HELP Crazy pony personality transplant????

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Marley&Me

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OMG I have a new crazy freaky pony on my hands.

My 14.3 coloured cob (6 years old) was clipped out a week ago and therefore went from living out 24/7 to going out 8 hours a day and in overnight. It is the first time he has had a full clip. Normally has a bib clip.

These are obviously some notable changes such as being clipped out, coming in at night, and spring grass on the up....but he is crazy.

Spooky, nervous, overly senstive to my legs even brushing his sides, he panics if I move in the saddle, panics over wind, rain, noises it is like he is on drugs. He is usually and safe, steady confidence giver.

I cut his feed down by half and (he was on 500g of speedibeet and a handleful of micronised linseed per day), plus soaked hay.

He rodeo'd me off today! I have never fallen off him ever before in the 18months I have had him. It is not fun! And I really hurt my back. Ouch! I have a back lady coming out on Saturday just in case.


I am really worried about getting back on him! And I would like some ideas of where to go from here and how to handle things. Please help!
 
As you have already mentioned, I imagine the main difference could be attributed from swapping from 24/7 turnout to stabled.

My horses are very different when stabled - fortunately they get hunted weekly so get to use up any excess energy, but do under go a 'personality transformation' when coming in initially.

The episode today may well have been weather related - I decided not too ride today as all horses were very wired with the wind, snow, sushine, then rain.

In your case I would cut out all hard feed and just feed forage, hay if possible as haylage can 'heat' up some horses. I would also try to increase his exercise if convenient.

Also has he come in just because of the clip? There is no reason he could not live out 24/7 with good rugs if that suits him better.

Hope you are not too stiff in the morning! x
 
Think you've answered your own question really with all the changes he's had. I'd cut out the feed unless its essential weight wise. It's possible he's now feeling the cold, its been windy & horrid here so he won't be inclined to walk slowly along with the wind up his backside. If you want a nice quiet ride try an exercise sheet. (unless he is working hard?) Put him back out rugged up 24/7?
 
Hi there

Thanks for the response. I did bring him in as he has been clipped out. He went from a wooly mammoth (full mane and feathers) to a show cob (pulled and clipped out in full)... had to clip as he couldnt work more than 20 mins walk and trot with out sweating up like crazy and then not being able to cool and dry him off in time to stick him back out.


I have a 420g full neck turnout I could put on him overnight But would feel mean sticking him out all night now he is clipped out. ?????

At the mo he is out all day in a 220g neckless turnout. Do you think the 420g would be enough over night?
 
Without knowing your horse I really wouldn't like to say, some feel the cold more than others, but in theory should be ok. ( mine was in a hw today, my friends was in a lw & both were right temp) if you don't fancy sticking him back out try cutting the feed & an exercise sheet first.
 
If it helps my TB mare is out, fully clipped and yesterday went back up to a MW full neck rug. She was previously in a MW neckless rug.
 
Rug him well, throw him out & cut out all hard feed & just give hay.
See how he is after at least a couple of days or so back outdoors 24/7 - bet he is a little more back to normal.
He's a horse, he'll survive outside if you make sure he's got the right rug on.

Good luck :)
 
UPDATE..more support needed.


Pony went back out 24/7 and this calmed his personality down on the ground back to normal.

Back lady sorted his back out which was tight in places and pelvis misalighned, lumber vertebrae rolled, which she felt was not helped/caused by the treeless saddle we have been using. So a made to meausre (but adjustable Saddle Company Saddle was ordered and fitted and arrived yesterday.

In the meantime I have been doing lungeing and walking in hand and clicker training to help at the mounting block.



Mc Timoney lady who is also a saddle fitter, fitted the new Saddle yesterday and it looks brill. Horse was happy to be tacked up and mounted, but the second my bottom was in the saddle he became super tense, lifted his back, and any moving of my hands, legs or even speaking made him panic and spook. It felt like at any moment he could bolt off. We stayed halted and didnt walk. I got off 4 or 5 mins later once he had relaxed a bit.

Then a couple of hours later I tried again with my friend who is experienced with youngsters and lighter than me.

He was a little reluctant at the mounting block but stood calmly, tensing once rider was up. I led her in walk and he relaxed to a certain extent after 5 mins or so, but occasionally becoming tense and feeling like he might dash off, if for example I moved from one side to the other for changing the rein as I was leading. Also if the wind blew he became tense and panicky.

This is really strange to me as this is the pony I was riding in dressage tests last summer and hacked out safe as house up until he was clipped out, and sat my young children on him without any problems. Now I have a scared spooky unpredicatable pony that I am not sure what to do with next. Please help!

Is it him remembering a painful/unpleasant experience? Is it his back being much more sensitive due to being clipped? Is he cold backed and the clipping of the saddle area has made things worse and more sensitive? Any other ideas?

Apologies for the essay!

I just want to make my boy better and for him to enjoy being ridden again.
 
I think it could be any of the above you've mentioned. All are possible. Is he insured? Perhaps its time to get the vet in now as you've tried going back to his old routine when he was "normal" and he's not much better.
 
But then just noticed you said his new saddle only arrived yesterday. Maybe give him a chance to forget any possible pain he may be remembering from his old saddle and back before the back lady saw him...
 
Did you leave a saddle patch when you clipped? Only asked as one time I didn't leave one in my boy he became tense under saddle. Would put his back up and sometimes buck. When it's left on he is fine.
 
If your recent fall was the first time anyone fell off him he might be worried about that, it can really upset some horses. I agree about getting physical checks sorted, but seeing as his temperament on the ground has returned to normal it might just take his ridden work a few more days to chill out, I'd be getting on and off and doing some leading work and keeping it all very relaxed with the rider, and working him fairly hard (but not crazy, long slow sessions best) on the longlines if he does longline well already. If not lunge, doesn't sound like q good time to try something new! Good luck x
 
Thanks for the input everyone.

I will definitely get the vet out if things dont settle. But I must say that today has been more positive (or a little progress at least).

Following googling "cold backed" I learned about massaging gently the saddle area before tacking up, leaving the saddle on a while and then lunging (in tack) for 10 or so minutes to gently warm and supple the back and help them relax.

So I did the above and it defintely made a difference. We did the same thing again with my friend being the jockey and me the leader. Following lunging she mounted, he fussed for a few minutes, and tenses his back in anticipation of her sitting down, but actually didnt arch his back or get spooky. He remained tense for 2 or 3 minutes whilst stood still. But then noticably relaxed. I then lead him on a circle (round pen) for about 10 minutes with the rider introducing aids of halt, walk, left, right, and got to the point of me walking beside him without holding on. It was tempting to do more but I was adament to leave it on a positive note. So things by no means fixed, but clear progress. (Baby steps!)


rosiejones said:
If your recent fall was the first time anyone fell off him he might be worried about that, it can really upset some horses.
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Yes it was the first time anyone had fallen off him and actually he lost 2 riders in one day! Since then I have been able to lean over him bareback with him remaining completely relaxed. But it seems when tack is introduced he panics/hurts?


rosiejones said:
I agree about getting physical checks sorted, but seeing as his temperament on the ground has returned to normal it might just take his ridden work a few more days to chill out,
Click to expand...

I hope so, obviously though it has been a month since anyone has sat on him with the intention of riding so he maybe needs to get his head round this?


rosiejones said:
I'd be getting on and off and doing some leading work and keeping it all very relaxed with the rider, and working him fairly hard (but not crazy, long slow sessions best) on the longlines if he does longline well already. If not lunge, doesn't sound like q good time to try something new! Good luck x
Click to expand...

I will try the getting on and off and doing the longer slow sessions with him (in a comfy numnah...poly pad?) I havent done long lining with him (have with others though), but can continue to lunge.

With the getting on and off I think I saw you (if you are the rosiejones I think you are!) on an IH demo on tv getting on one side and getting almost straight off the otherside....is that right? I think the demo was to do with mounting issues but I cant remember why you get on one side and off the other?
 
Just a thought, but maybe he doesn't like the feeling of the cut hair bristles being caught in the numnah and possibly rubbed the wrong way? Try riding without anything under the saddle as the leather won't catch the hairs and see if that makes a difference.
 
I was thinking along the same lines as lhotse, maybe the short hair feels prickly and uncomfortable, not just under the saddle, but also under the leg. Has he been clipped out this much before? I remember reading on her about someone's horse headshaking, turned out it was the headpiece of the bridle on her recently cut bridlepath irritating her.

Maybe spend some time brushing his sides back and forward, so it doesn't feel quite so weird. Probably calm down as the hair gets a bit longer too.
 
lhotse said:
Just a thought, but maybe he doesn't like the feeling of the cut hair bristles being caught in the numnah and possibly rubbed the wrong way? Try riding without anything under the saddle as the leather won't catch the hairs and see if that makes a difference.
Click to expand...

I think ou could be right.

Today when I was giving his back a very gentle massage, (more like stroking and touching his back in the saddle area), he absolutely loved it and bent right around to see what I was doing and give me a lick and nibble (mutual grooming attempt). But interestingly one of the techniques was to do soft circular motions and with the bit where the hair was brushed the wrong way he didnt like it at all....he wrinkled his nose and attempted to nip...a clear "I dont like it" from him, so of course I stopped straight away and continued with gentle strokes in the direction of the hair, which he showed me was nice again.

He has NEVER been clipped fully before. Last winter he had a trace/chaser type clip. Sort of a low neck, belly and low strip over hind legs (like a trace but very low) But his back and most of his sides were left hairy. He is very hairy anyway (traditional cob) and it took the lady 3 to 4 hours to clip him out! He was a star and stood like a rock munching his hay to be done. But she had an awful lot to clip off!

I think the fact he has never been this short coated has had a significant impact and perhaps he is feeling the cold. I have put his heavy weight on tonight!
 
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