Bored horse who hates life

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mariaandefe

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Hi all,

My horse is very sensitive to seasonal changes, we live in Turkey (where it’s cold in the winter and hot in the summer) + the temperature change during the day is around 10-15 degrees (say it’s 5 at night then during the day it’s 20)

For the past 2 years he has become very closed off…He shows no love to life, he doesn’t shout anymore, he doesn’t act like a stallion anymore, he doesn’t react to mares anymore. He has become very lethargic and nothing interests him anymore.
The only thing that interests him is food. Anything else, he shows zero interest in. He gets bored very easily, and I’m at loss.

Can you guys help please with any any advice to get this horses love to life back again. Or if anyone has any tips or tricks.
 
ycbm said:
He isn't bored, he's ill.

You've been writing about his illness on other threads.

I hope you can find out what's wrong with him soon.
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What could he be ill from? I have done just about everything to find out if he’s ill or not. My last resort is scoping him for ulcers again, but I highly doubt it’s that. Anything else? Blood work is fine, x-rays and ultrasounds are fine, balanced diet. I don’t know what else he can be checked for
 
I do feel for you as I know from personal experience that the options in certain countries abroad with horses is just not comparable to here in the UK. It’s a big reason I moved back to England and brought my horse with me.

It’s clear from your posts that you are doing your very best.

Could you detail exactly what’s been X rayed, his symptoms, and his daily routine? That might help get some ideas going.
 
IrishMilo said:
I do feel for you as I know from personal experience that the options in certain countries abroad with horses is just not comparable to here in the UK. It’s a big reason I moved back to England and brought my horse with me.

It’s clear from your posts that you are doing your very best.

Could you detail exactly what’s been X rayed, his symptoms, and his daily routine? That might help get some ideas going.
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kind of general vet check. x-rayed all his legs, his back etc. ultrasounds in fishy areas in his legs, i haven’t had an ultrasound for internal organs or anything like that (yet.)

main thing i must mention, he is stuck in a stable unfortunately for most of his time

his daily routine is basically me coming, working him, and then i spend time with him (mostly grazing). he eats enough fibre and he eats a balanced diet. he’s in good shape (lacking in top line though)

symptoms are general lethargy and when he is either in the sand paddock or in the normal paddock he doesn’t bolt around like he used to, he doesn’t shout like a normal stallion nor does he react to mares like a normal stallion would do. he’s not active when i work him, he doesn’t get excited when jumping or cantering anymore
 
mariaandefe said:
What could he be ill from? I have done just about everything to find out if he’s ill or not. My last resort is scoping him for ulcers again, but I highly doubt it’s that. Anything else? Blood work is fine, x-rays and ultrasounds are fine, balanced diet. I don’t know what else he can be checked for
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He's covered in hives, you've posted pictures. You posted a week ago asking about immunotherapy. The behaviour and issues you've described on multiple threads is an ill horse, not a bored horse.

I don't mean to be nasty, I just want to save forum members from wasting time on trying to give you ideas how to resolve his boredom, when he's ill.

I'm really sorry you are having such trouble getting to the bottom of what's wrong with him.

.
 
mariaandefe said:
main thing i must mention, he is stuck in a stable unfortunately for most of his time

his daily routine is basically me coming, working him, and then i spend time with him (mostly grazing). he eats enough fibre and he eats a balanced diet. he’s in good shape (lacking in top line though)
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I think he sounds depressed. And I think the majority of horses who live in a box 24/7 are.
 
ycbm said:
He's covered in hives, you've posted pictures. You posted a week ago asking about immunotherapy. The behaviour and issues you've described on multiple threads is an ill horse, not a bored horse.

I don't mean to be nasty, I just want to save forum members from wasting time on trying to give you ideas how to resolve his boredom, when he's ill.

I'm really sorry you are having such trouble getting to the bottom of what's wrong with him.

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Do you have any ideas on maybe what he could possibly be ill with? Obviously, I’m trying to get to the bottom of his allergies, but it looks like I’ll have to go with immunotherapy.
Could you suggest maybe some other things i’ll have my vet look out for?
 
IrishMilo said:
I think he sounds depressed. And I think the majority of horses who live in a box 24/7 are.
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Yes, i think he is depressed too unfortunately…However, Im not quite sure on what to do with him. I try to get him out as much as I can. He is good friends with geldings, I try put him out with geldings when I can.
I feel so sorry for him and I feel absolutely helpless that I cannot help him in any way shape or form
 
mariaandefe said:
Do you have any ideas on maybe what he could possibly be ill with? Obviously, I’m trying to get to the bottom of his allergies, but it looks like I’ll have to go with immunotherapy.
Could you suggest maybe some other things i’ll have my vet look out for?
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I'm sorry, I have no idea. It is a great shame that your Turkish vets don't seem to be as able to investigate as UK ones.
.
 
Arzada said:
I think he needs a different lifestyle, a horse appropriate one. Are there other livery options available?
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I think he needs a different lifestyle too, yes. However, all the livery yards have no turnout and all the horses are treated like bicycles. Most horses have a similar condition to him, however I’m the only person trying to get to the bottom is his issues.
Maybe I’ll think into moving him to Istanbul where he will get at least a paddock.
Otherwise, after i sort his allergies out I plan on moving him to Europe, where I’m sure he’ll be much happier
 
ycbm said:
I'm sorry, I have no idea. It is a great shame that your Turkish vets don't seem to be as able to investigate as UK ones.
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I think I will be in touch with my vet, however no one takes me seriously anymore. Everyone thinks i’m crazy for caring so much. It honestly shows how much people care here for horses…
 
Spotherisk said:
How old is he? If he’s not used as a stud could he be gelded and get herd turnout? Does he ride as well as he did when he was well? Apologies if this isn’t how horses are kept in Turkey and I’m misunderstanding.
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Hi, he’s 13. I don’t think I mentioned. There is no turnout here in Turkey (sounds awful, I l know…) However, he does go out in small paddocks and sand paddocks with geldings, he’s very good with other horses.
I’m trying to sugarcoat Turkey as a country for horses, but when I say it’s absolute hell, it really is.
I really tried to refrain from saying things like this.
And no, he doesn’t ride as well as he used to. He used to be excited to jump and canter etc, now he shows no interest in anything
 
I'm Dun said:
I'd be asking about liver damage and a cushings test. Either of those would make him feel depressed and could cause hives. I'm sorry you are in this situation, it must be very difficult.
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How would liver damage be diagnosed? Blood work? Ultrasound? Cushings test I know how to test for, however again not sure they do them here
 
mariaandefe said:
Maybe I’ll think into moving him to Istanbul where he will get at least a paddock.
Otherwise, after i sort his allergies out I plan on moving him to Europe, where I’m sure he’ll be much happier
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I hope that you can sort something for him sooner rather than later. Your horse's situation isn't good for you either. Wishing you success in finding a better life for him
 
I lived in Turkey in Istanbul and I know exactly what you are talking about .
There’s loads of things to try in small ways to give him pleasure
Can you lead him out anywhere where’s a bit of ground you can let him forage a bit
Can you hack him any where ?
Can you do things like put carrots in his water ?
It’s very difficult I don’t think people in the Uk realise that there’s just no grazing it’s just a different world for horses .
 
Goldenstar said:
I lived in Turkey in Istanbul and I know exactly what you are talking about .
There’s loads of things to try in small ways to give him pleasure
Can you lead him out anywhere where’s a bit of ground you can let him forage a bit
Can you hack him any where ?
Can you do things like put carrots in his water ?
It’s very difficult I don’t think people in the Uk realise that there’s just no grazing it’s just a different world for horses .
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Oh my gosh! Thank youuu!!
Someone gets me!!
I think the livery he is at right now isn’t suited to him well, old livery had a forest to hack and he didn’t seem as depressed there but he was also fed very incorrectly there
Thanks so much!
 
Having had one with hives bad enough to need immunotherapy, I think that alone can make them feel awful.

You also said he's on max dose of Piriton, if I remember correctly. This is a sedative. It made mine like a dobbin too. He was dozy.

Once he'd had the immunotherapy, he no longer needed Piriton and was no longer affected.

I agree with @ycbm, without the history in this thread, people won't be able to help.
 
Red-1 said:
Having had one with hives bad enough to need immunotherapy, I think that alone can make them feel awful.

You also said he's on max dose of Piriton, if I remember correctly. This is a sedative. It made mine like a dobbin too. He was dozy.

Once he'd had the immunotherapy, he no longer needed Piriton and was no longer affected.

I agree with @ycbm, without the history in this thread, people won't be able to help.
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You think? :(
Yeah I must add that his depressive state started since having the allergies, he had low glucose in his blood test as well.

Mine is on prednisolone tablets (from 5-15 a day) i don’t know anything about piriton. I know that antihistamines are in general a sedative.
I really hope the immunotherapy helps if i do go down that road.
Thanks!
 
I would think if the hives are as severe as you claim on your other threads that this horse is very uncomfortable being ridden. He probably feels generally unwell also. The skin will become more sensitive and can easily go from the fluid filled swellings to rubbed raw.

You have repeated multiple times that there is no evidence of liver problems in his blood but are not able to explain why you have chosen to treat him with human liver medication, it comes across as unusual.

Do you have a copy of his blood test results to check which liver enzymes have been tested and what the actual test results were.
 
nutjob said:
I would think if the hives are as severe as you claim on your other threads that this horse is very uncomfortable being ridden. He probably feels generally unwell also. The skin will become more sensitive and can easily go from the fluid filled swellings to rubbed raw.

You have repeated multiple times that there is no evidence of liver problems in his blood but are not able to explain why you have chosen to treat him with human liver medication, it comes across as unusual.

Do you have a copy of his blood test results to check which liver enzymes have been tested and what the actual test results were.
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Yeah during his ‘peak’ state he was very uncomfortable and I gave him a month off work.
I didn’t personally choose to treat him with human meds, however the vet stated that it’s better to support his liver whilst on prednisolone tablets.
I can send you his blood test through PM ?
 
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