Saved ponies life now it’s turned into Satan!!!

Im afraid i would stop riding her for the week. You could be making the situation worse if she has ulcers. It could also be dangerous with her bucking.
Im not sure changing the tack right now is a good idea. If you change lots of things you are never going to get to the bottom of the issue. Change one thing at a time.
You are changing the diet. Now offering meds. Thats enough for a month. Get her vet checked and sound internally before worrying about tack changes. First port of call my vet would be wanting to come out and see my horse if ulcers was suspected.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Trewsers, Mary Poppins and Jessey
Interesting, you saying your dad would just go into the horses space if they swung towards him. This works with Hogan. He was a barger and a pusher, and I found sticking my elbow out and moving it into his side or bum eventually stopped this. That said, he's not a nasty horse at all, he doesn't do it to hurt, but to get his way, he's never followed through, even with his subservient field mate. I think he'd just got away with stuff in the past. Sorry, I've digressed, but a lot of what you've described, especially with other horses, and your daughter, sounds like dominant behaviour. If that's part of it, it's easier to address with time and patience. Obviously, you've got the possible medical problems to deal with as a priority. Sorry - I've rambled a bit there :rolleyes:.
 
chunky monkey said:
Im afraid i would stop riding her for the week. You could be making the situation worse if she has ulcers. It could also be dangerous with her bucking.
Im not sure changing the tack right now is a good idea. If you change lots of things you are never going to get to the bottom of the issue. Change one thing at a time.
You are changing the diet. Now offering meds. Thats enough for a month. Get her vet checked and sound internally before worrying about tack changes. First port of call my vet would be wanting to come out and see my horse if ulcers was suspected.
Click to expand...
Sorry, maybe I wasn’t clear no I won’t riding until we know what’s wrong, I wouldn’t want to cause any further problems.

If she responds well to the colegone then I will get treatment before we ride again. I haven’t changed her diet, she has been on this feed for about 2 months now. My vet has advised to try the colegone to see if she responds to it and then we will have more of an idea if this is behaviour or suspected ulcers. I plan to have vets out at the end of the week if no improvement, thank you x
 
Huggy said:
Interesting, you saying your dad would just go into the horses space if they swung towards him. This works with Hogan. He was a barger and a pusher, and I found sticking my elbow out and moving it into his side or bum eventually stopped this. That said, he's not a nasty horse at all, he doesn't do it to hurt, but to get his way, he's never followed through, even with his subservient field mate. I think he'd just got away with stuff in the past. Sorry, I've digressed, but a lot of what you've described, especially with other horses, and your daughter, sounds like dominant behaviour. If that's part of it, it's easier to address with time and patience. Obviously, you've got the possible medical problems to deal with as a priority. Sorry - I've rambled a bit there :rolleyes:.
Click to expand...
That’s great thank you, I agree, in the beginning of this I never suspected illness. I thought she was literally just getting too big for her boots, I contacted my vet and my friend who has a riding school and asked their advice and asked if either knew an equine behaviourist, friend said make sure she always has hay, and be the boss basically. And vet said after everything she has had, loads of bute, steroids, antibiotics I think she ended up on 3 courses last one was a two week course he said suspected ulcers he has met her a good few times and said he wanted her to pull through purely for her temperament as she was so patient and sweet throughout all of the illness.

I think if it comes back she isn’t Ill I will get help in! A few weeks ago I was able to just go in and lasso her with the lead rope and reel her in if she turned her bum, I wouldn’t walk out the stable. But she has been darting to back corner ears flat back, then whichever way I go she follows me with her bum and swishes her tail and flicks her legs. I probably do hesitate too much, but her faces just looks wicked and I think shit she means it! Then when I catch her I think how pethetic she is a tiny pony! X
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey and Huggy
Zanny1407 said:
That’s great thank you, I agree, in the beginning of this I never suspected illness. I thought she was literally just getting too big for her boots, I contacted my vet and my friend who has a riding school and asked their advice and asked if either knew an equine behaviourist, friend said make sure she always has hay, and be the boss basically. And vet said after everything she has had, loads of bute, steroids, antibiotics I think she ended up on 3 courses last one was a two week course he said suspected ulcers he has met her a good few times and said he wanted her to pull through purely for her temperament as she was so patient and sweet throughout all of the illness.

I think if it comes back she isn’t Ill I will get help in! A few weeks ago I was able to just go in and lasso her with the lead rope and reel her in if she turned her bum, I wouldn’t walk out the stable. But she has been darting to back corner ears flat back, then whichever way I go she follows me with her bum and swishes her tail and flicks her legs. I probably do hesitate too much, but her faces just looks wicked and I think shit she means it! Then when I catch her I think how pethetic she is a tiny pony! X
Click to expand...
I get that completely - but like mine, that tiny pony is throwing about a lot more weight than us!
 
Hi everyone, just a quick update. Pony seems a bit better. I groomed her last night and she is normally very cross when I groom her tummy/flank area and last night she stood there ears forward and didn’t swish her tail once. Massive improvement and the only thing I have changed is giving her the colygone. So I’m confident this is helping her. And it is suspected ulcers.

thank you again for all your advise. I haven’t actually needed to do anything I.e change my behaviour as she seems a lot calmer and happier everyday.

x
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huggy and Jessey
poor girl if only they could talk. i did a lot of work with a feral mare who would double barrel you in panic, she is now chilled and totally trustworthy. Her foal was fight not flight so i got help with NH trainer, who did a lot of ground work, essentially you controlling her feet and keeping her in the space you want her to be in. It worked very well with her. She sometimes turns her bum on me in the stable if she doesn't want caught, so i go and give her bum a scratch, pick up a front leg and put the halter on that way.....Often if you lift a leg it makes them uncomfortable so they listen. The filly spent most of her 2 year old time vertical, but we worked to get her to have a nice face and to accede. i.e. if i am going over there it's her job to get out of my way and to have a smiley face not a scowl. He used to always stress the difference between compliance and acceptance. Horse comply if they have to but don't necessarily accept and it's interesting seeing the difference when they accept and are happy rather than doing it because they have to. She sounds a bit as if no one has ever listened to her so she has to shout to be heard? I never feed treats, except as a reward when they load, and they will watch me carry a feed bucket across the yard and not mug me. If you could work on just having her relax and enjoy being groomed, touched, do little back up, make her stand out of your space then invite her to come in. I found a really useful exercise was to leave the horse at the end of a long lunge rope, and make it just stand there, then ask for a step forward, halt, ask to come right to you. Back off again. Go on a circle. It can all be done by body language no whip required and if you can get control of small movements so they really are listening it makes it easier.
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back