Horse being nasty?

ShowJumperBeckii

ShowJumperBeckii

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Ok so.. Horse moved yards in febuary got a corn been on and off boxrest and work since then due to it re occuring and having chiro treatment (now all clear from chiro). Now last week i had the all clear from vet and farrier to ride again, so tacked up ready to go and he will not go foward into trot just reared or kicked out when im on but would trot/canter on the lunge:confused: now got me thinking saddle? Everything else has been checked recently i have no changed anything only thing different is that the vet and farrier have both adverised me to keep him in his stable cause he keeps losing shoes and its ruining his feet, anyway free lunging tonight (don;t want to use saddle) and i was in the middle of the school he was in the corner.. i asked him to walk on on the other rein and he came cantering ears back leaping up at me and did not look like he had intentions of stopping til i waved the whip near him and he just stopped! Now it takes alot for me to get worried around horses but this scared the life out of me i stopped free lunging and left him in the school to stretch while i mucked out.
Now i thought him being naughty/nasty while i was on was his saddle but no hes turning on me when free (no tack at all) has got me worried specially considing hes such a sweet horse on the ground.. now where do i go from here? i don't wish to ride but i'm pretty scared about any type of lunging now! my first thought is pain but iv had all clear from different people so now just thinking hes being nasty? Any idea's?
 
It sounds like he is screaming at you that something is wrong. It could be he is in pain. My WB was extremely aggressive (not so ridden until the very last time) but would bite, kick, strike rear on the ground; this got progressively worse and was extremely dangerous.
Mine was in chronic pain. His behaviour has changed dramatically for the better since diagnosis, pain relief and rehab :)
 
See thats what first sprung to mind but hes had vet/chiro/farrier the lot out and had 2 different vets too! so spoke to YO and he suggested maybe its just his behavior but i don't understand what i can do?

Quite worried about posting his thread cause i know how crital people can be but im really stuck for ideas?
 
Did you say you are keeping him in as he's losing shoes? If so this could account for his behaviour,most horses need to be turned out as long as possible in my view, to keep them sane. ;)
 
Yea and where he had the quorn its bruised so as soon as the shoe is off hes hopping lame and hoof is worn down. I could understand him being fresh cause hes in but nasty??
 
I can't think of any reason why people should be critical of you, you've been folowing your vet's and farrier's advice.
I agree about turnout but the only other thing I can suggest is his feed. I had a mare who became progressively more aggressive/erratic because we were feeding her cereals & sugar.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I can't think of any reason why people should be critical of you, you've been folowing your vet's and farrier's advice.
I agree about turnout but the only other thing I can suggest is his feed. I had a mare who became progressively more aggressive/erratic because we were feeding her cereals & sugar.
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^^ This. I would also cut all starch and sugar out of his diet. Could you turn out in hoof boots?
You sound unsure about the horse - have you not owned it long? Could you ask the previous owner about this behaviour?

Vets are not infallible. You could try a pain trial - maybe suggest this to your vet, just to see if the horse acts differently after a couple of days of bute then there could be a pain problem. Good luck and keep us posted please :)
 
ShowjumperBeckii said:
Yea and where he had the quorn its bruised so as soon as the shoe is off hes hopping lame and hoof is worn down. I could understand him being fresh cause hes in but nasty??
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I think any 1 of my 3, all of whom have nice temperaments could become irritable without turnout. My WB went nuts on box rest I didn't recognise him! :mad:
 
Hes fed on hifi no mollase and top spec balancer as suggested by are feed shop cause hes always been very foward and keen to say the least but loses weight easily..
Will ask farrier if boots are a option, i mean i understand if i was kept in a box all day i would be very grumpy and annoyed too! but he seems nasty to me when asking for work yet he will follow me around the school like a dog before we start?
Would you suggest the pain trial before i try anything else? i have a saddle coming wednesday as i thought it was saddle.. shall i still go ahead with that or cancel and just contact vet/farrier?
Thanks guys x
 
How much do you trust your vet and chiro? I know that is a horrible question...but what does your gut tell you?

The behaviour whilst freeschooling is not IMO too unusual with a horse that has been couped up (that is not a critism btw).

I would next be doing what the others on here have said and look at feed and turnout. You have been told to stop him going in the field. Are you able to give him alternative turnout? smaller area? less muddy?

When chiro looked at him did they think the saddle was causing pain? My friends mare has a personality transplant due to back pain...she became grumpy with everything, during all the treatments and recovery she had to be ridden, sometimes she would still get tense and so she would be in pain again. Back trouble can be a real vicious circle.
 
Parker79 said:
How much do you trust your vet and chiro? I know that is a horrible question...but what does your gut tell you?

The behaviour whilst freeschooling is not IMO too unusual with a horse that has been couped up (that is not a critism btw).

I would next be doing what the others on here have said and look at feed and turnout. You have been told to stop him going in the field. Are you able to give him alternative turnout? smaller area? less muddy?

When chiro looked at him did they think the saddle was causing pain? My friends mare has a personality transplant due to back pain...she became grumpy with everything, during all the treatments and recovery she had to be ridden, sometimes she would still get tense and so she would be in pain again. Back trouble can be a real vicious circle.
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I trust them tbh i mean i had two different vets out just too make sure another vet couldn't find anything more but they did't..
nope i got the chiro cause i had a twisted jumping saddle (and now using a dressage saddle) so wanted too see what damage that would/had made on his back, But now just wondered cause he hasnt been doing much work that hes shaped has changed so saddle is not perfect..
I haven't ask about a field but i guess there is no harm in asking tomorrow and see if the yard can sort something out for him.
 
We have a mare who gets very odd when eating alfalfa.
We used to have a gelding who was the most laid-back, sensible horse you could wish to meet. Until he had to stay in for a week because of the snow in his very steep field. We put him out into the yard while we mucked out and he tried to kick and charged at us when we went to catch him up. He had no intention of going back inside.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
We have a mare who gets very odd when eating alfalfa.
We used to have a gelding who was the most laid-back, sensible horse you could wish to meet. Until he had to stay in for a week because of the snow in his very steep field. We put him out into the yard while we mucked out and he tried to kick and charged at us when we went to catch him up. He had no intention of going back inside.
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That reminds me..1 of mine cannot have alfalfa, sends him loopy. :eek: I think turnout and feed is probably the issue here. :)
 
I'd second the turnout too, I've seen previously sweet natured horses have personality transplants when kept in for long periods.
 
Thanks so much guys i will go from here.. also have spoken to an old owner and now know that hes always done it and hes very clever and knows as soon as hes naughty the rider gives in. so ;)
 
The phrase, 'its just behaviour' on one of the posts made me smile. 99% of the posts on here are behavioural problems.

If he were mine, I'd cut the sugar and starch out completely, and turn him out.

If he keeps losing shoes his feet are poor and will soon fall apart, I'd pre empt the issue and take the shoes off for at least 9 months if you want to shoe him again after the feet have had chance to repair themselves.
 
Sounds like more than a horse winding you up tbh. Mine goes absoutly nuts if she can't have her turnout, she really can't cope - but even then she wouldn't face you off in canter!

With both of ours most of thier problems could be traced back to their feet. Either sensitivity due to diet/grass or imbalance issues. I'm afraid not picked up on by the vet we use (a v good one to be fair!), they were only slight issues but feet really aren't most vets specialty. I would get your farrier (if you trust him, if not then find one you do trust) to go over him with a fine tooth comb.

Best of luck, he sounds like more than a wound up horse to be honest. If nothing comes to light then I would most certainly do a bute trial. V cheap, pretty much risk free and could bring to light a problem which you can then start to deal with it. Just because a horse has shown 'grumpy' behaviour for a long period of time, it isn't always their character and can often be long term low grade pain.
 
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