Untypical ulcer signs please ? Head shy ? Aversion to touch around neck and head ?

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Spangles

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Interested to know if anyone has experienced their horse showing reluctance to be touched/ groomed around the neck/ head ? Some days Ok, other days 'don't touch me'. Nothing nasty, just appears head shy and will throw head up at the slightest hand movement or anticipated movement towards the front end neck up ?
Underside of neck can feel very hard/ tense .. not sure if this is relevant ?
Is sensitivity to touch from the neck up a potential sign of ulcers ? Any other non-typical signs to consider ?
 
I have no idea. Mine presented with pretty typical symptoms.
The thing that prompted me to reply though was that years ago I took a horse to the vet worried by a strange head carriage and she instantly suggested it was a possible colic. Apparently she had seen horses in the early stages of colic with head symptoms so it could be a possibility ?‍♀️
 
I'd be more suspect of a neck issue such as arthritis, for example. Possibly a tooth issue. Firstly I'd have a vet check it out since there seems to be pain somewhere, then, depending on the result of that I'd contact a good body worker/osteopath.

I'd also see if you can relate the "bad days" to anything such as weather/temp or what work you did the previous day.

Usually an ulcer horse doesn't like their mid section or flank touched, or is generally uncomfortable all over, in my experience.
 
Is this new or have they always been head shy? My old mare has a massive scar on her lip (big chunk missing) that happened before I got her. Whatever the trauma was that made it has made her quite head shy, I've had her for a very long time now so I can touch her but for strangers etc she wont let them touch her head at all.
 
If the horse has put the poll or hyoid region out, this will cause similar symptoms. A check over by a good physio/osteo/other qualified person would be my first port of call.

I use a chiro vet. My mare was badly out and sore in her hyoid, chiro vet adjusted it but was concerned that there might be something sinister going on and rechecked her in a fortnight - thankfully adjustment held and she’s been fine since. Chiro vet was expecting to have to refer her on to regular vets for further investigations, but thankfully that wasn’t necessary.
 
Thanks all. I've booked with a very good Physio. Horse has a recent (last 2yrs) history of poll tension which comes and goes, as does the random days in which she doesn't want us to touch her.
 
Mine was fine for you to groom/touch his flanks and do his girth up but would flinch when you touched his chest, like if you went to undo a rug chest strap or similar. He would also stand and grind his teeth a lot, and yawn frequently. He would pin his ears and grind to a halt if you asked him to trot or canter. Those things all stopped after his ulcer treatment.

He was fat, shiny, turned out all the time with hay and you would never think he had ulcers.
 
Mine does a weird head thing - he hangs his head low and is reluctant to raise. He's had his neck bone scanned and xrayed - all fine. He is also sensitive around his girth area however and so recently I got the vet out to ask about possible stomach problems like ulcers. Vet wasn't convinced it was ulcers... I'm sure the head hanging is a pain issue we just don't know where. Good thing is it is occasional and passes quickly. Bad thing is we don't know what it is or how to help him! With yours if the physio doesn't help see what the vet says. With mine I'm bordering on getting him scoped to at least rule that out!
 
TotalMadgeness said:
Mine does a weird head thing - he hangs his head low and is reluctant to raise. He's had his neck bone scanned and xrayed - all fine. He is also sensitive around his girth area however and so recently I got the vet out to ask about possible stomach problems like ulcers. Vet wasn't convinced it was ulcers... I'm sure the head hanging is a pain issue we just don't know where. Good thing is it is occasional and passes quickly. Bad thing is we don't know what it is or how to help him! With yours if the physio doesn't help see what the vet says. With mine I'm bordering on getting him scoped to at least rule that out!
Click to expand...
Now been scoped and ulcer free !!!
 
Yes. Horse turned out to have extensive arthritis in the neck & some weird calcification going on in poll area. (Also had other areas of arthritis further down his back, one of signs of this was difficulty urinating normally among many other issues) If it's a new behaviour I'd get vet & physio / osteopath involved (If Tom Beech covers your area can recommend him).
 
Now been scoped and ulcer free !!!
Click to expand...

What did the physio say?

My old boy is like this sometimes . We've also had some issues with a twitching shoulder. To cut a long story short he's had quite a few chiropractor treatments which have helped but at the age of 25 I have decided to retire him. I'd really recommend Ken Skinner and his assistant Lucia if they cover your area.
 
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