Please help - my horse is self harming!!!

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franxta19

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Hi

I was wondering if anyone has the same issue as me - my horse is constantly thumping his face against things and taking chunks out of his face. It happens when he gets excited, or if I take my other horse away from him to ride etc. He is on a yard full of horses so is not left on his own when I take my other horse out, but is very clingy to him.

I have had Misty for almost two years and the first time he hurt his face he'd been out in the field with the horse he's so clingy to. The damage to his face was so severe I thought the other horse had kicked him in the face! The scars finally healed and it didn't happen again for ages, then he was stabled one day because of the rain, I went down in the evening and BAM, scrapes, cuts and blood all over his face and I'll be damned once again if I know how he did it.

This morning I take my older horse out to be shod, come back in 30 min later, Misty has a nice new chunk missing above his eye.

What I want to know is if anyone knows of a padded equine face mask/protector I could get? I've searched the web and can only find something like what I'm after in America for £400! I am at such a loss as to what to do with him that I am sorely tempted to start bandaging his face to stop him hurting himself.

Please note, the boy in question is extremely thick. He's the most loveable, genuine baby and is my absolute best friend, but has been dubbed the 'Forrest Gump' of the yard as he genuinely has a very small brain and it's main function is concentrating on food rather than keeping away from things. When you lead him he bangs into things! He's not like it when we ride, he showjumps for crying out loud so I know there's nothing wrong with his eyesight, he just seems to have no self preservation skills what so ever.
 
Buy a face mask like a set of blinkers without the eye cover and stitch foam rubber into where he seems to do the most damage but really the force that a horse throws its head down to the ground catching whatever is in its way a padded face cover is not gojng to save unless its a metal mask.
 
That is a million miles from normal - think in terms of survival, that puts any prey animal at huge risk. Have you discussed with your vet re guttural pouch or brain issues?
 
JillA could you elaborate on your post i am confused, not sure if you are replying to my imagination or someone elses thread and survival thanks
 
JillA said:
That is a million miles from normal - think in terms of survival, that puts any prey animal at huge risk. Have you discussed with your vet re guttural pouch or brain issues?
Click to expand...

I didn't want to be a drama queen but this was my thought too.

OP has your vet done X-rays?
 
It appears from what you have written that he does this when worried/stressed, taking friends away or him away for eg.
I wonder if when in panic/stress that is interfering with his body/spacial awareness? A vet exam is always a good idea but I would look at how he is managed to reduce stressful events, for eg. when being shod, perhaps bring his friend in with him. I would also look at some gastric support.
Just a thought.
 
STRIKER said:
JillA could you elaborate on your post i am confused, not sure if you are replying to my imagination or someone elses thread and survival thanks
Click to expand...

Horses are prey animals and have evolved to do whatever it takes to escape predators. Wasting energy or in any other way making themselves an easy target is something under normal circumstances they are hard wired not to do. The fact that there are no wolves, lions or bears is irrelevant, it is part of their make up so to do something like that which would hamper its potential for escape is not a normal response, even to stress. That is the reason horses can learn to not over react to anything and everything, and learn what is a real threat and what is just a perceived one - saving energy for when it really matters.
 
I am assuming he does this accidentally not deliberately.

My TB mare was very prone to head wounds when I first got her. The vet could find nothing wrong with sight, bloods etc. Over time this stopped and in retrospect I put it down to her anxiety about other horses (new to her), new place and in her case she had poor (sore) hooves, so was not the nimblest on her feet moving out of the way. I once watched her standing at a P&R fence and when another mare approached she panicked and threw her head up as she turned, hitting her chin on the top rail in her rush to move out of the way.

What I am trying to say is don't assume its something serious, it may not be.
 
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Thanks everyone, I will also look at the other thread mentioned.

im with you amanadap, it isn't deliberate, he's genuinely a bit slow and I honestly don't think he realises he's doing it until it's too late.

i do try to keep him and his friend together as much as possible to stop him stressing as this is when he gets the most upset and does the damage, but he is 6yo and I cannot keep him with the the other one at all times as I don't want him to get into bad clingy habits that will last his lifetime. I do also need to ride the other horse on occasion and unfortunately it's just me so I can't take them out together
 
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