Update on problem mare :-(

R

RWG

Member
Joined
8 January 2015
Messages
22
Location
Manchester
Visit site
I bought my 15.2 7yo cob mare last Oct, everything went great for the initial 3 months but very suddenly went downhill in February. She started bucking and napping when ridden, I had the saddler out immediately to check her back and saddle fit, its fine, teeth checked and also fine. Next got the vet out, they did blood tests (including hormones), checked her back and did a lameness work up, all were 100% fine. They put her on a bute trial to rule out pain, this unfortunately resulted in her developing colic and she scoped positive for grade 1 ulcers. She has been treated for the ulcers with gastroguard and supplements for a month now, we’ve had no more colic and she seems great in herself, she’ll be re-scoped on April 10th to confirm that the ulcers are healed. Her ridden behavior has unfortunately not improved, she’s 100% fine to girth and mount, the problem seems to be as soon as I apply any leg pressure. She kicks out, bucks and shoots backwards, basically she’ll do anything to avoid going forwards from the leg. I’m quickly running out of options, as the vet feels that there’s not much more he can test for given that back, teeth, hormonal and lameness issues have been ruled out. My two instructors are also completely out of suggestions.

She’s a lovely horse on the ground and i'm determined to try and get her right again. I've thought of contacting an equine behaviour consultant in case the problem is now mental rather than physical, does anybody have any positive experiences of this for ridden issues?
 
Have hind gut problems been looked into, that would be the next step, they tend not to respond well to GG and sometimes get worse while on it.
 
Thanks for the suggestion :-) The vet felt that because there were no ulcers around the pyloris and she'd had no loose droppings, it was more likely just the mild gastric ulcers. However, i'll be asking aagin about ruling out the hindgut, it would explain the sensitivity to leg pressure and i've read about others who've had great results with Equishure so could be worth a shot.
 
Sounds a bit like a horse here that had ulcers. The worst symptom was refusing to go forward and resenting any leg pressure. Even after the ulcers cleared she became bad again. She was found to have very mild kissing spine (none actually touching but just very close). We changed her saddler and also employed a different physio. This keeps her working but she needs regular treatment to 'patch her up' and keep her okay to ride. Even if your mare's back has been 'checked', this does not mean all is okay with it. I had a horse that was checked by not only the vets but two different physios. All said he was fine and that his back was not in the slightest bit sore. But he was explosive when girthed and so I asked for x-rays of his back to be done. He had ten spinal processes touching. Gastric ulcers often go hand in hand with kissing spine and so I would get her x-rayed if she were mine.
 
It literally could be a whole host of other things. As horse is going in for a scope, I'd be thinking about getting a full work up done.

Could be kissing spines, could be ulcers, could be problems in ovaries, could be a hoof balance issue, or just about anything I'm afraid.
 
Thanks all. She did have a full lameness work up prior to the first scoping. However, I agree that her back could be investigated further and i'll certainly ask the vet about ovarian issues given webble's experience. I am unfortunately about to hit my insurance limit (the gastroguard cost.....agh!!) so whilst I do have savings set aside for a situation like this and will spend whatever I have to, i'd like to get a plan in place try and rule out the most likely causes first - so all suggestions and shared experiences greatly appreciated!
 
Did they check her CK and AST levels in the blood test? Google PSSM and see if the symptoms fit. They are varied, my mare bucked at times before diagnosis and has never bucked since I changed her diet. She didn't really have any symptoms I noticed until she tied up either. Which was misdiagnosed as colic initially.
 
FfionWinnie said:
Did they check her CK and AST levels in the blood test? Google PSSM and see if the symptoms fit. They are varied, my mare bucked at times before diagnosis and has never bucked since I changed her diet. She didn't really have any symptoms I noticed until she tied up either. Which was misdiagnosed as colic initially.
Click to expand...

Yes, her CK and AST were both within the normal range, the symptoms would have fit though so thanks for the suggestion :-)
 
YorksG said:
Have you cut out all feed except hay (or possibly grass chaff/oat straw chaff for gastroguard)?
Click to expand...

Yep. She's a good doer, so I've never had her on any hard feed, she just gets a handful of molasses-free chop AM and immediately prior to exercise to prevent any acid splash.
 
If shes's being sedated for a scope, then there wont be much additional cost for getting her ovaries scanned and back xrayed at the same time.

Of course the back xrays may show a "problem" but will probably require further investigation to see if it's actually causing the problem!
 
wench said:
If shes's being sedated for a scope, then there wont be much additional cost for getting her ovaries scanned and back xrayed at the same time.

Of course the back xrays may show a "problem" but will probably require further investigation to see if it's actually causing the problem!
Click to expand...

Yes, I think you're right. If she scopes clear for ulcers AND I can rule out back and ovaries (big ifs, I know!), i'd then feel better about investigating behavioural causes.
 
I've had a horses back xrayed before, it was £80 whilst she was being sedated for something else.

Ovaries scanned will probably be a similar figure. My horse had not very good "lady bits conformation" so I had a caslicks done on her as well, at the recommendation of the vet. Granted it didn't make much, if any difference, but there was a chance it could have helped her. Might be something worth discussing with the vet if she has similar make up?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top