Help and advice needed for one unhappy horse!

[squirtlysmum]

Over the past few weeks my horse's behaviour has really changed. He's always been a bit of a mizog toward other horses if they came near me or his stable but he has lately begun to be threatening toward people. He has threatened to kick people just walking past, if in his stable he tries to bite people and if they challenge him he occasionally reacts in a really aggressive way. For example one of my friends saw him scratching his mane and clapped her hands at him to stop, he went berserk, jumping up and down and baring his teeth at her. I honestly think had he not had a chain across the front of his stable he would have gone after her.

This morning I did as I would usually and turned my other horse out, I pick his buckets up and on the way past my problem childs door I drop them off, this morning I met with a pair of teeth and angry eyes, he bit my shoulder! He immediatley backed off to the back of his stable.

I do have a very close bond with him I bred him and he was a very poorly foal as a result he was bottle fed for a short while.

He's always been a playful, intelligent horse with a really sweet nature and this change is heartbreaking. He's off to be scoped on Monday for Equine Ulcers and I'm almost praying thats what they find!

Any advice or help gladly accepted.

I just want my best friend back! :0(

(Also posted in Veterinary)

 

[Tickles]

It sounds like you're doing the right thing getting him checked out.

A change this sudden does sound like something due to a physical issue (unless you've changed mgmt recently too).

It is scary in something horse-sized but if it was a grizzly child with a cut knee/itchy chicken pox/etc we'd understand better.

No additional advice from me but plenty of supportive wishes for you both.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would have suggested ulcers if you had not mentioned them they can make them really miserable.

 

[Booboos]

Ditto the above. Hope your vet can give you some answers.

 

[beeswax]

You say you turn your other horse out, why is he not being turned out, if he never gets turned out he is probably pissed off seeing the other one being turned out.

 

[Inchy]

One of mine was always a bit of a demon horse, ever since I bought him, previous owner told me he'd always been grumpy as long as she'd know him...I had him scoped as part of a free trial, and he had ulcers - within two days of him being on gastroguard I suddenly found I was the owner of a very sweet horse nothing like the one I had before the scope! They can change for better (and worse!!) Very quickly!

 

[Ali2]

You say you turn your other horse out, why is he not being turned out, if he never gets turned out he is probably pissed off seeing the other one being turned out.

Bit of a leap of faith?! He may get turned out next?

OP - I'd also have suggested ulcers. I hope the scope find something - GastroGuard works very quickly!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Ulcers do sound very likely but if the scope results are negative, I should try cutting out everything but hay from his diet, in case he has developed allergies/sensitivities to cereals/sugar etc. Very often bottle-fed/hand-reared animals have digestive problems in later life.

 

[Tiffany]

He's obviously trying to tell you something & ulcers sounds a possibility. Please let us know how you get on

 

[honetpot]

For some horses the stable is a refuge, he may be feeling unwell but even if he isn't hes obviusly protecting his personal space. I would keep people away from him and find him a quite corner with company he gets on with and only you go near him until you find out what is cause it. I think people 'challanging him' is not a good idea.

 

[Gracie]

If you don't manage to uncover the problem, i would recommend trying Gaynor Davenport, she is a horse communicator and really is quite incredible. Having worked with her for the last 6 months she has identified physical problems with my horse i may never have found myself before it was too late in the day to put them right and we have come so much further in our training as a result. This may or may not be your thing, so just a suggestion but could really help and save time getting to the bottom of the problem so you can make your horse more comfortable / happy asap : )

 

[Natch]

How old is this horse? And what has changed... Management, feed (and what is his feeding regime?), work, etc?

 

[smellsofhorse]

Definitely sounds like something us wrong you know him best so hopefully beteer you and your vet you can work out what it is.
Hopefully you will have s happy horse again soon.

Let us know how he goes.

 

[squirtlysmum]

You say you turn your other horse out, why is he not being turned out, if he never gets turned out he is probably pissed off seeing the other one being turned out.

He goes out too I just can't take them out together, if he goes out first he either gets extremely stressed or stays by the gate to chase his brother!

 

[squirtlysmum]

How old is this horse? And what has changed... Management, feed (and what is his feeding regime?), work, etc?

I can hand on heart say nothing has changed, if it had I could change back.

 

[5horses2dogsandacat]

Out of what u said bottle feeding sprang out to me. How long was it for? How old is he now? bottle fed horses are renowned for being vicious. Lots of articles on it.
This could be the start of his bad behaviour. I would like the others said get him checked out.

 

[Puzzles]

Out of what u said bottle feeding sprang out to me. How long was it for? How old is he now? bottle fed horses are renowned for being vicious. Lots of articles on it.
This could be the start of his bad behaviour. I would like the others said get him checked out.

But the impression I get is that the horse has been absolutely fine for his whole life - why suddenly change now when nothing else has? I see what you're saying, and some bottlefed horses can be over-familiar disrespectful of personal space, but I don't think they aren 'renowned' for being aggressive and malicious towards people, just sometimes need clearer boundaries.

It sounds like a very stressed, anxious and unhappy horse and I really feel for the OP. I agree that it is very likely to be something physical. It sounds like you're on the right track and doing everything you can for your horse, and I admire that you haven't just assumed that your horse is being naughty and punishing him for it. Having bred your horse, you must know him like the back of your hand, so it seems all the more surprising that this has happened. Good luck!

 

[5horses2dogsandacat]

I've read a lot of books and a lot of trainers say the same, Richard Maxwell naming one, that horses fed from a bottle should be an absolute last resort due to the behaviour it produces. It gets to a point sadly some are just that dangerous they end up being pts

I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule like everything in life though Xx

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Over the past few weeks my horse's behaviour has really changed. He's always been a bit of a mizog toward other horses if they came near me or his stable but he has lately begun to be threatening toward people. He has threatened to kick people just walking past, if in his stable he tries to bite people and if they challenge him he occasionally reacts in a really aggressive way. For example one of my friends saw him scratching his mane and clapped her hands at him to stop, he went berserk, jumping up and down and baring his teeth at her. I honestly think had he not had a chain across the front of his stable he would have gone after her.

This morning I did as I would usually and turned my other horse out, I pick his buckets up and on the way past my problem childs door I drop them off, this morning I met with a pair of teeth and angry eyes, he bit my shoulder! He immediatley backed off to the back of his stable.

I do have a very close bond with him I bred him and he was a very poorly foal as a result he was bottle fed for a short while.

He's always been a playful, intelligent horse with a really sweet nature and this change is heartbreaking. He's off to be scoped on Monday for Equine Ulcers and I'm almost praying thats what they find!

Any advice or help gladly accepted.

I just want my best friend back! :0(

(Also posted in Veterinary)

How old is he?

 

[squirtlysmum]

Well he does indeed have ulcers and is now on medication so I was right to follow my instincts. )

 

[Puzzles]

Well it's great that you know what it is! Hopefully the treatment will work quickly and effectively - what treatment is he on? Is it antacids or something?

 

[squirtlysmum]

Just a little bit on the bottle feeding side of things, he is certainly not a vicious horse hence being so worried about him, yes I suppose he tends to invade my personal space on some occasions but thats usually to ask for a scratch and he returns the favour by gently scratching me back. He is amazingly sweet toward me and far from being an unhandleable beasty.
I've asked for people to leave him alone should he pull faces at the as I do think some of it is attention seeking and I don't think windmilling arms around in front of his nose is helping his mood. Fingers crossed he return to being the yard clown!