horse hates being groomed/rugged, touched etc

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exracehorse said:
I haven’t read all 170 replies. And hope OP gets to the bottom of her concerns. On a note about horse not liking to be touched. Groomed etc. I do actually have one like that. As soon as the dandy brush touches his body, he’s doing moving from side to side. And gets very anxious. I had a massage arranged for him once. She gave up. He detested it. He absolutely hates human touch. Or being groomed. I can comb his tail though. Not keen on mane. Forget forelock. But he loves a summer bath. It’s very odd. And after 5 years, he’s not going to change. He was same with previous owner. However he’s perfectly ok with rugs. Saddle. Girth. Unlike OP horse.
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Sounds like JJ. Not bothered by saddle or Girth. And fine with tail. Only the rug the bothers him, when it goes on his withers, as it pressures them, he now has a bib and is fine. He's also had the vet out, vet said that she can scope, but she does think it's behaviour. She said she can't say for sure unless he has a scope, but it's £360.
 
If you read my last post, you know the concerns. He's sinse had the vet out, and she said an option is scoping, for £360. But she thinks it's behaviour, but she said she can't give me an exact answer without a scope. She also said it could be as he used to have an I'll fitting saddle and has a sore back/withers. Sinse he's come down to 1 bute a day, I thought he was looking better, but it was just cuz the mare wasn't in with him. Anyway, the vet said to try him on the coligone that we have, and if he improves then we will scope him. But we aren't doing that until he's off bute, and back in work. As he has to stay on bute for now for when he gets shod on Tuesday. So 2 main questions...
I'm changing his pegasus nuts as I've heard bad things, what do you suggest that isn't crazy expensive. He's on Dengie alfa-a oil chaff. That's not changing. For info, he's going to be back in light/medium work, I would say he's a good doer, he could do with some more energy but not crazy as he does have a previous rearing problem, and also if he gets too much energy he becomes VERY spooky. He's 87% tb, the rest is ID. I was looking as ulca cubes? I also looked at balancers? He needs something with vitamins and minerals, and in the form of nuts/cubes.
2nd question, tips for behavioural grooming issues?
I've been told by vet, yo, old owner to hit him when he kicks at me or bites? I don't agree with it, but at the same time, I can't come out of his stable without an injury.
???
TIA
 
He is just a newish horse, you wont earn his trust straight away. Do little things with him to gain it.
Pegasus anything is just full of starch and sugar, so go for something like an ulcer cube. Just make sure you read the labels to see exactly what you are feeding him first.
 
Meredith said:
In the West Midlands, not my vet but I did use them as my vets don’t scope.
They do it a couple of times a year. I think they were advertising it last week.
I will send a PM
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That's too far, and either he'd have to travel 90 mins, or wed be paying a big call out. Thank you though
 
Barton Bounty said:
He is just a newish horse, you wont earn his trust straight away. Do little things with him to gain it.
Pegasus anything is just full of starch and sugar, so go for something like an ulcer cube. Just make sure you read the labels to see exactly what you are feeding him first.
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And recommendations on brands? Are saracen any good?
 
My background is mostly TBs- I wouldn’t be so quick to assume he needs energy feeding for the work you’ll be doing, at least at first.

As others have said, alfalfa can be highly reactive, so avoid that at first. Id just give a basic unmolassed chaff with your basic vits and minerals and see how you get on.

Get back to basics so you’ve got an even baseline level to start from before adding in other things slowly and one at a time, that way you’ll have a better idea of what causes the problem.

Continue with your coligone, have the physio out and get your saddle re-fitted. Hopefully that’ll be like pressing the ‘reset’ button and you can build
From there.
 
Just been through this - and after a lot of deliberation, scoped and it was glandular ulcers (different to squamous ulcers) - to my surprise as she is a pretty chilled out person who lives out 24/7 in a friendly herd.

One of the big hints it was ulcers was her reaction to the Bute.

From my experience I would suck up the cost and scope. Otherwise it will always be in the back of your mind and if it is, at least it is mendable.

Glandular ulcers are very common and, unlike squamous ulcers, not particularly linked to lifestyle, or stress or pain (and I have now talked to some of the top ‘ulcer’ vets about this, as there is much misinformation), so if it is these, it’s not that the yard have done anything wrong. They occur in a different part of the stomach to squamous ulcers.
 
southerncomfort said:
Some horses are very, very sensitive to anything with alfalfa in it.

If it were my horse, I'd be taking him off the alfa a oil to see if his sensitivity to touching/grooming improves.
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He used to not have alfalfa, so I tried him with it. Haven't seen a difference, if anything he's slightly more energic which is what I wanted.
 
southerncomfort said:
OK, I thought the not wanting to be touched was a more recent thing.
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No he's been like it sinse we got him, and apparently was like it in his previous home. But a few years ago, in another home he was fine. He's got slightly worse sinse on bute, but he's also been on box rest in that time, and has a load of energy. I started out "re-training" process today. And omg the difference in his behaviour was amazing. For the first time he actually enjoyed being touched, yes he didn't have a brush, but he let me touch him. It was a massive step and he got a treat then dinner then was left alone. I played music, and was very patient, but didn't do anything slowly as that's what predators do before attack. It worked MIRICALS.
 
So have I missed something? A horse on regular bute (and needing it for shoeing) is being brought back into work? He has had rearing problems in the past, an ill fitting saddle, and is used to being hit if things go wrong? I am confused as to why a vet would advise to hit a horse and I am confused as to why he is being brought back into work. All this screams pain and/or feed related problems. Alpha A is the worst thing I ever tried feeding - it made our sane pony completely bonkers. How much investigation has this poor horse had?
 
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