Sour School Horse Rehabilitation

[Mistys_Girl]

Might be long, just wanting to hear success stories to keep my motivation in this cold winter!

In September I bought a mare that has been a school horse and passed around lots in her life. My end goal is to have a fun hack horse and low level fun ring work, training level dressage and 2’3" fences. Tattoo reveled she is a January 2006 model, so currently 16.

She was very underweight when I got her, body scale around 2, from being outside on hay only. I brought her to indoor board and slowly started the grain. Slowly weight was coming on, and she was getting the routine. She is a bulldozer when it comes to doing things. When I try to put her in crossties she just plows through to get away. Refused to go into barn outside the barn routine of turn in. Vet came to do teeth and pull blood. Teeth were not great and will be done again at 6 months. Blood was not great, was pointing towards ulcers. Also during this first month she starting having sleep deprivation / narcolepsy episodes.
Moved to a barn that offered better turn out, quieter barn and just better care. We treated for ulcers after the move and things seemed to improve that way. Not a great grain eater, but fabulous hay eater. We have done PEMF, Bowen, and tried chiropractor but she wouldn’t stand still long enough. Chiro she only allowed her spine to be released, which she loved after realizing it felt good.
Only riding I have really done with her is the occasional trail at a walk, which she LOVES, and walking in the ring, minimal trot. We have solved some of her soreness, but she has more, but is so reactive to everything she won’t let us in to help her. Grooming at least is almost enjoyable for her now after 4 months, where was a risk your life scenario in September.
I am in no rush with this mare, she’s a lifer with me. Just looking or success people have had being patient with these golden oldies. There is an awesome horse in there, just need time, love and patience to get it.

[Angela_Freda]

Re the sleep, is she being treated for pain/inflammation?
At her age, with what sounds like a benign neglect situation, she probably needs it. Sleep is so important to healing of body and mind.

As you said, Time is, often, the key ingredient that can not be skipped or replaced. Four months probably seems long, but it really isnt. And there are tiny rewards in the small victories of each step towards her recovery

[McGurk]

Lots of turnout and lots of slow hacking out. Avoid the ring for awhile until she understands it’s no longer her whole life.

She’s telling you she doesn’t like the barn or being stalled, and will only consider it if she’s being fed. Listen to her. Consider feeding her from a fence feeder in a paddock, she may relax and eat better if she’s not stressed about being in the barn.

Opinions may differ on her feeding, but I would get the best quality hay you can find and then add a little alfalfa or alfalfa pellets or cubes to that. I would try beet pulp or a cooked feed to entice her to eat, but I would make as much of her diet forage and as little concentrates as you can manage and keep weight on her.

Sounds like you’ve made great progress on the grooming, if you haven’t already, try the Tiger’s Tongue sponge instead of a curry, and a Haas Diva brush for her other grooming.

It’s a little out there/crunchy granola, but look at Linda Tellington-Jones TTouch method. It’s great for reactive sensitive horses; they relax and learn they actually like human touch. I am not a slavish adherent to the method, I pretty much experiment with the technique until I find something the horse likes, then stick with that.

Have you considered routine ulcer meds? I know you’ve treated the acute ulcers and done a lot of stuff with management to help her, but she may also need daily meds for a while to maintain.

Yes, absolutely, this mare is rehabilatable. Just keep doing what you’re doing.

[Mistys_Girl]

She’s on MSM right now. At her age I felt it was the best start. I did feed glucosamine for a bit but didn’t notice a difference when I added that so didn’t replace when I ran out.

If she would lay down to sleep I would be so happy!

She is currently on Mad Barn Visceral for ulcer maintenance right now.

Will try the brush recommendations, been a lot of trial and error with them and what she will accept. Going to check out the LTTJ method now! Sounds like what she needs to help bond us.

With being in Canada sometime the indoor is our only option to work and play.

Thanks for the positive, its been a journey with her.

[swmorse]

Everything @McGurk said. I was going to suggest Haas brushes my thin-skinned Thoroughbred gelding loved them

I might be in the minority here but I’d give her lots of Mrs Pastures treats too

It doesn’t take long to wreck a horse, but takes forever to help them get over it

Keep up the kindness

[Marla_100]

What a LUCKY horse to have landed with you. Thanks you so much for helping this gal to have an upgrade in daily living.

A big facebrush w/ real boar/hair bristles is the only soft brush my SB likes. He’s thin skinned too.

Yes to daily gut supplements. Ulcers can take a long time to heal.
Buy the best quality hair you can find. Yes to daily alfalfa hay also. Maybe a good multi-vitamin-mineral supplement too.
My horses love peppermint candies, chopped carrots and apples, and Tums and cough drops as treats.

[scislandsprite]

I also recommend the Haas brushes. There’s a big thread about them where you can find more info about pretty much every brush they have, COTH has some very dedicated Haas users! I also found that noting their itchy spots during grooming really helps turn brushing into a fun thing, mine really likes to do the mutual grooming thing when I’m currying now! She’ll even shift around a little to ensure I get the right spots or don’t spend too much time on the ticklish areas.

Also thought I’d mention maybe the Masterson method? Mine isn’t a big fan of chiropractors and is pretty neutral on massage, I’ve tried a bunch of different people but her opinion is consistent. She does seem to like the Masterson method for bodywork though since it’s very gentle!

I also like to hand walk them, especially for any horses that have developed pushiness. It’s not hard on them physically and I can practice some occasional halt transitions which can help with the ground manners. You can also add obstacles to weave through or cavaletti after work out the soreness.

[atr]

MSM can unfortunately make some horses very reactive. It might be worth trying something different to see if this is contributing to the problem rather than helping.

[Jackie_Cochran]

I am pretty much stuck in the ring (I have MS) and my riding teacher will put me up on sour horses.

One thing that has helped A LOT is putting a double bridle on the horse. It feels different in their mouths, it gives them a second reference point when they are trying to figure out what my hand aids are “saying”, and it gives their tongues something to play with which can relax them.

Regular contact on the bradoon, sagging curb rein, and only tweak your finger when activating the curb bit with immediate release. These ruined horses I get to ride settle down, cheer up, we start having a dialogue between tongue and fingers, and after a while the horse starts striding out satisfactorily just because they feel like all their questions about the bit have been answered.

I ride in a double at two stables that had never used a double bridle before. Both stables like the transformation of their previously sour and unresponsive horses. I have been told to ONLY ride these horses in a double bridle. Of course everyone else gets to use just a snaffle or bitless bridle, but then I know what I am doing.

Other than that plenty of praise for each tiny step towards obeying your aids. The horses I ride really, really like me scratching them under their mane. I praise them with my voice in loving tones, most of these horses have mostly been sworn at for being mule-headed idiots and it can take a while for them to learn what GOOD BOY means.

One problem I found was that many horses DID NOT KNOW what praise meant and it could take a while before they relaxed and enjoyed it. It is a process that takes consistency from the rider/trainer.

My goal is to get the horse to take pride in what he does even if it is just plodding around the ring obeying his rider.

[greywithchrome]

Though it may not feel like much, it does sound like you’re making good progress. Keep up what you’re doing! Maybe keep riding expectations low for the winter. There is so much engaging ground work you can do in hand to work on her soreness and also strengthen the connection you have with her. Once the warmer weather comes a few months of hacking will help to reset her brain.

[demidq]

I so relate to being stuck in the Indoor arena in the winter! I agree that in-hand work might be an excellent way to build a relationship with her. Perhaps some clicker training, or at least some sort of positive reinforcement stuff. Schoolies don’t usually do anything like obstacles so that might be something to get her more interested in working with you.
Re: the narcolepsy thing- have you talked to the vet about Previcox to help with pain and stiffness? Not necessarily the best for her poor ulcery tummy, but her gut might feel better when she is able to rest better .

[Scribbler]

Can the horse roll? If so she has the ability to lie down to sleep. If she can’t ever roll, you do need to look at her hocks.

If she was really a 2/10 Henneke score that’s serious starvation and she will need to rebuild all her muscle. Even if she was only a 3/10 that’s serious. I would give her 6 months to a year before trying to ride seriously. Also look up recovery feeding protocols from rescues. A 2/10 horse needs regular small feedings of good hay but no grain. Male sure she is getting a good VMS or ration balancer, lots of copper zinc biotin and Vitamin E. All her organs have been stressed.

Pasture or big turnout is great, hand walk, go on hills when she can manage it.

Also have the vet check that she isn’t thin because of Cushings or liver damage or teeth, etc.

[Mistys_Girl]

The praise with her is huge, she changes when she gets told how good she is. She’s very expressive in the eyes and certainly doesn’t hide how she feels about anything!

Didn’t know that about MSM, will pull it from the next round of containers I make up for her to try.

I got her Labour day weekend and have been on her a total of about 12 times to walk around, and a few steps trot.

She’s on minimal grain, her choice, and a ration balancer to help her out and vitamin E and Selenium. Vet has been out for teeth and an assessment, will be back February for another dental and check up and more blood work.

Vet wanted to try the make her happy and see approach to her narcolepsy for now, will ask more at next visit. She can and does roll regularly, joys of having a grey, they find the dirt!

Her paddock is on a slope so she gets to walk around and use herself. She likes a quick lunge to move out with the frozen ground a few times a week.

Sounds like some shopping in my future!

[cayuse]

A little bit of magnesium might help with the touchiness re: grooming and also might help any residual body soreness. I’d love to see pictures of her!

[Mistys_Girl]

Here’s the little Diva from early December.

[Scribbler]

Sweet! Her body weight is ok but look at the irregularity over her croup. Something to ask your body worker about.

If she can roll, she can lie down to sleep, and may well be doing so. IME each horse in a barn or field takes a different sleep time so someone is always alert. They only need about 2 hours of REM in 24 hours. At my barn some are out cold at midnight, but my mare always sleeps after she eats her 6 am breakfast.

Some horses only sleep outside, others only sleep inside, some need deep bedding, some are fine with damp ground especially in a blanket. We tend to think they’d prefer a cozy kennel but many feel safer outside where nothing can sneak up on them.

[lenapesadie]

@Mistys_Girl

sleep deprivation / narcolepsy episodes.

I spoke to my vet recently about this. His opinion was that rolling / lack of rolling was actually irrelevant. He said check the front of front fetlocks. If small sores/rubs there then horse has sleep issues (pending horse is not in a bedded area all the time). So that might be something you can check?

YMMV

[atr]

If I were looking for something to help her gain some topline and muscle, I’d try Tri-Amino, and I’d add some magnesium.

Sweet face. I’ve got a soft spot for greys

[Marla_100]

What type worming have you done? Sometimes neglected horses need a regular ongoing program for worming.

[Mistys_Girl]

She has sores on the front of her fetlocks, the left front one has been opening up lately. I have stood around the barn chatting with others and watched her fall. Also watched her out in the field having a nap and catching herself falling. She is not fazed at all by this happening, sure puts a scare in the boarders when they first see it.

Magnesium seems to be the most recommended thing, makes sense, helps my muscles relax!

Wormed per vets recommendation after first visit, few things I had to do to complete this, forget what it all was.