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So 4-5 days ago I went to ride Wackem. I saddled him up and it took me a minute but I noticed he was acting funny. I tighten the girth in three steps (Before bridling, after bridling, and after we walk out to the arena or out of the barn before I get on) I had just got done with the first tightening and he rested his back foot. Then parked out. Then stood normal. Then his front legs looked like they were going to cave, so I took the saddle off. He was fine. Saddled him again and he was okay, took him for a trail ride and he seemed fine. (When standing funny he seemed almost a little 'out of it') I chalked it up to a bit of a belly ache and figured his walk did him some good. Hes been acting fine, runs in the pasture, perky same ol Wackem since.
Well I gave him a few days off and went to grab him today. Hes been acting 100% normal. I brushed him, gave him treats, threw the saddle pad on, put the saddle on, did step one of cinching and no more then ten seconds later he started to wobble around like a drunk horse. I un-did the girth and he was fine with in seconds. I decided to demonstrate his weirdness to my friend, I lightly tightened his girth she watched his chest and breathing, sure enough with in ten seconds he went down on his front knees! I pulled him up and un did the girth a little, he was fine. Took the saddle off, got a different saddle and different girth thinking maybe, for some reason, it was hitting him funny? Got the saddle on, lightly tightened it and he started to park out, rest his back legs and his front legs got wobbly. I left it alone and checked his breathing, normal but his personality was gone. For example he doesn't like his ears touched but when he was doing this I could mess with his ears all I wanted. At this point I led him outside, as soon as he started walking he seemed better so I tried tightening step two, didn't seem to make a difference. Put the bridle on like I was going to ride and led him around, he seemed a little quiet, but not "out of it" like he had been and he was standing and walking normal.
So after that we put him away and gave a un-helpful vet a call (I've never gotten help from them, why should this time be any different??)
He said if his feet aren't warm (Founder) and he isn't colicing... And is still breathing normal... Lips and gums are healthy pink... He might just be faking. (The only horse I've ever met who could fake something this well is Miss Molly and hats off to her for everything shes pulled off!) This isn't faking, I can tell because he wouldn't fake letting me grab an ear over riding!
So what would you look into or suspect?
Wackem is the one horse we have who hasn't shown signs of heaves.... I'm beginning to wonder if he does, and this is a sign? Could the girth be tight on his lungs (Or maybe it feels funny/makes something harder to breathe)
He can run all day in the pasture with out breathing hard. And he doesn't stop breathing or have a change in breathing when he falls on his knees or goes wobbly...
Any ideas?
This isn't him..
Well I gave him a few days off and went to grab him today. Hes been acting 100% normal. I brushed him, gave him treats, threw the saddle pad on, put the saddle on, did step one of cinching and no more then ten seconds later he started to wobble around like a drunk horse. I un-did the girth and he was fine with in seconds. I decided to demonstrate his weirdness to my friend, I lightly tightened his girth she watched his chest and breathing, sure enough with in ten seconds he went down on his front knees! I pulled him up and un did the girth a little, he was fine. Took the saddle off, got a different saddle and different girth thinking maybe, for some reason, it was hitting him funny? Got the saddle on, lightly tightened it and he started to park out, rest his back legs and his front legs got wobbly. I left it alone and checked his breathing, normal but his personality was gone. For example he doesn't like his ears touched but when he was doing this I could mess with his ears all I wanted. At this point I led him outside, as soon as he started walking he seemed better so I tried tightening step two, didn't seem to make a difference. Put the bridle on like I was going to ride and led him around, he seemed a little quiet, but not "out of it" like he had been and he was standing and walking normal.
So after that we put him away and gave a un-helpful vet a call (I've never gotten help from them, why should this time be any different??)
He said if his feet aren't warm (Founder) and he isn't colicing... And is still breathing normal... Lips and gums are healthy pink... He might just be faking. (The only horse I've ever met who could fake something this well is Miss Molly and hats off to her for everything shes pulled off!) This isn't faking, I can tell because he wouldn't fake letting me grab an ear over riding!
So what would you look into or suspect?
Wackem is the one horse we have who hasn't shown signs of heaves.... I'm beginning to wonder if he does, and this is a sign? Could the girth be tight on his lungs (Or maybe it feels funny/makes something harder to breathe)
He can run all day in the pasture with out breathing hard. And he doesn't stop breathing or have a change in breathing when he falls on his knees or goes wobbly...
Any ideas?
This isn't him..