This is more annoying than anything else but - trying to figure out why my horse will just randomly stand there throwing his haunches into the air and kicking out - repeatedly. He only does this in his paddock/stall - not in hand, not under saddle. He is a 20 yo, semi retired OTTB. Lives in a stall/run/private paddock combo, shares a fence line w one neighbor gelding, another OTTB. My guys is a kill pen rescue - formerly starved - so I would understand if he was doing this at feeding time, but he will do it standing alone out in his paddock, sometimes with no neighbor around. What the heck? He looks irritated when he does it. He’s healthy, sound, great weight, gets worked and/or turned out 4 days/week. Any clues?
One of my horses does this when flies bother him. Is that a possibility?
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I have fostered a couple starved horses and did the refeeding regime. One of them, the mare, always needed to be left alone with her food, or watch out behind. Could your horse (I know this might sound silly) be THINKING about another horse taking his food?
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Could be sacroiliac problems, he may be getting twinges. Or sore fascia, or both.
Do you feel any stiffness, tightness or that the horse is considering kicking out while you are riding him? Does he do this anywhere else, at any other time?
Thanks guys. No flies at the moment, and he doesn’t do this at any other time - only in his ‘home’. There are actually a few horses behind his paddock - not directly - but there is a pasture back there. And a couple of cows on his other fence line. HPFarmette - you made me think about that, and I feel like he may be resource guarding - even though no one is immediately threatening him. He is realllly weird with other other horses, the most studdy gelding I’ve ever met. But he’s a love with people.
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No insight except that we call this ‘shadow kicking.’ An aged Mr. Prospector gelding who was pasture retired after a long jumping career was well-practiced at it. Did not do it when he ate his grain but would occasionally do it while at the hitching rack for grooming or farrier. He, too, was a real Romeo.
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I also wonder if he’s adjusting his creaky back or legs? Sorta like rolling does in a natural way? Horses figure out strange ways to make their body feel better.
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Is this actually a buck, both legs up? Is he high or low energy when he does it? Does he ever get turnout in a big enough area to run around and buck?
I’ve always thought that both bucking and rolling play a function in stretching the back naturally for horses.
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He rolls multiple times a day for sure, loves it. Yep he free lunges in the big arena often, and will throw a buck here and there. In his house - it’s like a reverse crowhop? If that makes sense. He kind of takes a few steps backwards and then tosses both hind legs up. He looks pissed when he does it. Snarky faces and all, sometimes squeals. ‘Shadow kicking’ is a good way to describe it, it seems like he is fending off an invisible enemy lol. He’s a strange one haha.
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How big is his paddock? I don’t know where you are boarding, but in California, many paddocks are not much bigger than a large stall; a common size I have seen is 12’ x 24’. That is tiny, in my opinion.
My mare used to do this when confined. She was normally in a large paddock with another horse but occasionally, rarely, I would need to put her in the catch pen which is about 10’ x 20’. After a period of time, she would get restive and start kicking in a way you describe. It was pretty clear that she was frustrated at being confined, and in fact, if I released her while she was in that mood, she would gallop and buck around the paddock for a lap or two.
This may not be the same thing with your older gentleman, but it does occur to me that only four days of turnout or exercise might be extremely frustrating for an active, healthy Thoroughbred. Maybe you could test this theory by noticing if his behavior decreases after you have worked him hard and he is tired. Of course, if his paddock is large enough to gallop and buck, that would nullify my theory.
Hmmm yes something to think about! His stall is 12x12, his run is an additional 12x24, and the paddock is probably 3x bigger than the run? It’s not enormous, but it’s the biggest space he’s ever lived in in the 8 years I’ve had him. He can (and does) trot and play along the fence line w his neighbor. Maybe a few canter strides, but no galloping/bucking. Unfortunately, he’s pretty studdy and kind of an asshole to his fellow equines, so I’m fairly certain going out in the pasture w others is off the table.
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What does he do for the other 3 days when he doesn’t get ridden or turned out?
maybe he needs more real turnout where he can run and buck and maybe graze. ?? Any chance to try this?
I like that idea, not sure I can work it out but will look into it. Like I said, he’s kind of a douche to other horses 
He’s actually semi retired from training/competing at 20 years old, so I thought him having 2-3 days off a week would be ok. He seems fine with it other than this weird kicking on occasion. Thanks for your input!!
This part makes me think of serious twinges from back pain. The kicking up of both back feet especially makes me think so. He’s kicking at the painful twinges - that’s one way that horses react to pain, especially sudden pain, as if a predator is on them in that spot.
Sometimes an animal (or person) is throwing ridiculous and loud antics that are actually symptoms of more severe pain. What else are they to do to emphasize their need for urgent help for pain that feels intolerable? The worse it is, the more they act out, trying to either express it, or call for assistance. But sometimes the unusual and extreme behavior confuses observers. Observers don’t get what it means and just think it is odd, if there isn’t a convincing verbal explanation to go with it.
When he is doing the sudden kicking, CAREFULLY (you could get accidentally stomped) try some very gentle back massage, and see how he reacts. If he flinches and backs his ears, his back is painful. Move your hands away from the sore spots and find the less-sensitive spots. That will help define the area.
At any time, try running your hand down either side of his spine and see how he responds. Move outwards from the spine. You should be able to get an idea of where he is sore or painful, and by how much. If he’s irritated by it, try some gentle massage movement - this is likely to make it worse (stop) or better (keep going). Especially do this when you first arrive at the barn, before doing anything with him.
Another technique is to run the edge of a quarter along the side of the spine. A severe flinch is not a good thing.
There is a fascial layer over a horse’s back that can become very sore, just as can happen to the fascia layer on the underside of our feet. Anyone who has your own experience of plantar fascia pain in your feet knows that, at its most serious, it can be acute and debilitating. The fascia can even tear. Horses can experience the same thing in their back, at varying degrees from slight to acute. It doesn’t seem to be very common in horses, although on the other hand it is hard to know as it isn’t easy to diagnose.
https://www.facebook.com/wholehorseconnection/photos/pcb.1904783429744622/1904780406411591/
https://www.nwhorsesource.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-fascia/
https://ivcjournal.com/fascia-and-why-its-so-important/
I gather this could also be a sign of the neurological effects of EPM, although I don’t know much about why/how.
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This is interesting, thanks, Onward. He has regular chiro care, and is on Pentosan for old guy creaky stuff, but I will definitely look into this.
