Normally angelic Pony turned into Pony Possessed last night! Any ideas?

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Blondie1

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Hi there,

My normally cool calm collected pony who can do no wrong went slightly nuts last night.
Tacked up as usual, took him into the school (he was more forward going than usual leading to the school) to ride and there where some jumps set up so thought i'd warm him up and pop him over a few.

Once warmed up asked for canter and he threw in a few bucks which he has only just started doing over the last few weeks whilst out hacking - which i put down to excitement as he hasn't been off yard hacking with me before.

Anyway got him settled in canter with the occassional shake of his head. Then trotted on a circle with the thought in my head to pop over one of the small cross poles. As soon as he got near the jump he reared up (this pony has never reared) to the point where we nearly went over backwards - but luckily didn't. Decided to scrap the jumping and just concentrated on him working properly. Which he did nicely for about 10mins in walk, trot and canter. Then asked him to trot and he reared again this time i dismounted and pony proceeded to do laps around the school flat out gallop.

So trying to work out problem and rule things out. If i tell you things that have changed and things i am going to get checked etc please can you guys let me know if i've missed anything?

1). He went out 4 weeks ago into a new paddock with very long lush green grass - so thinking of cutting down his grazing time and/or putting a grazing muzzle on in case he's getting too much energy from grass.

2) Back lady will be checking him in a few days to see if its pain related.

3) Dentist is out on 3rd Nov but his last check up 6months ago was fine - no issues.

4) There is an Oak tree in this paddock which i thought may have affected him to go silly if he's eaten any.

5) Checked his feet and tack last night - no problems.

Is there anything i have missed? Its so not like him - he's my little angel. Never plays up. So really want to figure out the problem for him.

Oh also he's stabled at night and turned out during the day and gets a very small handfull of hifi lite morning and night and about 8lbs of hay overnight in stable (he's a porky boy so trying to shift the weight).

Thanks in advance.
xxx
 
when was the last time you jumped him? my horse is a complete nut case if i try and school him and take him over jumps if he hasnt been jumped in ages x
 
It could just be the time of year.
My steady, never puts a foot wrong cob was leaping off all fours on the lunge last night. This is a horse that I normally have to chase to make him move forward on the lunge.
And my friends ex racer has started leaping about when being ridden. He only does it at this time of year. Is quite ploddy the rest of the time.

Do all the usual checks but he will probably be back to normal in a few weeks time.
 
did you ask too much too soon? has he has too much grass? is he sore with lami? is he fit for purpose? prehaps you need to go back to square one? try walking him out in hand to see how he is moving/tempermant. keep us posted.
 
Could be the sugar in the grass? I recently let my WB and retired cob into the hay ground ( was about 5 inches long ) and the WB went nuts, reared up pencil straight and was just generally a fruit loop until the sugars died down.

So in combination with being excited to go jumping and the extra energy he had from the grass it could just have been to much for him to cope with.
 
Have you been riding him more or less recently? He is probably just feeling a little frisky. Try lungeing him before you get on next time to get some of the zing out of him.
 
Re: the jumping question. He loves jumping and from February through to July we did alot of jumping competitions - which he got placed every time out : ) with no sillyness.

So maybe it was just full on excitement but he's been excited before and not gone as drastic as rearing!

I dont think i've asked too much too soon, he's been worked lightly 5 days a week since being on new grass.

Would you ride him again or wait til his back has been checked?
 
Probably grass. If you have had some rain lately the grass will be growing fast again, as the weather is warm. There are as many cases of laminitis in the autumn as the spring.

Has he enough roughage? Try giving him some magnesium and see if that helps.
 
Orangehorse said:
Probably grass. If you have had some rain lately the grass will be growing fast again, as the weather is warm. There are as many cases of laminitis in the autumn as the spring.

Has he enough roughage? Try giving him some magnesium and see if that helps.
Click to expand...

I instantly thought it was the grass. After his little episode last night i took his saddle off and lunged him until he calmed down and the poor boy afterwards stood in his stable looking very confused - it was so like he'd been possessed lol.

Shall i go with the grazing muzzle and try to cut down the time he out on that grass?
 
If this were me, I'd try him a few more times to make sure it wasn't a one off heeby-jeeby moment due to the time of year (my 14yo has turned into an explosion waiting to happen, I can't even go on a grass verge without cantering on the spot and having his ears in my gob!)

If it wasn't, before doing anything else I'd get all physical avenues checked, back, tack, teeth. If no improvement after all these had been sorted then I'd call the vet for an MOT.
 
I agree with SophieLou Bee and would be tempted to give the grazing muzzle a go, you said he is a bit of a fatty already. But wouldn't cut down his turn out time as that might make him more frisky.

And maybe lunge him before you ride him the next few times?
 
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