Ugh…here I go again, but different 4yo. Would love some help narrowing down the possible causes. Just to note, a previous youngster who had similar issues ended up with SI/nerve root issues (and did make a full recovery)…another ended up with acute on chronic pancreatitis…and about a year and a half ago, my other gelding ended up with an EDM diagnosis (confirmed on necropsy). So you can see why two days of behavior issues are giving me major PTSD. I am thinking maybe goldfish…or stuffed animals, as these horses are seriously stressing me out!
So 4yo comes home from 8 months of being started under saddle…great young horse program where he gets exposed to lots of stuff (parades, fire trucks, you name it) and spends majority of the time hacking all over the place. No issues by the time he is ready to come home…though before coming home he gets a deep slice on his chest…no work and limited turnout for 3 weeks because it was a bad cut. That fully heals and he was back to working 2 weeks before coming home.
Comes home 6-7 weeks ago…able to get on and ride right from the get go. He is green to arena work and finding a connection, but that is to be expected. Otherwise is very rideable but not the most balanced in his work. Take our time, lots of walking, sort out tack…all good. Start making lots of good progress. He is super willing, a bit spooky but nothing that bad. I hurt my back so we spend some time just walking and doing low impact work. Then I am better and he spikes a random high fever (gets IV oxytet and exceed…looks like tick illness, but tests all negative). Recovers in a few days and everything seems fine. Ride a bit, then a few days off while I am away. Back on and making really great progress last week.
Yesterday, took him outside and he was a bit up…so lunged and then took him to the indoor to ride. He starts stopping and pawing really aggressively under saddle. Get off, as I figure maybe he has to pee or is colicky. Nope…nothing.
Today…go right to the indoor. While hand walking he is trying to stop and paw. He doesn’t seem to want to itch or pee. So I correct the behavior and move him forward. Get on and he’s having a pawing melt down (we end up standing over the mounting block)…get a few steps…stopping/pawing/backing up. Okay, he’s putting on weight (which he needed to) and girth was pretty snug…let it down a hole. Take off flash attachment (which was loose anyway). Get back on and same behavior…stopping, pawing, backing up. Do some spirals and after about 15 minutes, I get some walking. Lots of praise and we manage to start walking quietly at one end of the ring. Try a bit of trot…he starts half trotting half cantering…very stuck feeling. The more I try to just encourage a trot on light contact the more irritated he gets (little mini bucks - but not a naughty buck you off type). So I give up on that and go back to walking. 1-2 major launch sideways spooks, but ride through those. Able to walk on a loose rein with a few stops/paws that I can circle him out of. Never had a hint of this behavior before.
So…he’s not the type to be naughty just to be naughty. And he’s been in consistent work for some time now. It feels like something is bugging him…but the question is what?
He is on ulcergard for the past 20 days. When he came home, he wasn’t cleaning up food and coat was a bit dull plus some spooking. Given he had been on bute and in with the cut, I just started him on ulcergard…his coat looks great and he is now cleaning up food.
Turnout…he was out all night on grass…so it’s not a lack of time out (out until the bugs got bad, in for a bit and then back out for the night). Been turned out on grass since coming home and acclimating to the different field. He is out solo (was in a group at trainers), but he has my other gelding next to him.
Saddle - the saddle had been fit to him before he went for training…it’s not perfect right now, but it’s not bad either. Also have been using a sheepskin half pad or pad with the sheepskin under to help make sure it’s comfy. He is in a standard eggbutt…flash is fairly loose (I did tighten it a bit one day but lots of head flipping that day).
Farrier did his front shoes Thursday…he rode fine Friday. Not lame…maybe a bit less smooth circling to the left. Have a call into the dentist (was done 8 mo ago)…and will call the vet after the holiday since it’s not an emergency. Call into trainer to see if this ever came up when he first went there.
I do worry about maybe something pinching in his neck as he is riding in much more of a frame…he has been tripping a few times (mostly when he fusses about the contact…he can’t walk and chew gum yet). And he does sometimes loose all steering…which I was chalking up to baby horse, but…
Thanks if you stuck it out to the end of that summary…maybe it’s just a bad day and I am having a bit of PTSD after my last youngster ending up with EDM. This guy is not related but from the same farm (bought him as a yearling).
