What could be wrong with my mare? Help!

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MissHocusPocus

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My mare has been acting very oddly in past few weeks especially, she was cold backed in the winter and would be really stiff when you first got on, she doesn't like her belly being brushed ( the lower belly nearer her bum) she occasionally goes very slightly lame- just looks a bit short mainly on her right front leg.
Ridden wise she has been refusing jumps more and more often an now it's hard to get her to jump many jumps at all and I have been using a whip but now think that here must be something wrong so havr stopped jumping as much.

I commonly see her stood in the field resting her bum against the fence an her back foot she digs in to the ground so her feet are very slightly tilted. Feeling her back she doesn't seem sore as doesn't flinch ears back or anything! And she just Started looking a lot more miserable! I do think her saddle may have got slightly tight ( am in process of getting new one) but don't think it's that bad fitting enough to cause this, her teeth were done six months ago..

Please help! If you think of anything or if any of these symptoms seem similar please reply!
 
Get your vet to check her out. How long have you had her. Some mares get more sensitive when they come into season.
 
Navicular does seem possible :( don't think it's lami as no heat in her feet and she is a 16.2 tb x that is not fat at all etc..


Had her a year and a half, could be her seasons but she was still going a bit short in winter and cold backed etc, but she doesn't seem very cold backed now
 
I agree that navicular does come to mind especially with a) the hard ground and b) trying to get a more comfortable stance. I think if I was in your situation and suspicious that something was wrong/not right with my horse I too would have the vet. If there is a possibility that she is not comfortable then you have to do something to help her. I suspect that the ticklish tummy is just that and a red herring in this instance!
 
Think I will get vet out just to be sure and to check everything, at least I have insurance I guess, would hate to think she is in any pain bless her
 
From the description you have given I would suspect that her neck and withers ar eout of alignment. A good chiro should be able towork on her and relieve the discomfort.

She has possibly nose-dived in the field at sometime and this has upset the alignment of her vertebrae.
 
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Agree wththe others. Get her checkd asap. There is obviously a physical problem. No point in guessing without seeing her. It could be anything from neck/shoulder to hocks or even an internal problem such as ulcers. Sounds like she's been trying to tell you for a while.
 
A lame horse will obviously not want to jump - whip or no whip.

What does your vet think is wrong with the horse??
 
Sounds like something higher up.
You know there is something wrong with your mare, so don't let the vets fob you off!
I was fobbed off by 2 vets and told I was paranoid. Turns out I was actually right! Keep to your gut instinct.
Keep us informed :)
 
Damnation said:
Sounds like something higher up.
You know there is something wrong with your mare, so don't let the vets fob you off!
I was fobbed off by 2 vets and told I was paranoid. Turns out I was actually right! Keep to your gut instinct.
Keep us informed :)
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^^This. You sometimes have to be very insistent with vets. A mare at our yard was sent to three different veterinary hospitals at the insistence of her owner and myself. We knew it was something physical and all the vets told us it was behaviuoral. In the end she was found to have gastric ulcers. They took a while to treat but I was able to ride her for the first time in a year yesterday without her bunching up and napping/rearing.
 
Damnation said:
Sounds like something higher up.
You know there is something wrong with your mare, so don't let the vets fob you off!
I was fobbed off by 2 vets and told I was paranoid. Turns out I was actually right! Keep to your gut instinct.
Keep us informed :)
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OP hasn't had the vet, so I don't see that 'fobbing off' is even in the equation...

And how can anyone possibly say where the problem lies on this mare? Has anyone other than the OP seen or examined her???

Vet OP, and good luck with your mare.
 
Thanks, will be getting the vet out on Monday so will let you all know how it goes, have the chiropractor coming out tomorrow just to check her over, I know that there is something wrong so I will be very insistent as I know far to many people that have been messed around.
Thanks everyone for your replies I will also let you know what chiropractor says, fingers crossed for magic!
 
Have you checked her udder? Some of those symptoms would fit for mastitis.

Other than that, let us know what the vet says :)
 
MissHocusPocus said:
Thanks, will be getting the vet out on Monday so will let you all know how it goes, have the chiropractor coming out tomorrow just to check her over, I know that there is something wrong so I will be very insistent as I know far to many people that have been messed around.
Thanks everyone for your replies I will also let you know what chiropractor says, fingers crossed for magic!
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Surely though if your horse is in obvious discomfort then would it not be wise to have the vet sooner rather than later?
 
I wouldn't say she is in great pain, obviously if she was the ve would be called straight away. The chiropractor is coming out tomorrow to check her so I want to see te outcome of this so that I can try and eliminate problems for when the vet comes.

Naturally- her udders are all fine have checked them :)
 
amymay said:
OP hasn't had the vet, so I don't see that 'fobbing off' is even in the equation...

And how can anyone possibly say where the problem lies on this mare? Has anyone other than the OP seen or examined her???

Vet OP, and good luck with your mare.
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I meant to say that my mare had similar (hence why I said it sounds like something higher up - I am happy to be corrected by the OP in an update), quite vague symptoms, no definate lamness, could be blamed on behaviour. (Sorry should have made it clearer :))
It turned out to be something alot worse and I was fobbed off twice, told I was paranoid and that it was probibily an abcess. Mare was PTS.
So yes you know there is something pysically wrong with the mare. Get the vet out and do not let them fob you off by saying its behavioural.
 
Damnation said:
I meant to say that my mare had similar (hence why I said it sounds like something higher up).
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We've all had a lame horse - but nothing about this post indicates anything other than there is a lameness which is unidentified.....

I think it's really important in cases like this (i.e a poster who is a novice owner, by appearances, and who doesn't recognise when a vet should be called out and when to sto riding a lame horse) not to cloud the issue with misleading forum diagnosis.

Let the professionals do that.
 
Amymay- I am not a novice owner have had horsesfor years, of course I am not going to ride my horse when she is lame and even when she is a tiny bit short I would only do light work with her and stop if I think anything is wrong or if she is in any pain. ( sorry if you were not implying this)

And as I have said the vet will e called out

Damnation- thanks, obviously your case was severe ad I am hoping mine isn't that bad and I completely see where your coming from to make sure the vets do their job and not just to settle for any crap they give you to cover up (has happened to people I know!) thanks :)
 
I am not a novice owner have had horsesfor years, of course I am not going to ride my horse when she is lame
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Ah right. Apologies. I had assumed you were as you didn't seem to be putting the lameness and refusing to jump (unless bashed over the fence) together......
 
Obviously it all links that's why I posted in the first place and stated her symptoms to see what the overall diagnosis could be, I don't jump her when se goes slightly lame, but as said she isn't lame all the time it only occasionally
 
MissHocusPocus said:
Amymay- I am not a novice owner have had horsesfor years, of course I am not going to ride my horse when she is lame
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Nicely contradicts...

MissHocusPocus said:
and even when she is a tiny bit short I would only do light work with her and stop if I think anything is wrong or if she is in any pain. (
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and then there is..
MissHocusPocus said:
she occasionally goes very slightly lame- just looks a bit short mainly on her right front leg.
Ridden wise she has been refusing jumps more and more often an now it's hard to get her to jump many jumps at all and I have been using a whip but now think that here must be something wrong so havr stopped jumping as much.
Click to expand...
 
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amymay said:
We've all had a lame horse - but nothing about this post indicates anything other than there is a lameness which is unidentified.....

I think it's really important in cases like this (i.e a poster who is a novice owner, by appearances, and who doesn't recognise when a vet should be called out and when to sto riding a lame horse) not to cloud the issue with misleading forum diagnosis.

Let the professionals do that.
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Actually, Amy, it may not be a lameness at all. My friend had a horse that was stiff down his left side and looked lame. He had a massively inflamed liver. I could be anything, but people are bound to suggest things that they have had experience of themselves.
 
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PapaFrita said:
All of the symptoms you describe are more than enough to get the vet out. BTW, you are not supposed to allow a chiropractor or other 'back person' work on your horse without consulting your vet first.
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It's actually illegal for the chiropractor to be treating/'looking over' this horse without a veterinary surgeon's recommendation. You also put yourself in a "grey area" of legality in this instance.

Regarding the question of lameness and continuing work, if it's an unusual stop working the horse! Anything could be causing it and vets pick up everything that you cannot. ALWAYS consult a vet and take what others say with a pinch of salt!!

Good luck with the mare though!
 
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