Ears, poll or just plain naughty!!

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MyBoyChe

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Bit of background, 11 yr old ex racer, now a happy hacker and a really nice, easy to do TB. Been out of work Dec til now as no facilities at yard, started lunging 2 weeks ago before getting back on. Day 3, became difficult to get his bridle on and 'funny' about his left ear. Had vet last Friday who sedated him, cleaned them out and thought it was probably just a sore ear from a midge bite. Left me with drops to use and advised to try to bridle him again after a couple of days. As of today he really is no better, I can pop his headcollar on over his ears but cannot get near him with the drops, his fly veil or the bridle. Tonight I spent an hour in his box with him and managed to get the bridle on by taking it apart, I can get it off in the normal way, I have tried slipping it just a tiny bit forward over his ears and back again, slipping it off and putting it straight back on but he is getting more and more upset, running backwards and round his box, throwing his head up out of reach and generally resisting. He is accepting the bit OK (he had hs teeth done in November and vet sure its not them) its as soon as I try to get the headpiece anywhere near him. I am calling the vet tomorrow morning to ask her to come back out but does anyone have any ideas!! Im sure hes not just being naughty, he just isnt like that and tbh as soon as I stop trying to put his bridle on he drops his head and almost looks sorry for his behaviour :( Im completely at a loss.
 
Do you know much about his past or how he was treated before you got him?

Only asking as one of my geldings you can not put the bridle on over his ears either. You have to undo the cheekpiece, slide the headpiece over the ears without touching them and then put the bit in his mouth and do up the cheek piece again. But you can take the bridle off normally. I have now had him over 10 years and he is still the same.

I too had the vet out and nothing physically wrong. Vet believes that he could have been ear twitched before I got him and this is why we can't get a bridle on normally as he associates a hand near his ear as though someone will grab hold of it. He was a absolute bolshy dominant so and so when I first got him. He will let you touch his ears to an extent without a bridle in sight and I have no problem putting a headcollar on.

Hope your vet can provide you with some answers.
 
i would just stick with taking the bridle apart (quicker in the long run, less stress etc) until he forgets about it.

have you tried a bridle without a browband/is the browband big enough?
 
Thanks for those replies. he was in training so assume he was well cared for, I have had him 3 years though and he has always been fine, until last week. Have spoken to vet today and she is coming back next week to sedate and put a scope down to see if anything is hiding down there. The next step will be the McTimoney lady in case its a physical problem and after that vet has suggested a CT head scan which will eliminate any other issues around that area. I have asked a tall friend who has never met Che to come over this weekend to have a go with the bridle and see if he gets any sort of reaction. Im just so sure in my own mind that it is pain or associated pain and not just naughtiness but just dont know how to tell for sure :(
 
Maybe he banged his head on something and is sore poll/has a 'headache'?

Also, acute tenderness and inflammation of the occiput/C1 will create muscle tension and pain which he will want to guard and will not want you to touch - the McTimoney person should help with this if this is the case.
 
Well, I have a huge ID gelding who I've had since weaning, he's had headcollars on and off and never been hurt, had his teeth done etc. but I have never been able toput a bridle on normally, mainly I think because he has always known, since first being bitted, that if he puts his head up I can't reach, so I have to put the bridle on (atm no noseband or head-piece) by taking it apart the same as OP. I know a couple of other people who are in the sme boat, some horses just don't like it.
 
A little update, vet been today and has sedated him and scoped both ears. Left one is very red, sore and inflamed quite deep down although cannot come to a definite decision why. Have taken swabs from both ears to try and grow a culture and hoping that this will prove conclusive, vet not sure whether something has worked its way inside or whether there is a deep rooted infection from within. Either way wont know until Friday at least so keeping fingers crossed for a result. If not we may have to send him to Rossdales for a CT scan to try and cover all other possibilities in one go :(
 
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