My horse is smaking her head against the wall?

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

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. :(
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It's ok Wagtail. It's her nan's horse. Obviously that makes huge differnce to an animal in severe pain. :mad:
 
ConneyPearce said:
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?
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Stress? Irritation in ears (mites, etc)? How does she behave when under saddle? Is she head shaking out of the stable? Any other symptoms?

If she keeps doing it I think I'd be inclined to have a word with the vet.
 
Ellen Durow said:
Stress? Irritation in ears (mites, etc)? How does she behave when under saddle? Is she head shaking out of the stable? Any other symptoms?

If she keeps doing it I think I'd be inclined to have a word with the vet.
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Jeeeeeez. >>> throws hands in air and walks away with a tear for the poor mare.
 
Not being one to over react, I would eliminate mites and lice as potential causes, and then consult a vet as to whether this is a neurological problem. If it was a response to infection I would expect the horse to be very ill by now
 
You probably wouldn't have waited 2 weeks first and then not known what to look for though watcher. I'd check obvious quick things first, signs of lice etc and then vet (to be honest with a horse hitting a head against the wall I'd call vets asap and then cancel or pay call out if I then found lice). With a question like this, vet every time. One of the scariest things I've witnessed was a horse launching into the air and diving into the ground headfirst, literally watched this horse slowly killing itself. If a horse is showing something is wrong you check what and fast especially with a head being hit against a wall.
 
PandorasJar said:
I've witnessed was a horse launching into the air and diving into the ground headfirst, literally watched this horse slowly killing itself. If a horse is showing something is wrong you check what and fast especially with a head being hit against a wall.
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OMG!!

I don't like to ask as it must be painful for you to recall Pandoras, but what the hell happened!?
 
weesophz said:
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..
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Vet immediately(& I dont consider myself one for calling a vet out but my goodness this time yes) I too apologise if this is not a troll. But too think same as above.

I hope your nan is ok too?
 
Elsbells said:
OMG!!

I don't like to ask as it must be painful for you to recall Pandoras, but what the hell happened!?
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Horse survived amazingly and as it wasn't ours wasn't investigated or (as I would have done) pts the same night. OH works for a vet so was on the phone to them (bless our amazing vet who has had a couple of calls ridiculously late to us panicking and never complained) at the time.

Horse in question had lots of melanomas including one on the side of his head which had doubled in size the days before-hand (the key sign and a reason we'd been keeping a closer eye on him than normal). We were stood in the paddock next door and glanced over to what looked like mild choke, shot over to sort out and the horse swung head round like he was weaving at speed and then hit the floor. Initial thoughts were then that it had affected his brain, he dove a few times landing straight down on his head - was hideous to watch and whole body twisted over completely contorted, so we were expecting a seriously damaged horse one way or another. He then got up and stumbled about. OH wouldn't let me near but he got near enough to quickly whip rug off and get the hell out of the way. He started diving again and then shuddered and slowly crashed down. OH and I assumed that was it and went over to check. About ten seconds later pulled himself back up and very shaky and scared but fine. Spent the rest of the night through til dawn watching him without him leaving our side, very scared boy.

Vet concluded that it had probably spread in his throat and that his food had trapped causing an extreme choke reaction trying to dislodge the food. Neither of us have ever seen choke remotely near this and vet agreed that it was nothing he'd seen in terms of severity either.

I'm not overly sensitive in the main and the last horse that died simply set in motion organising the final details to switch off to it, but I was on the floor in the field with this horse in tears. It's one thing to watch a quick death but to witness a horse looking like it's trying to kill itself and to not be able to stop it or put it out of its misery is a completely different thing. I'm still amazed looking back that the horse suffered nothing worse than scaring us all. Fully expected arterial rupture from the stress if not severe damage. Am very thankful that we only looked after the horse for a few weeks after as I don't think I could've coped much longer with waiting for it to happen again.

It's not one of those things difficult to recall but it has certainly made me thankful for the fact that OH is in the same mindset as me of pts too soon than too late and have both agreed that anything like this we'd both have done the deed that night.
 
Elsbells said:
Thankyou for the description pansdorasjar. A living nightmare!
Well done you and your OH.
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I was useless, worked on a farm previously so no stranger to the end of things and have helped on an emergency operation on the farm and never lost my cool, but I fell apart in this situation. OH and vet were stars.
 
ELFSBELLS said:
Well, apologies if not, but I am hoping this is a troll post, because I can't believe anybody would let a horse carry on like this for weeks !!!
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I am hoping it's a troll post too. But I've seen things carry on for far too long like this.
I don't mollycoddle mine but will happily drop money on my vet if necessary. I've called out on a late night weekend and had to tell the vet that I couldn't put my finger on what it was but something wasn't right, in spite of several people astounded I wasn't going to wait til the next morning for what they saw as a perfectly healthy horse.
There's a whole lot I don't bother getting a vet in with that some would, but if I have to question what my horses are saying, they are out in a heartbeat - the horses have never yet been wrong.

In contrast I've watched a horse stood like a trapeze for a couple of weeks with no worry from the owner until it was found dead in the field. I still have the photos now and can't believe the owner didn't have someone out on day one.
 
If ever I wished for a troll post I sincerely hope this is it.

Watched a foal do this with brain damage until vet arrived and PTS. Poor mite had a hit from lightning as we brought him in during a sudden summer storm, shame for his sake it didn't kill him outright.
 
Um I know when I had old boy PTS I found the forum so supportive even though most of us dont know others etc and I was on here constantly for support/advice etc to ensure I had covered all options ie reassurance, had some brill support on PM. Got to say I treat horses like humans where health is they do have their off days(so dont immediately reach for vet) but personally gut instinct is usually right if you just cant put your finger on it and when I first saw this my immediate thought was a horse hitting its head against the wall is absolutely NOT normal behaviour....what went through my mind was brain tumour, mites and then I read the other posts. If I found my horse this distressed vet immediately(even if it was mites) I would want a cure fast(if one existed).

Am too wondering where the OP has gone?
 
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