Grumpy pony sees off sharers

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bitlessbill

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A few weeks ago my usually laid back pony turned on my sharer. As he was ok with me I put it down to her being a bit fluffy with him and him spotting a weakness as he was fine with no 2 sharer. He has now been getting increasingly nasty to her too and today she has quit as he bit her then swung his bum and threatened to kick.

I`m now thinking pain related whereas before I thought it was behavioural. He lives out at night and in in the day with ad-lib hay so do you think there`s any chance of ulcers due to lack of grass?

It only seems to be when grooming or tacking up, he`s happy when ridden and all other times.

I have got the vet coming friday but just thought I`d ask for opinions!
 
Well if it is just the sharer and not you I would not automatically think pain related, would probably think horse being an arse and testing boundaries!

My mare is a bit like that sometimes, she knows she doesn't get away with it and its just threats, but I would worry about someone not confident dealing with her at those times!
 
Yes but two sharers in weeks! The 2nd one was definitely not fluffy and couldn`t understand why the first one gave up to start with, they have both shared since last June with no problems.

I don`t know if he`s hungry, got SAD disease or just p`d off with crap weather and lack of work but somethings going on!

I thought maybe a bute trial but then if it`s ulcers it might make them worse
:(
 
Ah sorry I didn't see it was two sharers!
I think it may be the cold and time of year, is he turned out much? Mine live out and if one of them gets cold she turns into a she-devil biting and threatening to kick if you touch her, but on a warm day happy as Larry, so I make sure she has extra hay when cold, is rugged although she wouldn't normally need one (is a hairy), and I make sure she has recently had some fibre before riding or doing anything even if just a handful of chaff while tacking up, otherwise she can be girthy and stroppy and has lifted a leg a few times when I do anything near her feet/legs. I sometimes do wonder about ulcers but think it is quite unlikely in my mare so in her case I think of it more as 'a bit stomachy'. I basically keep it in mind and try to make her management ulcer friendly which it would be anyway.
 
Agree with Mandwhy. Also think maybe you're taking it a tad too seriously!

Don't really see why we should expect all horses /ponies to be sweeties all the time. Think the sharers just need to cope with it and not over-dramatise it. If the horse is being sour AND going badly that is something else, and does need looking into. But tetchiness, grumpiness? No.

Keep him warm, enough food and like with a small child, don't pay too much attention. Our ex-steeplechaser,when he arrived, kicked out badly when he had his feed, and still pulls terrible faces; but an "Oi" when the foot came off the ground, and always speaking quietly to him if you go in when he's feeding, have worked wonders. He still occasionally snaps but it's air-bites and we just ignore it.

Summer, when it comes, will cheer your boy up. By the way, how old are the sharers? They sound as if they might be teenagers if they are that intimidated?
 
All horses are not nice people all the time I suspect he's fine with you because he knows you best.
The weather is awful ( nice today here ) they are expecting spring, funny bits of grass are coming but it's frosty and that affects some horses too one of mine is grumpy ATM.
 
If it helps make my mare has seenoff 1 sharer, 2 full loans and just got kicked off the grass livery for being a moody thing - If you're going to feed the other 2 out of the 3 the least you can do is shove a handful of chaff in her bucket to keep her sweet and not leave her out.

If my lot are anything to go by they all have major winter grumps!
 
No the sharers are not teenagers, both adults.

After watching a you tube video on ulcers I have this morning poked and prodded and their is no sign of pain anywhere, also he is turned out for 16 hours a day, well rugged and I know theres not a lot of grass but he is on 20 acres and they always have their heads down!

He gets fed twice a day with a scoop of Safe n Sound and half a mug of balancer with a few carrots and at least 3 large sections of hay in the daytime.

Are there any supplements for moody boys worth trying?

I do have a session booked with an IHRA but it's not till the end of the month.
 
My brat pony was kicked out of 4 loan homes before i bought him because he was an epic grumpy git. Would nip, swing round to kick, chase kids in the fields if they went to catch him! With me absolutely fine. Knows his boundaries and knows instantly when he's overstepped the mark. Unfortunately because he's so gosh darn cute, other liveries want to say hello to him, and as shown last week when someone approached him (an adult) she swiftly had teeth going for her and a raised leg threat. He is very much a one person pony and is incredibly sweet with me.

Sounds like he's getting enough forage to me and if he's fine with you I wouldn't have thought it was pain related. Have you been there at the time of the behaviour to see how they handle/discipline him?
 
No I'm not there when it happens but I have told them to be firm with him and get his feet moving if he is naughty, a few steps backwards and sideways to let him know they are in charge but the more confident of the two has now been bitten twice and has had enough.
He is fine with my instructor who schools him and the farrier and the physio and the dentist but he can spot a weakness from a mile away and once he's had a reaction he's on a roll!

He's the leader of the herd in the field and has started treating people the same. I've owned him since he was 3 so I think he knows I'm boss but it's a worry because I do need sharers.
 
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