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Discussion on What's going on with my mare? | |
Author | Message |
Member: Cassey |
Posted on Monday, Jun 16, 2003 - 9:16 pm: I don't know if anyone has any advice/insight for me, but any input will be appreciated at this point. My quiet, sensible elderly mare went "insane" literally overnight. When I went out to the barn on Friday she was her usual quiet self; on Saturday she had turned into an agitated, hyperactive, unfocused mess, definitely unsafe to ride and not fun to handle. At first I put it down to heat behaviour, but by Sunday I realized that she wasn't exhibiting the tail lifting and urinating that she usually shows when in the presence of her "boyfriend" (my gelding), nor has she ever before been unsafe during her cycle. The gelding actually is showing no interest in her whatsoever right now, but is nosing around one of the other mares who is obviously in season. None of the other horses is acting like this, (although they do get a bit upset when she becomes frantic). She seems fine grazing out in the field while with the herd; she doesn't run away or resist haltering. But once in the barn, or even moving away from the other horses, the anxiety sets in, she doesn't let up on the pacing, pawing, kicking and whinnying and isn't all that interested in eating which is very strange for her. Yesterday and today she worked herself into a lather while in her stall for her evening grain. She has always preferred being out side to being in her stall, so tonight I put her in the round pen thinking it would be less claustrophobic for her, but the behaviour was the same there. She is on the high fat diet for EPSM, so gets very little carbohydrate; she gets one pound of a high fat pellet with 2 cups of oil. Pasture and vitamins are the only additional feed. Her immunizations are up to date, due for her rabies booster in July, but as far as I can tell has had no injuries or encounters with any wildlife. She was wormed with Quest the first week of June. So, can profound herd bound behaviour show up overnight, in a previously very sane mare who has been in this herd since October? Is this just very bizarre in-season acting out? By the way, we've looked through the pasture for noxious weeds; nothing obvious was noted, but I'm not sure we would know what to look for anway, there are so many different plants. There is some golden rod and milkweed, but the horses seem to leave them alone, since there's lots of lush green grass. There is a plant with a little yellow flower that causes the horses to salivate a lot; they discovered this last summer and had the vet check things out, apparently they were told it is not a danger to the horses, but they put salt/mineral blocks out just in case of electrolyte imbalances. She might be a little DrOoly, but nothing major, no more than any of the other horses. The barn owner is going to get the pasture sprayed just to be on the safe side, and if she hasn't settled down by tomorrow I will get the vet out. I am just worried that I'm overlooking something that should be treated right away and will cause harm by waiting to see if this behaviour settles down on it's own.Dee |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 17, 2003 - 3:06 am: DrOYes I have seen horses behavior towards other horses change quickly, fine one day cannot do without one another the next. If this is the only issue: wants to be with the herd, this is pretty normal besides. I do not see what you are overlooking and let us know what the vet says. I think the question for you is do you want to allow this to go on and manage around it or try a long distance separation to see if you can break her of it. DrO |
Member: Cassey |
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 17, 2003 - 8:10 am: Separation it is. She is just too big (Percheron) to mess around with. Thanks very much for the help, I feel better already.Dee |
Member: Cassey |
Posted on Wednesday, Jun 18, 2003 - 10:38 pm: It is now Wednesday, and she has reverted back to her sane self after being separated from the herd for about 48 hours. This was not a long distance separation, just a pasture in between them. The calling and frantic pacing went on for two days, tapering off today. Maybe she's just too exhausted to continue. Of course my mind is still not at ease, she has been off the pasture in a dry lot, so I still wonder if there's something out there that she reacted to. I guess I will give it a couple more days just to really give her a chance to chill out then try reintroducing her; I really don't want her to have to stay in a dry lot in isolation. I must say this is so far the strangest behavioural issue I have encountered, and some of the more seasoned folks at the barn are confounded as well, especially considering the usual quiet sensible demeanour of this horse. |
Member: Imogen |
Posted on Thursday, Jun 19, 2003 - 2:51 am: 48 hours definitely sounds like a separation thing. I find whenever you bring them in after a period of grazing with the herd, it takes 48 hours to adjust to stable/separation. You just have to grit your teeth and bear it.Imogen |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Thursday, Jun 19, 2003 - 5:43 am: You will have to experiment D. To find a management scheme that agrees with you and your horse. I agree that a few more days (5 days total is the magic number) is indicated. After that you might try keeping up a day a week and see if that maintains some degree of independence.DrO |
Member: Cassey |
Posted on Thursday, Jun 19, 2003 - 2:41 pm: Thanks Imogen and Dr. O. I have noticed I am again becoming the centre of her universe, she's glad to see me, walks up to greet me, nickers etc. As I look back, I realize this welcoming behaviour had gradually tapered off over the last couple months, but so gradually I guess it just didn't register with me. So, let others learn from this; watch for differences in your horse's attitude toward you, not just under saddle (she had been wonderful to ride until her "psychotic break"). I will proactively separate her one day a week as suggested by Dr. O., now that we know this herd dependency is an issue. Ultimate irony; today people showed up at the barn, heard that there was a nice Percheron cross on the premises they wanted to have a look at, maybe make an offer to buy. I just happened to be there when these folks arrived; jeez, yesterday I would have loaded her right into the back of their pickup on the spot. Today, she was back to her sweet self so I said sorry, not for sale. Lucky, lucky horse. |