Grumpy Cranky TB

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PercyMum

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Evenin' All!

A moment to pick your brains if I may...

I have a super-duper 5yo TB on LWTB (at the end of this month). He is a real trier and I like him alot. I have had a few teething issues with him but I think we are getting somewhere but he is getting crankier and crankier and I just wondered if anyone could give me any ideas why he might be like this?

Teeth checked and fine. As an ex-racer I took the precaution of putting him on Egusin as he was slightly girthy but this has definitely improved. He is turned out for 8 hours minimum daily and has ad-lib haylage. He was on haylage at the yard he was from. He is fed on Hi-Fi and nuts with a good quality joint supplement to help his joints after racing. Holding weight well and starting to muscle up nicely. He has great feet.

I have had saddle issues. Poor saddling advice led to really sore shoulders which I have addressed with a great physio. Have a new and well-fitted saddle. Still a little sore so physio still seeing him. Bizarrely he has really tight chest muscles :confused: Work wise he is long-reining and/or lunging 3 times a week and hacking out twice a week. Schooled once every 10 days roughly as I am trying to build up his muscle.

He started off as lovely and chirpy but is getting increasingly crabby. He has been here 3 months so I fully expect him to still be settling in but surely he would be getting better not worse? He doesn't bite or kick but just spends his whole time worth his ears flat back and just giving the impression of being mega-crabby and hating everyone. He is not dangerous to handle or deal with in anyway but he clearly isn't happy about something but I am not sure what. The only thing I can come up with is that the horse in the stable next door is nuts and behaves like a loon. It doesn't appear to bother him but other than that I can't see what he is so miserable about! I would call the vet but I feel that they will think I am even more bonkers than they already think if I call them saying my horse is grumpy :rolleyes: The only detection of discomfort i can see is that he can be quite tail-swishy when working.

Any ideas coz Im stumped!
 
I have a 7year old tb mare also ex racer and she is always grumpy .. Her ears are back most of the time but there's nothing wrong with her. Just like today for example she bit my ym and as soon as she done it she moved straight back knowing she was in the wrong! My ym has known my mare since she was a filly .. So I was expecting to bring in a grumpy mare but she was fine .. Fine to me loved a good scratch and had a good hack out but anyone else walked past her ears flat back and was grumpy to everyone else .. No idea why it's just her personality
 
The horse next door could be upsetting him if it is constantly restless he may have trouble relaxing, can you try another stable to rule it out.

If you are going to buy him I would get him vetted and consider scoping for ulcers at the same time, if your vet can do it, it sounds as if he may well have underlying problems that are causing the grumpiness and muscular tension, if he has had more than 2 physio treatments and is still sore and tight I would expect the physio to refer to the vet.
 
my ex racer is a very grumpy person, espicially in the mornings. He is so much better in the summer when he is out 24/7, apart from when its wet, or hot, or windy, or there's flies....

Could yours be getting a bit cold? If mine is cold or if I bring him in that little too late, he acts like its the worst thing in the world and i've tried to kill him.

I tend to ignore it unless he's overstepping the mark. If its just faces i'll keep going about my normal business and act like he's not doing it and try to solve whatever is making him grumpy (e.g if too hot or too cold or too many flies). Also take your time and don't rush around them. Be calm and consistent but authoritive and in control
 
He could just be a bit bored? Maybe add a few fun things into his work (things he enjoys not necessarily what you enjoy but it helps if you both enjoy it!) as my TB is crabby as a crab if i bore him!
 
What Dirty_D says! My mare is also worse if shes not really done very much, we was hacking out about 4/5 times a week and now the weather turned crap and I've been poorly she's not been out as much, mine also loves to jump but my school is too boggy ATM to jump in .. The more I do with her the better she is
 
Dirty_D said:
He could just be a bit bored? Maybe add a few fun things into his work (things he enjoys not necessarily what you enjoy but it helps if you both enjoy it!) as my TB is crabby as a crab if i bore him!
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GypsyGirl said:
What Dirty_D says! My mare is also worse if shes not really done very much, we was hacking out about 4/5 times a week and now the weather turned crap and I've been poorly she's not been out as much, mine also loves to jump but my school is too boggy ATM to jump in .. The more I do with her the better she is
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That's a really good point I hadn't thought of - when I brought him home he was being worked 6 days a week and doing lots of different things. He was also in a very routine exercise schedule however, he cut his leg a couple of weeks back and with his sore back he has not done as much. Maybe he is bored and needs to get back to regular work. Clearly I cannot ride him atm due to the sore shoulders.

The physio is back out on Tues and its only the second time he has had her (apart form an initial check). I really do like him so I hope its just he is cranky!!
 
be positive said:
The horse next door could be upsetting him if it is constantly restless he may have trouble relaxing, can you try another stable to rule it out.

If you are going to buy him I would get him vetted and consider scoping for ulcers at the same time, if your vet can do it, it sounds as if he may well have underlying problems that are causing the grumpiness and muscular tension, if he has had more than 2 physio treatments and is still sore and tight I would expect the physio to refer to the vet.
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Thanks - I didn't want to go down the scoping route as he will more than likely have ulcers as a racer but if I use GG the insurance will exclude his digestion and at 5yo that's obviously not good! I consulted my vet and she reckons he will more than likely have ulcers and that an alternative treatment would be a good plan. Obviously if there is the slightest sign of it being ulcers I will have him scoped but he has put on weight and muscle since using the Egusin and he has stopped being girthy so fingers crossed its worked :D
 
Just thought I'd let you know that I tried doing some different stuff with his Highness and worked him a bit harder. I am delighted to report I have for the last 2 days had a smiley happy horse again! So it would appear more work is the answer!

Thanks guys!
 
I had an ex racer who got grumpier and grumpier as the months went on, he was also on LWVTB.

Before buying him I got the vet to be sure it wasn't pain related, but it turned out that it was. He would have needed lots of ongoing treatment just to keep him pain free and sound in the future so I decided not to buy him. He was only 6.

Just make sure it isn't pain related before purchasing this horse :-)
 
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My TB has PMT - one minutes he's mega happy, the next he's a right grump - I just ignore him and have realised at the end of the day he's just a man :eek::D

How long has he been out of racing? Dont forget they're not really 'humanised' during their racing career - they certainly dont have cuddles and petted like we do ... my lad was awful - ears back all the time and it's taken me 10 months of groundwork/bonding to actually be able to get on him properly without ending up in hospital :rolleyes: but now he's the most lovable thing ever (although we do have the occasional grumpy face) ... give him time to get to know you especially if he's been passed pillar to post like my lad was :mad:
 
Oh No! Now you are worrying me....

He came fully checked from Darley so didnt bother with a vetting. I guess because they aren't selling the horses so they don't have a motive to hide any issues that they may have. Perhaps I should have a vetting after all? Eeek...
 
My physio suggested I have my tb vet-checked because of her tight chest muscles. She had bone spavin in both hocks. She was also grumpy, girthy and gave the farrier a hard time. She's still a little girthy, but happier and stands like a dream for the farrier. Pain can manifest itself in many ways and it's not easy to pinpoint.

I would get your horse vetted before buying.
 
Tammytoo said:
My physio suggested I have my tb vet-checked because of her tight chest muscles. She had bone spavin in both hocks. She was also grumpy, girthy and gave the farrier a hard time. She's still a little girthy, but happier and stands like a dream for the farrier. Pain can manifest itself in many ways and it's not easy to pinpoint.

I would get your horse vetted before buying.
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Yes my ex racer was also girthy and was difficult with the farrier too. I thought it was ulcers and was ready to get him scoped when the vet told me otherwise.
 
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