All of a sudden he wants to kill her :(

nicolenlolly

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 August 2011
Messages
395
Location
Chittlehampton
Visit site
I am completely at a loss as to what to do with my daughters' ponies. We have a 13.1, 9 year old sec c mare and a 19 year old irish 12.2 mixed breed gelding (the one in my pic). He has always been nicknamed eeyore as he always seems a little morose however he is literally worth his weight in gold, the perfect first pony for my 5 year old and will take her all the way through to jumping 75 and hunting, a complete poppet with people, just not that bothered about having other equine friends.

We had to turn them all away for a few weeks in November, she came home but he was left there with my other horse and another pony for 6 months. When we brought him home in May, he was completely in love with the mare (we have had her for 2 years and him for 3 so they know each other) they were fab and life was easy.

Then suddenly 2 weeks ago, his life mission is to kill her. He has totalled his stable and when we tried to go out on Sunday to a show with them, he double barrelled the trailer repeatedly whilst we were driving along! We came straight home but his legs are a mess and he is lame :(

What on earth do I do? she is not really mareish at all, he is the squealing, nipping, b@st@rd but she has just sprouted a canine and from what I have read up on this therefore she might have a little testosterone going on? I am at a loss, I have to literally make sure that they have food all of the time as otherwise he starts on her.

Hubby is going to build some sort of insert for the stable so they can't see each other through the partition tomorrow which hopefully will help but the girls have pony club coming up in the hols and I feel awful saying only one can go at a time and long term it isn't really a solution.

Is there a supplement that someone thinks might help? Any advice greatly appreciated xx
 

suestowford

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 July 2005
Messages
1,806
Location
At home
Visit site
This may seem a little weird but have you had him tested for Cushings disease? One of mine has it and before he went on the meds he was super-grouchy, really unhappy and bad-tempered. Given the age of your gelding it might be worth getting a test done.
 

CMcC

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 May 2016
Messages
1,098
Visit site
Immediate thought is that he is in pain. Would get vet out to check. Given his age (19 if I read post correctly) there could be age related changes eg arthritis. Would start with physical checks rather than supplement route.
 

nicolenlolly

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 August 2011
Messages
395
Location
Chittlehampton
Visit site
suestowford, he was checked last year and amazingly came through clear although I was expecting a positive result but I could get him checked again, he is very wet and drinks a lot plus he is always late to blow his coat which I understand to be possible symptoms.

CMcC he is a little arthritic in his stifles and I have to stretch him out in the morning and evening. Last year he was diagnosed with stage 4 ulcers and he had no symptoms other than being a little girthy so I wonder whether they are back. If I am honest I assumed it was hormonal rather than pain but you could be on to something...why would they want to hurt another pony though - seems an odd reaction?! funny things eh, never simple!
 

windand rain

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 November 2012
Messages
8,517
Visit site
If nothing shows up on new vet checks I believe it is possible to use things like stroppy mare and oestress on the gelding to calm the situation between mares and geldings but I would get him checked by a vet and ask the questions first. My gelding has always been top of the heap and a really agressive pony with people too hence him not being able to leave here but he has always been the same a sudden change either to make him be a nice pony or to make him even worse would prompt me to get him checked thooroughly by a good equine vet
 

OldNag

Wasting my time successfully....
Joined
23 July 2011
Messages
10,994
Location
Somewhere south of the middle
Visit site
suestowford, he was checked last year and amazingly came through clear although I was expecting a positive result but I could get him checked again, he is very wet and drinks a lot plus he is always late to blow his coat which I understand to be possible symptoms.

CMcC he is a little arthritic in his stifles and I have to stretch him out in the morning and evening. Last year he was diagnosed with stage 4 ulcers and he had no symptoms other than being a little girthy so I wonder whether they are back. If I am honest I assumed it was hormonal rather than pain but you could be on to something...why would they want to hurt another pony though - seems an odd reaction?! funny things eh, never simple!

We had one who we were absolutely certain had Cushings. Had the standard ACTH test and came back borderline. Went for the more expensive TRH test, and that came back high... straight onto Prascend. From the reading I've done since, I gather the ACTH test is not always accurate so may be worth having a chat with your vet if you were expecting a positive result?
 

nicolenlolly

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 August 2011
Messages
395
Location
Chittlehampton
Visit site
windand rain thank you :) I have just called the vet and she is going to come on Monday morning and test him for me. I stupidly just assumed he is older and maybe a little jealous that my daughter who he loves now rides the bigger pony - I know I shouldn't anthropomorphise. Sometimes I think we get so caught up with everything it is hard to see the wood for the trees. He has always been very loving with us, like I say it is just the other horses he isn't keen on!
 

nicolenlolly

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 August 2011
Messages
395
Location
Chittlehampton
Visit site
We had one who we were absolutely certain had Cushings. Had the standard ACTH test and came back borderline. Went for the more expensive TRH test, and that came back high... straight onto Prascend. From the reading I've done since, I gather the ACTH test is not always accurate so may be worth having a chat with your vet if you were expecting a positive result?
Thank you Old Nag, I will be the first to admit, I don't know that much, I am trying to learn all the time but marrying a horsey man I have had to learn fast to keep up. I had just read the very basic list of symptoms online and he fits the bill but then is it like trying to be a google doctor when you are poorly?! you could end up with all sorts! I am using a new vet on Monday so fresh eyes and all that, previously the vet took blood and urine sample but not knowledgable enough to know what the test was I'm afraid xx
 

spike123

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 June 2006
Messages
2,585
Location
Kent
Visit site
try putting him on Rig calm and see if it helps. From what you've said it sounds a possibility that since the mare has sprouted a canine he may now see her as a challenge rather than the love of his life and hence wanting to dominate her. Usually only dominant mares develop canines aparantly so it may well be that she has tried to put him in his place and he's retaliating.
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,198
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
If he is kicking the box and the trailer as well as at the mare and this behaviour is unusual for him he needs a vet, it would be interesting to know what they say on monday, it could be all sorts. If you have the opportunity to video the behaviour before they come I would do so.
 

OldNag

Wasting my time successfully....
Joined
23 July 2011
Messages
10,994
Location
Somewhere south of the middle
Visit site
Thank you Old Nag, I will be the first to admit, I don't know that much, I am trying to learn all the time but marrying a horsey man I have had to learn fast to keep up. I had just read the very basic list of symptoms online and he fits the bill but then is it like trying to be a google doctor when you are poorly?! you could end up with all sorts! I am using a new vet on Monday so fresh eyes and all that, previously the vet took blood and urine sample but not knowledgable enough to know what the test was I'm afraid xx

I would bet it was the ACTH test - it is the standard one.

We went for the additional test as vet and I were so convinced, but he wanted to know levels for dosage and didn't want to prescribe Prascend without a positive anyway.

I hope you get to the bottom of this, must be very worrying.
 

nicolenlolly

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 August 2011
Messages
395
Location
Chittlehampton
Visit site
try putting him on Rig calm and see if it helps. From what you've said it sounds a possibility that since the mare has sprouted a canine he may now see her as a challenge rather than the love of his life and hence wanting to dominate her. Usually only dominant mares develop canines aparantly so it may well be that she has tried to put him in his place and he's retaliating.
Thanks Spike123 this is what I had been thinking and the canine has only appeared in the last 2 weeks. The only thing is, I wouldn't have said that she is a dominant mare really, in fact other than doing that revolting pulsating of her bits at boys which she does, everything else about her is very gelding-like. She is easy to do, easy to catch and deal with, not particularly opinionated to ride although makes my daughter ride for what she wants - you know not generous if she gets the stride wrong etc but all those "typical mare" traits, she just doesn't have! oh goodness it is such a minefield. The vet is coming monday as she was already booked for the mare and this tooth, I want to find out whether we can remove it as to be honest she is so fleshy and has such a huge tongue, there is not enough room for another tooth in there... I have phoned her and added the gelding to the list of things to do but maybe I could try a loading dose of this over the weekend to see if I can calm him down a little so he doesn't damage himself anymore
 

nicolenlolly

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 August 2011
Messages
395
Location
Chittlehampton
Visit site
I would bet it was the ACTH test - it is the standard one.

We went for the additional test as vet and I were so convinced, but he wanted to know levels for dosage and didn't want to prescribe Prascend without a positive anyway.

I hope you get to the bottom of this, must be very worrying.

It's awful OldNag as he is such a poppet normally and I adore the bones of him. I don't expect them to be best mates but I just want to be able to travel them together! But more than that, if there is something wrong with my boy, after all he did for my oldest daughter in restoring her confidence and making her into such a lovely little rider, I owe it to him to make it right x
 

CMcC

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 May 2016
Messages
1,098
Visit site
Nicolenlolly - can I just say it is great to see someone reacting so positively and honestly to the advice you have been offered, there is sometimes a tendency for people not to want to listen to advice (even though they have asked for it!)

On the ulcers, I would recommend Top Spec Ulsa Kind feed, I have a mare who was girthy and a gelding who was quite grumpy and always put his ears back to me. Neither diagnosed with ulcers but low grade ulcers a possibility. Even after a couple of days on Ulsa Kind both behaviours disappeared.
 

Leo Walker

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 July 2013
Messages
12,384
Location
Northampton
Visit site
I have phoned her and added the gelding to the list of things to do but maybe I could try a loading dose of this over the weekend to see if I can calm him down a little so he doesn't damage himself anymore

Dont do that until after the blood test. It can mess up the results on a cushings test.
 

nicolenlolly

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 August 2011
Messages
395
Location
Chittlehampton
Visit site
Dont do that until after the blood test. It can mess up the results on a cushings test.

ah ok thank you, I will wait. The stable is literally outside my front door so when he kicks off, I am there within seconds to stop it all. Hate seeing them so stressed and unhappy :(

CMcC thank you. I asked because I feel out of my depth and I love this forum as there is always someone who has experienced something similar, maybe sometimes people don't use the forum correctly but I always manage to get what I need from here and mostly people are so lovely and kind. I have seen the Ulsa kind feed but so far, after the treatment from the vet and the rescue that gave him the all clear, I have had him on acid ease (until he was then turned out) xx
 
Top