WWYD - vet or rest?

[HeyMich]

Quick question if you don't mind?

I took my big idiot of a mare on a fun ride on Sat. It started out brilliantly, really enjoyable for the first hour or so, some nice canters across open moorland, and we were all smiling. About an hour in my horse turned into a complete lunatic. She did an almighty spook, a really fast reverse and spin, which almost unseated me. She hasn't spooked like that for years! There wasn't any specific reason for the spook - no monster boulders, no horse-eating cows etc. I checked her over for signs of cuts/bumps/tack malfunctions, and proceeded slowly. I just couldn't get her to calm at all, she was jogging, walking sideways, shivering, shaking, head in the air... I should say, she is usually the most placid horse on hacks (in company), so this was totally out of character. I ended up dismounting and walking her back, from literally the furthest point of the ride, much to my son's (and his brand new pony's) disgust! Anyway, I got her back home safely, and left her in the stable with a cosy bed for the night. She looked tucked up a bit through the evening, but my Sunday morning she was looking more comfortable. However, I was checking her over on Sunday morning, and she wouldn't let me pick up her back feet - she literally kicked out at me on both sides - again, very unlike her, I don't think she's kicked at anything ever! So, she's either having a massive end of year season, she's twinged/sprained something (I'm thinking SI/hocks/stifles/back pain maybe? Or just a tweaked muscle), or her ulcers are back. Either way, it's not good. I'm swithering about calling the vet... I can leave her out to chill for as long as she needs, she's out in the field now and seems fine and settled. Would the spooking/back feet issue be enough reason to call the vet do you think? Or should I just leave her a few days and see how she is?

TLR - horse does massive spook, acts like a lunatic and then won't let me pick up back feet. Call vet or chill in field?

Thanks all x

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Have you managed to pick her foot up at all? I. Wondering whether she trod on something sharp like a nail or piece of glass which has gone into her foot.

 

[HeyMich]

Have you managed to pick her foot up at all? I. Wondering whether she trod on something sharp like a nail or piece of glass which has gone into her foot.

Yeah, I did manage to check her feet for cuts/stones/nails, but not do a proper clean out, iykwim. She was kicking out both sides though, if it was a cut/stone/nail surely it would be one-sided, which makes me think muscle or back/SI pain?

 

[AandK]

Is it possible she was stung or bitten?

 

[HeyMich]

Is it possible she was stung or bitten?

That's exactly what my friend who we were riding with said. Not sure what's biting/stinging at the moment? A grass snake maybe? There was another group of riders only a few hundred metres ahead of us, so you would think that any snakes etc would have been frightened away...

 

[AandK]

That's exactly what my friend who we were riding with said. Not sure what's biting/stinging at the moment? A grass snake maybe? There was another group of riders only a few hundred metres ahead of us, so you would think that any snakes etc would have been frightened away...

Could have been a snake, or wasp maybe? I would be inclined to give her a few days off, then see how she is. If still not right, then call the vet.

 

[Goldenstar]

Has she tied up ? I think I would get a vet , sudden change like that in a previously sweet horse deserves quick investigation.

 

[HeyMich]

Has she tied up ? I think I would get a vet , sudden change like that in a previously sweet horse deserves quick investigation.

I thought that on Sat night too. I took her temp (37.8 deg) and she was moving ok, no signs of dark pee or strange standing stance. She did look tense (tucked up more than anything), but I figured that was the pain/stress of whatever had happened. Hope I didn't make the wrong call there....

 

[Dexter]

I thought that on Sat night too. I took her temp (37.8 deg) and she was moving ok, no signs of dark pee or strange standing stance. She did look tense (tucked up more than anything), but I figured that was the pain/stress of whatever had happened. Hope I didn't make the wrong call there....

They dont have to tie up in the traditional sense. I would go over her and make sure every muscle is like jelly. The hot spots to check are the hindquarters and abdominals. If you find even slight tension or hardness there then test for PSSM. Looking tense and tucked up can quite often be a mild tie up

 

[HeyMich]

They dont have to tie up in the traditional sense. I would go over her and make sure every muscle is like jelly. The hot spots to check are the hindquarters and abdominals. If you find even slight tension or hardness there then test for PSSM. Looking tense and tucked up can quite often be a mild tie up

Ok, thanks for that. Would she still be tense now, 48hrs after the event? I'll check her over properly this evening and call the vet if anything is wrong. Thanks x

 

[Carrottom]

Could be a wasp sting, one of mine freaked last week when a wasp landed on his neck, I managed to flick it off before it stung. Then OH got stung a day or so later.
I would see how she is with her back feet today before calling the vet.

 

[doodle]

Being so out of character I would be calling the vet now.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Go on your gut feel....see how she is later..but if she is weeing , pooing, eating, not lame with no heat or increased body temp keep on going as normal. Could be a sting..the wasps are grumpy at the moment...might have got her between her back legs which wouldn’t be pleasant. Hope everything resolves simply.

 

[Carrottom]

Any update? Hope all is well.

 

[HeyMich]

Any update? Hope all is well.

Thank you! This forum is so kind and caring.

Yes, she's fine. Happy out in the field, no muscle tightness and no random hind leg kicking. I haven't ridden her again yet though, so we'll see what she thinks about that.

The immediate worry of tying up or some sort of bite/sting has gone, but I'm still worried that she's tweaked her back/SI/hocks etc. I'll let you all know soon! Thanks again xx