Sweet TB mare with intermittent spinning and napping?

[Janie G]

Hi ! Wonder if anyone has had a similar problem with their TB ex racer. My girl is 16 yrs and is the most placid , kind and gentle girl anyone could wish for, both on the ground, in the stable and out hacking and she will box with absolutely no problem……..but get her to a show ground or field with other horse boxes and she starts to experience severe trembling and sweating – but only sometimes.

We do not compete but we do like to go on the occasional fun/sponsored ride. Sometimes she goes all day absolutely beautifully but other times she starts off well – but as the ride gets towards the end she starts napping and spinning and the sweat is absolutely dripping off her……she is in a right state with muscle shaking and will not listen to me at all. In these situations I have to get off her and lead her home as her spinning and half rears just get worse. I go with her stable companion who is a real gentleman and is calm and steady.

I cannot understand why she gets worse as the ride progresses and I don’t understand what sets her off……..it is so intermittent. I’m thinking of using calmers before we go to any more events…….but I would really like to understand what sets her off. She is on a recommended diet (Copra, high fibre mix), no ulcers, I’ve had her back and saddle checked and both are fine. Can anyone shed some light on this or have had similar experiences?

I know that a TB ex racer is always going to be fizzy…and I have no problem with that…….but this particular problem is way more than what I would think as normal. I cannot work out why she will be as good as gold at one event and then go into her monster mode at another!

 

[ShowJumperL95]

I have not had a similar experience but the only thing I can think of is the ride length? How long are the rides? is she better on the shorter ones? I am just thinking is she getting bored towards the end of the ride?

 

[paddi22]

Do you give her electroyletes?

 

[Janie G]

Thx paddi22 and showjumperl95 .... I haven’t given her additional electrolytes (apart from what is in her pink powder and normal feed)..but will give her some leading up to next event as I do think her excess sweating is part of the problem....... and the length of the ride may be part of the problem too. I really appreciate your help .... thx guys xxxx😊 i’ll Keep u posted

 

[Michen]

I would wonder if she’s getting over tired, even if she starts off calm etc she may be an inwardly stressy type and by the end of the ride it’s all just got a bit much. My Connie can be a bit like that, getting silly and ridiculous when actually he’s over tired.

 

[rosiesowner]

I would wonder if she’s getting over tired, even if she starts off calm etc she may be an inwardly stressy type and by the end of the ride it’s all just got a bit much. My Connie can be a bit like that, getting silly and ridiculous when actually he’s over tired.

I think you're onto something here Michen, Chilli starts to display the same sort of behaviours as mentioned when she becomes bored/tired. She doesn't sweat as much as OPs horse but after going on three years of having her, I've figured out this could be what causes it.

Best wishes OP as it is frustrating when a seemingly perfect ride is ruined-it makes you wonder what you're doing wrong. Keep us updated; as the person of a 17yo ex racer mare I bet our two have plenty in common!

 

[BBP]

Is there any chance she could have a mild form of RER? It’s a muscle myopathy - essentially inability to regulate calcium release from muscle cells, leading to excess muscle contraction, potentially tying up but in my horses case generally muscle wobbles and ‘wild’ behaviour, as his muscles are all telling him to run and his brain struggles to over rule it. Usually triggered by stress, excitement, pain, that sort of thing. In racehorses, tying up episodes are reportedly more common when the horse is held up, so when not allowed to go as fast as it wants, the stress of fighting is more of a trigger than going flat out.

 

[Janie G]

Thx everyone for helping me out ..... really good advice! I do think she suffers from over excitement and then gets so tired she gets herself in a right pickle. I am very interested in your advice too BBP.....i’ve never heard of RER.....but wonder if it is down to excitement and stress of wanting to just go. I spoke to her trainer from her racing days and he did say she always had to be in front and hated any horse in front of her😁. I am not going to give up... I am determined to work this out....and I will let you know how we get on! Yes rosieowner.....I reckon our two do have plenty in common 😁

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Thx paddi22 and showjumperl95 .... I haven’t given her additional electrolytes (apart from what is in her pink powder and normal feed)..but will give her some leading up to next event as I do think her excess sweating is part of the problem....... and the length of the ride may be part of the problem too. I really appreciate your help .... thx guys xxxx😊 i’ll Keep u posted

Is that NAF Pink Powder?
I would take her off it! Sister and I had two mares who reacted really badly to it, mine was known as a bombproof hack and sister's Appaloosa had shown successfully. They both became absolutely bonkers on NAF PinkPowder, much more excitable than usual. I don't know which ingredient they reacted to but there are a lot to choose from!

 

[BBP]

You can get your Vet to run an exercise test with her, basically running bloods before and after vigorous exercise. It will tell you if the muscle cells are becoming damaged and releasing gunk into the blood. I did that with my pony and then confirmed the diagnosis with a biopsy (as they had suggested it might be PSSM but he didn’t fit the profile). He loses his mind sometimes, just freaks out, muscle tremors all over, completely loses the plot and there is no working him through it.

 

[Akkalia1]

I have a 6 year old ex-racer who can be similar, in that she is essentially a sweet mare who can produce some lovely work but can then utterly lose it for no real reason. Only difference is she is a generally stress and anxious horse, she also finds competitions and going places extremely stressful, but it's not only these situations which result in OTT behaviour. I don't know if it fits yours quite as much as it seems to be only rides out and competitions she does it at, but I've definitely been starting to think along the lines of BBP for a while and it may be worth considering. Mine will utterly lose it if something sets her off, rearing and trembling but she has developed a habit over the last few months that seems more of a pain reaction, of intermittently tensing then rearing vertical, touching down and rearing again then standing hunched and trembling and looking terrified. She could then go on and work beautifully afterwards and it didn't always happen. I had saddle and back checked etc and nothing could be found, she'd had a fairly extensive lameness workup and back/neck scans the year before with nothing found.

BBP what do you do maintenance wise for your horse, vitamin E and oil, low sugar/starch diet? And has it helped?

 

[Britestar]

We have a 21yr old ex racer, who is a spinner. Always left. Jump off lead him for 100yrds and get back on. Hes done it sonce he was 4 I'm told.

 

[BBP]

I have a 6 year old ex-racer who can be similar, in that she is essentially a sweet mare who can produce some lovely work but can then utterly lose it for no real reason. Only difference is she is a generally stress and anxious horse, she also finds competitions and going places extremely stressful, but it's not only these situations which result in OTT behaviour. I don't know if it fits yours quite as much as it seems to be only rides out and competitions she does it at, but I've definitely been starting to think along the lines of BBP for a while and it may be worth considering. Mine will utterly lose it if something sets her off, rearing and trembling but she has developed a habit over the last few months that seems more of a pain reaction, of intermittently tensing then rearing vertical, touching down and rearing again then standing hunched and trembling and looking terrified. She could then go on and work beautifully afterwards and it didn't always happen. I had saddle and back checked etc and nothing could be found, she'd had a fairly extensive lameness workup and back/neck scans the year before with nothing found.

BBP what do you do maintenance wise for your horse, vitamin E and oil, low sugar/starch diet? And has it helped?

Yep, pretty much. Low sugar and starch, vitamin e, no oil as he is a fatty with heaps of energy. Then eliminating as many sources of discomfort/stress as I can. So changed his saddle, switched to a bitless bridle or neckrope, new super chilled friendly field companions that he loves and is relaxed around, treating for ulcers, hind gut acidity and ulcers. Long warm ups and cool downs before I ask any real work from him. Not pushing his comfort zones, so I don’t tend to hack him alone unless on a very familiar route with no changes. It’s all made a massive difference, but he can still trigger without warning. Last year I only had one major episode, this year he has been off work due to a fractured splint but he has been very chilled in the field.

He’s always the most alert and sensitive of all our horses and always the first to react to a new sight or sound, always the most explosive. I used to think he was crazy or had mental health problems. But I understand him so much better than I used to and understand that his body is freaking his mind out sometimes, so I just keep calm and try to get him through it.

 

[Akkalia1]

Yep, pretty much. Low sugar and starch, vitamin e, no oil as he is a fatty with heaps of energy. Then eliminating as many sources of discomfort/stress as I can. So changed his saddle, switched to a bitless bridle or neckrope, new super chilled friendly field companions that he loves and is relaxed around, treating for ulcers, hind gut acidity and ulcers. Long warm ups and cool downs before I ask any real work from him. Not pushing his comfort zones, so I don’t tend to hack him alone unless on a very familiar route with no changes. It’s all made a massive difference, but he can still trigger without warning. Last year I only had one major episode, this year he has been off work due to a fractured splint but he has been very chilled in the field.

He’s always the most alert and sensitive of all our horses and always the first to react to a new sight or sound, always the most explosive. I used to think he was crazy or had mental health problems. But I understand him so much better than I used to and understand that his body is freaking his mind out sometimes, so I just keep calm and try to get him through it.

All very very familiar and I'm doing exactly the same re ulcers, hindgut acidity. I've also got her a very calm field companion and we don't hack just now as it got to the point of being dangerous. I'm trying the vitamin e and oil so we'll see how that goes. She's a nightmare for vet investigation so wanted to try the vitamin e and oil to see if it made a difference and she's already on low sugar/starch.

I too thought (and still do!) that she's a little mentally challenged!!

 

[Janie G]

Is that NAF Pink Powder?
I would take her off it! Sister and I had two mares who reacted really badly to it, mine was known as a bombproof hack and sister's Appaloosa had shown successfully. They both became absolutely bonkers on NAF PinkPowder, much more excitable than usual. I don't know which ingredient they reacted to but there are a lot to choose from!

I have heard many different thoughts on Pink Powder. People seem to either love it or hate it. I've been using it on both my horses for many years now.....and I'm in the I love it camp....they have both done very well on it. However, as they say.....every horse is different Thanks for advice though......Take care x