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Horse Behavior and Training

Concerned about one thing with my leased horse

By:
Horse addict (From the good old USA)
Date:
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

Hi everyone, I'd like to share a concern I have with my leased horse, he normally is a mellow horse to ride, but several times I've noticed he will spook and act funny for no serious reason. At the show when I was exciting the ring with him, he suddenly started to try a buck for a minute then was calm again. Earlier before I showed with him I was riding him then he suddenly spooked and I fell off. I talked to my riding instructor, who owns him, about my concern and she said that he has already been through desensitization training and everything, and he doesn't need anymore. I'm real concerned about his behavior sometimes. He is normally mellow, but at unexpected moments he will spook or try to do a little buck. What should be done???

JoHewittVINTA
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed

Hi. Have you been using insect repellant? If not, perhaps this reaction is nothing to do with the time & place but simply that horse has been bitten or stung. Often it is the simple things that we overlook. Hope this helps. Cheers, Jo

Mel - Ramsgate UK
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed

Horse Addict, have someone video you a few times and see if he does it again, watching back might give you some insight as to why he's doing it.
Mel
x

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

That is bad luck Horse Addict. Has his diet been changed at all? Has he gained or lost weight recently? This may mean his saddle isn't fitting perfectly any longer. Have you checked his saddle cloth and girth for possible burrs or uncomfortable lumps? Is he used to being worked with other horses? Do hope you find the solution as it is not much fine falling off. Pleased you were not hurt badly.

vicci - UK (North Wales)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

I think something is sticking in him/irritating him. I agree with others, strip everything back and look for even the smallest indication of something sticking in him. Go over him with a light and your hands and look for any tiny puncture wounds or hair changes on his back. Kelly Marks tells the story of one like this and it turned out (after much work) to be a single staple worked loose under the saddle leather that was pressing into a single spot.

Horse addict (From the good old USA)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

Those are some ideas, I think maybe before I get on him I should just try spraying him with some fly spray and see if this will help, his diet hasn't really changed that much he's outside most of the time so his main diet is grass, I always groom him and check him out before I tack him up, and he has no puncture wounds of any kind.

Horse addict (From the good old USA)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

He does have some old bug bites on his neck, maybe that's one of the causes.

beryl
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

take note of vicci's advice, nails in saddles work loose & a huge amount of pressure on one tiny spot will cause a lot of damage to the horse!!!
You also need to put you fingers under the panel when you are walking your horse with you riding it to check for painful pressure & see that the girth is clean, has no creases or cracks or anything that can cause pressure or that it's not pinching.
Another thing it may be is sweet itch, not sure what you call it in the USA, it's an allergic reaction to the saliva of midges, this is an awful condition creating very itchy, painful & burning skin. The only way to treat it successfully is to prevent the bites in the first place by using specialist rugs as the midges are tiny & can get through normal fly rugs & using a fly spray that works: I've found the best to contain DEET.
Let us know how it goes.

JoHewittVINTA
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed 650 lessons completed

Let us know how you get on - step by step. My point was, too many people go all out & maybe miss something really simple. Once the simple stuff is eliminated then go looking for the other stuff. If you've ever been stung by something you'll know it hurts. If you were a horse you would have reacted - big style. How understandable would that be? Yes, check all the tack, yes check out the horse for sore spots etc but don't overlook the really obvious. So often simple is good. Keep in touch. Jo

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