Filly suddenly aggressive

[Amymeemoo]

Hello
I have a 2 year old mini shetland who I have owned from weaning. She has always been absolutely good as gold and lives with my other 2 year old mini gelding and my 2 year old Welsh d who all get on lovely. They are out of a day and in of a night. I went to do my evening checks on them a couple of days ago and bring them in and she suddenly turned, kicked me In the leg then just kept kicking and kicking at me then spun ears flat back trying to launch at me bitting me. She then went on to attack the other mini who she shares a large stable with so bad that I had to separate them. The next day my husband went in to see her and she did exactly the same to him. It’s come completely out of no where and she has never ever shown any signs of aggression before. She has in the last couple of months started to come into season, does anyone have any ideas if it could be this or has anyone else experienced anything like it before, or any ideas how to deal with it. she is normally such a placid little thing. She is kept at home so I know the no one could have been near her

 

[Meowy Catkin]

That is an extreme change of behaviour. I would talk to a vet.

 

[coblets]

This kind of sudden behavioural change will either be due to pain or due to having been telling you that she's uncomfortable for a while, but the subtler signs not having been noticed.

It's probably not the later, considering she's being aggressive towards other horses as well, but, if you think back: did she try to avoid you, would she stand as you groomed but swish her tail or keep looking away etc.

Pain-wise, I'd get a vet out asap and interact with her using protected contact (aka you're on one side of the fence, she's on the other) using treats to bring her closer so you can check her over. You may also want to be feeding her a bit of aloe vera - even if she doesn't have ulcers, the high stress mindset she must be in to be behaving like this will make her more susceptible.

 

[Amymeemoo]

Thank you for the replies. Iv still been able to get in the stable with her and got the head collar on her to check her over and take her out to her field, and can’t see anything obvious so I will get hold of my vet first thing in the morning, she is out grazing back with her friends and seems to have calmed right back down again and all stood happily together