Bad behaviour/pain related - habit??

[CPW]

I would welcome everyones opinion on this subject:

When a horse has displayed bad/resistant behaviour over a quite a long period of time which is then discovered to be pain related - once issues have been sorted as much as they can be but the behaviour continues to a degree - is this because there is still discomfort/how much of the behaviour would be habit?

Is it right that the horse's bad behaviour should be completely eliminated should there be no pain?

What is the best way to deal with bad habitual behaviour?

All experiences welcome, thank you!

 

[TPO]

If for example the horse had a poorly fitting saddle that cause back pain. Then even once you fit a new saddle and have the back treated the horse will still associate the saddle and riding with pain; therefore it will expect pain when tacked up.

It's usually harder to fix the pyschological problems and memories than the physical problems.

So no, it's not automatic that once the source of pain is treated or removed that the horse will revert to "normal" behaviour. The pain response might have been going on for so long that that has become "normal" behaviour for the horse.

There are no quick fixes, sorry. Perhaps if you are talking about something specific you could elaborate on it and other people who have experienced the same thing would be able to share their experiences.

 

[Daisy11]

i have to agree with above

 

[Tickles]

Agree. My share horsey is more funny about one of his feet being picked up becasue that is the leg he had mudfever on ages ago. The other three are mostly fine but he remembers that one being painful and is more snatchy with it and overly careful about putting it down. It is sort of reassuring that they are smart enough to thinkthese things through even if it can make our lives more difficult!

 

[Flame_]

I'll go against the majority on this one. If horses remembered pain and carried on limping/compensating through habit, nerve blocks would be pretty impossible wouldn't they?

When the pain is truly blocked, a horse is IMMEDIATELY sound (or hopping lame on the opposite leg, but that's beside the point!). Its a cop out/fob off answer from experts who don't know why your horse isn't right but can't say that or you might not pay them, because its admitting they haven't really fixed the horse.

Remembered pain my ar&e.

 

[JLav]

Well i sort of agree with Flame but also think there are some cases where the horse can start to associate certain things with pain ie a badly fitting saddle can cause issues with tacking up (rather than riding) for a while.

I remember seeing a very expensive imported warmblood dressage horse that was all sweetness and light when it first arrived gradually over a period of 12 months turn into a nappy, rearing monster.

This horse was sent to allsorts of people for a "sort out" as the general concensus of opinion was that it was taking the p*ss out of it's less experienced owner.

To cut a very long story short it was eventually diagnosed with PSD in ALL 4 legs and This horse when nerve blocked on all 4 suspensories was instantly back to its gentle but highly talented self being happy to perform half pass, changes, pirouettes etc.

It was filmed at the vets in the school nearly throwing itself over backwards again and again, broncing etc.

They bought it out of the school, nerve blocked, waited 20 mins took the horse back in the school with the same rider and it was just perfect.

This is a clear example of removing the pain leading to an immediate cessation of the bad behaviour even though this horse had been like this for 12 months.