Understanding my horse's tantrum

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Jeanette_w

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Hi all!

First time posting, but I've been a lurker for years. I'd like to have your opinions on something that happened with my 4 year old gelding a few days ago.

Some background: I bought him in February. He's been trained for harness racing but that wasn't for him so the previous owner out him up for sale. This is an absolutely wonderful boy; high energy, loves to work and he's super smart. I've been backing him since the start of May, and I've been taking it slowly since he gets tense easily (he unsheathes, prances and screams for friends) with a lot of groundwork and just a few rides.

He's been doing super, we've made progress with him being able to walk and trot on short hacks, and he's listening well to aids. We've practised parking and him willingly offering the saddle when I'm on a mounting block.

So, a few days ago, I tacked him up. He was his old happy self but when it was time to mount, he became super fidgety and bit my hand, the reins and wouldn't stand still. I thought it was youngster behaviour, so I continued being calm and eventually (after 30 minutes) I got on. He he was really tense, tried a few bucks which was a first from him and even reared. Kind of nappy when I was using aids too. I decided that as soon as he listens to either go on or stop, I'd jump off because he wasn't really in the right headspace, which I did.

Should I raise the alarm for pain immediately, or is there a possibility of him just acting like the youngster he is?
 
Agree with SpeedyPony, I wouldn't not worry but I also wouldn't panic. Could very well be saddle, maybe it's been bothering him for a while and he has coped with it and just couldn't cope that day. I wouldn't just go "oh he's just young" as he is obviously telling you something, figuring out what will just take some time and observation.
 
My baby pony did exactly this a month ago. Was fidgety to get on and when I did she planted and refused to walk on. When I put my leg on she reversed at speed with flat back ears. Not like her at all!

It was her saddle pinching as she’d changed shape. A new saddle later and a physio session and she was back to her old self.

Always look at the obvious things first.

I am grateful my pony is sensitive and not a stoic type.
 
Wouldn’t worry as a one off and would assume something had just upset him for some reason but if it happens again then yes worth checking there’s no physical reason.

Definitely keep your saddle checks up to date though as he’s of an age where he’ll do a lot of changing shape.
 
SpeedyPony said:
Definitely worth checking saddle fit- if that is fine and he is back to normal next time I wouldn't worry too much, he may just have been a little stressed by weather/something going on around him. If he seems off next time, I'd start digging.
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Thank you so much for your input! We're getting a visit from a saddle fitter later this month. A well fitting saddle is so fundamental!
 
smolmaus said:
Agree with SpeedyPony, I wouldn't not worry but I also wouldn't panic. Could very well be saddle, maybe it's been bothering him for a while and he has coped with it and just couldn't cope that day. I wouldn't just go "oh he's just young" as he is obviously telling you something, figuring out what will just take some time and observation.
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Thank you so much! I'm so thankful that he is good at voicing his concerns.
 
HaffiesRock said:
My baby pony did exactly this a month ago. Was fidgety to get on and when I did she planted and refused to walk on. When I put my leg on she reversed at speed with flat back ears. Not like her at all!

It was her saddle pinching as she’d changed shape. A new saddle later and a physio session and she was back to her old self.

Always look at the obvious things first.

I am grateful my pony is sensitive and not a stoic type.
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Thank you so much! It's so helpful having a sensitive horse sometimes 🙂
 
Boulty said:
Wouldn’t worry as a one off and would assume something had just upset him for some reason but if it happens again then yes worth checking there’s no physical reason.

Definitely keep your saddle checks up to date though as he’s of an age where he’ll do a lot of changing shape.
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Thank you so much for your input! We have a saddle fitter coming at the end of the month luckily, and I'll keep my eyes peeled for physical distress when I'm handling him.
 
First of all THANK YOU for listening to him and not writing the behaviour off straight away - it's so refreshing to see someone trying to work out why their horse is behaving a certain way x

I would certainly get the saddler fitter out as he's of that age where he'll be changing shape quicker than you can blink, and if it is the saddle, it would explain the behaviour.

If after your saddle fitter has been and if his behaviour still persists/escalates, I would strip things right back to basics and go from square one. Even if he is confident with going back to square one, it'll help him relax and gain some confidence in the sense that he'll already know what is required of him, and then I would build up from there x

It would also possibly be a good idea to get the vet out and dentist too - just to check he hasn't pulled something and that he doesn't have any dental problems bothering him x
 
Jeanette_w said:
So, a few days ago, I tacked him up. He was his old happy self but when it was time to mount, he became super fidgety and bit my hand, the reins and wouldn't stand still. I thought it was youngster behaviour, so I continued being calm and eventually (after 30 minutes) I got on. He he was really tense, tried a few bucks which was a first from him and even reared. Kind of nappy when I was using aids too. I decided that as soon as he listens to either go on or stop, I'd jump off because he wasn't really in the right headspace, which I did.
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I wouldn't necessarily see it as saddle pain but possibly as gut pain. Had he for example gone from dry grass to wet grass with the rain? or anything else feeding wise to produce gut pain. Mine, aged 20, had just gone from super calm on dry vegetation to fidgety and hand biting and I am sure it is gut. The only thing for mine that has changed has been the rain.
Is yours now eating sugary wet grass. Producing gas.
If you haven't got the problem sorted you could try getting him off grass and onto dry food eg hay, low sugar horsehage etc and see if there is any difference.

You could try to eliminate the saddle by longreining. Does he behave calmly or is the problem still there.

Try standing on the mounting block with him alongside no saddle or roller. Lean over him, what happens, lean over and use your right hand to swing along his body and then touching his body. Any reaction when it is touching his side?
 
Well done for listening OP, now is the perfect time for you to teach him that he only need whisper and you will listen, and that he won't be reprimanded for telling you something is wrong. It makes a hell of a difference to 'who they are' as the grow up.
I would echo saddle fit, the sign Dex wasn't happy with his was letting me get on but then being incredibly stuffy and humpy. I would take it back to hacking in hand, long reining, groundwork until your saddle fitter comes. If he is also unhappy doing this then you have either missed something in his education that is now pushing him above threshold or it may be his belly and not tack perhaps
 
Saddle, saddle, saddle, saddle….

Again and again and again. With a young horse coming into work a saddle can fit for three weeks to three months and anywhere in between. Go on YouTube and educate yourself, then check that saddle every single ride. If it isn’t right, don’t ride in it! If it is and you have pain seeming behaviour, trot that horse up and feel all over for hot spots, hard muscles, signs of a scuffle in the field.

I say this as someone who takes on ‘problem’ ponies and so very often the trust they lost was saddle related. It can take years to get back.
 
What was the weather like? Were there any distant thunderstorms? There have been a lot around recently. Horses can sense/hear them a long time before we do. I had a horse who was usually fairly easy-going but had a meltdown about me getting on. I decided this was uncharacteristic, got off and put her back in the stable while I had a think. 20 mins later a huge thunderstorm broke out near us! She didn't ever do it again.
 
AppyLover1996 said:
First of all THANK YOU for listening to him and not writing the behaviour off straight away - it's so refreshing to see someone trying to work out why their horse is behaving a certain way x

I would certainly get the saddler fitter out as he's of that age where he'll be changing shape quicker than you can blink, and if it is the saddle, it would explain the behaviour.

If after your saddle fitter has been and if his behaviour still persists/escalates, I would strip things right back to basics and go from square one. Even if he is confident with going back to square one, it'll help him relax and gain some confidence in the sense that he'll already know what is required of him, and then I would build up from there x

It would also possibly be a good idea to get the vet out and dentist too - just to check he hasn't pulled something and that he doesn't have any dental problems bothering him x
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Thank you so much for your words. I have yet to meet a stupid horse, they act the way they do because they are sentient beings. So happy to have an outspoken horse.

Great reminder to go back to the basics, thank you! The dentist is coming in October when he's getting his jabs, thank you for acknowledging such an important part in horse care!
 
maya2008 said:
Saddle, saddle, saddle, saddle….

Again and again and again. With a young horse coming into work a saddle can fit for three weeks to three months and anywhere in between. Go on YouTube and educate yourself, then check that saddle every single ride. If it isn’t right, don’t ride in it! If it is and you have pain seeming behaviour, trot that horse up and feel all over for hot spots, hard muscles, signs of a scuffle in the field.

I say this as someone who takes on ‘problem’ ponies and so very often the trust they lost was saddle related. It can take years to get back.
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Thank you so much! I hope the visit from the saddle fitter later this month will result in a saddle that fits him perfectly. I work him a lot from the ground, happy that a lot of progress can be made without a saddle.
 
Marigold4 said:
What was the weather like? Were there any distant thunderstorms? There have been a lot around recently. Horses can sense/hear them a long time before we do. I had a horse who was usually fairly easy-going but had a meltdown about me getting on. I decided this was uncharacteristic, got off and put her back in the stable while I had a think. 20 mins later a huge thunderstorm broke out near us! She didn't ever do it again.
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Thank you so much for your thoughts! The only thing that I noticed that was out of the ordinary was that another horse was coming and going. He's had a lot of problems with separation anxiety in his former home, but we've worked with it quite a bit and it's mostly resolved. Maybe it annoyed him, but it's difficult to be sure.
 
Goldenstar said:
What work had you done in the run up to the incident.
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He's been used to saddle cloth and saddle, been lunged with and without saddle, double lunged over poles and on the flat, pole work in hand, walks in the woods, walks on nearby roads to prepare for traffic, ponying whilst riding his field mate, mounting exercises, some trick training and free play et.c. On the specific day, we did our ordinary prep work we always do before any activity.
 
sorry haven't had the time to read all replies but is he showing any riggy behaviour? I only ask because some of that behaviour might indicate he wasn't successfully gelded. But if you're having the vet out just mention it and see what they say. It's probably not that but worth a thought maybe.
 
Parrotperson said:
sorry haven't had the time to read all replies but is he showing any riggy behaviour? I only ask because some of that behaviour might indicate he wasn't successfully gelded. But if you're having the vet out just mention it and see what they say. It's probably not that but worth a thought maybe.
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I've been thinking of that tbh, since he often unsheathes when excited/worried. I'll keep that in mind! Thank you!
 
Jeanette_w said:
This is an absolutely wonderful boy; high energy, loves to work and he's super smart. I've been backing him since the start of May, and I've been taking it slowly since he gets tense easily (he unsheathes, prances and screams for friends) with a lot of groundwork and just a few rides.
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It seems very odd to me that he unsheaths in the above situation. My gelding would only ever do this when he was relaxed and eating. Everything hung out. I'd use the opportunity at times to clean his willy.
 
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