Does this sound like a brain tumour?

[nutjob]

I would get the vet for this horse asap. The behaviour is dangerous and you or he could so easily be injured. My wobbler went absolutely completely beserk when I was riding him one time. He did something similar a few weeks later but not quite as bad, he wasn't diagnosed at this point, else I'd never have got back on. The wobbler tests are easy enough to do yourself if your inclined but don't just rely on the tail pull, mine is OK on that but the tail itself is flaccid and he's rubbish on hoof placement and panniculus reflex.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I would dicuss with your vet but my own choice would be pts, and if i had the funds wanted to see what was going on send him to cambs uni for a necropsy, we had this done with our dog who was randomly agressive to our other dogs and then would snap out of it.
They performed it, for a cheaper price as the students were watching and they could have all her history, and found a brain tumour in the area of her brain that controlles behaviour.

 

[COldNag]

I feel for you.

In your shoes I absolutely would PTS.

Your horse doesn't sound happy, and he is now dangerous, whatever the cause may be.

It is a horrible decision to have to make.

 

[meleeka]

My first thought was eyesight, which is also unlikely to be treatable. I’d get the vet sooner, rather than later and see what they find. PTS sounds like it might be the best thing all round, before he does hurt himself or a human.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I hope you are OK, OP. As I read your first post on this thread, I thought this animal is in pain, with all his other issues, I would pts before someone, including the horse himself, gets seriously injured.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

I don’t have any experience of the behaviour your horse is displaying. I just wanted to give you a virtual hug as it must be very distressing for you and your boy.

 

[4Hoofed]

I’m so sorry for you. But like everyone else I think it’s vet and potentially time for one last act of friendship.

I did have a horse that my vet suspected may have equine motor neurone disease. I got knocked out, and concussed when he was seizing on my own in the middle of field.

He used to start suddenly and run through fencing, into a wall, I had to separate him from other horses (they were extremely upset by his behaviour and very distressed when he went into an episode.) he would spend long parts of the day staring at the ground in front of him, feet together rocking. This all happened after I put my other horse down and he was turned away for lameness. He had a long criminal history before this final development so may have been something there his whole life my vet was honest I’m truly grateful, we established he went sound and after hearing he knocked me out she reminded me that QOL is the main concern.

The problem when something goes wrong neurologically you are just so much more likely for them to have a catastrophic event. They are big animals and are dangerous when they are in the right mind, not panicking etc.

I’d start by speaking to your vet and huge virtual hugs. It’s truly horrible and distressing for you both. The horse i had pts before him a nasty livery on the yard accused me of getting him pts for convenience, I even left the yard over it, so I understand the guilt involved. But with the beauty of 5 years hindsight? I wish I’d done it sooner for him. I think the last year of his life was me dragging him through with pure will power. Better a week too soon then a minute to late. Xxxx