sour horse when grooming

[tbluvr4lyf]

hello everyone, im wondering is there anybody with an idea of what i could to do help my horse.
not long after i got her, she became really sour to grooming. she didnt like being brushed on her stifle, belly, and flank, to which we have suspected ulcers and other problems a physio may be able to fix. but more recently, shes become hateful to the mere idea of grooming.
the past couple of times shes tried bite me when i even approach her with a brush, and today she reared up at me. im a firm believer in pain or other things being the root in a horse’s misbehaviour, that a horse cant misbehave just to be evil, so i would really like some help.
i especially dont need her acting up so bad even if she is in pain, anyway, because if a vet came out to help her and she went mad it would really cause some problems if that makes any sense. but im not sure how to her tantrums.
spring is coming in, and i feel horrible that im not riding her while the weather’s good but i also feel horrible brushing her and tacking her up when clearly theres something wrong with her!!

 

[Exasperated]

hello everyone, im wondering is there anybody with an idea of what i could to do help my horse.
not long after i got her, she became really sour to grooming. she didnt like being brushed on her stifle, belly, and flank, to which we have suspected ulcers and other problems a physio may be able to fix. but more recently, shes become hateful to the mere idea of grooming.
the past couple of times shes tried bite me when i even approach her with a brush, and today she reared up at me. im a firm believer in pain or other things being the root in a horse’s misbehaviour, that a horse cant misbehave just to be evil, so i would really like some help.
i especially dont need her acting up so bad even if she is in pain, anyway, because if a vet came out to help her and she went mad it would really cause some problems if that makes any sense. but im not sure how to her tantrums.
spring is coming in, and i feel horrible that im not riding her while the weather’s good but i also feel horrible brushing her and tacking her up when clearly theres something wrong with her!!

Sounds like pain-based behaviour, and certainly worth an experienced equine vet’s assessment. Ulcers could be an issue, so could PSSM, so could her oestrus cycle, so could various other conditions.
You don’t say how she is kept, harnessed, worked or fed, so possibly her management is exacerbating the problem(s)?
Some horses are just bad tempered and anti social, but it is unusual, and doesn’t sound like that was the horse that you bought.
until vet has made a thorough inspection, make sure she is tied up short when handling, wear hat, gloves, strong boots and jacket with sleeves.
Good luck.

 

[rabatsa]

Yes get her checked over but I would ditch the brushes and only use a microfibre mitten to groom with for now. Use lightly without pressure and only on easy areas like the neck and shoulders until she is happy. She is not going to die from not being brushed thoroughly all over.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Could be pain but might also be your grooming technique….mares let you know if they don’t like something. Perhaps you are too soft and tickly, perhaps too hard. Maybe she prefers magic brushes not rubber curry combs…just a thought from someone who has mares.

 

[toooldtofalloff]

Does sound extreme, worth getting a real physical problem ruled out.

On the other hand, my cob can be sensitive with different brushes. For around his head and his front legs I use one of those microfibre mitts. He hates the spiky hair brush type I sometimes use through his mane but he's especially wiry and sometimes that's the only one that will have any impression; but then I discovered the Hedgewich oils and that makes a difference to the brush gliding through and his tolerance is better. He can still be tricky with his legs and the feathering and it just goes to show that some horses are sensitive to how we touch and groom. Worth experimenting with just using your hand, then the mitten.

 

[PurBee]

Photosensitivity can make them resistant to any and all grooming, as their skin feels more sensitive than usual. If she’s even resistant to you using your hand to stroke her firm on her shoulder, belly, neck and head, could indicate that too.

If it is that, and secondary to a mild liver issue, if you get the vet out, consider having bloods for liver drawn to check that route.

They don’t have to have literal sunburn on pink noses to show photosensitivity.
Easy sunburnt nose without body sensitivity could also indicate vitamin d deficiency - after a long dark winter makes sense.

If the forage is majority ryegrass, that particular grass has photosensitive compounds in it, which a struggling liver will not filter out as effectively as it should, so the photosensitive compounds are circulating in the blood, so skin gets affected when exposed to UV light.
If she’s on chamomile, or antibiotics, they’re also photosensitising. Some calmers for horses use chamomile.

Photosensitivity can point to a liver condition and be caused by either an acute toxic plant ingestion episode, or by a liver which has long-term damage from something like ragwort eating as a foal in the field, or from toxic plants in hay that has damaged the liver a while ago. If there’s longterm liver damage, ryegrass hay 100% forage ration needs to be avoided and only use hays with up to 20% ryegrass in it, if that’s all that’s on offer. (Ryegrass is common in hays)

Not saying it is photosensitivity, but definitely have that as a possibility. Mine both have brush grooming preferences, which was surprising to learn, but they didn’t go as far as to get really annoyed with grooming using the ‘wrong brush’ as you describe your mare, hence why something deeper might be going on.