dottylottie
Well-Known Member
so backstory, june last year (2 months after purchase) diva did her SDFT in both back legs, cue lots of box rest and a very angry pony - whilst on box rest she was downright dangerous, aggressive and unhappy, understandbly. she could be difficult to handle before being lame though, we’re talking body slamming you into walls etc because she hadn’t even been taught the basics before i bought her.
cleared june this year, and she’s a poppet 99% of the time now - always been protective over food but now it’s aimed at lily putting her head over the wall not me, i can brush her/rug up etc whilst she eats with no issue, no more aggression in the stable save for pulling a face when i tell her to get out the way when im mucking out, or go in with a water bucket that’s not got food in! since being back out in the field she’s fine, she gets grumpy if they stay in for a few days for whatever reason though
this concern came yesterday when i was brushing between her front legs and she snapped her teeth at my head - no contact thankfully but i tried again later on with just my hand and same response.
didn’t think much of it at the time, just thought i’d scrubbed too hard or something, we went out to a clinic last night and she gave me the best ride i’ve had on her! she’s still very green, we get the odd buck going into canter, but overall doing well.
her saddle needed refitting and before that we were having a lot of rodeo moves in the canter, since it being refitted she’s 80% better at home, 90% better at a clinic in a bigger arena. put it down to baby stuff but now questioning if it’s more sinister.
she’s more often than not fine to girth up, anytime she’s put an ear back i’ve put it down to me squishing her in a bit too tightly for her liking, but she stands nicely to be tacked up and doesn’t go to the back of the stable or anything.
i’ve battled all year with her coat looking naff too, this is one of the biggest things since looking more into it that’s making me question it, before she went lame she was on a handful of chaff as a token gesture when lily got fed and her coat was amazing, this last year she’s been on 2 different balancers and various different supplements and i’ve struggled to get her coat really shine, she’s just been semi-shiny i suppose. meanwhile lily isn’t on a balancer and doesn’t get brushed as often as she should, and she’s been shiny all year.
i think i’m going to get her booked in for a scope anyway, even thinking it all through i don’t think she presents as a “typical” (is there any such thing now?!) case, but there’s just the thought in the back of my mind that she’s not “just a bit grumpy”
sorry this is so rambly, just needing to get my thoughts out! and feeling awful that if this is ulcers it’s been going on since the box rest, but because there was such a dramatic change when she went back out we’ve all just assumed she’s simply a bit of a grump.
ETA: she was trotted up for the farrier and saddle fitter a couple of weeks ago, both said she looks brilliant, tracking up nicely ridden too etc. i’m confident that if she does have them, it’s come from the previous lameness/box rest
cleared june this year, and she’s a poppet 99% of the time now - always been protective over food but now it’s aimed at lily putting her head over the wall not me, i can brush her/rug up etc whilst she eats with no issue, no more aggression in the stable save for pulling a face when i tell her to get out the way when im mucking out, or go in with a water bucket that’s not got food in! since being back out in the field she’s fine, she gets grumpy if they stay in for a few days for whatever reason though
this concern came yesterday when i was brushing between her front legs and she snapped her teeth at my head - no contact thankfully but i tried again later on with just my hand and same response.
didn’t think much of it at the time, just thought i’d scrubbed too hard or something, we went out to a clinic last night and she gave me the best ride i’ve had on her! she’s still very green, we get the odd buck going into canter, but overall doing well.
her saddle needed refitting and before that we were having a lot of rodeo moves in the canter, since it being refitted she’s 80% better at home, 90% better at a clinic in a bigger arena. put it down to baby stuff but now questioning if it’s more sinister.
she’s more often than not fine to girth up, anytime she’s put an ear back i’ve put it down to me squishing her in a bit too tightly for her liking, but she stands nicely to be tacked up and doesn’t go to the back of the stable or anything.
i’ve battled all year with her coat looking naff too, this is one of the biggest things since looking more into it that’s making me question it, before she went lame she was on a handful of chaff as a token gesture when lily got fed and her coat was amazing, this last year she’s been on 2 different balancers and various different supplements and i’ve struggled to get her coat really shine, she’s just been semi-shiny i suppose. meanwhile lily isn’t on a balancer and doesn’t get brushed as often as she should, and she’s been shiny all year.
i think i’m going to get her booked in for a scope anyway, even thinking it all through i don’t think she presents as a “typical” (is there any such thing now?!) case, but there’s just the thought in the back of my mind that she’s not “just a bit grumpy”
sorry this is so rambly, just needing to get my thoughts out! and feeling awful that if this is ulcers it’s been going on since the box rest, but because there was such a dramatic change when she went back out we’ve all just assumed she’s simply a bit of a grump.
ETA: she was trotted up for the farrier and saddle fitter a couple of weeks ago, both said she looks brilliant, tracking up nicely ridden too etc. i’m confident that if she does have them, it’s come from the previous lameness/box rest
