Does anyone know how to help me? My young mare is really not been herself and lately she’s been rearing, pawing, bucking, bolting everything you could think of. I thought maybe barrels were too much for her and kind of blowing her up, even though we rarely really work them at home. I’ve just been working to calm her down by riding in some pastures and fields but she acts up then too. She’s always had a little “attitude” problem since she was 2 but nothing like this. I think it may be a coming in heat thing or even buddy sour but I’m not sure?
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I think you are in over your head with this horse. And it doesn’t sound like she is suited to being a barrel racer. I am not saying this to be mean. This behavior is dangerous and I don’t want you (or the horse) to get hurt. This problem needs a lot more in depth help than what you can get on the internet.
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Is this a seasonal issue, coming into spring?
Personally, I would have her ovaries looked at.
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None of my other horses have these problems. They are all very calm, no alley issues, no rearing bucking anything. She’s never been like this so I have a feeling it’s something going on either her ovaries like the other person said. Also like I said, she’s always had a little quirk with her attitude but nothing near this. I totally see where you are coming from and I really hope I can get to the bottom of this. I’ll probably be ponying her around to see if that keeps her more calm because she’s with her buddy.
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That’s a really good idea because she has had a history with being very cranky and colicky when in heat. We have her in the barn right now away from the others because most of her problems start when I take her away from the other horses. I’m 99% sure it’s either pain or a buddy sour thing.
I think your longer original post, before you edited it down to just this little post, gave people quite a bit more information about the problem, which made it easier for them to give you good advice.
My thought is, it is time to bring in more eyes.
Someone looking at the picture from the outside.
I would probably start with the vet.
If you prefer, start with a trainer.
I doubt she is ‘blowing up’ for no reason, so time to figure out what the reason is.
Is she hurting?
Is the hurting caused by her body or maybe some tack or …
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Yeah I edited the post to shorten it down a ton in case I needed to add an update later but I notice she really freaks out when I go to tighten my reins so it may also be her bit? It’s a short shank jr cow horse smooth dog bone and I’m guessing she may not like the tongue pressure. I really don’t have a clue anymore. She’s currently hanging out inside our barn to spend a little time off the green grass because she has a pretty sensitive stomach. Also to see if it’s buddy sour things. We were also having saddle fit problems but she doesn’t have any soreness or dry spots after switching saddles.
Taking the bit might also cause her to move her back and that causes pain.
Instead of shooting darts at things and guessing, you need a plan.
Do you have a trainer?
Do you have a vet?
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Yes my trainer said to slow her way down on the pattern because she isn’t quite mentally ready to be running like she is, and I agree. That’s why I have been trying to just ride her down trails and pastures but it kind of makes it worse because she bolts with me and spins circles. We’ve had her scoped for ulcers multiple times, she’s utd on chiro work, she got her teeth done last week. My last thought would be maybe she’s a bleeder? I’ve never noticed any nosebleeds but I’ve seen her cough while I warm her up very rarely. I’m going to keep her in the barn for about a week and see if the grass is maybe upsetting her stomach? She isn’t pooping like normal right now either. The worst part of all of this is we leave for Texas in 7 days and I had her entered at Josey Jr World. I’ll do what’s best for her though and if that means I can’t run her I won’t.
Dude, listen to your trainer and your horse. You say you’re going to slow down, then you’re entering her in a competition.
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I didn’t read the longer post before you edited it, so if I’m missing pertinent information, I apologize. I’ve got a few minutes before heading to the barn, so figured I’d respond.
To me it sounds like your horse is anxious and having meltdowns. She’s telling you she either doesn’t understand what you want, or what you want is something she just cannot give you right now. She might be confused, she might be in pain or she might be scared. For any and all of these reasons, I personally would not be hauling her off to a competition.
If she has a lot of forward energy, especially nervous energy, and you’re shortening your reins in a curb bit, she has nowhere to go but up, hence the rearing. Or spinning. She’s trying to escape and go… somewhere. I’d get rid of the curb, go back to low stress riding that has nothing to do with barrel racing and get her broke and schooled in a plain snaffle. But that’s me.
Unfortunately, there are some horses that mentally aren’t cut out for high stress, high performance activities like barrel racing. If you’re convinced she’s supremely talented, then be aware that sensitive, intelligent horses can get brain fried easily and require an investment of time, patience and professionally guided training. Please consider all of this before you or your horse get hurt.
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To me it sounds like you have a training issue and/or the wrong job for this horse as your primary issues. Secondary issue could be she’s in heat.
How old is she now?
PSSM2 is common in several popular barrel racing bloodlines. What is her diet?
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I would not take a horse that is overwhelmed, likely in pain, and experiencing GI issues on a major trailer ride and show. If you are “99% sure it’s pain” put her first.
When is the last time she was scoped? Have you tried regumate? How much turnout does she get and is it with friends or alone? Has your saddle been looked at by a true fitter or just a trainer? What’s her current workload?
Personally, baseline id do a week of biosponge, start on madman probiotics, go to 24/7 herd turnout, start regumate, and give her a month off. Then I’d slowly slowly bring her back and see if she keeps a better attitude or if there’s a tipping point where she starts getting stressed by the workload or expectations.
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Bleeders don’t necessarily have nosebleeds or cough during a warmup. My last riding horse was one of our Standardbred racehorses that retired to riding duty. The track vet that scoped him last referred to him as a 7 out of 5 bleeder, meaning he was bad, but he never had a nosebleed after a race and only coughed after a race, and very mildly and very little, if you didn’t pay attention to his every move you would miss it.
ETA: If he coughed it was more the next day. Warming up isn’t when you’ll necessarily see a problem.
If you like this horse at all you won’t be taking her to Texas to show. One of you could get badly hurt if she’s acting the way she is right now.
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I would treat for ulcers. Anytime they have questionable behavior, I treat for ulcers. How is she with a buddy nearby? Maybe tie a buddy horse to the arena fence while you practice ride?
Some horses have opinions about what they like and what they don’t like. You can’t force them to like something no matter how much you want to. Have you had any lessons on this horse? Has anyone else evaluated her?
If she truly is not working out, it may be best to sell her cheaply and let someone else get her diagnosed.
