Possible psychological issues! Advice please??

[Ellietotz]

Please see the latest reply, it should have more details. This is not my pony and I can't understand why it could just go like that either.

 

[be positive]

This is all the information I have from her owner in all honesty, I just wanted to help the poor pony. I couldn't make sense of why the physio had problems for the first 45 minutes and all of a sudden became fine. I'm going by the all clear that was given. Personally, I don't see how it could go away after a few sessions as there must be something causing it. All I can go by is what the vet and physician has said. Currently, she is pain free. The physician said she has never seen a pony act like that and 'even Monty Roberts would struggle' apparently. So if we go by the fact she has actually been checked over and somewhat fixed. Where would we go from here even if she still wants to kill you when you make her work? She used to be a really bombproof riding pony.

So it sounds as if she has not really been investigated, a check over is not going to show if there is something like kissing spines or ulcers, it is unlikely she was not injured in some way in the accident and unless the vet has xray eyes he cannot say there is not an underlying injury, from my own experience I was once told my horse had an injury in his foot, nothing wrong anywhere else, when I pushed for xrays there was a fracture and nothing wrong whatsoever with his foot!

This pony is possibly mentally traumatised, again I have experienced a mentally traumatised horse that went through a stage of looking as if he wanted to kill anyone and having a few fairly serious goes, especially the vet and physio, he came out the other side within 4-5 months being handled carefully, firmly and fairly, he is now fine with vets and physios, he was not a problem to ride as by the time he came back to work most of the pain, although not all, had gone.

I think this pony is doing her best to either say she does not want to work or there is still something going on and if the owner is not prepared to look into it further she may be best retired fully or if that is not an option then pts, I would possibly send her away to a decent pro for their opinion as sometimes a fresh pair of eyes will pick up something those closest have missed, if it is psychological then a pro would have the skill and experience to work through it.

 

[Ellietotz]

Yes, she was very good

 

[AmyMay]

To be honest, I'd forget about working her and just keep her as a field shelter.

 

[southerncomfort]

Has she had her teeth rasped regularly? I only ask because being relaxed on a long rein and then tensing when the reins are picked up could indicate a sore mouth which could also lead to neck pain if left untreated.

Or, just as likely, her back still hurts. Either way she sounds very sore to me.

 

[hairycob]

There is a horse on our yard that suddenly started bucking after being owned fora year. Vets came out & couldn't find anything wrong but because the change in behaviour was dramatic there clearly was. Off to Newmarket for scintigraphy and xrays - kissing spine, bony growths in the foot & arthritis in the stifle. Original Vet & physio had not been able to find any of these and horse was not visibly lame, just tense muscles. Now going through loss of use claim. I would be another thinking this horse needs in depth diagnostics if you are going to get to the bottom of it.

 

[abb123]

Horses can have psychological issues, for example my horse point blank refused to load and refuses to hack out of the yard after she had recovered from colic surgery despite being good before the surgery. No physical problems she just decided that going off the yard was not a good thing as she might end up back at the vets having surgery again - couldn't blame her to be honest!

It does sound like a pain response. I would be wanting a veterinary all clear if it was me. It is entirely conceivable, for example, that the accident stressed her out, she then developed ulcers which has made her very tense and hence sore around her back area. Riding and cars are then associated with pain. Ulcers can remain long after the initial trigger has gone and need active treatment to heal.

 

[ycbm]

. Yesterday is when she was given the all clear from the physician. She isn't insured so the owner hasn't had her in for X-rays as its expensive. So what do we do now if the vet has checked her over and had the all clear?

All clear from what??? You can't get an all clear from ulcers without scoping. You can't get an all clear from kissing spines or arthritis without x rays. You can't get an all clear from soft tissue injury without a scintigraph. You can't get an all clear from all pain ever. Your pony is screaming at you that something is hurting. You keep writing 'almost as if she hates you for riding her'. Forget the 'almost as if', she DOES hate you when you try to ride her.

The owner has a duty to have x rays, scans and scopes done to find out why, or to turn her away if she is happy in the field.

 

[Wagtail]

All clear from what??? You can't get an all clear from ulcers without scoping. You can't get an all clear from kissing spines or arthritis without x rays. You can't get an all clear from soft tissue injury without a scintigraph. You can't get an all clear from all pain ever. Your pony is screaming at you that something is hurting. You keep writing 'almost as if she hates you for riding her'. Forget the 'almost as if', she DOES hate you when you try to ride her.

The owner has a duty to have x rays, scans and scopes done to find out why, or to turn her away if she is happy in the field.

This ^^

Poor horse.