Help please with weird winter behaviour

[ruscara]

A friend has a ten year old Cleveland Bay x Welsh Cob who is a kind, genuine but quite dominant horse. He is in a herd of six, who go out in the day in winter and in at night, and the reverse in summer. In summer, he's no problem to turn out or bring in, but as soon as he has to wear a rug - in winter - he's a nightmare to turn out. He spins, rears, pulls and tanks off, regardless of where his friends are. It's as if he has a panic attack, but only when it's cold/wet or he has a rug on. Has anyone any ideas what might be causing this, or any experience of it? It's not only worrying, but dangerous

 

[Noodlebug]

I have no idea!! My horse likes it out more in the winter then the summer. When it is really cold and more when it is snowing he doesn't want to come in! I would have thought that if it was just when waering the rug then he doesn't like that but if it is when it is cold and wet and he is not wearing a rug then maybe it just the weather making him feel lively! Mine at the moment has the devil in him as I think that the fields were so frozen this week he hasn't had his normal loon around the field.

 

[Littlelegs]

Is the rug perhaps causing discomfort? Too tight, rubbing somewhere? Or he's had previous experience of a rug fitted badly. Or he's got caught up in the field in a rug at some point. Has he always been like this or did it start suddenly? And is he ok once in the field or does he continue stressing once out?
I'd try walking him around in a fleece with just a front buckle, & gradually build up the number of fastenings & the weight of rug to find out what the actual cause is.
First though I'd check the horse for any signs of rubbing, or anything that adding a rug to would be unpleasant, such as scabs, mites etc. Then check the interior of the rug for anything that could be causing discomfort. Even just lots of ingrained hair on the inside could be making him itchy enough to leap about.

 

[PandorasJar]

If it's the rug does he need one on? I used to look after one who was impossible to catch come winter and rugging. We stopped rugging (she had a winter coat and not rugged for long) and easy as anything when she realised that we weren't coming out to pop a rug on, simply hated being rugged up.

 

[Surreydeb]

Some horses don't like leg straps but are fine with surcingles - had to cut legs straps off my rugs before now and horse was fine after that

 

[crabbymare]

If he has his rugs changed to go out it she could try leaving him with his turnout with no leg straps on overnight so he just has a headcollar on and goes out or perhaps if he is not fully clipped she could just turn him out without a rug on. could be one of the rare horses who has had a fright with a rug and needs a lot of time spent to get him over it. From your post does he do it without a rug when its cold and wet or only with a rug?

 

[cptrayes]

Probably completely off target, but strangely, this was the behaviour shown by my horse who had kidney failure.

 

[PandorasJar]

Probably completely off target, but strangely, this was the behaviour shown by my horse who had kidney failure.

Out of curiosity, was there any reasoning given for this? Temperature regulation or very sensitive etc?

 

[cptrayes]

We never understood why he did it. He had almost total kidney failure once I managed to find a vet who believed me that he was ill. And in the year before that, he was unmanageable in winter in a turnout rug, while the rest of the time, and in the stable, he was a sweet and gentle creature, though riggy with mares.

 

[ruscara]

Thank you everyone. I'll print this off for my friend. I am not sure whether it's rug related or Winter related, tbh. We just wondered if anyone else's horse behaved like this. I'll find out if he's the same if he's not rugged but it's winter weather.

 

[PandorasJar]

We never understood why he did it. He had almost total kidney failure once I managed to find a vet who believed me that he was ill. And in the year before that, he was unmanageable in winter in a turnout rug, while the rest of the time, and in the stable, he was a sweet and gentle creature, though riggy with mares.

How strange, I'm sorry no vet listened to you sooner.