Ulcers or hormonal

[Tashagrahamx]

Hello I have had my mare about 4 and a bit months now she’s a 7 year old thoroughbred
She’s always been a bit of a sensitive mare trying to bring her back into work and we have had a few issues with rearing and testing behaviour but since moving yards two weeks ago I have seen a big change in her . She is going for both gelding that are stabled next door to her pinning ears back , kicking and bucking and running from one side of the stable to the other to warn them off. at my old yard she wasn’t able to see the horses beside her in the stable so not sure if this behaviour is new or not.
She also looks really sad and depressed just standing at back of stable with constant tail swishing , drinking more than she normally would , urinating more and winking of the vulva , she is also not eating her hard feed As she usually would normally she would demolish any food put in front of her but she’s not even finishing half of her morning or evening feeds , she is still eating her haylage though .
She is now also turning round to bite me and threatening to kick when trying to put her rug on her and sometimes when grooming she has never done that previously , she is also a nightmare to pick her feet up but was making progress until recent yard move. I went up this morning to spend some time with her and I just feel she isn’t her usual in your face mare she used to be while . grooming this morning I notice when touching near the girth area she was twitching like spams along the lower side of her belly towards her flanks . Am at a loss at the moment wether it’s something medical or maybe she just isn’t settling at this new yard
Would really appreciate any similar stories or suggestions on what route to go down am seriously considering moving back to old yard to hopefully have my happy horse back

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would want the vet to assess her.

 

[Tashagrahamx]

Yes I was going to give the vet a call first thing Monday morning just wanted to see if anyone had a similar situation with there mare and what it could be as am at a loss

 

[MereChristmas]

I hesitated to post this, but if it helps.
With the caution that I know not all symptom indicate ulcers.
This link to my thread shows my pony who had Grade 2 ulcers. It is the fascia rippling in pain. We think the ulcers were caused by him living alone.
Are your horse’s twitchings like this?

In the interest of information… fascia

I have never posted this before and do so reluctantly as it distresses me to see it. Here is a short video of my pony F suffering just before his first scoping. He had Grade 2 squamous ulcers. He is now fine after Omeprazole and Sucralfate and 2 scopings. We think moving home when I bought him...

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[Tashagrahamx]

Yes sometimes she does twitch like this mainly on the shoulders but I just thought it may have been flys irritating her as she’s also stomps and lifts her legs up to

 

[MereChristmas]

Yes sometimes she does twitch like this mainly on the shoulders but I just thought it may have been flys irritating her as she’s also stomps and lifts her legs up to

The difference to flies was the flickers lasted much longer and they rippled along and there weren’t any flies!
My pony’s expression and movement showed he was in great discomfort. He had 3 colic episodes too during which he flashed his tail and almost threw himself round the stable.
I have come to the conclusion that each horse tells you about pain and unhappiness in different ways. It is always difficult to decide what to do.
I hope you can find a solution and make your horse happy and comfortable.

 

[Tashagrahamx]

Yes she tail swishing a lot and pacing around she normally always has her head over the door and has a nosy at what is going on but since the yard move I have never seen her head over the door once she’s seems really unhappy am just trying to figure out if it’s possible she is unhappy at new yard or if she may have a health issue going on .

 

[irishdraft]

It could possibly be being between two new geldings has brought her into season if she's urinating & winking which is making her grumpy & fed up. I have had my friends gelding here for a few weeks and him arriving & being in an adjoining field has caused my mare to come into season & and all sorts pita behaviour so have moved him into another field now & all has settled.

 

[Tashagrahamx]

I have just been up tonight as she doesn’t seem as aggravated with the gelding beside her now still not great but not running from one side to another and kicking out but she still sensitive to touch along her stomach with twitching and spasms , swishing tail , itching bum a lot and had white speckles on her udders

 

[Landcruiser]

Given her breeding and the 2 recent moves, plus her symptoms, I'd strongly suspect ulcers. A scope doesn't break the bank, and then you can rule it out (or in!).

 

[Tashagrahamx]

With gut ulcers has anyone noticed movement in the flank area like twitching and the area going hard ?

 

[MereChristmas]

With gut ulcers has anyone noticed movement in the flank area like twitching and the area going hard ?

My video, linked above, showed just one of many flickerings. They were randomly on either side. They would start and finish anywhere. Some from ears to nearly tail, others from shoulder to stifle etc etc

 

[Tashagrahamx]

It’s at her flank area there’s like movement and sudden what looks like flickers

 

[Tashagrahamx]

She also has a little yellow discharge from her vulva and white speckles on her teats is this a sign of infection ?

 

[Lexi 123]

I would give it a few days as I know someone who rushed into getting their horse scooped turned out it’s was nothing but hormones that was the problem.

 

[Tashagrahamx]

I have phone vet this morning just waiting on a call back rather be safe then sorry

 

[Jacksie]

Just wondering if you ever got to the bottom of this?

 

[Tashagrahamx]

No I haven’t not yet hoping to get some answers this week from the vets once they do some tests as they aren’t to sure either, possibly ulcers , hormones , ovarian tumours or pregnant.

 

[Jacksie]

Thank you for the update. Mine had some similar symptoms. All we found in the end was a hock issue. Everything else seems to have settled now so I’m not sure if that was it all along or if there were two separate issues, hence my curiosity.

 

[Tashagrahamx]

What was your horse’s symptoms? My mare has settled down a little bit now but still won’t eat hard feed and has movement/twitches in her flank and tummy area . Am still completely puzzled and unsure which route to go down as vets aren’t sure either.

 

[Jacksie]

Similarities were agression with other horses, her being grumpy/looking depressed, becoming progressively worse when ridden, drinking and weeing a lot, threatening to bite or kick when rugging or placing the saddle on her, and being picky with hard feed. She was also sore in her lower back and more sensitive to her right flank. Her seasons seemed really strong too. After months of investigation all we could find was the hock issue. Since addressing that the other issues have resolved although it also coincided with her not coming into season over the winter months which seemed to almost be a reset for her. I was convinced it was a hormonal issue but nothing was found. The symptoms were intermittent and started off very subtly, it led me to questioning my sanity at times so I hope you get to the bottom of things.