HashRouge
Well-Known Member
Horse is an 18 year old, retired Welsh gelding. Has had various soundness issues (hence being retired) but has been field sound and healthy for years, never sick or sorry.
So this evening I "fed" him (he gets a tiny handful of his field mate's feed, to make him feel included). I was then pottering around the field checking the electric fencing and both ponies were following me and seemed fine. We got to the far end of the field and the dog in the neighbouring house started barking and spooked them (I think they were feeling quite fresh as they don't normally mind barking). They shot off across the field in canter, but it was probably 6 or 7 strides max and then they were back in walk very quickly.
Anyway, when I got back over to that side of the field (very shortly after), I noticed that the Welsh was shaking, badly, and seemed slightly tucked up. He also looked un-coordinated in his legs, especially his hind end. Wobbly, would be a good description. I ran straight back to my car to get my phone as honestly thought I was going to need the emergency vet, he really did look awful, then tried to catch him. He is famously hard to catch and wouldn't let me get him, even though he looked distressed, was still shaking and was not running away as he normally would, but walking away/ turning his bum on me. He was still looking noticeably wobbly at this point, and I could see him shaking. I spent a couple of minutes trying to trick him into a small paddock, where I can normally catch him, when luckily my friend turned up to see her horse and with two of us we were able to catch him easily. However, by the time I got hold of him, he was back to normal - no shaking, moving fine, perfectly calm. We walked and trotted him up and there was no sign of the coordination issues I'd seen before. I stayed to keep an eye on him for a bit longer but he really did seem fine so in the end I left them to it. However, I'm now racking my brains as to what it could have been.
In all, I'd say his episode probably lasted 6 or 7 minutes. He was not cold, as it was a mild afternoon and he is a hardy little soul. I also can't imagine that he was so scared of the dog that he started shaking (he's used to them) and this wouldn't explain why he looked wobbly/ un-coordinated.
So, any ideas? What would you be thinking if this was your horse?
So this evening I "fed" him (he gets a tiny handful of his field mate's feed, to make him feel included). I was then pottering around the field checking the electric fencing and both ponies were following me and seemed fine. We got to the far end of the field and the dog in the neighbouring house started barking and spooked them (I think they were feeling quite fresh as they don't normally mind barking). They shot off across the field in canter, but it was probably 6 or 7 strides max and then they were back in walk very quickly.
Anyway, when I got back over to that side of the field (very shortly after), I noticed that the Welsh was shaking, badly, and seemed slightly tucked up. He also looked un-coordinated in his legs, especially his hind end. Wobbly, would be a good description. I ran straight back to my car to get my phone as honestly thought I was going to need the emergency vet, he really did look awful, then tried to catch him. He is famously hard to catch and wouldn't let me get him, even though he looked distressed, was still shaking and was not running away as he normally would, but walking away/ turning his bum on me. He was still looking noticeably wobbly at this point, and I could see him shaking. I spent a couple of minutes trying to trick him into a small paddock, where I can normally catch him, when luckily my friend turned up to see her horse and with two of us we were able to catch him easily. However, by the time I got hold of him, he was back to normal - no shaking, moving fine, perfectly calm. We walked and trotted him up and there was no sign of the coordination issues I'd seen before. I stayed to keep an eye on him for a bit longer but he really did seem fine so in the end I left them to it. However, I'm now racking my brains as to what it could have been.
In all, I'd say his episode probably lasted 6 or 7 minutes. He was not cold, as it was a mild afternoon and he is a hardy little soul. I also can't imagine that he was so scared of the dog that he started shaking (he's used to them) and this wouldn't explain why he looked wobbly/ un-coordinated.
So, any ideas? What would you be thinking if this was your horse?
