Horse bites at side

[colorfan]

I have noticed an odd habit with my weanling. He will be a year in June. Reg Quarter horse.
From time to time he will swing his head around as if to scratch his ribs but he doesn’t scratch.
I have seen him do it 2/3 times in quick succession, sometimes just once and not again. It seems very random, not just when eating, not just after playing… I have tried scratching at about where he would reach, doesn’t seem to care. Tried palpating, doesn’t flinch.

Any thoughts on what might be going on?

[Bluey]

@colorfan

I have noticed an odd habit with my weanling. He will be a year in June. Reg Quarter horse.
From time to time he will swing his head around as if to scratch his ribs but he doesn’t scratch.
I have seen him do it 2/3 times in quick succession, sometimes just once and not again. It seems very random, not just when eating, not just after playing… I have tried scratching at about where he would reach, doesn’t seem to care. Tried palpating, doesn’t flinch.

Any thoughts on what might be going on?

“Self mutilation” type reflex, maybe?

As they get older it gets worse and once past puberty some really bite at their sides so bad they need to wear a cradle.
That is a stereotypy, similar to cribbing, weaving, fence walking, but much more rare and I have only seen and heard of it in stallions.
I guess any other horse may also go there.

[colorfan]

oh that doesn’t sound good. I really hope it goes away.

[Bluey]

@colorfan

oh that doesn’t sound good. I really hope it goes away.

May not be that at all, just one more possibility and if it was, he may outgrow it?

You do have flies in the middle of the winter where you are?
Maybe he does have some bug biting him?

[Training_Cupid]

Has he been tested for PSSM1? I knew a young horse who carried the gene (inherited from his QH mom) who would reach around and bite by his girth or sometimes on his legs (both front and hind), not nipping but he would grab a bite and then just hold on. It was super odd and disconcerting. I don’t know for sure but I assumed maybe his body was feeling very tight from the PSSM.

[colorfan]

I am waiting for test results, they should be here soon.

[colorfan]

@Bluey

You do have flies in the middle of the winter where you are?

Flies in winter? That’s one of the good things about winter, no flies or mosquitos. There are ticks, but I did check for that. He doesn’t actually touch his side.

[Lizrd]

Gas pain? It could be something really simple. Don’t go borrowing trouble.

[NancyM]

I had one who did this. She was orphaned at birth, hand raised. And she started doing this, exactly. I presumed that it was due to her stressful early life as an orphan. A repetitive habit to release stress with endorphin release, just like cribbing (but less negative human emotions associated with this). BUT, she ate well, grew up just fine, just like most hand raised orphans was very easy to handle, and train. Completely trusting of humans. She was sold as a child’s riding horse prospect as a 3 yr old. She still did the side touching. The buyers were very happy with her, apparently. It was a long time ago, I never heard anything more.

[colorfan]

Interesting thank you. Maybe I will try some toys.

[candyappy]

Is he stalled? Does he have other horses to interact with 24/7 ?

Extreme boredom can manifest in many ways for a youngster.

[colorfan]

I separate him to feed him, the big girls don’t need his ration and they don’t share hay with him yet.

[TheJenners]

@Lizrd

Don’t go borrowing trouble.

My vet used to say that. I told her when I heard hoofbeats, it was always zebras and they all said “moo” or whatever you call the noise camels make. She laughed. I laughed. My bank account laughed. Yanno.

My thought was self-mutilation followed by ulcers. Weaning can be very stressful on some babies.

[colorfan]

He has been weaned for about 2 months, the behaviour has only started in the last few weeks. Hopefully it doesn’t get worse.
He is a very calm baby, much calmer and more relaxed than the last one.

[candyappy]

@colorfan

He has been weaned for about 2 months, the behaviour has only started in the last few weeks. Hopefully it doesn’t get worse.
He is a very calm baby, much calmer and more relaxed than the last one.

What is his overall diet?

Weanlings are very simple to feed as they don’t need much? Years ago I used to feed a small amount of foal specific feed and a vitamin/ mineral supplement and all the good hay they could eat and we were good to go.

I imagine things have really changed.

[colorfan]

I have a thread on feeding him. lol. ‘feeding a weanling’.

[candyappy]

@colorfan

I have a thread on feeding him. lol. ‘feeding a weanling’.

I will try and find it. If you have a thread on it I bet his diet is more complicated then it needs to be.