Poop, My horse is Psyco.

[FatLilPony]

Ok, four months ago, my horse, Beezer, for no perticular reason, freaks out on the cross ties, rears, and then is totally calm again, after cross ties are broken. Like, totally calm again, maybe 10 sec after incident.

Today it happned again. But this time, WAY worse. He freaked out, flipped over (ON CEMENT) and got up, chilled out for maybe 2 seconds, and freaked out again, he knocked 50 pound trunks 5 yards down the barn asile, and knocked down everything in his path. After cross ties are breoken, horse proceeds trotting down asile and stopps and cribs. Horse is perfectly calm. Horse stuffers very minor injuries, and is totally sound after incident. He has a large bruise that dosen’t seem to be hurting on his right hindquarter and a minor scrape on his right foreleg (the side he fell on).

He does these things out of the blue, totally unpredictable.

Lateley (every since this rearing started) he has been tripping pretty frequently, maybe 1 trip every 5 minutes or so, when I trot him. He has NEVER tripped at the canter. I don’t know if this is because he drags his feet (he always has, but the ground in out pasture we moved the jumps into is very uneven) or there may be something wrong with him.

I can’t figure out if it’s something I’m doing to set him off to rear or maybe there is something wrong with him?

Also, 3 days ago, I mounted him, and he shot forward (trotted) so I asked him to bnack up. His hingquarters got underneath him and shook a little, and then he reared. so I hopped off and asked him to back, he rears again, I let go of reins, he just stands there. So it’s not that he wants to get away from me. I walked him a few steps forwrd, and asked him to back, he was perfectly fine. Every time I’ve ridden I’vbe asked him to back, he’s fine.

He is an extreamly calm horse, but unpredictable in this aspect. He’s only don’t it two times, but it was very bad this time, horrid.

I’m worried he may have a desieise, maybe something that effects his endorphins?

Anyone, if you can help, please do! He’s been out of work for the past month due to injury, but he’s perfectly sound, vet couldn’t find any soundness problems, and he seems to be as happy as ever while riding.

I don’t want someone to get hurt next time he does this, as you can’t tell when he’s about to. I’ve owned him since he was newly 3, and to my prior knowlege, he’s not had any bad experiances w/crioss ties, except being left on them for extended periods of time.

Maybe horse prozac?

“I’m poop outta luck, all the time, so does that make me ‘poop lucky’?”

[FatLilPony]

Ok, four months ago, my horse, Beezer, for no perticular reason, freaks out on the cross ties, rears, and then is totally calm again, after cross ties are broken. Like, totally calm again, maybe 10 sec after incident.

Today it happned again. But this time, WAY worse. He freaked out, flipped over (ON CEMENT) and got up, chilled out for maybe 2 seconds, and freaked out again, he knocked 50 pound trunks 5 yards down the barn asile, and knocked down everything in his path. After cross ties are breoken, horse proceeds trotting down asile and stopps and cribs. Horse is perfectly calm. Horse stuffers very minor injuries, and is totally sound after incident. He has a large bruise that dosen’t seem to be hurting on his right hindquarter and a minor scrape on his right foreleg (the side he fell on).

He does these things out of the blue, totally unpredictable.

Lateley (every since this rearing started) he has been tripping pretty frequently, maybe 1 trip every 5 minutes or so, when I trot him. He has NEVER tripped at the canter. I don’t know if this is because he drags his feet (he always has, but the ground in out pasture we moved the jumps into is very uneven) or there may be something wrong with him.

I can’t figure out if it’s something I’m doing to set him off to rear or maybe there is something wrong with him?

Also, 3 days ago, I mounted him, and he shot forward (trotted) so I asked him to bnack up. His hingquarters got underneath him and shook a little, and then he reared. so I hopped off and asked him to back, he rears again, I let go of reins, he just stands there. So it’s not that he wants to get away from me. I walked him a few steps forwrd, and asked him to back, he was perfectly fine. Every time I’ve ridden I’vbe asked him to back, he’s fine.

He is an extreamly calm horse, but unpredictable in this aspect. He’s only don’t it two times, but it was very bad this time, horrid.

I’m worried he may have a desieise, maybe something that effects his endorphins?

Anyone, if you can help, please do! He’s been out of work for the past month due to injury, but he’s perfectly sound, vet couldn’t find any soundness problems, and he seems to be as happy as ever while riding.

I don’t want someone to get hurt next time he does this, as you can’t tell when he’s about to. I’ve owned him since he was newly 3, and to my prior knowlege, he’s not had any bad experiances w/crioss ties, except being left on them for extended periods of time.

Maybe horse prozac?

“I’m poop outta luck, all the time, so does that make me ‘poop lucky’?”

[Cactuskate]

Been here done this kiddos. My gelding has always been trippy. Then did the same pull back, break rope, flip over in sand fortunatly, but with dressage saddle on. No real immediate signs of injury. Definite personality change though. Spookiness, just “not right”. Local vet did field test for neurological disorders and suggested seeing a specialist.

Fortunately, Dr. Barry Grant at San Luis Rey in Bonsall, CA is the reknowned spinal authority. Took Bud to him, did xrays of his whole neck from skull to withers, found some minor compression at C4 and C5. Minor in the grand scheme of things. Wanted to do surgery, I don’t think so. But ultimately said that if a horse he had done surgery on came back with these symptoms he would think he was doing well. So there you go.

Our therapy is keeping him in shape, 2 gr bute daily, no signs of stomach issues, and 8000 units of Vit E. That was about 18 months ago, and he seems to be doing great.

Back injuries alone are so hidden they can take a long while to heal.

Dr. Grant said that many times a horse is predisposed to the compression situation, and all it takes is an event to trigger the symptoms.

I would highly recommend getting someone to xray your horse, the events point that direction to me.

“The older I get, the better I used to be.”

[Tap2Tango]

This sounds very serious! In someways…it almost sounds like he could be blind in 1 eye…We recently had a pony loose an eye and it will freak out for no apparent reason now, basically because it’s scared. Have your vet do a thorough exam on him!
Good Luck
Steph

…but the trouble with never is, never, never works…~Tim McGraw

[Weatherford]

Catuskate

Have you tried a Vet (DVM/VMD) who is also an acurpuncturist & chiropractor?

I just found one and he is amazing! Can’t recommend the combination of ways to look at problems enough! (plus, in this guy’s case, his wife is also a Vet, so second opinions are readily available. )

[JB]

Yes, that certainly does sound serious! The first things that popped into my head were EPM, EPSM and a brain tumor. The first two could cause these reactions out of pain that comes and goes,and the latter, well… What was his previous injury that had him on layoff? If any of these things happen again, I’d have him thoroughly checked, and not just a lameness exam. Wow, how scary Could any of it have been a bee sting or something like that?

[Panda]

This happened to my mare about 10 years ago. She flipped over twice while on cross-ties on cement. I didn’t notice any problems right away, but when I tried jumping her she had trouble making it down the lines, which was never a problem before. The vet said she tore a muscle in her hind quarters when she fell and I don’t remember the treatment but it took a while to fix. I have never cross-tied her since. She ground ties great and is much happier that way. She can’t stand feeling that she is tied to anything–she freaks out if she even just thinks she’s tied–so ground tying works great.

Hope this helps!

[Moonshine]

This really sounds dangerous, and I think I would get a vet out before I’d ride again. Do you have cases of EPM in Puerto Rico? They get really wobbly but the rearing thing almost blows that away. You didn’t say what his old injury was?
I have had to have four different vets look at my lame horse and one unneeded expensive sugery to find out what was wrong with him, so if your not happy with his diagnosis try another vet. You might try to get someone to pony your horse and you can stand back and watch his movement to see if you can get a clue here. Good Luck and keep us posted

[lilblackhorse]

you are lucky to have Barry-I personally have memories of him making pancakes for us Pony clubbers-actually he was after my time a bit, but I spent time at WSU and he did a lot of wobbler work-he is awesome.
I too think this horse could have 2 things going-the eye, and neurological problems. Tripping is something that people should not just ignore-all the little things add up to one big scary problem.
Get thee to a very good vet…

[ljo]

call the vet

[ErinB]

Whit, stop coming online and offline again. You confuse me! And stay away from that surpriseee…

I told you I was concerned about the EPM/brain disorder thing. It happens to real people and real horses, so please get it checked out, even if it means calling Annika from PR. The image of Beezer ending up like one of my neighbors’ rescue horses isn’t particularly attractive.

Just make sure it isn’t anything serious.

~*~
Funny Story of the Week:
My neighbor owns several cats. During a recent visit, she introduced them by name. "That’s Astrophe, that’s Erpillar, that’s Aract, that’s Alog.’ ‘Where on earth did you find those unusual names?’ I asked. ‘Oh, those are their last names,’ she explained. 'Their first names are Cat.
–Reader’s Digest

[Lord_Helpus]

I agree with neurologic problem. Are you near a major vet center? Sometimes these things take specialists to diagnose.

I used to have a horse who could not be cross-tied (Aliceyoupig). She would stand on them just fine until she needed to swing her head to reach a fly or an itch. When she found out she could not turn her head, she would go wacko – and everyone had better get out of the way.

Fortunately, she was fine on a single tie and so that is how we groomed her etc. But your horse sounds different since all this seems to have come on so suddenly.

I would not take him to PR until you have a good diagnosis. I believe that we have better vets and vet centers here who could do more thorough workups… Just what you need right now, eh?

[Houdini]

Oh dear something similar is sort of going on with me (only not quite so bad) My normally quiet 10yr old gelding started acting up on cross ties. For most of the three and 1/2 years I have had him he NEVER broke or tried to break a cross tie. About 6 weeks ago he let out two small snorts and then backed himself right out of his halter (it broke) and proceeded to run around the property for about six minuts untill we cornered him. Since then he has freaked out three more times once very violently but for some reason neither his break away halter nor the break away cross ties broke so he didn’t get loose. Luckily he didn’t hurt himself. But now I am terrified to put him on cross ties. So I have been tacking him in his stall. My barn owner took a look at his eyes and he seems ok. He had some small floating cysts but my vet said that they are normal and he had good reactions when I tested to see if he seemed spookier on either sides. He has been spookier when I am riding him as well but he doesn’t seem worse on a particular side. I cut his grain a little to see if maybe he just has some extra energy. He is ridden six days a week so I know he gets enough work. But so far I haven’t seen much improvement. I have been avoiding the cross ties (hanging my head in shame) But like your horse this behavior is very unlike him. He is usually very calm and quiet. If I don’t see an improvement with the food change soon I am going to call my vet and see what she advises. I would say in your case only a vet can help.

>>>“Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken”<<<

[Weatherford]

SOUNDS LIKE EPM TO ME!!

Get him checked ASAP!!

I thought you were offline???

But call a vet and get him checked for EPM or brain tumor.

[_jazmataz]

Is the first thing that came to my mind. It could be neurological, but don’t rule out that spine. Vertabrae out of place can cause all kinds of strange behaviour and resistance to the threat of pain. Good luck with finding the cause, and keep us posted!

[FatLilPony]

Previous injury- Bruised cannon bone mis-diagnosed he thought it was a bow, and the damso ate uop his front leg, which caused an abcess, but he’s fine now.

Crap. EPM? ugh poop, that is not good. He’s shipped out the 25th of aug, but I leave this friday, so I can’t take him to Gainsville.

I will call for a vet check asap.

Sparkles:

In refrence to blindness, now that I think anbout it, he always spooks to the right. About a year and a half ago, he got an abrasion on his left eye that should have left him blind. Vety called him a miricle case, he has a small lighter spot on that eye now. Vet said it caused no blindness, but. Oh no, that’s probably it. Lateley when I’ve been walking into his stall, he’ll be eating his hay, and I’ll walk in and he’ll spook, but not when his right eye’s facing me. I’ll have the vet look into it and get epm tests done also.

Can horses that are blind in one eye still work?

“I’m poop outta luck, all the time, so does that make me ‘poop lucky’?”

[Lisi]

yeah, some horses that are blind can work. our braider’s horse is completely blind in one eye and partially blind in the other and he does the A/O’s and wins all the time.

[Small_Change]

Could it be a pinched nerve? That might explain the randomness and the unwillingness to back… As would the blindness in one eye, though.

As for horses working with one eye, yup, it can happen. I remember seeing a picture of a paint in the Chronicle a while back that only had one eye and was doing the jumpers! It just takes a careful, conciencous, sympathetic (and talented? You have to be the horse’s missing eye in some respects… Meaning once you have the horse’s trust, if you loose it, it ain’t comin’ back fo’ a while!) rider who really knows the horse.

Good luck with him and let us know what happens.

If it turns out to be EPM or something equally serious, what does that mean about exporting him to PR?

It is better to ride and fall than never to ride at all.