My horse is smaking her head against the wall?

[ConneyPearce]

We have had a mare 3 or 4 months now and has been good as gold. But she has recently having to be stabled over night as she is not getting on with the other mares. But the last couple of weeks she has been acting very out of character and hitting her own head against the walls? Does anyone know why she may be doing this or seen this before?

 

[deicinmerlyn]

Could be several things. I would call the vet out.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Sounds like a very distressed horse. Get the vet. Good luck, I hope he/she can come up with some answers.

 

[JillA]

Sounds like extreme stress to me too - the only other one I knew who did that had colic, and died within a few hours. Hope you can get to the bottom of it

 

[056775]

Vet - now!! ;-(

Good luck - hope it sorts it self.

Try some non stressful toys to distract her too?

 

[AmyMay]

Vet.

 

[lhotse]

Liver damage can cause them to bash their heads against walls. I would get the vet asap and get some bloods run.

 

[Archangel]

Yes, repeated head banging is a symptom of liver disease and a result of toxins affecting the brain. Vet and bloods.

 

[cm2581]

My mare resorted to this after 3 months of vets missing her broken tooth that had an infected and exposed nerve. Talk about the poor thing SHOUTING but no one was listening! I was listening, I just didn't know what was wrong with her! :-(

 

[Supertrooper]

Echo the liver damage, get a vet out asap xx

 

[_GG_]

Don't delay and get the vet out.

 

[CobsGalore]

But the last couple of weeks she has been acting very out of character and hitting her own head against the walls?

Last couple of weeks! Why on earth haven't you phoned the vet yet?

If your child was banging it's head against a brick wall I think you would find out what was wrong a bit sooner.

Sounds like a very unhappy/ill horse.

 

[Twinkley Lights]

Liver damage can cause them to bash their heads against walls. I would get the vet asap and get some bloods run.

This they tested my lad for gutteral pouch and liver issues when he had nosebleeds last year before he died. During the diagnostic visit they talked me thru the signs for liver damage and this was one of the things they mentioned - his issue was a tumour unrelated.

 

[Old Bat]

Stress and or pain. Vet.

 

[cm2581]

Liver damage tends to be more head pressing against the wall rather than banging. The horse would be dead by now if it had liver damage to that degree for a few weeks!

 

[ConneyPearce]

Thanks guys, its actually my nans horse and shes asked me to look into the head banging. But thank you and i will pass on your suggestions right away.

 

[Captainmouse]

The only time I have seen this the horse had acorn poisoning

 

[fatpiggy]

I know of one that did this due to a strangles swelling in the inner ear. Self mutilation like this can be behavioural (extreme stress) or toxicity (liver disease). Please take it very seriously.

 

[Marydoll]

It could be all manner of things, pain, neuro issues, stress, toxicity, but the horse needs to see a vet asap ....... Like yesterday !

 

[sywell]

Knottinbelt the Vet from Liverpool University did a lecture on this at the 2012 Equine forum you should pick it up from their website not good news.

 

[maree t]

Any news ?
My cob did this when his liver failed. he was put down shortly after but it was very sudden.

 

[wowser]

extreme pain, don't quote me on this a horse will smack its head against a wall to commit sucide if its in extreme pain

 

[MagicMelon]

OP, would be very interested to hear the outcome of this!

 

[Delicious_D]

Definetly a job for the vet :S

Please let us know th outcome, poor mare sounds distressed!

 

[Wagtail]

I can't believe it when people don't immediately get the vet for something such as this.

OP you say in the title 'my horse', but then that it isn't your horse? Please let us know what the outcome is for this poor mare.

 

[holeymoley]

I've never heard of or seen this before. Sounds shocking!

 

[weesophz]

extreme pain, don't quote me on this a horse will smack its head against a wall to commit sucide if its in extreme pain

ive heard this too!

OP why would you let the horse stand and bang its head off the wall for 2 weeks?! poor gal, get the vet asap it sound serious!

 

[Black_Horse_White]

Do he eyes look normal? Horses with Uveitis can also bang their heads on Walls when they are having a painful flare up. Hope you get the girl pain free as soon as possible, good luck.

 

[putasocinit]

Last horse i knew to do this had a brain tumour, poor boy, get vet as others have suggested.

 

[weesophz]

i am the only one suspecting this could be a troll post? OP has only just joined HHO, this is their first post. first they say "my horse" but now its actually grans horse?

my apologies to OP if not a troll post..