Loss of performance in spring

[twodonkies]

For the last two years my gelding dressage horse gets really difficult to ride during springtime. He gets terrible rubs where bit, spurs, saddle lie. I cannot ride him in spurs during this period as he is not happy, reared up verticle and half over at Hartpury champs! We have several theories: something connected with coat moulting, something to do with spring grass-possible magnesium deficiency or ulcers? Hormones? Or an allergy? Last spring had teeth checked, new saddle, back x rayed for kissing spine. No diagnosis, by the summer was back in work, and qualified for nationals in stoneleigh. The same behavior is back again, vertical rearing, napping if leaving yard. 6 weeks ago could hack out on my own, now toi dangerous! Anyone suffered from this problem?

 

[Supanova]

My mare has a spell each May when she goes up vertical - doesn't do it the rest of the year so i reckon its either hormones or spring grass. Given yours is a gelding then it probably more likely to be the latter!

I have learnt a lot about the impact of starch and sugar on horses in recent months (my other horse has been diagnosed with RER) so i am now a big believer that even little changes in the quality of grass etc can have an impact on the horse.

 

[alsxx]

Could it be grass related ie low grade laminitis? I know a lot of people find the concept hard to accept by I used to find my TB had periods of being very lazy/nappy and general loss of sparkle (he was shod). I now keep him barefoot and discovered that he suffers from low grade laminitis - if in boots he displays the same laziness as he did in shoes but completely naked mild laminitic signs. I now avoid it completely by careful management and his performance/way of going is incredibly consistant, but until I had taken his shoes off I would never in a million years have put it down to that. I'm not saying take the shoes off but you could experiment with seeing if less grass improves things?

 

[twodonkies]

I am glad its not just my horse that goes weird! I am hoping he will come through it again, if he does then I just need to figure out what causes it so can try and prevent it next spring. Aside from this he is not really a spooky/hot horse, but can have his moments of attitude!

 

[twodonkies]

I suppose I could muzzle him, to limit grass. At moment have put him on magnesium calmer. Since this has kept hooves on the ground. But he also got really girthy recently and sometimes I cannot brush/touch him at all anywhere, but then next day fine again?

 

[Supanova]

Just a thought but it might be worth getting a grass muzzle to limit his grass intake and see if that helps.

 

[alsxx]

Tbh my TB has had ulcers and hind gut acidosis, vet believes its all interlinked - keeping his tummy happy and managing grass intake really helps overall.

 

[twodonkies]

With regard to gut function, his droppings always remain normal and never loose, just change to more green colour when grass comes thru! Alsxx did u notice this with ur tb?

 

[alsxx]

Now his ulcers have been cleared his poos remain solid but yes go bright green! At its simplest level I'd guess the lush grass causes a level of discomfort in their tums, which could or could not impact other things like feet in our case.

 

[Trules]

My mare has gone all weird on me this spring, pretty much exactly as the grass came through. i have had her 4 years and never known her to be like this. ****** to catch, lazy/spooky to ride, and a couple of weeks ago bronced me off twice as i was getting on! compeletely out of character!
i think it's been such a long time without new grass that it's been a shock to her system.

i'm hoping she just needs time to adjust back to the grass diet as i'm reluctant to stable her due to the time/expense after such an expensive awful wet winter. it is so annoying cos in March she was bang on form, then all events round here got cancelled due to the weather and now i feel like i don't know where i'm at.

hopefully she is starting to settle down now. and i'll get my old mare back!

xx

 

[itroteverywhere]

I had this issue with one horse before - I always expect them to be fresher when the spring grass comes through because of increased energy, but he was the opposite. Came to the conclusion that he was allergic/ sensitive to sugar because interestingly, when we changed from haylage to hay he got a lot better and was a lot better when there was less grass in the field. He also had sensitive skin as a result. Maybe it could be something similar?

 

[lady10]

I've had issues with my mare always around may spring time. When in season around this time becomes quite sore and I'm discomfort. She then turns to being quite spooky at times but a little flat when ridden. A very strange combination, but all I can put it down to is combination of spring grass and hormones!!

Oh the Joys!!! Haha x

 

[twodonkies]

Itrot, I am beginning to wonder about this, or ulcers. this eve girthy again, get on and ok. But as I progress in session, loads of whip as not using spur, he then seems really uncomfortable with his sides, even bent his head around to my foot as if to say it hurts? Noticed tonight too that seemed to be scratching his sides more? Does not help he has fly bite reaction in spur area. But lumps to fly bites r normal for him, always wears fly rug. However with ulcer theory, last spring it settled down, by summer he was happy again, which would not fit for ulcers

 

[itroteverywhere]

What do you feed him?? Maybe you could cut down on/ cut out anything sugary (assuming there is anything sugary in his feed) and see if that makes a difference? Apparently it's quite common in iberian horses. If it is a sugar related issue then i'm assuming it has an effect on their immune systems? And this is what can make them seem run down or irritable - as yours is. Obviously I'm only speculating! It just sounds very similar.