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 Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
   
Location: Sunnyland Florida |
Looking for suggestions for a horse with severe anxiety/stage fright before his run. Refusing (seriously refusing, LOL) the alleyway, etc.
Horse has been scoped and had full 40-day treatment for ulcers. Declared sound by 3 teams of great vets. Never any lameness issues, just mental.
Have not yet tried any calming agents or drugs. Anyone dealt with this or have suggestions? Thank you.
Edited by Runaway 2015-11-22 9:16 PM
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| Have you had him scoped after a run to see if he is a bleeder? My good mare was very, VERY nervous when she was a 6 year old. She was out of hand in the warm up pen and in the alleyway. Turns out she was bleeding but internally, SOOO I never knew it obviously. I put her on lasix and ever since she has been a different horse. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| Does the horse do this before exhibitions? |
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Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
Location: Sunnyland Florida | WetSaddleBlankets - 2015-11-22 10:46 PM Have you had him scoped after a run to see if he is a bleeder? My good mare was very, VERY nervous when she was a 6 year old. She was out of hand in the warm up pen and in the alleyway. Turns out she was bleeding but internally, SOOO I never knew it obviously. I put her on lasix and ever since she has been a different horse.
I have not had him scoped for bleeding. I probably should do that. Thanks for the information.
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Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
Location: Sunnyland Florida | streakysox - 2015-11-22 10:58 PM Does the horse do this before exhibitions?
I haven't exhibitioned him since he was 4 years old; he's 7 now. He just developed this since he has been kicked up to "full speed". |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Another thing to consider is if horses get excited or nervous, actually anything that causes them an ounce of stress can cause a hyper secretion of hcl in the stomach which can cause a horrible belly ache.
I never heard of this till it happened to my three year old, I was putting the saddle pad on her to ride when she dropped to her knees and had all signs of colic for approx 5 min. I spoke to the vet and he says this happens all the time with race horses.
I would try a stomach soother approx 20 min before you run |
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Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| If it is not a pain issue I would say that either you are getting anxious and do not realize it and the horse senses this or the horse is not ready to go that fast. Personally, I would slow the horse down, maybe exhibition him for a while, then speed back up. |
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 Maine-iac
Posts: 3334
Location: Got Lobsta? | I've had this problem for a few years with my horse and did all the calming agents, nothing helped. We finally figured out he was buddy sour. If any horse was in front or beside us as we were trying to get to the alley there was no way he would go by them. He would back up, spin around, just pitch a huge fit. Now I get on his back right before we run and make sure that I don't have to walk by a horse and he goes in. It can get hectic as there are alot of horses that hang out at the gate. My issue, my problem, and we'll make it work. |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Runaway - 2015-11-22 8:15 PM
Looking for suggestions for a horse with severe anxiety/stage fright before his run. Refusing (seriously refusing, LOL) the alleyway, etc.
Horse has been scoped and had full 40-day treatment for ulcers. Declared sound by 3 teams of great vets. Never any lameness issues, just mental.
Have not yet tried any calming agents or drugs. Anyone dealt with this or have suggestions? Thank you.
I still say there is something going on. At the very least maybe your nerves are causing it? You could sure try some THE Calming Cookies/Powder but I would still be worried something is going on if he is that bad. Calming supplements are great for a horse that gets excited and on the muscle but for one that refuses to work I still think something else is going on. I also had 3 great vets look at my gelding that was blowing 2nd and starting to have major anxiety in the arena. It took over a yr for another vet to diagnose him with a broken pelvis that had healed wrong. So there you have it. Doesn't matter how great the vets are, if they don't find a problem you might have to keep looking. I don't even want to know how much money I spent to finally find out...and then still not have an issue I could magically heal. He is an 8yr old pasture pet now. |
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Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
Location: Sunnyland Florida |
Thanks for the suggestions and comments. |
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 Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24138
Location: Carpenter, WY | I guess I would ask before offering any advice, what do you do on him besides barrels, what is his stalling arrangement, and what are you feeding him?
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Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| Mainer-racer - 2015-11-23 7:54 AM
I've had this problem for a few years with my horse and did all the calming agents, nothing helped. We finally figured out he was buddy sour. If any horse was in front or beside us as we were trying to get to the alley there was no way he would go by them. He would back up, spin around, just pitch a huge fit. Now I get on his back right before we run and make sure that I don't have to walk by a horse and he goes in. It can get hectic as there are alot of horses that hang out at the gate. My issue, my problem, and we'll make it work.
My horse was really sore from EPM and started spinning around in the alley. He had been treated for EPM and was fine but continued to do this my trainer was riding him and whipped his butt. He did straighten out. He started doing that as N with me and she told me to whip his butt. Fixed. They all need some discipline at one time or another. There is a big difference in a butt whipping and a beating. The thought crossed my mind that th8s other horse might need one but not being there who knows. I might add that my horse has abosolutely NO anxiety issues. He is just a turd and likes to try you---they all do.
Edited by streakysox 2015-11-23 10:24 AM
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Sorry I don't have any advice
Posts: 1975
Location: Sunnyland Florida | teehaha - 2015-11-23 10:37 AM I guess I would ask before offering any advice, what do you do on him besides barrels, what is his stalling arrangement, and what are you feeding him?
All he does is barrel racing. He is stalled 12 hours in a big stall with a run, and 12 hours out on 10 acres. He eats alfalfa, timothy & coastal hay and Seminole Wellness DynaSport feed (high fat, low sugar & low starch). The only supplements I feed is Lysine and occasional probiotics. He's ridden 3-4 times a week and competed on 2-4 weekends each month. Thanks, |
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Expert
Posts: 1531
Location: Oklahoma | Find an essential oil rep locally ...Lavender essential oil .. Rub on your hands and let him sniff it 15 mins before and put some in nostrils .. Rub it in . |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | Runaway - 2015-11-23 2:19 PM
All he does is barrel racing. He is stalled 12 hours in a big stall with a run, and 12 hours out on 10 acres. He eats alfalfa, timothy & coastal hay and Seminole Wellness DynaSport feed (high fat, low sugar & low starch). The only supplements I feed is Lysine and occasional probiotics. He's ridden 3-4 times a week and competed on 2-4 weekends each month. Thanks,
Along with the health suggestions mentioned agove, Maybe you could do a few non-barrel things with him? Let him realize it's not always time to RUN when he's at the arena gate? Might help him relax.
Find a local fun playday and do a reining pattern exhibition, or horsemanship, or something.
Edited by r_beau 2015-11-23 2:38 PM
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Anxiety - Stage Fright