Update - horse suddenly acting up - eyesight or something else?

jesterfaerie

jesterfaerie

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I have posted on here before about my horse and that he suddenly started acting up (spooking when been brought in from the field).
Anyways he has now stopped that all together and has not done it since (last time was in june), he only did it a few times but it has now been replaced by him spooking every time you approach him in the field.
Now it was recommended that I get the vet out to him last time however his behaviour stopped so I didn't but will get him out to see him this time as I get the impression it may not stop.
However I am still wondering if it is something other than his eye sight which is causing this, as he doesn't do it once you have approached him and you can ride him out and other people can come up to him etc and he is fine and he is not spooky with anything else.
So because he only does it when you first go near him (you can go away and leave him and come back and he will be ok) I am still thinking it is not his eyesite and something has happened to make him worried when approached in the field.
Also when he acted up before and the way he is being now, this is the only change he is being normal in every other aspect.

Thoughts?
 
Def worth getting his eyes checked out, doesn't take long and at least it can put your mind at rest one way or t'other.

I had the same type of reactions from one of mine, although his reactions to certain 'spooky' things were quite violent, other things didn't bother him at all but what made me get him checked out was when he started pinning himself in the corner of his stable, snorting at nothing! Turns out he had a blind spot in one of his eyes caused by one of the corpora nigra (the nobbly bits across the iris which act as light deflectors) detaching and dropping to the bottom of the pupil - totally random and not very common but it explained alot.

Not for one second suggesting that this is the same for your boy, it is possible he is just acting up and being jumpy for the hell of it but at least if you can eliminate eye probs it may put your mind at rest a bit
 
Just made me wonder as he came down with conjuctivitis and obviously had the vet out for that and she said then that his eyes were ok but will have them checked again.
Like I said because of that and the fact he is fine with everything else and is ok to be approached once he has smelt you and been patted made me think he is more worried than anything else.

What did you do after he was diagnosed, did he settle down at all?
Thanks
 
Unfortunately not - although in his defence he was a highly strung ex-racer so prob not the best to deal with a random blind spot!!

Sorry, hadn't realised he has already had his eyes checked, probably not much point in having them done again then - unless of course the vet is out anyway and then you may as well!

What are his field surroundings like? Any footpaths nearby? neighbouring dogs that could be spooking him? companions that could be picking on him enough to make him jumpy? Is it just in the field you are having these probs? Sorry, loads of questions!!

Could be if something is bothering him whilst at grass his 'fight or flight' mechanism is kicking in which is perhaps making him suspicious??
 
It is ok should have put it in the first post, have rung them up and I am taking him down this afternoon, hopefully will have a different vet than last time (just so it is a secondary opinion) may aswell try and rule out any problems by having them double checked I guess.
Yes it is just in the field where I am having problems although he did spook once when tied up in the yard. The fields are private with no footpaths near them, he is the one who generally does the picking on as his companions are rather old and mind their own business and I don't think the cows will have had a go at him.
Mine is also an exracer
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I really have no idea what could be causing him to be such a bugger if I am honest I will be at an even bigger loss if his eyes are ok.

He only started being like this over the summer (only had him since march) and over the summer he hasn't been ridden as much as he was at the beginning of the year so I possibly lack of contact between us that he has decided to play silly beggers? Hmm I really have no idea it is fustrating.
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Lol at the thought of cows picking on him over the fence!!

Honestly, we must be mad sometimes taking on these ex-racers, love em to pieces but they don't half cause some stress!!

Ok, barring any revelations at the vets you may have just solved your own question...boredom? he may well be playing up due to a lack of exercise/contact and you could just be caught up in a cycle of him being bored, playing around, you get stressed, he gets a reaction, carries on doing it (bit like a child!) Don't forget, when they are in training they have a pretty rigid routine and can sometimes feel a bit lost when this changes, especially if they aren't getting that 'release' of a canter/gallop on a regular basis.

Also, owing to the wierd & rubbish weather we have had all summer, the grass is continually re-growing and so is helping to keep energy levels up
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All being well at the vets, it may be an idea to sit down and have a good look at his/your routine, feed, level of exercise etc. and see if there is room for any changes, change one thing at a time (starting with his work levels if poss) so you can monitor any differences.

I feel your frustration, I really do but you are doing the right thing by eliminating any medical issues - good luck this avo & let us know what the vet says.
smile.gif
 
We are moving back down to uni at the beginning of october and he will be back in full work, at the moment he isn't worked (not great on the roads and fields are drenched) but is only fed grass (out 24/7).
So I wondered if it was because I am not interacting with him as much as I would be if he was at uni where he is stabled most of the time and exercises every day at home he is out in the field and I am not always able to exercise him as much due to the lack of facilities so he doesn't have a routine at home but the one at uni is pretty much the same every day. Hopefully that is what it comes down to.

If only we did have a canter/gallop as a realeas, he is far too lazy to do that (not that I am in a hurry to find his 5th gear!)
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Vet has taken a look was unable to look right to the back of his eye due to the light but so far everything looks fine, so going to see if he changes back to normal when we get back to uni and into a set routine if not have the specialist eye vet come out and take a real look at him in a dark stable. But the vet says it does sound more behavioural but for just in case not rule out a physical problem.
 
So kind of good news then! Fingers crossed then that he settles down once you are back at Uni, at least you will know one way or the other for when you next bring him home
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