[RC] sudden behavior change/what worked - alexis_mills
I had this same experience last spring and this is
what I did:
1) I started giving my horse Dynamite on the advice
of Ranelle (who, yes, is a distributor and has a vested interest, but what a
great product).
2) I first went back to 1/2 grass & 1/2 alfalfa
(the boarding stable had switched to straight alfalfa) and then moved my horse
to a stable that feeds only grass, and where more than 20 horses, most of them
eventers or dressage horses, are happily barefoot and turned out
24/7.
3) I started taking Lexapro, one of the newer
antidepressants. I've used such drugs on and off since adolescence (I'm now
almost 50) and hate to think I'll have to forever, but I'd gotten so miserable
that I think my young horse no longer recognized me, and every spook/180-bolt
was triggering a panic attack. (Some of you may remember that the problems
started last March w/ him running away with me after we encountered a white cow
in dense brush.)
Anyway... it took about a month for things to turn
around, but they did, and my horse and I are back to our old selves, enjoying
life together, and I'm hoping we'll be ready for our first 25 next March, a
month before he turns six. We'll be going for the turtle award, but I'm not even
going to worry about completing. I just want to enjoy the ride....
