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[RC] Re: [RC]  sudden behavior change in horse - margrottI have a friend who owns a TB mare that exhibited many behavioral changes including mounting another mare, striking out and acting very studdish. Turns out she was diagnosed with a cantalope sized cyst on her ovary. By the time the surgery to remove it occurred (two weeks), the cyst had grown to the size of a soccer ball. She had a successful surgery with an abdominal incisision and is on the mend. If the cyst had remained the size of a cantalope, the plan was to remove it via laparoscopy and local anesthesia. Amazing. From: Marlene Moss <Marlene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: 2007/09/17 Mon PM 01:52:36 CDT To: Ridecamp <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, horsesctr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] sudden behavior change in horse I have 2 horses boarded at our place for training to fixsome behavioral problems that suddenly appeared. Both are 3 year old mares,one AQHA but looks thoroughbred, the other a solid paint. They have norelationship to each other and different owners, but both were shown in halterand longeline classes when younger. Both owners think their behavior is relatedto coming into heat, but neither had a vet look at the horses.  One was sent to a trainer who gave up on her and sent her tothe auction and eventually she ended up at our place so we could help the newowners sell her. The other owner is so afraid the horse will hurt a neighborkid that she had the mare tied to the fence when I picked her up.  Basically, both mares will bite and kick at times, but areotherwise a couple of the sweetest mares I’ve ever worked with. Thequarter horse has no aim, and you can tell she is frustrated but just doesn’tknow what else to do. I am able to work with her just by talking to herpleasantly or holding something out for her to sniff. She’s very curious. The paint has deadly aim and force so we are being very careful with herbecause we just don’t know what sets her off yet.  Both are very pleasant and willing once they are haltered. The AQHA mare is lovely to ride and I’ve taken her out on the trail a fewtimes and think she has trail or endurance potential. The other mare isn’tsaddle trained yet.  Has anyone dealt with behavior like this? With both horsesit just started overnight and the original owners both had other horses with noproblems. I really thing there is something physical, probably with theirreproductive systems that is going on. The paint will sometimes turn her headaway and look back to avoid biting or else looking where she is in pain. Ihave a vet coming out Tuesday for one of the boarders and I’d like totalk to him about these two to see what options we might have to figure thingsout for them. I have heard of horses that had a marble inserted to help withuncomfortable heat cycles – any experience with this? What symptoms doesit help? How well does it work? Is there hormone therapy for horses? Bloodtests that might give us a clue? Expensive or cheap? What kind of diagnosticscan be done that don’t cost a fortune or require a major clinic?  Sorry not totally distance riding related, but I guess anyhorse could have problems like this that need to be diagnosed and dealt with. The owner of the paint has accepted that she may need to put this mare down ifshe can’t be fixed, but I (and the trainer) think it is physical and thatthe source needs to be treated before the horse can be trained or a difficultdecision made.  Thanks! Marlene   Marlene Moss Saddle Fitting - www.KineticEquineAnalysis.com Boarding/Training - www.LosPinos-CO.com  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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