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Discussion on Picture of side biting - cld this be ulcers?
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New Member:
mberbric
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Posted on Sunday, Feb 1, 2009 - 12:09 pm:
I wasn't sure where to post this. My horse bites at his sides - he'll bite at both but more often on the right side. I'll find these marks on him two or three times a week - other days nothing. He also will bite at the girth or my foot and get very jiggy when ridden. I've had him to the chiropractor who said his ribs were out about five inches behind his withers. He adjusted them - no difference in behavior. I've had my saddle fitted to him and am sure to keep the girth 4-5 inches behind his elbow and not too tight.
This horse has has lots of resistance and disrespect issues in the past, many of which we've worked through, so not sure if the behavior under saddle is part of this or symptom of pain.
He is out in the pasture all day and at night weather permitting. He has no other symptoms of ulcers - weight and appetite are good, etc.
Any ideas?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Feb 2, 2009 - 8:07 am:
Welcome mlb,
When horses begin biting themselves they may be expressing exasperation at a situation they cannot change. In some horses it becomes stereotypical behavior that continues despite no obvious cause. It sounds like your horse did not respond well to training and perhaps taking the training back to a point where the horse is comfortable and then starting forward again a bit more slowly you can get a better happier horse under saddle and this might generalize to a happier horse overall.
DrO
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New Member:
mberbric
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Posted on Monday, Feb 2, 2009 - 8:38 am:
Appreciate your advice. I think you're right - will slow down with the re-training and see how it goes.
Thanks!
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Member:
imogen
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Posted on Monday, Feb 2, 2009 - 11:45 am:
I find scritchy fur (eg when they start shedding underneath a blanket) can also start them at this.
Imogen
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Member:
warthog
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 3, 2009 - 12:34 am:
Is he drawing blood and breaking the skin when he does this or does he just itch? Our guys do this a lot but it is obvious they are scratching.
Biting at the girth and at the feet is not at all uncommon but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a pain issue. You might want to check more carefully and see if he doesn't have a low grade impaction or mild colic going on.
A stressed out horse will do this.
Is he picked on in the pasture? I know one who was very timid who would do this and he stopped it as soon as he was placed with less aggressive horses in a more relaxed situation. So you might check that also. good luck and let us know what you figure out. this is very interesting.
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New Member:
mberbric
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 3, 2009 - 9:08 am:
He does not break the skin. I've looked and there's no evidence of rash, insect bites or other irritation at the bite site. I scratch it for him but he doesn't react as he does when I get the other scritchy spots. I've pressed hard on the area - no reaction.
I'm not sure what a low grade colic would look like. He has plenty of energy, eats like a pig in a horse suit, poops fine. I have thought about adding some oil to his diet. What do you think?
He is the low horse in the herd so he's pastured with only one other horse. The horse bosses him around some but nothing major. His best buddy is in the next pasture and they spend a lot of time hanging out together over the fence. Unfortunately they can't be in the same pasture because the buddy is baby-sitting a foal.
I have been working on really making a fuss over him when he gets things right in training. He can get kind of pissy if he thinks he's doing the right thing and not getting rewarded (goes for a lot of us!). Will see if this has any affect.
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Member:
muffi
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 3, 2009 - 11:25 pm:
MLB - my lead horse does that all the time.
I think it's just scratching an itch. nothing more. Some time he goes low under his belly to scratch lifting his back leg to get in there. some times it down on his leg, anywhere. and you;re right - when I scratch it for him there doesn't seem to be any relief or pain nothing.
I like the Pig in a horse suit. Mine too. he eats allday long. I always keep Grass hay available for them. He is Lead Dog in the pasture with just one other horse. nothing new noting frustrating I believe going on. he gets all the attention in the world, I dote on him all day long. we play games, ride and just relax together. He does exactally the same thing and unless I am a total idiot - no problems. I would say watch your horse close, but it could just be scratching an itch!
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Member:
paul303
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Posted on Wednesday, Feb 4, 2009 - 12:13 am:
mlb, I would never say that I thought your horse had ulcers. It DOES sound behavior related. I'd just like to say that shortly after the second move in 2 years, our appendix QH mare ( who had been acting odd since the first move )began escalating her "girthy" nastiness, side biting, irritation and "cow kicking" when being curried or brushed on her sides and just general grumpiness and ear pinning. Her eating and manure were fine. One day we found her down in the paddock, just moaning and looking at her side. The vet came right out and tubed her but said she was very doubtful it was colic. With the vet's help, we got her in the trailer and off to the clinic. The clinic tested her for anything relevant, including tick-born disease. Because the mare lived in a fairly stress-free environment, they didn't scope her until the third day - both upper and lower stomach were "riddled with ulcers". After 30 days on Gastroguard and then twenty-eight more days on 1/2 dose, she was a very happy camper. All symptoms disappeared and have not returned - although we try to always have some Gastroguard on hand, just "in case".
I don't say this to point you back toward ulcers...only to keep it in the back of your head.
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