behaviour changes

Tyssandi

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I will set the scene

Thursday morning just mildly snapping teeth at horses behind when we were bringing her in. She schooled well with the trainer, but then Friday morning when about to put head collar on she snapped at the headcollar and had it in her mouth. Looked a bit grumpy, and did the same thing Saturday - we went for a hack when she tripped a few times and getting back to yard. Three owners decided to go into the field and jump really small jumps a few times but not many due to ground conditions. This one mare put her head right up as she does and trying to break the habit and tried to charge at the jump ending in cat jumping it. Rider is also a trainer so sat to it though hard, came round to jump it again and the mare started napping to the gate to the point head bent round towards the jump despite leg and shifting body she walking sideways. A little smack to say oihh listen - to which she kicked out. Then she started running backwards again out of character, she finished up popping the cross pole from a walk then 2 strides out trot but something not right.


Called physio but then had second thoughts going to call vet as I suspect liver or ulcers. The mare looks very grumpy when you stroke her, oh yes prior to hack yesterday she did snap when the saddle put on, but that was all. Nothing when girth done up etc.........................
Thoughts!!!
 
it could be anything but defo sounds pain related

My horse has had numerous lameness issues and before he's shows any obvious lameness, normally a week before, he starts acting out of character, like this! I.e napping and his reactions get bigger and bigger the more he's pushed! she will be start by not wanting to be tacked up, then planting, and if he's smacked to get him moving, he will kick out, and it always eventually ends in a rear. then a few days later he will come in lame!

He's being good for the last year, now its been treated but I've had his checked for so much, kissing spins, ulcers, etc and he's always ended up going lame shortly afterwards!
 
I'd suspect ulcers - has she been short of food or stressed of late? You could use this to check https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr05hMmLCY4

well they generally come in after being out all night about 8am week days and 9am weekends they then get their breakfast and lunchtime hay before their tea. So really they are just 1 hr over the limit amount recommended without feed. if it is ulcers then i will give her a morning hay net but if liver I will switch her to haylage as the ponies liver came down when we stopped hay and switched to haylage
 
just got this come up when i tried to post

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so I will try again - her last cycle was about a month ago.
 
Well vet been ever so slightly rind had lame ( prob from previous kick)


We have opted for bloods to be checked ( done ) waiting for results and a scope to be done next week when I am away so I wont be foreseen as the ogre holding back her food for 16 hrs.

Vet also think maybe ulcers
 
all day yesterday every time I tried to send a post into this thread i got a
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Then I got this error message

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well they generally come in after being out all night about 8am week days and 9am weekends they then get their breakfast and lunchtime hay before their tea. So really they are just 1 hr over the limit amount recommended without feed.

Sorry but I genuinely didn't know there was a limit of time recommended without feed. I have never heard of this before, what is the time period please? I know horses should ideally be fed ad lib hay and grass but didn't know there was a specific limit of time.
 
The max they say unless surgery or sedation is 4 hrs I have been told.

This horse went 15 hrs ready for scope for ulcers


Well bloods came back fine so no liver issues and scope also came back clear so no ulcers. Now doing a 2 week bute trial , one week rest one in work to fine out why behaviour has changed and why reluctant to go forward and lake of energy
 
Did they consider colitis or intestinal ulcers? An endoscope can only investigate the stomach itself, the only way to diagnose ulcers further down the GIT is by therapy AFAIK, although there might be a blood test?
 
You mentioned you suspected liver problems. Has she been kept with cattle or sheep, or been kept on wet soggy ground? Is so you could ask the vet to treat for liver fluke as a precaution. There is a test for liver fluke but it costs the same as the treatment so we just got on with it, (our land floods regularly, sheep and cattle in adjacent fields). Not good to wait for symptoms because the liver can be destroyed by then.:(
 
yes I know my other horse in the past had liver disease.


Bloods were ok no not kept with sheep or cattle or soggy ground. physio = Tighten sacroiliac on offside only and adjust T10 and T11 at withers from offside,

We will try her Monday see how she is.
 
My mare had some really explosive behaviour about 3 months ago. Had vet who scanned ovaries and then did flexions etc and recommended full lameness work up etc. I also had dentist and it turned out she had a second fracture in a tooth that was initially found and sorted last November and signed off from vets in May.

Long story short, this tooth was finally removed last week by an mte procedure. Referring vet said she would have been in so much pain as there was so much disease (we're not out of the woods yet) but I have a different horse! She no longer tries to nip me constantly (especially when putting headcollar/bridle on) and her whole demeanor has changed. She's bright/playful and just generally seems happy (altho is still minx)
I got dentist out as last port of call to vets, back person, saddler etc as thought it couldn't possibly be her teeth as she had only been signed off from vets a few weeks before.
May be worth having your horses mouth looked at (even tho on paper that may be all uptodate).
 
Physio came last week and horse had withers out and sacrial.

Today ridden for the first time in 3 weeks and trainer said she was much better.
 
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