Personality change in my horse

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littlen

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Sorry guys this might be long, and please excuse my spelling this phone is difficult to type on!!

I have a little gelding who I have owned for about 7 years. He has always been flashy, with big paces and plenty of snorting and prancing, but has also always been completley safe and has a gentle personality.

In the past he did endurance and showing, but in the past 2 years he has just hacked as I have been at college and working full time and had no time! I really want to show again but he has started to dish so decided to try dressage.

I finally finished college and decided to bring him back into full work at the beginning of summer and he was a star, but over the past month his personality has changed drastically. Firstly he bolted with my friend who rides him, something he has never done before. He is incredibly spooky and tries to take off at any oppertunity. He is on edge ready to bolt or rear or spin, its like he is waiting for.a trigger?
Today he refused to let me mount, and the second I got on he shot forward and span, trying to get me off. He then leapt about the arena refusing to listen and spooking at everything. He has started to scare me and I dont want to ride any more, neither does my friend. I took to lunging him instead but he just gallops around until he is dripping in sweat.

I have had his back, teeth, saddle checked. Nothing in his routine has changed except he is in at night but he always comes in during winter as he gets mud fever and rain scald.

I cant find an instructor who will come out to me and I have no friends who would help me!
Would a calmer help?
Should I keep lunging or would this just make him fitter, and worse? at the moment he is over weight.
Is it possible my friend has let him get away with too much and he is taking the pee?

Any other help would be much appreciated :)
changed
 
sounds like something pain related to me - i know you have said that you have had everything checked but i would personally ask for a second opinion from your vet before you continue riding/working him
 
Sounds like pain to me. For such a dramatic change..

I'd start from the beginning. Obviously from your post, something happens when you try to mount.

Will he let you mount without a saddle? Can you lean across his back without mounting to try it out.

Something is hurting or scaring him. If you've had everything checked by professionals you trust, then its a matter of slowly working out what the trigger is.

Sorry, not much help, but its what I would do..

Best of luck..
 
You say he has started to dish, I assume you mean with his front legs, this is usually movement they will show from a young age not when fully mature, I would look into why he is doing this, possibly an inbalance somewhere and it may relate to his behaviour which does sound pain related.
 
Thanks evedyone. Sorry he has always dished but it has always been less dramatic,however as he has got fatter and less fit it has got more exadgerated?


I am a vet nurse and he has been seen by two vets who I work with and had a course of bute in case it was pain related but he is the same.
I have noticed he is much more fresh in general, galloping about the field when he is normally lazy. He is spooky in hand as well as ridden, trying to take off with me trying to hold on to him! I wouldnt dare go near him bareback im afraid so no idea if he would bolt with me bareback .
 
If it was something like ulcers, bute wouldn't help, and might actually make it worse.

For such a drastic change in a horse you have known to be gentle for so long...i would be investigating every route possible.
 
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