You can haul to a clinic for tests but honestly, we just can tell with our big guy. He doesn’t react at all to any sound and will startle and sometimes bolt if something enters his field of vision too suddenly.
It also is in the way he holds his ears. They flop to the side unless he hones in on something with his eyes. They just don’t swivel around like other horses.
It’s already been said, but whenever a horse is dealing with some level of pain or discomfort that immediately makes his prey brain kick in overdrive because he’s compromised and therefore more vulnerable to possible threats. This is why they resort to fight/flight much more quickly when they’re compromised by pain.
I wish more people realized this. Heck, I wish I’d realized this growing up and as a young adult. I think of how saintly one of my horses was when I now look back and realize that poor guy was probably in some level of pain nearly his entire life. I just didn’t know any better. No one really did back then.
EPM and ulcers have been the two main culprits in my life. Every once in a while it is eye issues
Ulcers, back pain, foot pain, mouth pain… did I mention pain? A few anecdotes:
My lovely boy, when he was 4 and 5, would get spooky in one specific spot out hacking, where he had to walk on pavement. When we started going further, another specific spot set him off to the point of bucking me off. It was very rocky there. We put shoes on him and his whole demeanor in those two spots changed. No more spooking or being anxious hacking. He never came up positive on hoof testers or was every visibly lame. In fact, there is no visible or internal reason that we can see for him to be happier in shoes (we’ve done x-rays and everything, he has amazing feet).
Same horse, as a 6yr old, we decided to scope for ulcers while doing a few other horses at the barn. Lo and behold, he had mild to moderate ulcers. Treated with sucralfate and gastroguard. Right away he was much braver and less spooky. I rode before his sucralfate one morning to beat the heat and he was much spookier again. Now he gets sucralfate whenever he travels, much quieter all around.
A different horse has always been weirdly spooky and anxious. Generally very sane but would get very tight and nervous about an arena door, or a corner of the arena. He developed an intermittent lameness, first thought was a front suspensory. Treated did all the things, he returned to work but continued to have a small head bob that he would work out of. Finally sent him for a full body bone scan. It lit up three spots, the LF where he would look lame, his hocks, and his lower back. Did blocks. When they finally blocked his back, he stopped spooking at the spot in the arena instantly. Injecting his back made a huge difference, he was sound and not spooky (and a whole new horse in some regards). Unfortunately, imaging doesn’t give us any reason for the soreness, saddles fit (confirmed multiple times), feet are in good balance, so we are just focusing on strength building and counter conditioning.
What it boils down it is being in pain makes anyone anxious, even if that pain isn’t something that can be easily located.
Allergies. My poor boy gets really keyed up when he’s got the itchies. It took me a long time to figure out what was bothering him, which I feel bad about. 
I have also had experiences with many of the things already cited above - eye problems, stomach issues, arthritis pain, back pain, etc. Yes, there are horses who will spook regardless of these kind of issues, but I’ve become convinced in the last few years that if you’ve got a change in behavior, it’s probably not the horse trying to get out of work etc… Best to get out the COTH debugging checklist, call your vet and farrier, and get to the bottom of it.
Ulcers…EDM…Lyme…EPM…cataracts.
Those are ones I’ve experienced with a few of my horses (ulcers being the most common).
Oh man there are so many. PSSM, ulcers, Lyme, really any kind of pain, inappropriate diet (usually too high in carbs/sugar).
issues with jumping distances, and spooking when people approached.
Curious what they injected in this horses back? I am dealing with something similar, my horse palpates very back sore with no ridden work at all. He is also randomly spooky…The way he goes on the lunge is screaming sore SI. Trying med route first, but really thinking his SI needs injected.
I think it was cortisone. He was one robaxin and previcox for two weeks after. His injections were in November and he is still doing a lot of rehab and strengthening to try and ensure that his way of going does not continue to make the back an issue (Pessoa 1-2 times a week, equibands on the flat 1-2 times)
Agreed.
My friend’s mare, who is typically calm and dependable, suddenly became very reactive and spooky and unpredictable under saddle. She was scoped and it was discovered that she had grade 4 bleeding ulcers in both the squamous and glandular parts of her stomach. After 2 months of treatment, she is now back to her sweet and calm self. She was also was deficient in selenium and vitamin E and is now supplemented for that.
She was in great physical condition ( healthy weight, shiny coat) and had 24/7 hay and grass in front of her. It came as a great shock to us to learn that she had ulcers.
I think eyes are getting checked next!
I think this sounds familiar. Mine has grass/hay all the time, 24/7 turnout but it’s possible maybe with all trailering, training.
I just watched a YouTube video that ulcers can cause a sore back. I plan on testing this one.
Interesting thank you this is helpful
Ok, I’m having the vet out 4/1 so I will ask. He does have a hard time when you first approach him or change in/out of view.
Haha, I bet
Wow Bucky was a very unhappy camper! I think I will try this just because I can. Good resource to at least check our horses if we suspect something may be brewing.
How did your horse do when you tried this ?
Yeah, poor Bucky.
That was a cool video.
Magnesium deficiency
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