What to do? Advice needed!

Foxy girl

Foxy girl

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My mare is 16 now and a couple of years back she had ragwort poisoning (old yard owner's fault) which she miraculously recovered from thanks to Leehurst. Since then she and I have just been happy hackers - she's on a limited low protein diet but lives out all year round and is very easy to do. Until recently. She has always been bolshy and strong on the ground (fine when you're on board) but now she is getting dangerous - walking into me, over me, ripping headcollar after headcollar off the tie-up at the stable, breaking things and then a couple of months ago on a fun ride she threw me so badly that I nearly broke my hip.

I've ridden her since but to be honest I'm fine in the saddle but I'm really scared of her on the ground. I have two young children who I now won't let in the field with me - they used to spend ages in there with both Foxy and the pony. The question is - she's 16, is never going to be fit again (her liver damage couldn't stand the increase in work) but technically she's ok hacking out and there's nothing physically wrong with her - i think it's mental. I don't want to put her down, I brought her back from dead and she's a star but I can't risk her being dangerous like this. I have kind of retired her now but it's breaking my heart not being able to ride but I just don't trust her anymore.

Can horse lose their marbles? She seems to have episodes of complete brain overload - like she just can't cope - then two mins later she's standing there like a donkey...

Thanks for reading this far!!
 
Have there been any change in her management - ours have all been a lot sharper since they have come in at night and related change of diet. Also have you considered a calmer?

We have an older chap on our yard is an absolute angel 99% of the time, but on rare occasions he verges on dangerous, especailly over the winter peiod - I did get to the stage last year when I wondered if he was suffering from schizophrenia, alzheimers or another mental disease related to old age!! However come spring and summer he reverted back to his typical 'dope on a rope' personality.

If she was mine I would be tempted to have a vet check her over...
 
Best thing may be to get her checked over, is she doing through pain or is something else wrong. Is she doing at a particular time or when brushing/touching a particular place, if it's pain related you should be able to sort it, alternativley she could just be seeing what she can get away with, if she had a busy life before the Ragwort poisoning she may be feeling bored and acting up because of it, could you ask someone at your yard or a horsey friend to watch while you are handling her and see what they think, choose some one whose opinion you trust and respect, but all shouldn't be doom and gloom just yet, there are plenty of options before you have to decide whether to pts or not. Hang on in there
 
Thanks everyone I think I do need to get her checked out. I'm wondering if the liver damage is having some effect on her brain now. You just never hear about horses (or animals) having brain disorders really - guess it must happen though! Thanks again x
 
My previous mare had liver damage, and we noticed a change in her behaviour afterwards, and your horse sounds very similar to how she was.
She was ok to be handled, but would sometimes bolt on rides for no reason, and where previously she would spook at something and calm down, post-liver disorder she would be on edge for the rest of the ride. It was like she was unable to control the adrenalin or hormones, and would 'see red' during an episode where she just ran and ran regardless of who or what was in her way.

She wasn't too bad in summer on 24 hr turnout, but we struggled to manage her behaviour in the winter months (oct - april were the worst). Her winter coat came through really thick too, almost like cushings, but not curly.

We didn't investigate her thoroughly (it was a long time ago now) but I always suspected that the liver damage had caused an imbalance somewhere in her 'chemistry' which resulted in these episodes. She very nearly put me off riding for life, and my confidence is still not great, plus my shoulder and back are permanently damaged from some of the falls she caused me to have. I recommend getting yours checked out asap, and would seriously consider pts if the behaviour continues, especially with children around her.

Sorry to hear your mare is having these problems, and good luck x
 
Fairhill - thank you - that sounds EXACTLY like my mare, it is almost as if she has an imbalance somewhere in her brain that causes these episodes... She was always moody pre-ragwort poisoning but this is different - whereas before she would be stroppy but always step round me or try to look after me on a ride, now it's like I don't even exist and she has no idea I'm around, never mind on her back.

Owlie185 - it was Derek Knottenbelt who treated her at Leahurst and he couldn't believe she'd made it through. He didn't give me much idea of long term prognosis or mention changes in behaviour - I may well get in touch to get his opinion...

Thank again everyone - I love her to bits and don't want to pts but when she has an 'episode' she has no thought for her own, or others welfare and at some point that's going to end in disaster...
 
personally Id get her checked over thoroughly before considering pts etc.

When you say she walks into you / over you. Could she be having trouble with her sight? thismay be making her more spooky and unmanagable? Not sure if this links to the liver damage. Just a gut feeling when i read your post.
 
My elderly horse's liver was packing up and the vet warned me to be careful handling him as his behaviour could become dangerous/unpredictable due to build up of toxins in his system. Has she had a blood test recently to see what is going on liver wise?
 
Yep, sounds very similar!
My mare did it once at a pony club show with me. Her friend was across the showground, but it had never been a problem before, and we had been going there for years without problems. This one time her friend whinnied, my mare tried to run to her, and when I stopped her from galloping she rodeo-bucked and bucked until I came off, and then she ran through two rings, scattering ponies and people. We were very lucky not to have injured anyone else apart from me.

We managed her behaviour as much as we could by limiting her exposure to stressful situations. So I stopped competing, and we gradually had to reduce her hacking out to short, traffic-free routes, with safe horses as company. It wasn't much fun :(
 
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