for you, and two for me.
One for you, and two for me.

[lenapesadie]

Nexium for the horse, wine for the mom

[Jackie_Cochran]

One thing I always did when my horses were in a new pasture was to lead them around the fence line, the first day if possible.

I think they appreciated seeing the borders of their new world, and if they got chased at least they knew where the fences were so could plan how to escape their bully.

[FjordBCRF]

Yes! I had heard that before and have done that every time we’ve moved. Very good advice.

[Scribbler]

I find if horses move into a congenial new situation they may run around and call out for the first day but they relax really fast. Horses are made to cover ground and find new pastures. They can roam 20 miles in a day on open range. They adapt to new places and new horses fast if the situation is good. They are the opposite of cats.

[walktrot]

I had to move my horse, at 27 y.o.,to a new barn after 19 years. The BO was a close friend but was encountering some health problems and wasn’t taking care of him. I didn’t realize how bad off he was. Depressed and underweight. He was mostly retired from his longtime duties as alpha. It is not unusual when you are with them every day. Our long-time farrier had just retired and she hadn’t noticed either.

We retired to a barn that never advertised so most of the world never heard of it. The vet clued me in. The BO had her Gold Medal and was pretty much the perfect BO. He was in the lap of luxury. Every horse had custom care starting with white boards in the grain room with schedules and recipes. He was fed 4 times/day with free-choice hay and gained back the 150 pounds he lost. His unique personality and energy started to re-emerge after 2-1/2 weeks. Unlimited blanket changes. A beautiful barn that was neat as a pin. Huge indoor and outdoor. 20 stalls with heated Nelsons. 14 with attached runouts open 24/hrs per day. We chose the biggest one on the south side overlooking the parking lot. My horse liked to observe, and he had a bonus visit with the UPS driver.

He was pasture-boarded for 19 years and hated stalls. I was worried but he was okay. The first few days he was halfway down the aisleway and agitated. There is a “window” in the stall grill so he could stick his head out. I think he forgot about the backdoor to the run out for a few days. Once he figured out the backdoor and front window he settled down. When he moved to his permanent stall he was happy. He had a nice turnout by himself next to an historic cemetery. They didn’t want the turf torn up.

He was the happiest horse for 20 months. I knew the barn was on the market and it changed hands 4 months after he arrived. The new BO didn’t change anything. We did a short Century Ride in June 2021, our last ride. The flexion in his left knee finally gave out in July 2022 and it was time to say goodbye.

He is still with me, behind my left shoulder.

[TWH_Girl]

Awww good luck with the move. Maybe he won’t do the zoomies in the scary end of the arena anymore!

[FjordBCRF]

@walktrot

My horse liked to observe, and he had a bonus visit with the UPS driver.

Awww hahaha, I’m sure mine would love that too. What a nice story and a nice life he had!!

@TWH_Girl

Awww good luck with the move. Maybe he won’t do the zoomies in the scary end of the arena anymore!

I feel pretty confident he will be much more satisfied with the new one!! Brightly and uniformly lit, and there is a dressage arena set up in it, so you are off the rail a good distance all around too. The current one was a HUGE step up in terms of quality, but all the doors and shadows were just not agreeable And if we continue the zoomies, I’ll feel more confident that it’s just the winter!

[Baybear]

Interesting that some posts here say business as usual, and put on Gastroguard. I’d probably give a week or 2 of settling in. First week, hand graze, groom etc. maybe towards the end of week 1 go for stroll around the ring, all very relaxed. Then add more light riding the next. week.

You know your horse the best, if you think you need to add Gastroguard or something like that to help him, go for it. I think you’re wise to give him time to get used to the new environment.

[FjordBCRF]

Im still going to take things slow with him. When we get there I want to show him around, get his turnout sorted and start him on their schedule which is pretty similar to what he’s used to. Meet any new herd mates; it’s a 6 stall barn and there are 4 horses now, with multiple pasture options which is great.

For the better part of the first week im just going to keep things low pressure. From there we can get back into where we left off training wise. I have no concrete goals so there is absolutely no need to pressure anything on him.

There is a working equitation “play day” the following weekend near by that I’d like to take him to and I’m playing that by ear.

[TWH_Girl]

How did the move go?

[FjordBCRF]

So far so good!

Saturday he just got to settle. Got turned out with with my trainers horse that he knew from the old barn. They hadn’t been turned out together, but would pass each other in the aisles. They are stall neighbors now too. He got groomed and doted on, we spent a good half hour just hand waking in the arena. And there is a solarium (!!) so he got groomed and stretched out under that and seemed quite relaxed. They also have stall mattresses which I had never heard of before so that’s cool!

Sunday, he had his day of turnout and then I hopped on him bareback and rode, mostly at the walk in the arena, a bit of trotting and he was very good. Today I rode him bareback again and did more trotting; more focus and he got nice and relaxed/supple at the walk for the first time in over a month. Tomorrow I’m going to do a short training ride, just go through our paces at walk/trot/ canter both way and call it a day, then we have a lesson on Wednesday! Planning to keep that low key as well.

It’s really nice with a small amount of boarders that are all there before I am; we have place to ourselves. I don’t have to feel rushed to get a ride in between lessons and it feels so much more relaxed!