Deciding what to do

[Nicola2601]

I’m struggling to decide what’s the best route. My horse an ex racer 17hh thick thoroughbred 15 years old is getting worse with behaviour and becoming what I would class dangerous. I am experienced and have managed him for 7 years, when he came out of racing it’s because he ran through his trainer and broke his neck running in a blind panic he was always one to be wary of rearing and flipping over etc while in training.
He came to me and calmed down and has been a lovely horse has never hacked out as he became dangerous and not enjoyable to ride away from the yard so he has been ridden in arenas and grass fields only.
The last year or two he has in my thoughts “lost his head” he freaks out at the smallest things like shoeing we get 3 feet done then flips out, clipping we get half a side done then thinks they’re the most terrifying thing and becomes panicked. When I bring him in from the field he screams the stable down and runs around the box and threatens to jump over the door.
When he was racing he did a tendon and a bone fracture in the same leg but has never been lame since then.
I’m on a livery yard and quite frankly I’m scared to ask anyone to look after him because in my opinion he’s dangerous.
I’ve spoken to a few close to me who think it’s maybe the end of the road and should be PTS I’m just looking for some advice and what people think. He’s not sellable due to his behaviour. I haven’t ridden him in months after he decked me in the school because someone walked past and he freaked out. I don’t know what to do and it’s heartbreaking

 

[Gloi]

Having a horse is meant to be enjoyable not torture. It wouldn't be the worst thing to have him PTS so nobody gets hurt by him. It's sad but probably you would feel relief. Only you can decide though.

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

I know it’s said a lot but could something be hurting him to cause him to be so reactive have you done a bute trial and have you tried scoping x

 

[AmyMay]

Quick reply. But call it quits

 

[meggymoo]

I think you probably know what you have to do, though I can understand you asking. We would all like to think there is a miracle out there somewhere.

 

[nagblagger]

PTS.. something is very wrong.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Has he ever had any work ups or x rays? Neck back etc?

It would more than likely be opening a can of worms im just wondering if his behaviour was investigated previously.

Im sorry your in this situation. Is he happy turned out in a field with others ?

 

[Trouper]

I had to pts a 7-yr old ex racer for unpredictable, dangerous behaviour which no amount of veterinary investigation could resolve. He sounds in pain. I would let him go peacefully from a home where he was generally happy.

 

[Spotherisk]

What has your vet said?

 

[bonny]

Keeping a large tb on a livery yard where everyone is scared of him and he has nothing to do is never going to end well.

 

[ycbm]

He's not been right somewhere since before he came out of training, and now it's getting worse, I'd call it quits before he hurts someone badly.
.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Sounds very much like a horse we had who had a brain tumour. Sadly there is no cure for that.

 

[Widgeon]

PTS.. something is very wrong.

Whatever you decide to do, I 100% agree with the second part of this - something is wrong with this horse and he doesn't sound happy.

Just FWIW, what is he like if you stop riding him entirely for a few months? I had a pony who displayed somewhat similar dangerous and apparently irrational behaviour (both ridden and to handle) but it gradually went away when his ridden work was completely stopped. We never fully got to the bottom of it but despite there being no obvious signs, we think he was in pain in his back. When you took away the stress and pressure of being ridden, he became calmer and calmer until after a few months he was his normal sweet self. He was only 14.1 so went to a new career as a companion....obviously less viable for a 17hh TB.

ETA as a dispassionate outsider I agree with everyone else, PTS looks like a very sensible option. No one should criticize you if that's what you choose.

 

[SilverLinings]

I suspect that there is a significant medical reason for this behaviour, especially as you have owned him for afew years and it sounds as though you learnt to manage his quirky personality really well.

I'm afraid that over the last 30yrs I've come across two who behaved in a similar way (a TB and a RS pony) who turned out to have brain tumours (confirmed at PM). A friend had an ex-racehorse who sounds similar too, and he turned out to have severe KS and improved after receiving surgery and adequate pain medication, but had to be retired and the pain became unmanageable 5/6yrs later and he was PTS.

It is worth speaking to a vet and possibly carrying out an analgesic trial, but if he is dangerous for you to handle I think your options are limited.

I'm sorry you are going through this, it sounds as though you have worked to give him a calm and happy home since he has been with you, he has been a lucky boy to end up with you.

 

[Nicola2601]

Whatever you decide to do, I 100% agree with the second part of this - something is wrong with this horse and he doesn't sound happy.

Just FWIW, what is he like if you stop riding him entirely for a few months? I had a pony who displayed somewhat similar dangerous and apparently irrational behaviour (both ridden and to handle) but it gradually went away when his ridden work was completely stopped. We never fully got to the bottom of it but despite there being no obvious signs, we think he was in pain in his back. When you took away the stress and pressure of being ridden, he became calmer and calmer until after a few months he was his normal sweet self. He was only 14.1 so went to a new career as a companion....obviously less viable for a 17hh TB.

ETA as a dispassionate outsider I agree with everyone else, PTS looks like a very sensible option. No one should criticize you if that's what you choose.

Thank you for taking the time to respond I truly appreciate it. I haven’t ridden him for over 4 months and he seems to be losing it more than ever I avoided riding in summer as there’s camps that can wind him up so I brought him in today when the yard was dead and he just lost it

 

[SEL]

I put an unpredictable, dangerous pony to sleep last year. I was sad it came to that but he wasn't safe to handle. It was a stressful morning for me and the vet but we both knew it was the right decision

I think you're making the right call x

 

[Melody Grey]

If you’re afraid of his behaviour and potential to hurt you/ others there’s only one call to make in my opinion.

Sounds like a lot of pain/ potentially brain tumour if he just flips. Sorry OP, it’s rotten to hear I know.

 

[Widgeon]

I haven’t ridden him for over 4 months and he seems to be losing it more than ever I avoided riding in summer as there’s camps that can wind him up so I brought him in today when the yard was dead and he just lost it

I'm so sorry - that's pretty dramatic isn't it. It's such extreme behavior I'd suspect that even if you did pour money into finding the root cause, it likely wouldn't be fixable.

If he can barely cope with day to day life, then quietly putting to sleep sounds sensible. But I'm so sorry you're in this position, particularly after you've invested so much time and care into giving him every chance. Life isn't fair sometimes.

 

[Nicola2601]

I'm so sorry - that's pretty dramatic isn't it. It's such extreme behavior I'd suspect that even if you did pour money into finding the root cause, it likely wouldn't be fixable.

If he can barely cope with day to day life, then quietly putting to sleep sounds sensible. But I'm so sorry you're in this position, particularly after you've invested so much time and care into giving him every chance. Life isn't fair sometimes.

Yeah I always said with advice from his racing owners I wouldn’t put him through tests and medication as he’d been through enough. I’m just struggling as he can be so sweet but other times just I can’t deal with him anymore when he’s like that it’s like he just blind panics

 

[MagicMelon]

Have you had him thoroughly checked over to rule out all the usual pain associated things? Otherwise does it help to avoid the things that stress him out - can you not bring him in, just turn him out 24/7? Make him barefoot rather than shod? Dont clip him? Id think these 3 things could be avoided just for an easy life. Id personally get him checked over for everything though as youd think itd be pain related somehow since its not a "normal" reaction to things. If you can afford to get a new horse and keep him, Id probably just turn him out and use him as a companion for the rest of his days (and yes I have done this with a 17.2hh so I know they're not cheap companions to keep!).

 

[Widgeon]

Otherwise does it help to avoid the things that stress him out - can you not bring him in, just turn him out 24/7? Make him barefoot rather than shod? Dont clip him?

But a horse who can't even be brought into a quiet, familiar yard without panicking isn't in a good place, surely? If he had an accident or similar, treating him would be a disaster, for him and the owner and vet.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Is there an option of moving to a quieter yard? My D would have lost the plot at his routine and surroundings continually being disrupted by camps and comings and goings. He may also relate it to racing which if he didn't enjoy it, could be stressing him out to the point he explodes. What's he like if his stressors are kept to a minimum e.g. no clipping, can he go barefoot or in boots?

However it does sound like something is deeply wrong and if he's causing a danger to your safety pts may be the best option. I think you and his trainer have given him a much longer stay of execution than a lot would. His racing owners sound like they care which is nice as well as not all do.

What's his breeding? Some more knowledgeable with racing breeding may know if it's a line that's prone to iffy/aggressive temperaments. It sounds however like there's something hurting him, or from reading other stories on here possibly a brain tumour

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

If he was mine I would PTS, he sounds dangerous and unpredictable and Despite what seems your best efforts he isn’t happy.

I would be very upset to have to do it but dangerous horses are a liability and if he hurt someone and they sued you would have no comeback as you know he is like this.

So sorry

 

[Xmasha]

As others have said , it’s time to let him be free from whatever is causing him pain / distress
So sorry

 

[Orangehorse]

Horses get brain tumours, as reported above. It seems that even trying to undertake investigations would be stressful/dangerous even.
You have given him a good life since you had him, but his behaviour is getting worse. One option might just be turning him out in a field for 12 months and see if there is anything different then, but no one would blame you at all if you wanted to call it a day and have him PTS.
It sounds as though he may cause a serious accident to you or someone else.
Its a shame, but sometimes things are not fixable.

 

[meleeka]

He doesn’t sound like he has an enjoyable life, whatever the reason. PTS sounds like the kindest option.

 

[babymare]

There is no shame in saying “ok now enough” and PTS. In fact it’s a brave and incredibly hard decision but a decision made for the right reasons. Let him go quietly.

 

[Birker2020]

I’m struggling to decide what’s the best route. My horse an ex racer 17hh thick thoroughbred 15 years old is getting worse with behaviour and becoming what I would class dangerous. I am experienced and have managed him for 7 years, when he came out of racing it’s because he ran through his trainer and broke his neck running in a blind panic he was always one to be wary of rearing and flipping over etc while in training.
He came to me and calmed down and has been a lovely horse has never hacked out as he became dangerous and not enjoyable to ride away from the yard so he has been ridden in arenas and grass fields only.
The last year or two he has in my thoughts “lost his head” he freaks out at the smallest things like shoeing we get 3 feet done then flips out, clipping we get half a side done then thinks they’re the most terrifying thing and becomes panicked. When I bring him in from the field he screams the stable down and runs around the box and threatens to jump over the door.
When he was racing he did a tendon and a bone fracture in the same leg but has never been lame since then.
I’m on a livery yard and quite frankly I’m scared to ask anyone to look after him because in my opinion he’s dangerous.
I’ve spoken to a few close to me who think it’s maybe the end of the road and should be PTS I’m just looking for some advice and what people think. He’s not sellable due to his behaviour. I haven’t ridden him in months after he decked me in the school because someone walked past and he freaked out. I don’t know what to do and it’s heartbreaking

He sounds like he is very reactive. Lari used to be very reactive to things happening outside the school, if another horse walked past he would flip out and be very stupid particuarly on the lunge. He was full of physical issues and was in pain. A lot of reactive horses are like this.

IF you don't want to go down the route of getting investigations done (and I can see why this might not be advantageous) then I would pts. There is no shame in doing this, you don't want him passed on.

 

[SantaVera]

Send him to the hunt for the hounds.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Sounds like something is very wrong if you don't want to investigate I think you only have one option really, sorry its a crap situation