My horse really scared me tonight - could it have been a fit???

[Birker2020]

I was leading my horse into his stable tonight and he stopped outside his stable to speak to the horse opposite. They often have a bit of a 'chat' and normally I don't mind. But tonight all of a sudden my horse screamed and stomped his foot hard on the ground in a threatening manner towards this horse. I know this is normal horse behaviour and to be expected but it caught me by surprise and so I shouted at my horse and walked towards him and raised my hand to smack him on his shoulder and he shot backwards into the wash room wall and began to shake. He was literally shaking and trembling all over his body, and acting like I was beating him with a stick. When I raised my hand to his nose to stroke it he was rolling his eyes so I spoke to him in a calm soothing manner and told him to calm down which he then did and I patted him. 30 seconds later he was in his stable eating his feed, and coming over to me for a fuss before I left for the evening as if nothing had happened.

It was such a weird reaction to have towards me, its not as if I beat him up or anything. I do smack him, sometimes on his nose, sometimes on his shoulder when he barges or snatches at hay as he walks down the yard, so its not as if he's never told off but its certainly not on a daily basis.

However, sometime today, in his stable he has cut his nose across the bridge (only a small cut which I've cleaned and put dermagel on). Dad and I have searched the stable and can't find anything that he could have cut his nose on, obviously there is nothing sharp. I am now wondering if he has banged his head if he got cast or something, and some how cut his nose on his shoe as its the only thing I can think of.

But of course now I am wondering if this shaking and trembling reaction (which was hugely exaggerated considering the the little reprimand I gave out) is as a result of a bang to the head and the trembling was brought on by stimuli (i.e. me shouting at him). I know this can be as a result of a head injury. I've had my horse 8 years and he has NEVER EVER shown this kind of reaction before.

Going to see how he is tomorrow after work and if he does it again I am wondering whether to call the vet. Its very strange.

Please - no slagging me off for smacking my horse. He is too big to run riot.

 

[Rebels]

Could he just have scared himself? Doesnt really sound like a fit, more a case of dumbus horsus. My mare went to bite me when i was lent on her door, i growled and she threw her head up, nearly knocked herself out, whacked me over the head and then retreated shaking like i had beaten her. No reason for her overreaction, its not like i wallop her!

 

[amandap]

Sounds like fear to me. He obviously responded to your raising your arm etc. and was perhaps expecting something he was very scared of... may have been because his emotions were already heightened by his 'chat' with the other horse and this caused an extreme reaction to your raised arm...

I don't tend to intervene/react to horse talk, I move one away if in hand/ridden to avert any escalation.

 

[Birker2020]

Sounds like fear to me... may have been because his emotions were already heightened by his 'chat' with the other horse and this caused an extreme reaction to your raised arm...

Yes, you could be right, and I am reading too much into it as usual!!

Thank you.

Rebels - we have pipe insultator on the top of our stable door which is taped on by gaffa tape. Gives a bit of protection to those tall horses that throw their heads up suddenly from time to time. Or you can use any type of foam, just wrap it and tape it well onto the stable. If you use thick black tape you can make a really neat job of it.

 

[Tammytoo]

Please don't ever smack your horse on the nose. The reaction you got was probably because he was frightened you were going to smack him and smacking their nose is a sure way to make a horse headshy. I appreciate it must have been scary for you so it would perhaps be better that you didn't let your horse "chat" to others when you are leading him. He was also probably confused that you were letting him interact with another horse and then punishing him.

 

[Rebels]

Thanks applecart, she was actually in our converted field shelter so the roof is pretty high but as she went to put her teeth round my wrist i growled and i think she though i would smack her (i probably would have as she really meant it but didnt). May have a go at the stables though.

 

[Landcruiser]

Could someone else have handled and possibly scared or hit your horse?

 

[smellsofhorse]

Just sounds like an over reaction to your hand.

He sounds like he wasnt happy stomping his foot then you going to tell him off probably just surprised him.

 

[fatpiggy]

I think it was just an extreme reaction to being soundly told off. Certainly bears no resemblance to any fit I have ever seen (and I've seen PLENTY )

 

[callmelucky]

if you dont usually to this sort of thing he was probably caught off guard too and got a fright. i wouldnt read to much into it, just forget about it and carry on as norm.

with regards to slap on the nose i do think there is a place for it. i have a horse that when shes really naughty(not often) a smack on the bum etc she doesnt listen to, so i have slapped her muzzle... it worked for me as im not getting pushed around by a half ton horse. she let me stroke her head after and she knew she had done wrong. trying to crush my head against a wall when i leant down to do something to her leg was not acceptable! shes never done it again. i wasnt proud i did it, the opposite in fact but sometimes u have to do these things.