Mysterious Agitation in Stall

[Red_Barn]

Okay. I’ll try to lay this out as concisely as possible.

I have three horses who are out all day, and come in at night.

The problem horse - an elderly QH gelding on pergolide for Cushings - has been here for about 15 years, and the system has been essentially the same the whole time. He’s always been very comfortable indoors, so long as he’s turned out every day. For some strange reason, though, this horse has suddenly started showing great agitation while in his stall at night - barely eating hay and pacing in circles. This has been going on for three days.

In the morning he refuses his breakfast, and upsets the other horses my demanding he be let out IMMEDIATELY. Once in his paddock, he canters a circle or two, rolls, and then simmers right down. He’s not agitated at all, eats as usual, and seems quite like his usual self.

I thought maybe he wasn’t getting enough turnout, so I left them out later than usual last night (from 7:00am to 7:30pm). It made absolutely no difference.

I’m totally baffled here.

Nothing has changed, as far as a mere human can detect. Neither the mare nor the mini seem to notice anything amiss. I haven’t seen any unusual tracks in the snow, or heard any unusual sounds.

Help!

[Simkie]

What’s around your property? Sometimes big animals moving in the woods nearby can really upset them.

[Red_Barn]

We’re next to a river, with a lot of trees on the banks. His window looks out on a biggish pasture, with said trees and river at the back.

The big animal is a good idea. Would it reappear for three consecutive days, though?

[Simkie]

Maybe? Not sure how far north you are, but where I am, the bears are still out and really restless, scrounging food to fatten up for winter. Bears wandering around could really upset your guy.

[Red_Barn]

I’m in Maine, but it’s a farm-y sort of town, without a lot of deep woods. Maybe coyotes? People do report seeing them now and again, but I haven’t heard any reports lately.

It just snowed, so maybe I’ll go down to river and look around . . .

[joiedevie99]

Do you have electrical in the stalls? Auto-waterers? Something that could have a short and be zapping him? Or even just making a high pitched humming noise? Do you have another stall you could try him in?

Or a new small critter that has moved in? Any signs of new mice or rats?

[beowulf]

This might not be mysterious at all. Pergolide is an appetite suppressant. Without the only bonus of being in a stall appealing to him (food), he may be becoming agitated and prefer being outside. Most horses only like the stall for the food it provides, after fasting all day on limited hay in turnout (1-2 flakes).

May be time to adjust the dosage. I’d say refusing breakfast grain is always a pretty big sign.

[Red_Barn]

Thanks guys! So:

@Simkie : No tracks that I can see, so I’m going to put that idea on hold for now.

@beowulf: He wolfs down his grain and hay once outside, so I’m pretty sure it’s not his appetite. He has free choice hay inside and out, and ordinarily likes coming in.

@joiedevie99 Now I think we’re onto something! The only electrical things in the barn are overhead lights and a heating coil for the water pump, but the fuse box is directly outside this gelding’s stall, just a few feet from one wall.

A fuse blew a few days ago - maybe the day this all started??? I can’t remember - and yes, I was messing around with it for quite a while. Could I have flipped a switch that somehow created an unusual sound? I can’t hear anything, but of course I’m a human.

Could that actually happen?

[Simkie]

The electric angle sounds like a good one! Maybe an visit from the electrician would be a good idea?

[beowulf]

@Red_Barn

@beowulf: He wolfs down his grain and hay once outside, so I’m pretty sure it’s not his appetite. He has free choice hay inside and out, and ordinarily likes coming in.

That still sounds exactly like what I went through with my Cushings horse on Pergolide. Adjusting the dose fixed the issue.

[Red_Barn]

@Simkie

The electric angle sounds like a good one! Maybe an visit from the electrician would be a good idea?

Jeez. You’re right. I can see how something like that might be dangerous.

I’ll have Mr RB look at it and, if he can’t find anything, I’ll call an electrician. In the meantime, I’ll try turning off various things to see what happens.

What an interesting development! I’ll keep you guys posted.

Thank you, @joiedevie99. Very smart!

@beowulf

That still sounds exactly like what I went through with my Cushings horse on Pergolide. Adjusting the dose fixed the issue.

If the electrical theory doesn’t work out, I’ll definitely consult the vet.

[Equibrit]

Why did the fuse blow ?

[cayuse]

Deer and turkeys in the area make my welsh pony do this in his stall. Including the not eating part. Even if he can see them out his door it’s not good and works up. If he can get outside and see ALL around him and evaluated the situation for himself, he’s better. I think he feels trapped in the stall and worries that he might be surrounded.

[Marla_100]

yup, just yesterday my senior got all spacey over probably bear behind his shelter. Right now the mama bears and spring babies are out even during the day- trying to eat anything. He’s not usually bothered by deer as I’ve seen them in nearby pasture in morning and the horses do not react to them. But bears are another story.

[Red_Barn]

@Equibrit

Why did the fuse blow ?

Well, it happened on a very cold night, so I assumed the thing that defrosts the pump was overtaxed. I turned it back on, but it took a minute to find the right switch, since the labels are hard to read.

I wonder if I should turn the defroster off?

[Ghazzu]

@joiedevie99

Do you have electrical in the stalls?

I was going to suggest stray voltage as well.

[Red_Barn]

@Ghazzu

I was going to suggest stray voltage as well.

I don’t think he could actually be getting zapped, since there’s nothing electrical in his stall except for an overhead light that’s virtually never on.

Should I take the bulb out, I wonder? Could it be making some sort of irritating noise?

[Equibrit]

@Red_Barn

@Equibrit

Why did the fuse blow ?

Well, it happened on a very cold night, so I assumed the thing that defrosts the pump was overtaxed. I turned it back on, but it took a minute to find the right switch, since the labels are hard to read.

I wonder if I should turn the defroster off?

Try turning it off when you bring him in tonight.

[Red_Barn]

I will. I’m also going to take his lightbulb out, just in case. Maybe change the bulbs in the barn aisle?

This is actually a pretty interesting mystery!

[Equibrit]

Only do one thing at a time, so that you find the problem.