Personality changes in my OTTB?

[Henjen]

I have a 6 y/o OTTB gelding who I have had for about 10 months. He has been relatively calm with the occasional worried spook at new stuff and willing to go along with most of what I’ve been teaching him. I’m not an expert by any stretch and have been bringing him along slowly–doing lots of walk, trot hacks and lunging him and trail riding (he has even learned how to walk through squishy ground and go over/through creeks.

I was trying some cantering three days ago and trying to get him to get the lead he can’t get and he bucked a little (which he has never done) and I thought I was bouncing around too much and being irritating. Then he really pinned his ears back and did not want to go forward. So I walked him and we called it a day.

Yesterday lunged him and he seemed ok just a little sluggish. Got on him and got the same extreme ear pinning whenever I made contact with his sides. And he has never acted this way before.

I thought his stomach felt very hard on both of those days and he has also been more nervous lately–broke two haters in the cross ties and seems to be getting worse not better for the farrier. Also the vet is amazed that he has not gained more weight than he has because he has been turned out 24-7 all summer.

I’m rambling. Would live some of you guys with more experience to weigh in. Could he have ulcers?

[beowulf]

definitely! try scoping him.

here are the usual culprits:
ulcers
lyme
saddle-fit
chiro
teeth

[SuckerForHorses]

OTTB
–> Over 90% of race horses get gastric ulcers. Slim chance he might be in the <10% that does not.

Then he really pinned his ears back and did not want to go forward

Got on him and got the same extreme ear pinning whenever I made contact with his sides.

he has also been more nervous lately

Also the vet is amazed that he has not gained more weight than he has because he has been turned out 24-7 all summer.

I’m surprised your vet didn’t suggest ulcers.

When its all listed out above, quite a bit suggests ulcers to me.

[licketysplit]

Scope him for ulcers, have teeth checked, and have a chiro check him out.

[Laurierace]

I personally will never scope unless an insurance company forces me to. I just treat and see what happens. I agree that it sounds like a pain issue and ulcers s the easiest to rule in or out so I would start there.

[CVPeg]

Adding to the ulcers choir. And also haven’t scoped, just treated. Was frustrating when regular treatment for ulcers (Gastrogard) made no difference. Finally added Succeed as a supplement, have moved him to a barn that has unlimited quality hay, and he’s greatly improved.

[yourcolorfuladdictio]

Big things about uclers:

Make sure you’re horse can get hay “free choice” in stall and is able to graze freely outside (no dirt lot). Supplement pastures with hay as needed.

As CVPeg said, sometimes omeprazole alone doesn’t fix it, something like succeed or smart gut ultra can assist the process.

Soaked Alfalfa cubes/Pellets and Beet Pulp w/out molasses are your best friends, add those slowly to your horses feedings as large quantities of grain (vs forage) can cause MORE acid production rather than absorb acid.

You can also give your horse hay or soaked alfalfa cubes/pellets before you’re ride, that should help with the uncomfortable feeling of “riding on an empty stomach”.

Tums don’t do much, don’t bother.

If you’re going off the farm for the day, get yourself some Ranitidine tablets. I give my horse 10 300mg tablets, she’s 1000 lbs. I’m bad at math, so I can’t do an mg/lb deal.