Scary moment on my hack out today

[Law]

Something odd happened today and I wondered if anyone else's horse has done this?
I went out for a short hack and cantered through the last part of the field which is up a slope. Darcy was fine and we were walking along the track about 800 yards to the field and he suddenly went odd, shortened his front steps, almost ground to a halt and started snatching both front legs up high to his chest like there was a fly biting that he wanted rid of but there wasn't. No swelling, nothing obvious to explain his oddness. I jumped off whilst he was dragging himself along undid girth and whipped saddle off. He looked a bit off in his facial expression but I checked him over and kept him walking. His breathing wasn't really laboured but he wasn't right either.
A minute or two later and he was back to almost normal and head down to grass. I kept an eye and let him graze and he was fine in no time at all. (I offered him water but he didn't want it).
Was very scary but he seems fine now. I wonder what it was?
Anyone else's horse had a reaction like this?

 

[Abbeygale]

Maybe he had had a horsefly biting right up by his girth which had dropped off by the time you had got off.

I know my mare will sometimes carry on reacting to where a horse fly had been even when it has dropped off.

I do hate it when they react in a strange way - I'm always panicking then that I'm doing something wrong and am going to be mentally scarring my horse forever!!

 

[gails]

It really does sound like a fly irritating him

 

[Law]

He does react badly to horseflies. It could have been that I guess. It's quite normal for him to try and throw himself around to get away from them- it was a totally different reaction tho; the way he was snatching his legs right up like a tennessee walking horse and dragging himself along

It wasn't that warm, fairly cool i'd say.

 

[gails]

I know but I think they are really mean this year. Dexter today looked like he was having a 'do' but it was a fly on his chin, have never ever in the 13 years og having him seen him lift his hind leg so far up

 

[Pedantic]

My beast will occasionally bring his back foot up and scratch behind his ear just like a dog, rather disconcerting seeing a back foot come around you while your riding

 

[Law]

Lol Darcy is like an equine tripod! His favourite stance is on three legs!

And he has done it many times with me on board!

He certainly made me panic today with his attempt at looking like a horse about to collapse and die! *Yes it did seem like that at the time!)

 

[Grey_Eventer]

probably a fly, when one of our horses gets bitten badly she will go mad for a long time after the fly has gone- bucking in circles etc.

 

[OldGit]

I a couple of seasons ago whilst out hunting, I had a similar scary incident. We were crossing a ploughed field in walk when my cob started making grunting sounds, his legs started to quiver, and he dropped onto the ground me hoping off as he went down!. I thought he'd had a heart attack, but then, started to do on his side, and it became evident he wanted a roll in the mud!!!!!!!!!!!
Turned out his new saddle didn't fit properly, and once saddler replaced it no further issues. So, any of your tack new, no problems with his back, other than that blame the pesky flies!!!

 

[Law]

[ QUOTE ]
Turned out his new saddle didn't fit properly, and once saddler replaced it no further issues. So, any of your tack new, no problems with his back, other than that blame the pesky flies!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Mctimmony lady saw him a month ago and said he was great and the saddler saw him a couple of weeks ago and reflocked his dressage saddle.
I was hacking out in that as his GP no longer fits him. I was cantering in the field and popped a small log before cantering up the hill. I did notice that the girth on the dressage saddle sits differently so perhaps it was more uncomfortable and it was only up the hill that it started to cause probs?

I shall see what happens next time or consider bareback again.

Thanks for the replies