Horse suddenly aggressive

[ktj1891]

Had a text from my friend earlier that has completely shocked me. When she brought our two horses in from the field, she caught my boy fine and went to get hers who was walking away from her. Eventually caught her and started leading them in but my boy was going for her mare. She just swished lead rope at him and thought nothing of it.

However he was relentless and kept going ears pinned back and baring teeth and eventually bit my friend on the chest. She was so shocked she let go of them both where they both ran to the yard and stopped. Yard owner took my boy and my friend led hers in stable got connor and put him straight in at this point didn't want to go near him.

When she led him on his own and into the stable she said he was fine. Now my horse is very laid back he's almost horizontal a novice could lead him and I did them both this morning and no hint of an issue.

The only thing atm we can think it could be is he is hungry as previous in summer field when I had him on track and her in middle at start of winter I was hating and feeding him and when she would come too close he would go for her (he gets very excitable about his food and its the only time you could think he MAY do something if he was ever going to). However it still doesn't add up as there was nothing in field to fight over. He is also used to his routine now and know he's coming into a bucket feed and hay.

Even if it was that it's a really extreme and completely unexpected reaction. He went lame on Saturday but he's barefoot and its indicative of his claim I've got ongoing of his right fore lameness. He's been sound for ages and it sounds off but there's nothing sinister going on in his foot as he's had all investigations just think he's gone sore again. Other than the things I've stated about I am completely flabagasted and have no idea what has caused this behaviour. Any ideas, I am really worried about him as it's very very unusual and out of the blue for him. If you knew him you would know it's completely not his nature he's actually quite a worrier and was bullied in group turnout.

 

[AlwaysWorried]

I'm very very far from an expert, but I wonder if the mare could be in season? When my girl started, a really sweet pony gelding started jumping out of his field and kicking out at anyone that went near her.

 

[ktj1891]

I'm very very far from an expert, but I wonder if the mare could be in season? When my girl started, a really sweet pony gelding started jumping out of his field and kicking out at anyone that went near her.

Yes my yard owner mentioned this and also owner thinks she's coming into season. However, he has been out with other mares before too including mine and never shown this behaviour before.

Plus don't mares have seasons all year round they just show them less through winter?

 

[Shay]

Although some mares do have seasons year round most don't. It isn't a good time to conceive so the body stops them wanting to. Very few animals other than humans are fertile year long. Your boy could be protective of her if she is coming into her first spring season. But there are other things that could cause this protective aggression so you might need to be very careful around him if the two remain turned out together.

 

[BigRed]

My gelding was being extremely horrible to my pony mare last night too and was very difficult - shall we say - to lead in. I put this down to him being thoroughly fed up with rain, cold, mud and no grass to eat. Once his nose was in a hay net he was back to his normal self.

 

[ktj1891]

Although some mares do have seasons year round most don't. It isn't a good time to conceive so the body stops them wanting to. Very few animals other than humans are fertile year long. Your boy could be protective of her if she is coming into her first spring season. But there are other things that could cause this protective aggression so you might need to be very careful around him if the two remain turned out together.

Maybe but apparently he was chasing her around most of the day. He's been out with mares before and been with 3 at one time and never any of this behaviour. I am wondering if he is a false rig as sometime he can get whickery and stallion like around mares but that is all he does and 5 secs later goes back to being a boring laid back gelding.

Never ever has he done something like this before and I have owned him 4 years straight out of racing. I have kept him in today and we will be separating them tomorrow, understandable the mares owner doesn't want her pony hurt or rugs ripped anymore.

 

[ktj1891]

My gelding was being extremely horrible to my pony mare last night too and was very difficult - shall we say - to lead in. I put this down to him being thoroughly fed up with rain, cold, mud and no grass to eat. Once his nose was in a hay net he was back to his normal self.

Maybe- but again he knows his routine and that he comes in for hay and feed every night. He cannot be that hungry as he had hay left over this morning. I brought him over to her in her stable today and he was fine, I led them both and again he was back to his normal self. Very out of the blue and confusing as no idea what triggered in his head to do it and now as a result they cannot share the field as don't want to risk it happening again.

 

[ktj1891]

So I got my horse in today with my friends mare and he did the same with me. I told him off and yanked on headcollar, wrapped it around his nose and shouted at him but he was relentless in showing pure aggression. For the first time ever since being around horses I was scared of them and worst it was my own horse of 4 years who wouldn't hurt a fly. My legs were shaking and my heart beating because his behavior was so dangerous!

In the end I had to put her back in the field and lead him in and he was back to normal. Tied him up on yard and went to get her. I got her in and he was nickering to her as i came around the corner, I led her over to him and they were fine, i untied him and led them around the yard together and he was fine. I;m completely baffled and actually have no idea where to go from here or what to think.

All sorts of explanations are banging around my head and my friends, is he in pain from his feet, is he hungry, is he a rig, is she in season, is there something going on with his hormones?

So my plan of action tomorrow is to lead them both out to the field as not sure at the moment if he will do the same going to the field and give him some hay in the field. Then both of us go back up in the evening and lead them in together, i will put a bridle on him and see what he does when were both there leading separately but at the same time.

 

[Groom Mum]

Had a text from my friend earlier that has completely shocked me. When she brought our two horses in from the field, she caught my boy fine and went to get hers who was walking away from her. Eventually caught her and started leading them in but my boy was going for her mare. She just swished lead rope at him and thought nothing of it.

However he was relentless and kept going ears pinned back and baring teeth and eventually bit my friend on the chest. She was so shocked she let go of them both where they both ran to the yard and stopped. Yard owner took my boy and my friend led hers in stable got connor and put him straight in at this point didn't want to go near him.

When she led him on his own and into the stable she said he was fine. Now my horse is very laid back he's almost horizontal a novice could lead him and I did them both this morning and no hint of an issue.

The only thing atm we can think it could be is he is hungry as previous in summer field when I had him on track and her in middle at start of winter I was hating and feeding him and when she would come too close he would go for her (he gets very excitable about his food and its the only time you could think he MAY do something if he was ever going to). However it still doesn't add up as there was nothing in field to fight over. He is also used to his routine now and know he's coming into a bucket feed and hay.

Even if it was that it's a really extreme and completely unexpected reaction. He went lame on Saturday but he's barefoot and its indicative of his claim I've got ongoing of his right fore lameness. He's been sound for ages and it sounds off but there's nothing sinister going on in his foot as he's had all investigations just think he's gone sore again. Other than the things I've stated about I am completely flabbergasted and have no idea what has caused this behaviour. Any ideas, I am really worried about him as it's very very unusual and out of the blue for him. If you knew him you would know it's completely not his nature he's actually quite a worrier and was bullied in group turnout.

Your last line you wrote made me perk up....
Bullied in a group herd. My boy was as laid back as anything until he went away on loan. they put him in a mixed unstable herd and he came back to me with a large haematoma (bite) on his neck. He had been bullied relentlessly and I didn't even know anything about it until, this horse of mine who would school lovely right next to another 10 horses in a ménage would go completely mental at other horses that dared to pass him. He would do all the showing of teeth, ears back, tried to kick out out anything horsey that passed him. He is now on a small yard where the owner cannot even put him into group lessons, because he tries to attack the other horses/ponies in the lesson. It just isn't like him but he's changed now and is only friendly with ponies or horses he takes a fancy to and i think who he trusts. So I think it could be because he is being bullied in his herd maybe?
I dont even know if it's reversible, I hope it is as I would love some tips on how to make mine a little more friendly !!! He is as good as gold alone though, not a nasty bone in his body.