Suddenly very grumpy horse?

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toodles_

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(I wasn't sure where to post this so I decided to post it here, if it belongs somewhere else please tell me and I will repost it)
My horse has suddenly become very grumpy in the stable, constantly trying to bite me with his ears flat back against his head. I have to quickly get his bridle on and strap his mouth shut with his grackle so that I can groom comfortably, does anyone have any suggestions as to why he is suddenly doing this? He managed to bite me on my leg, but thankfully it was where my boot was so I escaped injury! I've had him for a year, he's never done this before. It started about a week ago when I tried to brush his mud fever-y leg without realising the mud fever was back, but he will still try to bite me when I am brushing him on his body or even just moving around in his stable. I've noticed that it's usually just before I ride that he does this, so could it be that it's just bad manners and it will pass?

Thanks!
 
Sounds like he needs to be checked by a vet. Anytime you have a radical change of behavior like that you need to look at anything that could be causing him pain. If he's uncomfortable and doesn't want to be ridden because it makes him more painful then he's going to let you know.

If vet finds nothing wrong then you probably need some manners work. Bad manners don't ever just "pass".
 
I'd get the vet too. It sounds like a pain thing to me. It could be his mud fever hurts when he is ridden or it could be something else entirely such as gastric ulcers. He may also be a bit colicky. This sudden cold weather may be to blame. The last thing I would suggest is manners. Horses are usually grumpy for a reason.
 
He has been behaving as normal when ridden, and once the bridle is on he is back to ears pricked and being gentle. But then that could just be his good nature, when we had him vetted he had sores in the corners of his mouth where the bit was grating against the skin!
 
toodles_ said:
He has been behaving as normal when ridden, and once the bridle is on he is back to ears pricked and being gentle. But then that could just be his good nature, when we had him vetted he had sores in the corners of his mouth where the bit was grating against the skin!
Click to expand...

So you know that he MUST be in great pain now to be protesting as he is. Please listen to him, rather than strapping his mouth shut to stop him biting.

A subject very dear to my heart as when I went to view my mare, the then owner told me that she bit so she put the bridle on and fastened the flash so that she couldn't. I found that the reason she bit was that the bridle didn't fit.
 
Yes I thought that just putting the bridle on first was definitely not going to be the solution... thank you all for your quick replies, I will try and get the vet to have a look at him as soon as I can.
He's always been great to handle in the stable and even last year when he got mud fever without me noticing he would just flail that leg out a bit, but never tried to bite, which is why I suspected something might be up with him.
 
If your bit is causing sores then that needs to be dealt with too! Have your vet check his teeth when he looks at him (as well as looking for anything else). But if nothing turns up, and maybe even if something does, it sounds like you may need a different bit/bridle.

Also, maybe consider if anything changed about how you ride lately? Are you trying something new and maybe pulling on him too much, are you letting someone else ride him and they're pulling too much? If you work him on a lunge line without a bit is he ok? With a saddle?

Horses tend to be really stoic about pain and discomfort too, so pay attention for little things when you're riding.
 
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We changed the bit as soon as the vet showed us the sores, and I am considering buying a Neue Schule verbindend for him :) He has had both the dentist and saddler recently so I would be surprised if his teeth or saddle were causing problems. It could possibly be the bridle, the bridle that he has is a sabre but I think it may be quite old - or at least it seems it.

I haven't changed the way that I ride (I don't think!!) and have just been continuing with varying the exercises that he has been learning or already knows as usual. I have not noticed a significant or particularly worrying change in him except maybe being a bit heavier in my hand and occasionally more difficult to turn.

I will definitely be more alert now when I ride for any signs of discomfort. I do hope that I get to the bottom of this problem soon, he has managed to trap me a few times between him and the stable wall, and with any movement that I made he would swing his head round to me with his ears flat back. As he is 16.3 and chunky, it can be pretty scary.
 
I think you need to get the vet to have a look at him, he's in pain. To me it sounds like he could have gastric ulcers.

Hope you find out what's the matter with him, and that's he's happy & acting himself again soon!
 
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OP I also agree this sounds like pain to me and therefore vet is indicated. The other thing I wondered was, is your horse getting enough turnout?
 
He is turned out almost everyday from around 7.30am until 2 or 3pm, as usual. He is my first horse so I am hoping that it is nothing too serious.
I have not got much knowledge on gastric ulcers, would anyone be able to explain a little about them?

I will keep you all posted on what happens!
 
toodles_ said:
I have not got much knowledge on gastric ulcers, would anyone be able to explain a little about them?
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Basically gastric ulcers are the result of erosion of the stomach lining, due to prolonged exposure to the digestive acids, the horse’s stomach continuously secretes. Horses on a low forage diet produce less saliva, leading to a lower stomach pH and a poor gastric environment, which can cause gastric issues.

Some of the symptoms include:

decreased performance
attitude change (often reluctance to work)
poor body condition
reduced appetite
low-grade colic
'cold backed'
discomfort when doing up the girth & grooming
crib biting

The only accurate method of diagnosis and monitoring of the condition is by a gastroscopy being done.
 
The other reason I've seen horses behave like this especially at this time of year is hunger... There is v little in the grass so I'd try giving him a Haynet before / while you groom and see if that helps
 
Second this.


Wagtail said:
I'd get the vet too. It sounds like a pain thing to me. It could be his mud fever hurts when he is ridden or it could be something else entirely such as gastric ulcers. He may also be a bit colicky. This sudden cold weather may be to blame. The last thing I would suggest is manners. Horses are usually grumpy for a reason.
Click to expand...
 
Everyone has posted what I'd say too :)

I'd go down the list lol

Vet check
back check
teeth check
saddle check
feeding for fibre not starch
turnout/boredom
etc etc

Hope you find out what the issue is!
 
What seems very odd to me is that he will never start being grumpy at any same point, he is not constantly grumpy when being groomed or tacked up but one day it will be me brushing his neck or another it's putting his saddle on that sets him off.
As far as the symptoms go, the only one that he has had is the sudden change in behaviour - everything else is normal, he is currently going very well whilst ridden and still stuffs his face when he eats.
I am contacting his old owner to see if he's ever done this before as she had him for 6 years.
 
toodles_ said:
(I wasn't sure where to post this so I decided to post it here, if it belongs somewhere else please tell me and I will repost it)
My horse has suddenly become very grumpy in the stable, constantly trying to bite me with his ears flat back against his head. I have to quickly get his bridle on and strap his mouth shut with his grackle so that I can groom comfortably, does anyone have any suggestions as to why he is suddenly doing this? He managed to bite me on my leg, but thankfully it was where my boot was so I escaped injury! I've had him for a year, he's never done this before. It started about a week ago when I tried to brush his mud fever-y leg without realising the mud fever was back, but he will still try to bite me when I am brushing him on his body or even just moving around in his stable. I've noticed that it's usually just before I ride that he does this, so could it be that it's just bad manners and it will pass?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

This has got to be a wind up?
Right?

Your horse is obviously trying to tell you something.
Strapping his mouth shut just masks the problem!
You would be peeved if someone brushed your sore leg.
Get him checked.
He's obviously in pain.
Could be for many reasons.
Or unhappy at being in the stable
 
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