What's wrong? Help Please!

TallyHo123

TallyHo123

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 March 2009
Messages
2,387
Location
North
Visit site
This could be long so I appologise now!

Bought a horse September, he is fab, just what I wanted. Know people who knew him etc. and everything lady selling said was true. He's a gem to ride, just my style. Forwards going etc. can be impatient, got character but would never buck, rear, bolt, kick, bite etc.

Bought him off a novicey lady who just hacked. Played around with many bits when I got him as he chomps a lot, sometimes seems uncomfortable but never in pain. Got him in a french link hanging cheek now - seems good but no 100%

Four day ago took him on a hack, normal route etc. and we were walking along as usual and he ssuddenly reared, he then cantered off doing some strange bunny hops! Managed to pull him up, jogged along then cantered off again. I hate no control at all. Again he stopped then jogged home.

Even when in the field or stable he plays with his mouth, like a human using their tounge to get food which is stuck. Twisting mouth, seems like he is trying to click his jaw (hard to explain!) etc.

Yesterday I lunged him and he rolled then pee'd off with me in tow! Totally not like him.
Today I hacked and he was okay but very tense and if I took a firmish hold he would just pull against me.

Had teeth done about 4 weeks ago, saddle checked just before I bought him (Used same saddler so I spoke to him) I'm wondering if somethings up? He doesn't seem happy in his mouth to me.

Idea's anyone?! Would offer a large glass of wine but it may be to early :p
 
2yrs ago I had a bad accident, my 200% horse bolted in the jump off ( SJing round ).

As I went to turn him he just expolded and rammed me into the ring side which was post and railing. Anyway we had him checked over and the dentist found one of his back teeth had split and he had an abcess.

Vet agreed that abcesses can cause accute pain especially whan pressure is applied, once cleared up he was back to normal ( also had tooth removed ).

Good luck in finding the issue, certainly sounds pain related.
 
I'd have his back and poll checked and if those are fine maybe get dentist out again in case he's got something stuck in his gums. What's he like being girthed up, rugged up etc? Any signs of discomfort or absolutely fine with those?
 
That's what I am finding strange, routine the same, feed the same. Only thing at all which has changed is he changed from shavings to straw.

I did think about having his back checked, or maybe speak to my dentist on the phone and see what he says.

Had a good feel all over him today pressing in areas etc. and no reaction at all. He has always chomped/mouthed when being girthed - it's not biting or nipping. His ears are forwards but he chomps more.
 
my lad was acting mouth one day, and seemed off form. got the vet to look in his mouth and it turned out he had eaten a branch in turnout and it had scrapped his tongue and mouth badly..
 
If you have ruled out teeth using a properly qualified EDT definitely check his back - my horse who has sacro-iliac strain which I generally manage OK starts to tilt his head and grind his teeth when his back or SI is playing him up again. When schooling his reaction is to suddenly cart off around the arena especially when asking for a canter although he doesn't go very far.
 
It sounds like a tooth abcess. My mare was as good as gold and had had her teeth checked out. Then when I hacked her out and tried to turn right - say at a junction, she was trying to rear and would just not turn right. This then started in the school. She had recently been seen by an EDT, but I took her to the vet for x-rays after her nose started pouring yellow snot. It took several x-rays and several weeks and several hundred miles of travelling to hospital with her for them to find that she did have a tooth abcess and that she had had it for several months as the tooth pulp had completely gone. So even though your dentist might not be able to see anything, as in my case - even the vets couldn't see it straightaway, there could be a problem in your horse's mouth. If it is an abcess, get the tooth removed asap - because there was such a long delay in my horse's problem being found, it resulted in several infections and problems which are still ongoing, and we nearly lost her.
 
Holly Hocks said:
It sounds like a tooth abcess. My mare was as good as gold and had had her teeth checked out. Then when I hacked her out and tried to turn right - say at a junction, she was trying to rear and would just not turn right. This then started in the school. She had recently been seen by an EDT, but I took her to the vet for x-rays after her nose started pouring yellow snot. It took several x-rays and several weeks and several hundred miles of travelling to hospital with her for them to find that she did have a tooth abcess and that she had had it for several months as the tooth pulp had completely gone. So even though your dentist might not be able to see anything, as in my case - even the vets couldn't see it straightaway, there could be a problem in your horse's mouth. If it is an abcess, get the tooth removed asap - because there was such a long delay in my horse's problem being found, it resulted in several infections and problems which are still ongoing, and we nearly lost her.
Click to expand...

I will echo HH. A dear friend of mine who has fresians had the same problem with a gelding of hers. His teeth had been done recently by her vet and he suddenly started behaving very dangerously and completely out of character. She uses him for driving too and he had an 'episode' in harness as well. Took the vets ages to find the cracked tooth with subsequent abcessing and the poor lad ended up being operated on and had a tube inserted into his sinus and out through his nostril so that the site could be flushed twice a day for two weeks. Very unpleasant for the poor boy :(
 
I'd get another opinion on his mouth/teeth. I have learned through very painful experience that although something (in my case the back) can be absolutely fine at the time of a vet check, within less than a month there was a definite problem, which only got worse, as I had been lulled into a false sense of security and was blaming the horse for being spooky.

ETA, not sure that actually makes sense but I hope you get the drift.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top