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  Discussion on Tail cocked to side
Author Message
Member:
Wendy

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 5, 2003 - 12:52 am:

My mare cocks her tail to the left side in a very obvious position and keeps it there throughout the ride. Does anyone have any idea/experience with this strange behaviour? She is not in heat but the stance is exactly like she displays when she is in heat. She only does this while moving along and it is most noticeable while in faster gaits (trots/canter). Her tail head is perfectly straight in walk. On the trail, it is so obvious as to be embarassing. It goes on forever. I have never seen another mare display this strange behavior. Does anybody have any ideas? Signed, shy being behind the "cocked", "in-heat" mare up ahead, wondering what in the world is going on with this mare??? Thanks for any insights. Wendy
Member:
Hwood

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 5, 2003 - 5:17 am:

Is she an Arabian?
Holly
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 5, 2003 - 7:01 am:

I have seen a number of horses with this behavior and always presumed there had been damage to the nerves on one side of the tail leading to deviation do to uneven pull on the tail. When the muscles are relxed the tail DrOps normally but when activated the tail is pulled to the side of the active nerves. Sometimes this damage is manmade with uneven alcohol tail blocks and is transient. I cannot think of a reliable treatment. Blocking the healthy side is temporary and may lead to total paralysis.
DrO
Member:
Jojo15

Posted on Thursday, Feb 6, 2003 - 10:05 am:

My mare does this, too! and for years. I always thought it was poor back muscles never thought about nerve damage.

She never shows discomfort and after doing everything, acupuncture and massage and chiropractic, i just gave up.

Unless she shows discomfort than I haven't worried about it since. But you're right its kinda embarrassing on the trail... looking for love in all the wrong places? huh!
joj
Member:
Hwood

Posted on Thursday, Feb 6, 2003 - 10:40 am:

I wasn't trying to be facetious when I asked if the horse was an Arabian . . . . I have noticed that many Arabians go with their tails up and ed to the side when they are being ridden, or even just walked on a lead. I, myself, have two that do this . . . one mare and one gelding.
Holly
Member:
Scline

Posted on Thursday, Feb 6, 2003 - 6:00 pm:

I have an Arabian mare who also does this. More so at a trot or gallop but sometimes also while she's walking!
Member:
canderso

Posted on Thursday, Mar 24, 2011 - 8:13 pm:

Dr O,
My gelding is just back to work after rest post colic surgery. He carries his tail normally at the walk and canter, but working him at the trot in one direction causes him to cock his tail to the outside. At the same time, the horse is having considerable problem flexing at the poll to the inside.
Is it possible these two factors are related and this is a strength / flexibility issue? Is it possible there was some nerve damage resulting from the surgery?
(grasping at straws here...)
Member:
mrose

Posted on Saturday, Mar 26, 2011 - 12:42 pm:

CherylA, since no one has responding I'll add my "two cents." Like Dr.O posted in response in 2003, it's been my experience that there has been nerve damage or back injury. Even Arabs don't carry their tails to the side unless this is the case imo. Our black stallion flipped over backwards when he was young and ever since has carried his tail to the side when at the trot. I wonder if coming out of anesthesia your guy banged around some and injured himself? (I'm assuming he didn't carry his tail to the side before surgery?)
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