Can Horses get concussion?

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sam72431

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My horse banged her head really hard the other day when we were loading to go to the vet and she ran out backwards really fast, she was supposed to go to have natural balance shoes on but we tried loading for an hour we got her on twice and she ran out both times however quick we were I told my vet she had hit her head and things but he didnt seem to concerned, she has been a bit quiet ever since it happened on friday, she is eating but doesnt seem herself at the moment just wondered if she has concussion or has just upset herself. Thanks
 
yes, they can. it is caused, in humans as well as horses, by the brain hitting the skull, i was told. i'd keep her quiet, possibly in a darkened stable if you can manage it, for a few more days, and not ride her. it's unlikely that she's "upset herself", they live in the moment so if she's not herself, something in her is different, if you see what i mean.
a livery horse at a yard i was at years ago fractured its skull (on a farm implement left in the field, nice) and had to stay in a darkened stable for 6 months for it to heal.
was this in a trailer? the trouble is that when they've done this once or twice on the roof, they tend to keep doing it because they panic about it and chuck their head up. if pos i'd try to take her somewhere in a horsebox a few times (much higher roof usually) to get her confidence back, if pos... and try carrying a feed bucket very low to entice her into trailer with head low.
 
I thought they could she seemed brighter this morning when i put her out but yestrday she was really quiet, no it was in a box, I'm really annoyed with myself actually as she she had to go to hospital a couple of weeks ago to determine what the problem was and my only option was to use a trailer which was a bit small for her although not massively so, she always used to be brilliant to load and she went on te trailer fine she was at the hospital for two days and when we went back to get her she took half ano hour to load and we had to take the partition out. So on friday i used a box but she was really unhappy we tried for about half an hour to get her on she went on and we started to shut the gates and things and she just panicked did a sort of rear and ran out backwards and fell over at the bottom of the ramp and cantered off i went and got her and checked her over and we tried again she took a little while but then went on and i though she would be ok i held a massive bucket of nuts which she was eating quiet happily and then as the gates went across she did the same thing but didnt bump her head quiet as hard, i decided then not to take her as i think if we'd got her there we wouldnt of got her back but just managed to get her to stand on the ramp. So annoyed at myself although i've never travelled her forward facing she has always gone herringbone and been an absolute star so maybe this is the issue. I've now got very unhappy horsey with one shoe as she lost one of the back two when she fell over!
 
definately and like people they dont have to be unconcious to get it either. and do as kerilli says just be careful for a couple of days.
 
My horse did the same, was fantastic in a wagon and then I ruinned it all by travelling him in a trailer. He then used to load and run out so fast whacking his head on the roof. We managed to get him in a wagon but he wasnt happy and it sort of got left at that. Finally got my own wagon and it took 4 of us over an hour to get him in. I would have long given up as he was awful and getting dangerous, loading then flying out, kicking out etc etc but then he just gave up and went in. He travelled great, not hot and came off calm. We have tried him a few times now and although hes not as relaxed as he used to be, hes been fine. Keep at it you will get there.
 
Hi Samps,

If it was me, i'd ring your vet + mention that she isn't herself, + you're worried about when she banged her head (which maybe the vet didn't think was significant at the time, but maybe it was? Vet's best to comment, as she's still not right). That way, your vet's got the up-to-date picture, and hopefully will put your mind at rest (+ hopefully over the phone).

With best wishes to you + your mare, BS x
 
My horse had concussion which was caused when a horse allowed to wander loose on the yard where my horse was tied up (sensibly and quietly to bailing twine) got behind my horse and the owner shouted at it, and my horse thought he was being shouted at and panicked, pulled back, the rope broke (not the twine) and he fell onto his back, slid down the slope and crashed his head through a fence panel. He eventually got to his feet with his legs spayed, head down and when he had recovered we led him to a stable shut him in the dark and waited for the vet. He was very lucky not to have knocked himself out, or broken his withers.
 
QUOTE "So annoyed at myself although i've never travelled her forward facing she has always gone herringbone and been an absolute star so maybe this is the issue. I've now got very unhappy horsey with one shoe as she lost one of the back two when she fell over!"


This is a quote from a transport company in Australia!:

Apart from experience it has been scientifically proven by way of pads under the horses 4 hooves measuring weight distribution and heart rate monitors that horses travel best herringbone (on an angle) with their heads to the rear followed by backwards facing, herringbone heads to the front and facing front wards respectively. (A full sized horse can not fit comfortably directly crossways in any vehicle built within the limits of licensing laws.)
 
Yep, a youngster I once had flipped out in a trailer, similar experience to you and in banging his head so hard, fractured his skull but never came right and an old hunter I had ran out at a cross country jump once and smacked his head straight into a post, fell over and he had basically knocked himself silly with little stars above his head. He was absolutely fine.x
 
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