Can excessive spooking be a sign of ill health? *long sorry*

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Cash

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Not just jump-at-a-plastic-bag-out-hacking kind of spooking, but at really mundane, unscary random objects
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EG today, he was tied up at the rails on our yard, i brought out the lunge rope and lunging bridle, and hung lunge rope on the rails. Took off his headcollar to put on the bridle, he turned his head round, caught sight of the rope (about 4 feet away from him) and got very worried! Ran backwards (luckily i had fully taken the headcollar off, not just round his neck) blowing through his nose, his back legs seemed to go, was trembling all over, eyes all wide. And when i finally persuaded him to come and have a look to see that it wasn't that bad, he did a bit of a giraffe-on-rollerskates impression- legs spread wide apart, head low etc. It was obviously the rope that was scaring him, not anything else, as he had his eyes fixed on it. It didn't move in the wind, or make a noise, or anything.
I would have been able to write it off as is him having a funny moment, but he did it again, exactly the same thing, with a bucket on the way out to the field
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He's not generally a massive spooker, has a few TB moments when something takes him by surprise
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but not really ever like this.
Am i being a horsey hypochondriac (sp)? I don't want to be make a fuss over nothing...but hmm.
My mum made the point that maybe it's to do with his eyesight, so he doesn't see things til they suddenly 'appear'..; but he is an 8yo in seemingly full health- except he has dropped weight recently and is looking a bit ribby- thought it was just as his field was looking a little bare, so he now has hay too.
Any ideas/kicks up the backside for being such a worrier?
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I'd suggest a quick ask of the vet if I were you. Is he on any hard feed? Is this the new lad? How long have you had him? He could just be checking out his surroundings now he's getting used to being there. How is he when he walks from bright light to dim, e.g. walking into the stable on a sunny day.
 
Oooh yes he has just switched from low energy nuts to Calm and Condition! could a change in feed result in this kind of behaviour? *lightbulb moment*
Had him about 2 months now, but he's still at his old yard, same field, same friends etc.
Seems fine with changes in light..but i have to admit i hadn't really been looking
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Its usually the opposite tbh. Spooking when feeling really really well. However as your mother mentoned it might be worth getting a general health check, paying special attention to his eyes.
Could be as a result of the extra food - hay can make adifference to some horses.
 
Well my mares personality really changed she became really spooky and strong to ride when I changed her onto calm and condition, we had a few horses on the yard next door react to it too.
 
Hmmm...but he has not changed personality, or become different to ride at all (was switched feed about a week ago, how long before i would be seeing effects?)
I THINK he has been on C&C before, in the winter (hunts full days twice a week) so i don't think it's new to him
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will ask YO about whether he's been on it before.
Thanks everyone so far
 
It's been suggested to me that excessive spooking could be indicative of a magnesium deficiency. I'd ask the vet to be sure, because if the field's not great at the moment, it could be low in some minerals.
 
First though , eyes, have the vet check. Second though magnesium deficiency, bit of epsom salts in his feed.
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Ive always wondered if spooky horses have bad eyesight. They must get affected the same as people do and some people are as blind as a bat!!
 
My horse is irrationally spooky at stupid things like people, anything in a place it normally isnt, stupid stupid things and Ive questioned his eye sight too but he also gets totally freaked out at say a bell ringing (dressage) so its not solely his eyes. My horse is in a world of his own, hacks out perfectly then suddenly spooks at aomething and we reckon that really hes half asleep and then suddenly see's whatever at the last minute and it makes him jump. I would change your feed back (cool mix, sugar beet send my boy ultra spooky) and if no improvement in the next week or so then ask the vet to check his eyes.
 
my last horse suddenly started sppoking a lot after a broken ankle and riding again she freaked when went into the woods where it was dark it just cliked in my head EYES i looked at them very cloudy - vet said cateracts in both eyes - she was 28 though
 
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