are some horses mentally unstable?

exracehorse

exracehorse

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I've come to the decision that my TB can never be ridden again. I have tried so hard but can't do it any more. I'm not talking about high spirits or being naughty. Not even pain related. When a horse will literally throw himself on the floor. He's had every test under the sun. I know he has low grade arthritis and slipping stiffles. I turned him away 8 months ago after a horrific hack. He does the most wierd and dangerous things. It's as if something goes ping in his head. I tried again today. A gentle walk around the schooling ring. No pressure. It was a disaster. He shall always stay with me. If I didn't want him anymore then he'll be put to sleep. I can't do it anymore. He's dangerous. On the ground is a sod at times but I can handle him. Are others out there with a horse who seems to have a screw lose? Mentally wise?
 
Yes of course. There may be an underlying reason or he may just not be able to cope with life. He's lucky to have you. Will you get another one?
 
Yes. I bought a poppet of a horse to cheer myself up in December. Oooh, so lovely to have a normal horse. the TB had a terrible head injury 4 weeks into purchase 4 years ago. He was given the all clear and we came on leaps and bounds. Dressage was his thing. But over time strange behavioural issues begun. I blamed the weather., spring grass, etc. But they escalated. One of his classics is to have a meltdown over something minor. I e horse passing him on a hack. He will plant. Spin at high speed. Rear. Pull his back up as if having a wee. Turn his head round so he is touching my boot. Groan. Paw at the ground. Lies down. Then gets up and acts as if nothing has happened. The list is endless.
 
I would guess that banging his head was the start of it and things have gradually progressed since.

We had a horse on the yard who used to be ok to ride, strong but safe. He went out, won his races, went to the Festival and galloped and jumper faster than he ever had done in his life. Came back with a breathing problem. From there he had wind op after wind op and his behaviour under saddle got worse and worse. He started of ok until you built of speed and pressure. Some days you would have a great horse to ride, others he would just bolt flat out through/over anything no matter what you did when you were on him. It started happening more frequently and the final straw was when he bolted on the way to the start of a point to point and ran head first into the ambulance. Personally I think he got scared of not being able to breath and had panic attacks there after whenever it became too much strain. But alas he can't speak so we will never know! He had multi tests and stuff done too. He is now a retired field companion. He is perfect on the ground, not a bother on him but he is incredibly dangerous under saddle.
 
I think he has a screw lose. I'm wondering if the head injury did leave him with something. The odd behaviour has got worse over time. It's not normal.
 
I've met some horses who appear to have a screw loose. Some has been from past experiences they never seemed able to get over fully and move on. Some were over fed, in pain or had owners who didn't know what they were doing let their horses get away with dangerous behaviour. Some had bad or difficult temperaments run in the family, which always had me wondering why they were bred from in the first place. I'm sure you aren't the only person with a crazy horse. I don't see the point with persevering with dangerous behaviour. I used to but my view has changed. There are so many horses about now and not too expensive to buy, it's not worth the risk of injury working with dangerous ones. It's not natural for a horse to throw himself on the floor. Your horse can't shout any louder that he doesn't want to be ridden, whatever the reason behind it may be. I think you are doing the right thing retiring him.
 
We had one who we retired age 12, TBxWelsh D. She had numerous food intolerances, which we think caused lasting brain damage. She could be sweetest animal, but kicked me and bit both sister and me. She lamed herself jumping over electric fencing on hard ground when her best friend was taken out of the field, although she was with 2 other long term companions. Under saddle she randomly bucked occasionally reared and could not cope with any pressure. She died aged 24, of what appeared to be a stroke.
 
We had something at the yard the used to buck and rear for no reason. Then started flipping over randomly so wasn't ridden. Was pts in the end as was getting dangerous and turned out to have a brain tumour.
 
We bred a foal, years ago, and when he was a yearling he jumped a 5 bar gate, fell and knocked himself out. He was out for about 10 minutes, we thought he was dead. He came round with no ill effects. Once backed if something upset him, like yours, maybe seeing another horse, he would sort of fit, rear RIGHT up, spin, throw himself upside down, paddle at the air. Then lie still for a second and get up and be fine. We had him PTS, no autopsy but must have been some form of brain damage. If your horse doesn't even care if it hurts itself it has a screw loose, IMO.
 
No it's not. She's in for breaking. 6 weeks later I can't get her to tollaerate any weight. The just rodoes and will carry on into the side of the school unless you stop her! So im sending her home. She will spook in her stable sometimes and run into the wall or fall over. She goes unusually mental over feed too and falls onto her knees when eating. I feel sorry for her but she's dangerous to work with! Owners don't think there's anything wrong with her
 
We had a mare who had always been a little difficult but not dangerous but as she hit her mid 20's she would drop to the floor when tacked up and really showed she didn't want to be ridden anymore. We retired her and she was a happy horse until we lost her at the age of 35. Her behaviour was always a bit bizzare but having traced her past owners it turned out that she hadn't had a great life before we bought her when she was 10. She hadn't been backed until she was 7 and we were her 4th or possibly 5th owners by the time she was 10. One owner before us had been told by her farrier that he had handled her in a previous home and that she should cut her losses immediately and have her pts as she was dangerous and should never have been passed on with all her problems and refused to shoe her. She was bought by a riding school but obviously thst was never going to work and my MIL who just felt so sorry for bought her, she had only been riding a few months but she couldn't bear to see the mare being passed on again at another sale. She spent years trying to understand that mare and it was only when we bought our own place where we had just 3 horses and no children and lots of coming and going that she realky settled. My MIL rode her and they had a fantastic relationship but as I said when she didn't want to be ridden anymore she did start reverting to her strange and skmetimes quite scary behaviour. I think there is always a reason why a horse becomes aggressive or dangerous and sometimes if tge animal is happy as a field ornament and you can afford to keep them then that is best for them.
 
Clodagh said:
We bred a foal, years ago, and when he was a yearling he jumped a 5 bar gate, fell and knocked himself out. He was out for about 10 minutes, we thought he was dead. He came round with no ill effects. Once backed if something upset him, like yours, maybe seeing another horse, he would sort of fit, rear RIGHT up, spin, throw himself upside down, paddle at the air. Then lie still for a second and get up and be fine. We had him PTS, no autopsy but must have been some form of brain damage. If your horse doesn't even care if it hurts itself it has a screw loose, IMO.
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sounds just like him. He also does it if he can't go in front when out hacking and does it if I won't let him go at a fast pace, when on his toes. He says that he won't move at all then. He spun in a field for 20 minutes once because I wouldn't let him canter.
 
Mine definitely has a screw or two loose. She was diagnosed with cushings last year and has been loads better since on the prascend. She used to have what seemed to be hyperactivity fits. She would get herself so worked up over something small and act totally irrationally.
She still has the odd moment but she doesn't have the real dangerous fits she had when she was younger!

She's never been ridden, and never will be either.
 
Yes I would say that some horses do have something seriously wrong with them I have ridden a few over the years, including one who was described as being 'badly mated' by my employer. Her mother had been bonkers, and so had most of her offspring. She went to the sales.
One of mine, can just lose it for no reason, but has improved over the years. When she gets wound up, she fly leaps through the air, and then not put her feet down. She is better on her own, and with her I think it has been pain related. She had a lot of issues when she was young, and hasn't forgotten, but I think the memory has dimmed slightly, given lots of rest.
 
So sad :( And yeah, I think they can. I've known one or two. You really do need to take a step back, and remember that your own life is not worth risking for that of a horse.

Chucking themselves on the floor is quite a common tb thing! God knows why, surely that would just make them easier food for the predator that is apparently impending... I have actually seen a horse have a seizure where he flipped over in the stable (one of the scariest things I have seen) and he turned out to have cushings, don't know if the two were connected.
 
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I am sorry to say there are. I had one who was really dangerous and it was as if he had a rocker switch in his head. He was also dangerous on the ground so had to be puts.
 
I'd say mine was, the strangest things make him lose the plot, but he is also the most gorgeous willing happy horse to ride, just so unpredictable. Time will tell if managing his newly diagnosed pssm is the road to better things. I've seen great improvements but a bit of a relapse today rearing as we left the yard. I'm realising how hypersensitive to noise he is, He jumps at bird scarers miles away that other horses don't even register.
 
We had what turned out to be a bored CBxTB mare, nappy, reared, ran backwards, broke OH's ribs twice, barging out of the stable, dragged him along a forest ride while longreining, for two years we persevered with little difference, sent her to my daughter, who did have a bond with this mare, the mare is now rounding up New Forest ponies, owned by a gentleman who she clicked with and wanted to work for.
It is my belief that anything with a brain can become mentally unstable, I had an old GSD pts because of his reverting to aggressive behaviour, vet thought brain tumour
 
Due to the fact of a previous head injury, aside from a brain tumour it could be the growth of internal scar tissue on the brain which can tighten over time and cause pressure. Liver problems can also cause weird behaviour.
 
my vet was of the opinion that my previous horse was on the autism spectrum.

he too had every test, repeated twice, and no pain found and used to flip out but was also odd to be around in the stable and field hence vets diagnosis.

i think they is much we dont know about mental health in animals.
 
Clodagh said:
We bred a foal, years ago, and when he was a yearling he jumped a 5 bar gate, fell and knocked himself out. He was out for about 10 minutes, we thought he was dead. He came round with no ill effects. Once backed if something upset him, like yours, maybe seeing another horse, he would sort of fit, rear RIGHT up, spin, throw himself upside down, paddle at the air. Then lie still for a second and get up and be fine. We had him PTS, no autopsy but must have been some form of brain damage. If your horse doesn't even care if it hurts itself it has a screw loose, IMO.
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That's a fairly classic seizure I'm afraid. I think you are probably correct with your diagnosis.
 
Definatley. My horse is a bit of a nutcase, she is a cracking showjumper, an incredible horse but I have never known a horse that stresses or has such bad seperation anxiety. It has got better over the years. I don't know whether to blame her or the idiots that didn't give her 8 weeks to settle in and learn to trust humans,but instead passed her pillar to post. Works out good for us both though, she has a forever home and I have the amazing showjumping horse i've always wanted, even though she does come with her quirks.
 
He's lucky to have you, OP. Hope he enjoys a long and stress free retirement and you enjoy your other horse.
 
Yes, unfortunately I took on an ex racer a few years ago - no matter what I did with him, it just didn't work. He'd be good as gold one day, pycho the next (bronching at full gallop) and off you'd go onto the floor! I did a few local shows with him in hand and he had a great time but riding was just too risky in the end. It was decided he'd be kept as a field ornament until one day, I got the farm - hed jumped out of his field into a garden (fence was still up), smashed through a garden shed, over more fencing and off a 6ft drop into a back yard which obviously resulted in him no longer being with us. Sounds awful but it probably saved my life as I'd have carried on 'trying to sort him out' with v bad consequences.
 
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