My gelding is 15 years old, and I have owned him for 3 and a half years now. He is an event horse, currently coming back into light work from a leg injury last fall. He is a paint/tb. My horses live at home with me, and a week ago he started acting not like himself. This horse lives for his turnout and hates to be cooped up in a stall. The past week he has been refusing to go down and graze on the pasture, and instead wants to hang out in the run-in (attached to the barn) by himself. He spends the whole day at the gate asking to come in. (Bugs aren’t bad and there is plenty of shade in the pasture.) There are a total of 4 horses in the herd, and he is absolute best buds with one in particular, and they do everything together. He now has no interest or concern in being with him, and will separate himself from him and the rest of the herd to stand up at the barn alone. He is eating, drinking and pooping completely as normal. I had a vet out last Friday to do a physical and everything checked out. He is not lame. When I bring him in the barn, he acts 100% normal. He is usually either turned out 24/7 or out 12 hours during the day and 12 in at night if weather warrants. After 12 hours in a stall he is usually raring to go outside. He normally spends most of his time outside on the grass pasture which is attached to the dry lot with the barn. Due to storms he was in for a day and a half this week, which would usually have him trotting out of his stall and fired up in turn out. He was very reluctant to leave his stall and I had to drag him out to the pasture where he immediately walked to the back of the run-in, despite the other horses running down to the grass pasture. If I put hay in the dry lot he will nicker for it and happily eat it. If I walk him to the grass pasture he will start grazing, but run back to the barn within a few minutes. He is showing no other signs of feeling ill, but I know this horse like the back of my hand and he is simply not himself, it is like he went through an overnight personality change. Does anyone have any ideas what this could be, or has your horse done this before?? Any thoughts appreciated!!
Did you check for lyme? Tis the season…
I think the bugs are bothering him more than you think. OR he is not feeling well and just watch him like a hawk for something to happen. How is he when you ride? Still the same? Less energy? Response to cues the same?
IME if it is not the bugs and a horse used to 24/7 goes from happy to wanting to be inside, something is bothering them or they are sick. I’d test for lyme and pull blood.
Maybe it’s Uveitis and the bright sun is bothering him?
I wondered about his vision too, right after I wondered about Lyme and EPM.
Bugs and/or uveitis would be my first guess. If he’s acting depressed, losing weight, not eating normally then possibly lyme.
Is your pasture bordered by woods? Could there be deer or maybe fox in the brush? Just a guess as we have the occasional doe camp out with bablies and one of my ponies will refuse to go anywhere near that area. Just a thought.
Hope you get it sorted out.
Thanks for all of the feedback guys! I haven’t had him tested for Lyme, but he is seeing another vet on Friday so I will definitely bring it up if they don’t. I rode him just now and he was responsive to the aids, forward, sound, but definitely seemed irritable in his temperament (which he is not usually, he really likes to work.) The main thing is that he did a lot of head tossing, flipping the end of his nose up, sometimes quite violently. I noticed him do this perhaps 3 or 4 times last Wednesday when I last rode him but didn’t think much of it. I have also been seeing him do it when he moves around in the field. Today he did it many times through the ride though, although seemingly randomly, not in response to anything in particular. He also did a lot of irritable snorting accompanied by grunting through the whole ride and rooting down at the reins. Half the arena was in sunlight and half in shade, and I didn’t notice any reaction from him going between the two, not sure if that impacts any thoughts about his vision. Both eyes look clear and have no redness or discharge either. I really appreciate all your opinions!
could definitely be uvetis, or the beginning of HSS. mention both to vet.
Ok, you may not believe, but years ago, my TB did the same un usual thing, I asked why and my horse relied that he was protecting himself and working to heal and had to stay away from the other horses so he would not injury himself more. He Was self healing himself and not allowing himself to get more sore or Injuried by play…or running. Have you noticed anything or soreness anywhere?
[QUOTE=Emerson;8186237]
My gelding is 15 years old, and I have owned him for 3 and a half years now. He is an event horse, currently coming back into light work from a leg injury last fall. He is a paint/tb. My horses live at home with me, and a week ago he started acting not like himself. This horse lives for his turnout and hates to be cooped up in a stall. The past week he has been refusing to go down and graze on the pasture, and instead wants to hang out in the run-in (attached to the barn) by himself. He spends the whole day at the gate asking to come in. (Bugs aren’t bad and there is plenty of shade in the pasture.) There are a total of 4 horses in the herd, and he is absolute best buds with one in particular, and they do everything together. He now has no interest or concern in being with him, and will separate himself from him and the rest of the herd to stand up at the barn alone. He is eating, drinking and pooping completely as normal. I had a vet out last Friday to do a physical and everything checked out. He is not lame. When I bring him in the barn, he acts 100% normal. He is usually either turned out 24/7 or out 12 hours during the day and 12 in at night if weather warrants. After 12 hours in a stall he is usually raring to go outside. He normally spends most of his time outside on the grass pasture which is attached to the dry lot with the barn. Due to storms he was in for a day and a half this week, which would usually have him trotting out of his stall and fired up in turn out. He was very reluctant to leave his stall and I had to drag him out to the pasture where he immediately walked to the back of the run-in, despite the other horses running down to the grass pasture. If I put hay in the dry lot he will nicker for it and happily eat it. If I walk him to the grass pasture he will start grazing, but run back to the barn within a few minutes. He is showing no other signs of feeling ill, but I know this horse like the back of my hand and he is simply not himself, it is like he went through an overnight personality change. Does anyone have any ideas what this could be, or has your horse done this before?? Any thoughts appreciated!![/QUOTE]
Beowulf, What is HSS? I googled it and didn’t find anything.
HSS is headshakers syndrome. Hopefully that is not what is going on…
I’m with those who suggested getting his eyes/vision checked.
I will definitely have the vet check his vision tomorrow. I’m pretty uneasy having read up on HSS, as he fits almost all the symptoms listed, especially how he was acting during his ride yesterday. Also in the last 24 hours I have noticed him constantly twitching his nose/upper lip, as if he is feeling the tingling described in HSS. Really hoping that’s not what it is and the vet can give us a different diagnosis of something that can be easily treated!! Everything crossed for tomorrow! Thanks guys
My elderly horse started losing his vision, and one of the signs was his reluctance to go into any grass longer than about fetlock-length. He would stay in the paddock (which was mowed regularly) rather than follow his buddy out into the pasture.
He would go into longer grass if I led him out there, but as soon as I let him go he would return to the short grass in the paddock.
Your situation sounds very similar.
[QUOTE=Emerson;8187200]
I will definitely have the vet check his vision tomorrow. I’m pretty uneasy having read up on HSS, as he fits almost all the symptoms listed, especially how he was acting during his ride yesterday. Also in the last 24 hours I have noticed him constantly twitching his nose/upper lip, as if he is feeling the tingling described in HSS. Really hoping that’s not what it is and the vet can give us a different diagnosis of something that can be easily treated!! Everything crossed for tomorrow! Thanks guys[/QUOTE]
While HSS is considered incurable, the good thing is, it can be managed. It depends on the severity, but for instance, we have one at the barn (belgian x) with HSS - with EXTREME light sensitivity… he has to wear a guardian mask rain or shine any time he is out. He is kept out as much as possible after noon, and is managed with an antipsychotic, which oddly almost completely eliminates every symptom. Take him off of it and he is back to his headflinging and stumbling and sneezing. He obviously can’t compete w. the drugs but his owner is able to ride him and enjoy him and his health which is all that is important to her.
There is also, IIRC, a new surgery out for HSS.
There are a couple good sites with lots of information about HSS. I have just retired my horse as I cannot make him comfortable enough to do work so I am praying that’s not what you are dealing with, but many people have better luck with it than I did. If you need a UV mask I highly recommend Equivisor. They are well made and the owners are great to deal with.
Get him tested for lyme disease. Irritability and personality change are classic symptoms. Is he lethargic? Has he dropped any weight? Have you checked his temperature?
He was diagnosed with Head Shaking Syndrome today. Just over the last few days he has started to display more symptoms, including rubbing his face and nose on his leg and stall, excessive and violent snorting to the point of making his nose bleed, and his head shaking has gotten much worse. At times he appears to be light sensitive and then not at others. I am trying to stay positive and i am determined to try everything I can to help him. We are starting with trying a uv fly mask and a nose net for riding, and will go from there.
