Unloading

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Jensnowden

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Hi. I have a lovely little horse I got nearly 2 weeks ago that has never travelled before until a I brought her home. She is 3yrs old. My problem is she loaded ok, but as we traveled she started to almost look sedated, SHE WASN'T . By the time it came to unload her she looked heavily sedated, again she definitely wasn't I know this for a fact. She stood in the box lent against the back wall all wobbly. When we tried to unload her it was like she just couldn't move, she was frozen in that position and no matter what we did she wouldn't move, has anyone ever experienced anything like this, she is slightly unsteady on her feet, NOT LAME. I put this down to the fact she hasn't been led about much .
 
Is she unsteady on her feet now, 2 weeks after bringing her home?

Refusal to get out of the box is common with first time travellers, they don't trust themselves on the ramp. They will often either freeze, or jump out.
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Yes, bringing her out of the stable she hits the door frame every time with her hips, and when leading she doesn't seem to know were to put her feet. She seems ok when she is loose to run around on her own though so I am assuming that is just her being a baby.
 
Jensnowden said:
Yes, bringing her out of the stable she hits the door frame every time with her hips, and when leading she doesn't seem to know were to put her feet. She seems ok when she is loose to run around on her own though so I am assuming that is just her being a baby.
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That isn’t normal behaviour for a three year old, even one that hasn’t been handled very much. Was she like that when you viewed her before buying?
 
Your description is alarming and possibly the horse is a danger to those handling her. Can she pick her feet up and step back and over in balance when you handle her.

Loss of balance and extreme fear after travelling for a young horse isn’t that unusual , mine as a 10 month old colt was so frightened he was sedated and virtually carried off the truck when he arrived.

A vet would advise you and hopefully she hasn’t got any neurological issues. Good luck with her.
 
Upthecreek said:
That isn’t normal behaviour for a three year old, even onasnt led about as e that hasn’t been handled very much. Was she like that when you viewed her before buying?
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Yes, she wasn't led about as she hadn't been handled, but I saw her loose moving and she was fine, she moves fine loose hear too, in walk and trot, and she occasionally centres but you have to force it out of her, she is a VERY quite little filly.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Your description is alarming and possibly the horse is a danger to those handling her. Can she pick her feet up and step back and over in balance when you handle her.

Loss of balance and extreme fear after travelling for a young horse isn’t that unusual , mine as a 10 month old colt was so frightened he was sedated and virtually carried off the truck when he arrived.

A vet would advise you and hopefully she hasn’t got any neurological issues. Good luck with her.
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Thank you. She can move back yes and picks all 4 feet up absolutely fine, she doesn't fall over it's just like she is drunk some days and doesn't walk in a straight line and then other days she is fine.
 
Jensnowden said:
Thank you. She can move back yes and picks all 4 feet up absolutely fine, she doesn't fall over it's just like she is drunk some days and doesn't walk in a straight line and then other days she is fine.
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You haven't responded to my post. You need to get her checked out as a potential wobbler.
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At first I would've thought a tired little horse new to traveling and it took a lot out of her, and she was also unsure about the whole unloading thing since she hadn't traveled before. If she had snapped back completely normal by the next day, I wouldn't have much concern.

However, the trailering and the continued but "random" uncoordinated movement/not knowing where her feet are is quite concerning to me. I would have her checked out ASAP. Wobblers would definitely be high/top of the list.
 
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