change in personality after accident

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annaborthwick

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hi everyone i hope you may be able to help.

in august last year i bought a 7 year old kwpn mare, after a nasty fall from an ex racehorse I was looking for a really calm ride and after my friend and I both tried the horse, in the school and on the road I bought her. I saw her in the stable, field and had her 5 stage vetted as I wanted to be buying a horse for life.

My mare settled in well to her new home and was great to ride, but 10 days later we found her with a serious injury in the yard. She had degloved the majority of her front leg. No one was at the yard at the time but it looked like she had jumped 2 fences and a 5 bar gate somewhere along the line injurying her leg.

After an op and 5 months box rest she was ready to go out. She went out intially for a few hours under sedation and then a few days while we watched her. As she seemed fine I left her for 10 mins to get some more horse food and she jumped 2 electric fences and was found trying to scramble another. It was like she would do anything to get back to her stable even if that meant injurying herself.

After the incident I was asked to move yards and fortunately my instructor let me go to her yard where my mare could be stabled. She seemed settled when we moved and was happier staying in. however, turnout was still a problem with my mare going mad and in danger of injurying herself even if out 10 mins (and close to other horses). We then began bringing her into work again which was going well till this week when she galloped off and bronchoed me. She then proceeded to gallop around the arena for about 20 minutes until she finally allowed us to catch her.

I am now not prepared to her again as I work fulltime and cant risk further injury. It is such a change in personality and seems to come on so quickly I wonder if there is something mentally wrong with her. I have tried a calmer, checked her diet and all the other usuals. I want to do the best for my horse but also want to make sure she does not endanger anyone.

i would really appreciate anyone's thoughts xxx
 
I'm sorry you're having such a tough time of it.

Sounds like there are two issues, the turn-out and being excited when ridden. The second is probably the easiest. She's had a long time off on box rest and no turn out now so she's bound to be very hyper. Can your instructor help you out and ride her a bit until she calms down again? She will go back to her old self as soon as she can get back into regular turn out and work, but unfortunately this kind of upset is all too common after prolonged box rest.

The turn out is a bit a weird one. If she was just jumping fences I would suggest you add a strand of electric fence either on top of the post and rail to make it very high or a couple of feet in front of it to turn it into a spread and make it much more difficult to jump. If however, as you say she is just very unsettled about being out, I am not too sure what to suggest. Is she any better with a field mate? Is she any better going out after she has been ridden? Do you think she might settle if you just bit the bullet and left her out there 24/7? Other than that, it may be worth having a chat with your vet to see if he can suggest anything.
 
I can't offer you much advice about the turnout but regarding the ridden work you need to consider that you bought the horse in August, in the summer. She has had a lot of time off with her injuries so has'nt worked much. We are now in winter. Riding a horse in the summer is very different to riding a horse in winter. They will be very bright and on their toes, spooky and silly, if they have'nt done much work. My advice is this: before you ride your horse lunge it for at least 20 minutes - this will take the energy out of her before you get on. Maybe your instructor can help you with this until you get your confidence back.
Re the turnout: I agree with what has been said before: that a field companion might help considerably. She probably lacks confidence, especially as she is a newby to the yard. The fact that she is belting back to the stable speaks volumes.
I hope you get things sorted. Good luck and try to keep things in perspective as these things seem to be insurmountable but with work you will get there.
 
I would say she is hyper due to lack of work and turnout, that is to be expected.

Was she turned out by her previous owners? Have you been able to contact them for advice? That is certainly somethign I would do.

I think your ridden issues can be worked through but you need to solve the turnout issue first.

Are you able to make an area outside her stable where she can be free to wander inand out? Or turn her out in a field directly next to the stable?

You say you saw her in the field at her previous home so presumably they had a routine that worked?
 
hi guys thanks for all your advice.

In terms of ridden work she has been fine for the last 6 weeks which is when i thought the trouble would be, she isnt excitable when i ride in fact i have to kick her a fair bit. She chucked me when i was giving her a stretch after working. she literally went from walking on a long rein to full gallop and flying buck, she then galloped around the arena and if i hadn't got up I don't think she would have gone out of her way to avoid me. It was like someone had flicked a switch which sent her loopy.

My instructor won't ride her (i don't blame her) and i just cant risk injurying myself again, plus my confidence is really low and i know the worse thing for her would be for me to get on tense.

With the turnout she was out where i got her from full time or in a big barn in winter. ironically my worry when i got her was that she would not like being in a stable. In terms of fencing the problem is she doesnt react in a sane way so if she can't jump the fence she will try and scamble it. When we've tried turning her out its been in a pen with 7 foot fence and she runs at it skids, kicks it or tries to get over it. Obviously this has been really quite scary at times, with her recovering from an injury we felt the best thing to do was keep her in. I honestly think she will injure herself if I left her. Its such a wierd one I've never heard of it before.

She has not been directly in with a horse but has had them either side, given her behaviour people dont want their horses in with her which i totally understand.

The horses on the yard are generally only turned out themselves for a few hours a day, and i walk her in hand each day so she gets a stretch

Would welcome any other thoughts you have, thanks again! xx
 
It's a long shot but have a chat with your vet about the possibility of neurological damage/brain tumour. It's rare but it presents with really odd behaviour and something about this doesn't sound quite right.

If it was just a matter of her going bonkers once, I would just say that's horses for you. Maybe something stung her or she just heard/smelt something you didn't and lost the plot (BTW sorry to say this but it's weird your instructor won't ride her just because she was naughty once - might be worth trying someone else to give her a proper assessment).

The turn out behaviour does seem odd. What happens if you walk her in hand in the same field and let her graze? Is she OK as long as you stay there?
 
Let her dictate the turnout. I reckon she had a scare, got injured as a result of heading for the safety of the stables and this is where the problem began.


You mended her in the box where she was looked after and tended for FIVE MONTHS, safe and cosy. Then you try and put her out where she doesn't want to be - of course she goes crackers.

We have a mare who hates being out unless it's the paddock she feels happy in. So that's where we let her go, and just allow her to mooch up by the stables if she likes. It matters not where her friends are - she cares not a jot!

Open her stable door and if possible let her wander. If you can, rig up a small corral just in front, so she can come and go. And take it from there. I just think she was seriously spooked by something and is just remembering the fright and doing what horse do instinctively. I think she sounds like a lovely, well-behaved and trusting mare.

I agree with the graze her in hand, but the minute she wants 'in' bring her in. Listen to her.
 
Hey up..

I think everyone has posted some really good points and I agree with them all so I won't reiterate.. one thing however..

I have a warmblood who's 5 and came from somewhere where he too was turned out 24/7 and like you when I got him i thought stabling him would be the hard part. He is a box walker but he also is a pain and won't stay in the filed for long either and just paces or charges about. I think its because he has a short attention span. He has been a pest recently but he had a strain/has been in/bad weather/lack of work etc and he is not settling in the field, box walking and being a devil to ride. However, when he is in full work he is absolutely fantastic so it may be that you need to persevere and once you are in a routine she will start to settle.

I remember getting on my great big tb after box rest and wondered him down the field and back to stretch him out to start getting him back into ridden work and he just exploded on about the third day of getting back into it but he calmed down and was back to normal after a couple of weeks.

I agree with the lunge before work idea though becomes sometimes it just takes the edge off of them or work them really hard (considering injury) so they are tired and then do an extra 10 minutes when you know shes knackered. If you know shes absolutely b*ggered and things are still going wrong then consider other options..

Also - I make a point of poo picking with mine (the warmblood) in with me because he follows me about and then settles because he knows I am wondering about.. ? He has a nut ball in the field too sometimes.. thats like giving a baby a dummy! Maybe give her her feed out there so she associates with a good thing and is keen to get out there to have it.?

Can't think of anything else... Good luck I really hope it works out for you! x
 
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Some really good advise on here, but I would also be investigating the possibility of a brain tumour / neurological damage - just to rule it out.

Does also make you wonder whether there was an incident that frightened her enough in the first instance when she injured herself, and she can't get past it. You don't have big cats etc (just an idea)

I've no idea who to recommend, but a really good horse behaviourist may be an avenue to try.
I'd also try and speak to her previous owner so see if they can help with any back ground information.

Lastly, is she turned out with company? if notcan you try her with someone safe in the field and see if she's any better.

Again, good luck and hope you can get to the bottom of it all.
 
have you thought about gastric ulcers? this could easily cause this behaviour.


she seems to have had a bit of stress in her life with doing her leg, not really having turnout,moving homes.

think if this was my horse i would def consider this being a pain issue.

hope you figure it out
 
You bought her less than six months ago ,with a five stage vetting. My first thought is to get the blood sample checked .After six months they dispose of the sample.Speak to your vet.
 
There is some very good advice here and many avenue's to explore. I echo Brighteyes post completely.

In my experience, FWIW, your mare is trying her hardest to tell you something. My first thought would be that of a pain issue as horses can behave very differently when they have any sort of accute or low grade pain which can manifest itself as fear, panic or depression.

Have your vets done a lameness workup before you brought her back into work? Is she completely sound in a straight line and on the lunge? Perhaps you could do a 5 day bute trial (under veterinary supervision) and see if this changes her attitude. If thats the case then you have a definite avenue to explore. I would also keep her to a strong routine so that she knows what to expect and when.

Good luck and do let us know how you get on.
 
hi everyone

thanks for all your advice. I have spoken to my vet and the physio is coming out to look at my mare's back. We are also having her blood checked from when she was intially vetted, so we'll have to see what comes back. I've also found somewhere for her to go on full livery to be ridden by someone less nervous than me. so hopefully these things will all give her the best chance.

Thanks againxxx
 
People will shout me down but have you thought about contacting an Animal Communicator.

I bought an Arab mare (Well rescued her so bought her very cheaply) and the first time I tried to mount her she just went up on me. I had seen her being ridden so I knew she was broken.

Her history was unknown other than she was traumatized.

I contacted an Animal Communicator and found out a lot about her which helped me understand her. Today she is a lovely mare although grumpy at times.

If you want to know the person I used PM me and I will let you have her website.
 
All I can give ytou is my experience..

My old lad came in from his field one day with a slice under his throat and a huge hole in his neck. Vet said it looked like a stab wound as it was so clean. Anyway, physical recovery was fine but he was never the same after that. He was fine to hack and was ok in the field but under saddle and in hand he would rear and rear and rear, so much so that he landed and stood on top of a 5 bar gate once and also kicked me in the head :(

I had reached the end of my tether with him and got a TTouch practioner out to see him and it made so much difference. He never ever returned to my old horse but he was much better. I would not hesitate to recommend it - if you want more information please PM me :)
 
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