Naughty Mare, any suggestions?

[trickishrose]

I've had my mare now since November, when she came to me she had been out of work for a little while, we started with light hacking and built the work up gradually. When we started schooling she was working in an outline beautifully and naturally (She was very well schooled as a youngster). We put up a tiny cross pole to reintroduce her to jumping she ran away from it at first but then gradually got up to a bigger cross pole no problems. We carried on hacking for some time where she was on her toes (But that's just her) but was never silly or nasty out, then 3 weeks ago she threw a huge buck, had me off and bolted home (We were about a mile away at the time or just over). When that happened I had everything done, teeth, saddle checked, osteopath, feet etc and was told all was fine to carry on after 2 days rest after osteopath, so i put her in the horse walker for light exercise and then put her back in the school but her behavior has been progressively getting worse, she is kicking out at the fences as she is going past, bucking and has now started flat up rearing to the point my very experienced friend who used to break in horses felt she had to get off her as she didn't feel safe, we are both at a dead end now and don't know which is the best route to take next as a suggestion was send her off for professional schooling but like i mentioned she is very well schooled so I don't feel that would solve the behavior issues. I used to hack her and school her alone so I know she is capable of behaving, can anyone recommend what I should try/do next? A couple of pther things that have changed is now while girthing she kicks out, she has always done this but it is now an aggressive kick where as before it was just a flick and she has also been on the natural calmer, brewers yeast for approx 2 weeks.. TIA

 

[be positive]

It sounds like a vet is required next, my suspicions are that she was turned away for a reason, as she has got fitter you are asking more of her something is then hurting so she objects, hence the previous owners selling her unfit, it could be ulcers but you need a vet involved to get to the bottom of it, sending her away will only work if she is not in pain.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Did the behaviour start before you introduced the Brewers Yeast? If it started after that, I would stop the BY. My mare reacts badly to BY. What else is she fed on? Her behaviour might be a reaction to feed, or otherwise her symptoms do sound typical of a horse suffering from stomach ulcers.

 

[trickishrose]

I started the BY after the naughty behavior started (although behavior has got worse still), she is currently on calm and condition with chaff, her diet hasn't been changed recently but I had it reviewed by baileys online and received an email saying it was the appropriate food and quantity so didn't need changing.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Such a sudden change of behaviour, plus the fact that she's getting worse, makes me think 'pain' too.

 

[L&M]

The time of year may be an issue as some mares will start to come into season now, sometimes sparking off undesirable behaviour…I would also consider having her ovaries scanned as could have issues there such as cysts.

If it was my horse it would be time for a vet…..

 

[YorksG]

I started the BY after the naughty behavior started (although behavior has got worse still), she is currently on calm and condition with chaff, her diet hasn't been changed recently but I had it reviewed by baileys online and received an email saying it was the appropriate food and quantity so didn't need changing.

The problem with the feed manufacturers advice is that they don't know your horse as an individual, I'm sure an alfalfa producer would recomend their product, for my mare, BUT I know it sends her bonkers! They also tend to recomend far too large quantities IMO

 

[wench]

Yep I'd agree with vet, but you could try a week or so without feed to see if that helps to improve the behavior

 

[Lintel]

It sounds like a vet is required next, my suspicions are that she was turned away for a reason, as she has got fitter you are asking more of her something is then hurting so she objects, hence the previous owners selling her unfit, it could be ulcers but you need a vet involved to get to the bottom of it, sending her away will only work if she is not in pain.

Would be inclined to agree 100%

 

[Melody Grey]

Another vote for 'she's in pain somewhere, get a vet'

....good luck and fingers crossed for the cause being something straight forward and easy to deal with

 

[AmyMay]

What do you know of her history prior to you buying her?

 

[splashgirl45]

prob a good idea to have her checked by the vet but it may just be a combination of getting fitter and not enough proper work...if she is a good weight I would cut out all feed and just give hay.....my mare was bonkers on calm and condition so I wouldn't recommend ...she also has the same sort of reaction if she gets more than a small amount of haylage so I feed her mainly hay....also have you changed anything in her management, less time at grass, change of field, change of companion etc..as mares can be very sensitive to the slightest change which we don't think is important...hope you can sort her out....

 

[trickishrose]

prob a good idea to have her checked by the vet but it may just be a combination of getting fitter and not enough proper work...if she is a good weight I would cut out all feed and just give hay.....my mare was bonkers on calm and condition so I wouldn't recommend ...she also has the same sort of reaction if she gets more than a small amount of haylage so I feed her mainly hay....also have you changed anything in her management, less time at grass, change of field, change of companion etc..as mares can be very sensitive to the slightest change which we don't think is important...hope you can sort her out....

Yes a lot has changed which I didn't consider she is now in a new home (been at new place 6 weeks - behavior started approx 3-4 weeks ago) She does have a new buddy who is now turned out in the same field as of 1 week ago, they used to be in fields next to each other, I will be ringing the vet tomorrow and also cutting out feed as she is a good weight, she doesn't have haylage only ever hay so i will up the quantity of that too

 

[Kezzabell2]

Defo sounds like pain. My friends mare was like that and turns out she was lame behind. Had her hocks injected and within weeks was like a new horse. She'd been a known kicker for a good yr before the lameness was diagnosed

 

[DJ]

Yes a lot has changed which I didn't consider she is now in a new home (been at new place 6 weeks - behavior started approx 3-4 weeks ago) She does have a new buddy who is now turned out in the same field as of 1 week ago, they used to be in fields next to each other and she has also been on the natural calmer, brewers yeast for approx 2 weeks..

The stress from moving, and being in with another horse, plus the slight change of diet could well have brought on Ulcers

A couple of pther things that have changed is now while girthing she kicks out, she has always done this but it is now an aggressive kick where as before it was just a flick

This is a good indicator of stomach ulcers too.

The best thing you can do is speak with you vets about it. If it is ulcers, a good high fibre diet, and course of omeprazole/gastrogard will help.

Good luck with it all

 

[irishcob]

The kicking out whilst being girthed also made me wonder about ulcers. I know you've had your saddle checked, but I would rethink it. Is she the same when lunged in a roller?

You may want to try giving her a small chaff based feed before riding her, as this will protect the gut lining from splashes of acid. If that helps I'd definitely consider getting her scoped for ulcers. Gastroguard and Succeed are anecdotally well recommended.

As she started so sweetly I don't believed it is being 'naughty', I suspect something is very uncomfortable and she's telling you that.

Wishing you the best of luck with getting it sorted.