WWYD much loved horse

M

Marigold4

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 May 2017
Messages
2,725
Visit site
I've posted about this mare before - she has been diagnosed with bilateral front foot lameness from navicular. We've tried various treatments but no real improvements. She's on 1.5 bute per day and seems ok on that. She suffered a field accident as a yearling that means she can't be ridden due to a hind leg injury. She's 16 and I've had her for 8 years, she's been retired for most of that time. The problem at the moment is her behaviour. The past couple of winters she has become really difficult to manage. She doesn't want to be in or out. She is prone to galloping manically round/across the field and taking my other two with her. Today she ran into a metal gate, my youngster who I was leading went ballistic, reared above me and got away, recaught her and she was very difficult to lead. This has happened a number of times now. I'm worried someone will get hurt or at the very least the youngster is picking up bad habits. I know that once spring comes she will improve and calm down as this has happened for the past two years. I'm putting her on a calmer from today and have started feeding her more (she's lost some weight over the last few weeks). She's on Baileys Calm and Condition. Might that send her nuts?

Anyone have any ideas how I can improve her behaviour in the field? I wonder if I should scope her for ulcers because of the bute?
 
Sorry to be blunt but if she's so unhappy in the field to the point of being dangerous I'd pts.
Though the food you mentioned has both alfalfa and soya in which are quite common for sending horses nutty: if she was mine I'd cut her diet back so she's on grass nuts and micronised linseed.

ETA has she been tested for Cushing's? It can change behavior in really weird ways
 
FieldOrnaments said:
Sorry to be blunt but if she's so unhappy in the field to the point of being dangerous I'd pts.
Though the food you mentioned has both alfalfa and soya in which are quite common for sending horses nutty: if she was mine I'd cut her diet back so she's on grass nuts and micronised linseed.
Click to expand...
Thanks for replying and for your thoughts on the feed. The latest episode has happened since I changed her feed. I guess skinny is better than dangerous so I'll put her back on the other lo cal nuts. Good idea about linseed. I will PTS if needed, and it is on my mind, but still a few things to try.
 
If she just needs weight, could you maybe just give her some soaked grass nuts/grass chaff instead? This shouldn't send her loopy and should give her the extra in the meantime. My spicy mare has never gone mad on any grass feeds.
 
mossycup said:
Yes minimal feed to maintain her weight. Does she have shelter and adlib forage in the field? How many herdmates?
Click to expand...
Yes, she has a shelter. She won't go in it but will use it as a windbreak. I have 4 paddocks of just over 1 acre and we are down to the last one which I am strip grazing. She is out with her daughter and usually another, although he is elsewhere for a few weeks. SHe's in a night with more hay than she can eat. Part of my problem is that her daughter is a very good doer, so it's difficult to balance both their needs in the field.
 
mossycup said:
Is she better with him around? My mare much prefers being out with a dominant friend - if she has to be in charge, she doesn't like it. Does she improve come spring?
Click to expand...
She is very much the dominant horse. She was the same last winter even with the gelding around. She is the dam of both but he has been away before and she was fine. The last couple of years I've been close to putting her down but she's calmed down once the grass is through. Trouble is, we have potentially another 10 weeks till grass. I'm going to try bringing them in earlier. At least in her stable, although not particularly happy, she's not causing trouble.
 
I would remove all hard feed and give add lib hay and a chaff with milled linseed to add condition. See if this regime helps settle her . Id also give her the whole paddock. One acre is quite small, give her more room to run in. Id even open up another paddock if you can tk give her extra space.
 
Could you separate her and her daughter with a lime so she could have a big pile of forage? Defo sounds like hunger/boredom is the root
 
I know everyone recommends grass nuts but beware they do send some horses loopy including my Welsh pb. I thought I’d give him those instead of Saracen Releve cubes and his behaviour declined so I gave them away. He only has about a mugful with chaff! He doesn’t need to gain weight.

I’ve put my 16yr old on the Spillers Senior Mash when he started to lose weight living out and he’s stayed sane on that.
 
mossycup said:
Could you separate her and her daughter with a lime so she could have a big pile of forage? Defo sounds like hunger/boredom is the root
Click to expand...

mossycup said:
Could you separate her and her daughter with a lime so she could have a big pile of forage? Defo sounds like hunger/boredom is the root
Click to expand...
I'm not sure I could. If my gelding was here, possibly but don't want to risk one going through fencing as they're not used to being on their own?
 
Sanversera said:
I would remove all hard feed and give add lib hay and a chaff with milled linseed to add condition. See if this regime helps settle her . Id also give her the whole paddock. One acre is quite small, give her more room to run in. Id even open up another paddock if you can tk give her extra space.
Click to expand...
Trouble is she might then trash the whole lot!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top