Paint it Lucky
Well-Known Member
Basically has anyone experienced this? Long story short my horse was very ill several weeks ago, she had to go to the vets for emergency treatment, she went into shock and nearly died. She was put into isolation as they didn't know what was wrong with her and thought it might be infectious. She did get better but I think the whole experience blew her mind. She was not the same horse when she came home and took a long time to recover physically, she lost masses of weight and wouldn't eat for weeks so obviously this affected her but I also feel it really upset her mentally. She still isn't right mentally now. I think being in an isolation stable, not able to see out as there were full bars on the door and only a blank wall opposite and no horses in visual contact, and in an unknown place has really upset her, plus the shock of all the treatment, being rushed to hospital etc. She is now well enough to be ridden again and I have started doing some gentle work with her but although she understands all the aids she used to know she is super on edge all the time. It's as though she's forgotten that she used to be confident, she is rising nine and it's like riding a just backed three year old. She's never been the bravest of horses but now she is quite literally afraid of her own shadow and it is genuine fear, she will stand and shake at things that shouldn't be scary, I don't know if it reminds her of being at the vets somehow? Anyway I haven't explained this very well but just wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar? Do horses get over big traumas like this or will it always affect her?