Horse turned spooky

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advicewanted

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Hi,

I'm a long time lurker and posting for the first time as I'd really appreciate other people's opinions as I'm at a loss.

I've had my horse 5 years, always been well behaved, totally non spooky and calm. 2 years ago we moved to a new yard and each year at the end of April, beginning of May and throughout summer she isn't herself. She turns spooky in traffic when she's usually bombproof (I lead daughters pony out from her) she's more anxious and spooky in general. Not as settled. More worried where her friends are.

She has been scoped for ulcers, stomach totally clear and displays no other ulcer symptoms. She's had overies scanned and a regumate trial. Overies all normal, regumate didn't improve the spooky behaviour. She's had her eyes checked, all fine. A lameness work up all fine, no concerns. Physio, teeth done. Saddle checked. Also is still spooky when lead out in hand.

I feel like I've looked into most things. I'm now starting to wonder if it's down to the grass, as it wasn't until we moved yards this started. We moved to a yard which is an ex dairy farm and there is lots of clover in the field. Could this really be what is unsettling her? It's certainly very lush.

She was like this last May and throughout summer but in Winter gradually changed back to her old self and I thought she was fine but I have the same problems again this year starting at the same time as last year.

Feed wise she only has hay and a basic chaff.

Sorry for my first post being such a long one has anyone else experienced anything similar?
 
Yes!! I’ve had my mare who I would always jokingly describe as a dope on a rope, for 11 years, she’s always been spooky, but it’s never worried me in the slightest, but this year she’s taken it to a whole different level. It’s got to the point where I dread hacking her out. She’s always been kept at the same yard, so the only thing I can put it down to is the sugar in the grass at the moment. I’ve also had all the usual checks done very recently, so I know it isn’t a physical thing. I’m just hoping she’ll settle back down to her normal dopey self very soon!??
 
It is really strange that her only behaviour change is becoming spooky. Hormones can manifest as pain over the back which can look like ulcers or ovaries but you have investigated all this. As you have tried Regumate it rules out all the other suggestions like moody mare. There is Ecalm which is worth a try, but again, this is just a spring thing. If she is high on sugar I would expect other accompanying issues like bucking and generally being bolshy. I assume her chaff hasn’t changed so not that either.
 
the yard I’m on used to be a dairy farm & I find if I don’t supplement with salt and magox in spring when the grass is growing then my welsh d can be spookier
 
To determine if it is the grass causing the behaviour, could you keep her off it for a few weeks and see what happens?
 
If she is low in magnesium this can cause spookiness. Apparently a lot of land in the UK is low in magnesium and worse after a wet winter. Cheap to buy on ebay - add around 1 tablespoon to her feed and if it is going to work you will see a difference in around 5 days. Does depend on the individual horse as i have three and only one needs magnesium although all three are on exactly the same grazing/feed.
 
Thanks for all the replies so far. She's not as settled in herself as well as the spooking. For example neighing at other horses, which is fine but the rest of the year she is literally silent, never hear a murmur from her. So not separation anxiety but not as calm and independent. It's just little things in her behaviour she's not her usually solid self but the spookiness is the biggest sign.

She's on Thunderbrookes healthy herbal chaff which has no alfalfa or soya in. She also only gets a small handful as token feed after a ride.
 
A change in environment can have a massive effect. I had an awful year when I sold my equestrian property & the one I was buying fell through, so the animals were farmed out. At home, Trev the ex racer was chilled. First livery - turned into a psychotic monster. I went to ride him (he was a long way away) & couldn't even tack him up. Then he moved somewhere else - went back to super chilled. Then the house angst was extended & I wasn't happy with how he was being treated, so moved him again - turned into a lunatic again. (All moves were with his Shetland companion.) Finally at long last moved to my new home...arrived very wired (from retirement livery), but then settled down & is now chilled again. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it all myself.

My other horse turned from super chilled to unpredictable & naughty - turns out that he has type 1 EPSM. I have sent off samples to see if he has type 2 as well. It was as if he'd had a personality transplant.

They like to throw us curved balls...
 
Could be hind gut acidosis - really hard to diagnose and the rich grass could do it. I use Max Gut Health - has worked wonders on my horse and my problems were far worse than going spooky. There's often a discount code - look at Richard Maxwell Horse Trainer on Facebook.
https://max-gut-health.ecwid.com/
 
Lady Jane said:
Could be hind gut acidosis - really hard to diagnose and the rich grass could do it. I use Max Gut Health - has worked wonders on my horse and my problems were far worse than going spooky. There's often a discount code - look at Richard Maxwell Horse Trainer on Facebook.
https://max-gut-health.ecwid.com/
Click to expand...

I thought possible hind gut when she was scoped although scoping clear we did 8 weeks of sucralfate no difference, also done equisure, and Gastro Plus. So I thought that was another thing I'd ticked off the list, it's a minefield!
 
catembi said:
A change in environment can have a massive effect. I had an awful year when I sold my equestrian property & the one I was buying fell through, so the animals were farmed out. At home, Trev the ex racer was chilled. First livery - turned into a psychotic monster. I went to ride him (he was a long way away) & couldn't even tack him up. Then he moved somewhere else - went back to super chilled. Then the house angst was extended & I wasn't happy with how he was being treated, so moved him again - turned into a lunatic again. (All moves were with his Shetland companion.) Finally at long last moved to my new home...arrived very wired (from retirement livery), but then settled down & is now chilled again. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it all myself.

My other horse turned from super chilled to unpredictable & naughty - turns out that he has type 1 EPSM. I have sent off samples to see if he has type 2 as well. It was as if he'd had a personality transplant.

They like to throw us curved balls...
Click to expand...

Yes this is what I thought last year was it just the place, taking longer to settle. But she settled down through winter and was fine the winter before. I also know all her history and spoke to previous owner who had her on a couple of different yards and never had this with her. I'm at a loss! Maybe it's worth moving her somewhere just for a trial period to see if it helps her.
 
If you are seeing a pattern in timing, then grass could well be a culprit.

I had one that religiously bronced me off 2-3 times each spring. I should have pre-booked my slot in A&E ?
 
advicewanted said:
I thought possible hind gut when she was scoped although scoping clear we did 8 weeks of sucralfate no difference, also done equisure, and Gastro Plus. So I thought that was another thing I'd ticked off the list, it's a minefield!
Click to expand...
Scoping is irrelevant and I'm not sure the other products are specially for hind gut? I think they are for ulcers
 
Lady Jane said:
Scoping is irrelevant and I'm not sure the other products are specially for hind gut? I think they are for ulcers
Click to expand...
Just looked: GastroPlus is a general gut product rather than specialist hind gut. Equisure is specially for hind gut but I can't find anything about the contents? I really would recommend the Max Gut Health product
 
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