At a loss with little mares dreadfull spooking?

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pipper

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i am having BIG problems with a little Welsh Mare that we have had for a number of years - she is not an easy ride and can be unpredictable at times but a real sweetie. She is more difficult in the winter and so i have her on calmers (tried a number of different ones with varying results but nothing that is outstanding) She also has had eye problems (no sight lost) and has been on 2 bute a day. I recently stopped the bute (with vets blessing - but she has given me 'approval' to mess about with meds to see what works and what doesnt) So the little mare has been off work/riding for a little while now. Usually can just get back on and she is ok but this time she has gone crazy! Really really spooky to the point that she is difficult to walk round the school in hand (so not anything to do with tack/riders weight ect - BTW all checks have been done recently) so am wondering if its pain - put back on bute? New calmer - clearly not working but actually making her worse, or just something in the school frightening her? God knows????
Dont really know which one to tackle first??? Pointless post really as replies will only be guess work due to not knowing the pony or seeing what is happening.
Will be having instructor once i can get her going again, so maybe just have to persevere.....
Im tempted to put her back on the bute and see what happens though?
any thoughts??
 
I don't know if there is something in the air? Everything on the yard is totally possesed at the moment! I wonder if the grass is coming through already?

My mare is sometimes a bit full of herself, but generally is good - but she has been utterly evil, plain dangerous to lunge yesterday. I have dropped her already minimal tea right back, her hay has been reduced too and I'll be hacking tonight with company to hopefully get some sillyness out. Ours are on balanced minerals so shouldn't be lacking magnesium, but I have found that topspec calmer helps aswell. I don't know what to suggest other than stripping food right back? Obv not to rspca levels, but I know mine spends more time being a cow when she doesn't have food on her mind - turned out a little hungry and she'll just get her head down, turn out with breakfast and she'll just terrorise each poor soul walking past!

Sounds like you are happy there aren't any vet type issues, so can only suggest more work and less energy giving food? Does she get any cereals or oils, or any molassed food? Would certainly cut those right out for the time being. Nothing to be lost with a bute trail too - at least that way you can rule out the possibility of it being a pain reaction.
 
What where her eye problems?
Is she stabled at all?
If she is being spooky and has always been so I would take her off all feed - everything apart from grass and make her live out 24/7 if she is not already doing so - for 4 weeks and see what happens.
 
I am confident it isnt food related - she only has fast fibre and hay. She has all day turn out (not enough grass or room for 24/7) i wonder if the grass is coming through already.....
 
Is it worth double checking that there isn't any loss of sight ! that seems the most logical explanation if its not feed related. Or, it could just be the approaching spring !

Good luck
 
DO a bute trail if she improves on bute and gets worse when you take her off it you know you have a pain problem .
However an unsuccessful bute trial does not mens you can rule out pain as some issues are not helped by bute.
good luck I hope you sort her out.
 
I'd firstly cut out all potential causes (calmers, feed etc) although there's little you can do about spring grass. Then give her two weeks of solid 'work' to get back into the routine, so daily walk inhand and lunge (certainly wouldn't be riding her tho!), until it's no longer novelty.

If that helps, then you could slowly add things to see if it makes her better/worse.

If there's no improvement i'd try a bute trial then check her eyes.
 
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