Anybody else have a horse that self harms?!

[Hedwards]

So in the past couple of months i've had the vet out/will be having the vet out 3 times - first he trod on his shoe and managed to impail the hoof wall on the toe clip - and after advice from you guys i had the vet out who took the shoe off and had a dig around - nothing to worry about at all (only the vet bill, as it was about 6pm on a sunday!)

Then he goes and gets himself kicked, at the top of his front leg - which then proceeded to swell up like a balloon within a couple of hours - cue another out of hours visit from the vets.

Yesterday i get a call, he's come in with a cut on his face under his eye. where we think he's shoved his face into a hedge and caught it on a twig or thorne (he has no sense of space whatsoever!) luckily one of the other liveries is a vet, she had a look and we cleaned it up, she said not to bother getting my vet out, she doesnt think it looks too bad at all, and as they my Vet is out to see him on Thursday, because wait for it - his teeth are in terrible condition and he needs to be sedated for the EDT to do some work, they can look at the cut then too. (on top of which he has his vaccinations due so another hefty vets bill will be on the way!)

What a couple of months - after his cut below the eye has healed and the teeth are sorted that has to be it...surely? my old mare was never like this, only in her final year (in her 20's and after a very active working life) when she damaged her DDFT & Ligaments did she need the vet for anything other then her Vaccinations (in the whole of the 12 years i had her!!)

Anyone else have a self harmer?

 

[ironhorse]

Frequently - mine specialises in banging her head. She's always done it - her previous owner confessed that when she was a 4yo she had a major collision with something in the field and broke a tooth. Then when we'd actually paid a deposit for her she cracked her head in the trailer and needed stitches. Since then I've frequently got to the yard to find an inexplicable cut or scrape on her face. Fortunately she's a tough old bird and it rarely worries her - altho a couple of years ago she actually managed to eat something prickly and her face was so sore you couldn't touch it or get a bridle or headcollar on for days.

 

[Silverspring]

The front shoe thing was just unfortunate

we've had 2 at the yard do it this winter, one manged to removed the nails from one side of the shoe only and twist the clip under his foot. Walked in from the field pretending he had all 4 shoes still on the little monkey!

The kick again is unfortunate where it landed, front legs don't have much cover on them. My girl has been kicked a few times in the past month or so (it being that time of the year for ladies to get grumpy) but she's never been badly hurt.

Teeth is not something you can do anything about, shame he has to be sedated

but hopefully once the major work is done he'll be willing to stand for the EDT without needing a vet call out.

The head in the bush is just horse's being stupid

lucky you have someone at the yard that can give a bit of advice!

 

[Hedwards]

oh, i know its mostly unfortunate - but it is soooo frustrating. it wouldn't be so bad, but he is also a complete wuss! (pathetic TB i'm afraid) although my old mare was a full TB, but she was totally tough and 'rock 'ard'.

think it may be a boy thing (he's the first gelding i've had) - you'd have thought i was trying to kill him yesterday, even when i was just wiping the excess hibi-scrub off his cheek, no where near the cut... oh well, maybe i should take up chess or something else less stressful (and damaging on the bank balance). its good to hear i'm not the only one with a horse like this!!

 

[only_me]

My boy last year at dengie finals decided that he would like to try and impale himself on some metal railings. Thankfully the person that was holding him prevented him from doing so