We had a run-in with a killer skid steer this morning. I think its the way they skitter around in apparently random directions that sets my horse off. That and the bloody beeping…
Its going to be a long summer of landscaping at the barn.
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Yes, that beeping had him losing his marbles for a while. He could hear it from the far side of the farm and would start melting down in his pasture.
I honestly think that first night he was at the new place, he was curious about it, went to the end of his paddock to see what it was doing, and when the bucket scooped up a load of sand in his nosy face, it scared him to death and he was sure it was trying to kill him. I could see a place in the ground right at the fenceline at that end of the paddock where he obviously dug out in a hurry.
It’s hard being a horse. Things always trying to kill you and what-not.
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My OTTB in re-training … this horse does not blink at a 2-horse carriage passing in front of his nose. Loves children, holds his head still for them.
But. We are still so green under saddle. Dressage arena up front next to the road. We are learning to be calm calm calm … but hey, how much can one ask ??? (As spooky and easily rattled as this horse is, it’s hard to believe he was on the track 2 1/2 years – although he does tolerate that carriage.)
Across the road there are wind chimes chiming, someone is hammering, and then a car engine starts. O. M. G. THEN the alarm on my cellphone that I forgot to turn off GOES OFF. At the moment we are approaching the arena corner with the scary pile of sand behind it.
So we listened to the gd alarm for minutes because there is no way I am releasing even a loose rein to turn it off, and horse manages to barely, barely keep it together, thanks to extensive desensitization and … well, training. We lived. Barely.
Crazy thing is, like many horses, he is far spookier at home than he is anywhere off property – thank goodness.
Maybe I should try a tube of ulcer meds.
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For you or for him?
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Good point. I should get some for both of us.
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Yesterday we had some “tractor/equipment training.” No riding. Just had time to take him out for a walk and hand grazing. Luckily, near by there was a mower going, the skid steer was out of the shelter, the New Holland tractor was working, and the big John Deer was out as well. We got a chance to investigate the skid steer while it was parked and not running. No problem, even with the zero turn mower very close by (which he’s used to, but combined with skid steer, I wasn’t sure.) Then the big New Holland comes rambling along and he barely gives it a look. No problems. The driver stops and turns it off and chats with me for a bit, and here comes the big John Deere to be put back in the shelter. Milton watches, but isn’t too bothered. THEN the skid steer starts up. Milton definitely notices and starts just subtly suggesting that maybe it’s time to go? I keep him there, letting him watch as the guy maneuvers it and backs it into the shelter. He’s very alert but stays there and watches. Once it’s shut down and the driver leaves, we go right into the shelter and I let him investigate it. He’s a little unsure, but behaves and gets cookies. Finally relaxes and we leave and go on to graze for a while.
It was a good day. 
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Had to share this update/picture. It’s a miracle!
Note: It’s not running. If it had been, it would’ve been a much different picture, LOL! But he stood right next to this thing for probably 10-15 minutes while I was chatting with a fellow boarder who was also riding. He rubbed his nose on it and genuinely seemed like he couldn’t care less about it.
Still on Ulcergard. Have started doing just half a tube a day. Going to see how that goes for a few more tubes and then hopefully reduce to 1/4 a tube a day until it’s gone. Fingers crossed that any ulcers he may have had have healed and that his days of overreacting and trembling in fear at the sight of large machinery is over.
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What a great update!
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Next thing you know, he’ll want to take it out for a spin.
Seriously, congratulations on getting to the bottom of this and getting back to having a happy horse.
Rebecca
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It is amazing the effect that ulcers seem to have on horses. Both having them, and not having them.
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Thought I’d update again.
Yesterday was funny. I groomed and tacked up at the hitching post while a huge tractor with a huge multi-deck brush hog was mowing just on the other side of the fence from where we were. He watched, and a couple of times he was like, “Eh, do we have to do this here?” Never frantic and in slow motion, easily redirected, and then he gave a sigh and resigned himself to his fate.
The skid steer was on property for the first time in a while, so I decided to take him up to see if he was still cool with it. Unfortunately, the big truck piled with junk and garbage (been there a while and he’s used to it) now had tarps strapped over the junk/garbage. And the tarps were billowing a little in the breeze. And some strings of ripped tarp were waving like tentacles. And Milton was like, “Yeah, no. That’s going to kill us both.” BUT, again he wasn’t frantic. He just stopped, backed a little, and kept turning around. Not spinning, not what I’d call “freaking out” or anything as dramatic as his pre-Ulcergard antics. Just a definite “That’s not safe and I think we need to go somewhere else,” vibe. But I got him over it pretty quickly and soon he was standing beside the truck, touching it with his nose, accepting that maybe he’d been wrong about the peril we were in, LOL.
The funniest part was that in his initial attempts to avoid the truck/tarp monster, he skittered right over to where the skid steer was parked and snuggled up to it, LOL.
We had one other spook that seemed to come out of nowhere, but I think it was just him being a little “up” due to many machines and trucks running and working. I asked him to lope off in a big open field about the same time a pick-up started moving our way (from behind us) and the big tractor was mowing in an adjacent field, and there was a funky work truck sitting right behind us. He kind of dropped and went sideways then spurted forward. Then stopped like, “Wait, what am I doing? Nevermind.” And we loped off across the field just fine. I think he might still anticipate belly pain when something truly spooks him, but when that doesn’t happen he’s like, “Oh, okay.”
Overall, he’s been a sleepy, quiet, happy boy though. The other day we almost stepped on a fawn in the woods and it hopped up and darted right out from under him. He barely flinched. (He’s super chill with deer bouncing all around him…go figure.)
Anyway, the Ulcergard is through now, so I’ll see how he does. He’s still getting 6-10 Outlast cookies a day, alfalfa-timothy pellets with his KIS Trace, MagRestore, salt, and Probios. And I’ve added some Utra Cruz natural Vitamin E because he is Mr. Itchy Horse in the summer and I’m trying to help that. He also still gets hay twice a day and has not-too-lush pasture to pick at all day as he wants. Oh, and I ran out of CocoSun oil and have just replaced it with regular old Canola oil. I heard that oils can be good for horses with ulcers. I figure it also might be good for his itchy skin issues.
I’m very happy that he’s so much happier. He’s my boy again! <3
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What a great follow-up post!
It is amazing the effect that ulcers can have on behavior. And that treating ulcers can have … along with appropriately timed desensitization.
Good for you OP! And for Milton! He’s happy to have such a caring owner.
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