Agrophobic horse

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amandathepanda

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My friend has got a 31 year old mare which she has owned for for past 27 years so obviously she is very attached to her. In November she seemed to get 'stuck' in season and the vet had to treat her with regumate to sort her out, but because she was in such an extreme season & turned agressive to the other horses in the field she was kept in for about 6 weeks until she came out of season.

Now there is a new problem with the horse as she seems to have developed agrophobia. She stands there weaving over the stable door and will come out but won't go any further than 15 yards away from her stable. If you force her through the field gate she either panics & tries to go through the fence or just stands there looking dejected. If you lead her in the other direction to the other field, she will stand up and start boxing at you with her front legs until you lose her & then charge back to her stable. Her vet is being completely useless as he is mainly a small animal vet and I think he is a bit out of his depth with a horse like this. I have suggested ACP but my friend isn't keen on that idea as she thinks it will just make her sleepy(!). My poor friend is at the point where she can't cope anymore but doesn't want to have to PTS unless there really is no other option.

Anyone got any bright ideas? In my opionion, it almost looks like the mare is napping in the way that she runs back to the stable. Can horses get an equivalent of Alzhemiers? There is definately something not quite right with the poor old girl
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What about if your friend just leads her around and then puts her back in the box - ie doesn't make her go out?
Is she still in work, and what is she like when she is taken away from her stable to be ridden?
Just wondering if it is the field she doesn't like, or the stable that she's too attached to.
 
Poor thing! Is the yard secure? If so would it be safe to just leave her stable door open so she can come and go as she pleases? Perhaps pop a feed outside or a haynet so that there is a nice treat/incentive to leave her stable without going all the way to the field? Then could you introduce another quiet horse/pony to also mooch about with her so she can make a friend? If she forms a bond with another horse/pony she would feel less insecure and the two of them could be led out together. Just a thought
 
The mare is retired now. We have tried leading her about but she just panics, rears and once she manages to get away from you will run blind through any fence or gate that is in her way until she gets back to the stable.
 
I see that your in Cheltenham, why not try Bourton Vale Equine Clinic, I can PM you the number if you like, they are a big speciality horse vets and they go to all the big comp yards in the area and are generally very good. Not much help myself but they may be??
 
The yard is secure but it isn't concrete and is now getting very churned up and boggy. The mare also gets mud fever so standing around in these conditions isn;t going to help her. We have tried feeding her in the field but she won't eat and just runs around in a panic until she comes back in.
She is usually turned out with her 27 year old daughter who she has never been seperated from & a 6 year old gelding with whom she has a close bond. Thanks for the ideas though!
 
Thanks for that, we have already spoken with Kearns & Rea who are my vets and it is difficult because another practise is already treating the mare - they start to get worried about tredding on other vets toes, I think it is also to do with professional ethics. The number for Bourton Vale would be handy though thanks!
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I've suggested getting her eyesight checked out properly. The vets that are treating her at the mo are saying that it is related to her hormones but I'm not convinced it is the only problem. Sandy is worried that if she leaves the mare in indefinately that she won't have any quality of life in which case it would be kinder to PTS. It is a difficult one as it isn't my horse, Sandy thinks the world of Willow having had her for so many years but she can't afford to spend loads of money on a horse of that age (nor do I think it is fair to put a horse of that age through too much in the way of medical treatment). I'm just hoping somebody out there might have some wonderful suggestion that I haven't tried yet!
 
I can see thats very difficult, but its supposed to snow/get v cold in the next couple of days so perhaps if the yard is frozen it wouldnt get any more churned up if you let all 3 out in it for the day. Just maybe she would re-establish her friendship. I think its probably going to be the only thing that might help (although but to be honest I have never come across any horse that agoraphobic so I dont know!)
 
Its hard isn't it. I've just lost my mare to cancer. She had a tumour on her liver and in her last few days took herself away from the others in the field. While leading her out she would pull me about, drinking out of puddles, biting off twigs from trees, nuzzling in the dirt/mud but wouldn't eat or graze...It turned out she had this tumour and the toxins were making her bahave oddly..
I do hope it isn't but have your friends vets considered something like this..
 
Have you considered keeping her on regumate. This might have a direct effect if there is a hormonal basis to her behaviour, but progesterone also has some sedative/anti-anxiety properties that might help.
 
Does she always have a rug on when she tries to turn her out?
If so, try without and see if the reaction is the same as my horse went through a very similar thing and his turned out to be a phobia of being outside in a rug
 
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Its hard isn't it. I've just lost my mare to cancer. She had a tumour on her liver and in her last few days took herself away from the others in the field. While leading her out she would pull me about, drinking out of puddles, biting off twigs from trees, nuzzling in the dirt/mud but wouldn't eat or graze...It turned out she had this tumour and the toxins were making her bahave oddly..
I do hope it isn't but have your friends vets considered something like this..

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Funny you should say that but I have been wondering something along the same lines myself. The only thing that doesnt fit is that she still has a good appetite & isn't losing condition.
 
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I can see thats very difficult, but its supposed to snow/get v cold in the next couple of days so perhaps if the yard is frozen it wouldnt get any more churned up if you let all 3 out in it for the day. Just maybe she would re-establish her friendship. I think its probably going to be the only thing that might help (although but to be honest I have never come across any horse that agoraphobic so I dont know!)


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She does have a very good bond with the other horses, when she is out in the yard or hovering around the gate she will call to the others. If she sees the others in the field she is obviously very keen to join them, however, when she gets to a certain point it is as if she suddenly just has a panic attack & can't go any further.
 
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Have you considered keeping her on regumate. This might have a direct effect if there is a hormonal basis to her behaviour, but progesterone also has some sedative/anti-anxiety properties that might help.

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Now that is something that could be worth investigating. The vet was keen not to leave her on regumate permanently because of the cost implications on an old horse but I think something like that may be a solution.
 
Could she have a shetland or a goat or something similar in her stable with her? Once they have formed a bond then you could lead them out to the field together and she maybe would feel less insecure about leaving the stable? Is she happy in any stable or just her own? If she will go in any then would it be possible to move her to a larger one so she has more space and then she might be happier even if she is staying in. If nothing works then maybe having her PTS would be the best option for her sake.
 
Well maybe she is losing her marbles...my MIL has just been diagnosed with Alzheimers and one very sure sign was her not wanting to leave her safety zone ie her house. Maybe this mare knows she's not right and is feeling vulnerable out in the field..
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if so, I wouldn't force her out there...
 
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Well maybe she is losing her marbles...my MIL has just been diagnosed with Alzheimers and one very sure sign was her not wanting to leave her safety zone ie her house. Maybe this mare knows she's not right and is feeling vulnerable out in the field.. if so, I wouldn't force her out there...

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Honeypots that is one of my big worries too. If that is the case I know Sandy will be devastated but there is only one responsible thing that can be done. So difficult sometimes knowing when to call it a day with an old horse & trying to advise & support a friend who really doesn't want to lose her much loved old girl.
 
I am really sorry to hear about your friends horse and her problems. I would really get veterinary help in looking at the actions of the mare. I am going thru a worrying time with my mare at the moment...she seems to be having panic attacks...I am getting her fully checked by my vet (everything including blood tests, eyes, etc etc) but I think it is psychological...she seems to have a 'thing' about doorways and gates....but it can be dangerous as she suddenly runs like a shot and there is nothing you can do and she doesnt seem to 'think' about where she is going or what she is doing. She went crazy in her stable last week - was fed breakfast fine and quiet and then went crazy but yet afterwards was still happy to go back in there. She wants to go out but seems to wind herself up to the point of madness about it.
I have been worried that it is like a senile thing or a liver problem...

Also my mare had a very bad last (it is transition season, first and last of the cycle) season a couple of months back and was given an injection as her ovaries were not realising...I was told Regumate would just mask it not solve the problem. I have had her on Regumate before but this time she was acting differently. After a couple of days she was fine.

People have suggested it could be her eyes or some kind of hormonal imbalance.

If I didnt think the vet was looking at the problem properly I would definitely get a second opinion from another practice. My horse deserves that chance and any help I can provide..she cant tell me and she cant mend on her own.

Also we are considering that there is a 'newish' mare on the yard which may give off bad vibes - as another mare cannto stand being the field next to her tho she does nothing to wind her up...and my mare has also been in the field beside her. Not scientific but strange behaviour makes you look at everything as a possibility...

I really hope your friend finds some answers and a solution...
 
how odd there was a horse like this at my old yard- scared of large AND small spaces. had a medium sized stable and couldn't be turned out as he went crazy but wouldn't let u catch him... sometimes he really wouldn't lead into stable- would just rear and rear,
but he'd always been like it....
(anyway my essay isn't very relavent) but good luck xx
 
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