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 Ima Non Controversial Girl
Posts: 4168
  
Location: where the wind blows | We've heard it said before many times that horses usually try to tell us if something is wrong we just need to listen and figure it out. Often the figuring out is the biggest problem. Thought I'd share my story today (sorry a bit long) as it brings this point home.
I bought a 4 year old mare 2 plus years ago. She had been halter broke but was a bit on the wild side. All her full and maternal 1/2 siblings have made tough 1D horses so I figured the odds were on our side she should amount to something. I also knew based on knowing her siblings they were a bit tough to start (no buck really just tough minded) but once you got them going and put them on barrels they took to barrels like ducks to water.
Anyway sent her away for the her first 4 months. She was tough, tough, tough but the trainer persevered and got her going for me. She'd still cop attitude a bit and was really resistant about anything to the right. Stiff bending to the right and hated taking the right lead. Anyway work and life got in my way and this mare ended up standing for another year. This spring I quit work and decided I needed to do something with this mare. I rode (or tried to) a few times and she was so defiant. I decided she was too much for me to deal with so I sent her to a young guy I totally trust (family friends for years with his parents) to get her over some of her attitude and pasture ride on her for the summer. He had her 2 months and got her going but he said she was very pouty at times and a few times she even laid down on him. I thought that seemed extreme even for her so I picked her up at the end of Aug. I took her straight to my Osteopath gal and got a good head to toe treatment on her. I gave her a week off and then got on her again. She was much better as far as I was at least able to ride now but still sulky especially to the right. To the left I could get her quite soft, flexible and fluid, in fact felt awesome. To the right she was stiff and resistant. I knew in my gut something wasn't right. But What? I kept on riding her not asking alot just soft quiet rides bending and suppling. This past Sat I rode her at my neighbours indoor arena. After riding her I just loosened the saddle and tied her in the barn while I rode my second horse. When I got home and unsaddled her she had dried off but there was a small wet spot by her left wither. I felt it and felt a small pea sized lump. When I pushed and moved the lump around my mare reacted big time. I got busy for a couple days and so on Tues I decided to check this out again. I saddled her up rode her at a walk for about 20 min. Unsaddled and sure enough her back was dry except that small spot. Again huge reaction when I pushed or moved it. I took her to my vets yesterday. They agreed something was there and an ultra sound confirmed there was something foreign in there but what. We decided at this point we needed to get in there and see what we were dealing with. Sure enough there was a lump imbedded into the muscle. What the vets think, is that at some point in time (likely a few years ago) she maybe rolled and imbedded a small sliver of some sort in there and it has slowly festered and grown into a lump type cyst. (See pics).
This totally explains so many of this horse's behaviour and attitude issues. It explains why she is so stiff to the right and why she was so horrible to get into her right lead. It explains why she laid down on the guy I had pasture riding on her when he roped with her. All those manoeuvres would have put horrible pressure on that left side and lump. No wonder she was the way she was.
I'm so glad I listened to my gut about this mare. My husband said numerous times maybe I should just cut my losses and can her. Others said just sell her, get rid of her. My gut said there has to be a reason. Her siblings are all amazing horses. Working with her on the ground was no issue. She loved to be handled and brushed and petted so I just felt I needed to figure her out. I'm so excited now to get riding her and see what she will be like once she learns she isn't going to be in pain when she is ridden. She will need a good 6-8 weeks off to heal up from the incision into the muscle first. I'm now hoping that by next year at this time I can maybe be running barrels on her. Finally.
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12842
 
| Glad you found he problem. My equine dentist put a picture up on facebook of a the jaw of a horse that had been put down because of aggressive behavior. The jaw showed a tooth that was excessively long and digging way into the lower gum. Chances are this horse would have been a pleasant guy if his mouth had not hurt him. Know your horse. Be sure that you do the proper maintenance. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 966
Location: Loco,Ok | Same type deal for me few yrs ago It was a stcker that had grisled over right where flank cinch pulled up.He was a broncy but not bad But as went along got worse I looked but couldnt see anything untill I ran my hand over the little bump.He flinched I said haa there it is.Took to vet and he cut out a sticker about quarter inch long that had stuck in him and set.Scratching his belly or any thing After cut it out and let heal up He was fine.If it feels wrong it is. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 312
Location: KS | So glad you stuck with her, hope she makes you a nice barrel horse. If only they could talk. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| What a great owner and friend you are to her, good luck with her! |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | I'm glad you didn't give up on her, and I agree with what someone else said----hope she makes you a jam up horse! |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I'm SO glad you found the problem!!  |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Ick that is crazy!!!!!! Hope things start coming around for you two! |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | Hope you found the culprit!!! That's awesome you kept digging and trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
Location: In the wrong place at the wrong time | Poor girl! Glad you hung in there and got her fixed. |
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