Very BIG Scare for me

[busyminimom]

Well I finally feel like I can breathe. Not easily but getting there. Yesterday afternoon, I was working with my Thoroughbred mare on loading in the trailer. All my minis love the trailer but not her. She hates the trailer and she has to get in. I need to take her to see an Equine Opthamologist. She has a blemish(blister like) on one of her eyes on the scleara (?sp).

We had practiced in the morning and she was making progress. Went out in the afternoon to practice again and about 10 min. in she backed up, standing on the ground, and slowly reared up fell on her bottom like she was sitting down, then flat to her back and smacked her head on the ground HARD!! She didn't roll back like an egg might, she went straight back. She knocked herself out cold. Her eyes were rolled back in her head, all legs stiff, and her rear ones shook for awhile. Her breathing was very shallow and she was making a very strange groaning noise. Obviously I ran to call the Vet and a close friend as I was home alone. It took 10 minutes for her to open her eyes normally again and still another almost 15 min before she attempted to stand. When she did get up she staggered and was non weight bearing on her front right leg. The vet arrived and gave her steroids and valium. Wish he could have given me some!!!! He stayed for about 1 1/2 hours to be sure she was okay and gave her a very through looking over. He said he thought she had a concusion and to watch for seziures for 24 hours.

Well he was back today to give more steriods as she is very swollen through the neck and withers area, and has a new dent just above her eye and towards the center of her fore head. NO SEZIURES!!! Thank GOD!!

She is very stiff and sore, can't reach the ground for her hay or bucket of grain so I have raised it all up. She is keeping to her stall even though it is open to the paddock. She has been self limiting herself so that's good. My mini mare that she is turned out with normally has been stuck like glue to her side all day today. Even she was concerned, bless her little heart.

SO now that the biggest scare of this accident is over...... How will I ever get her near the trailer again????? She still needs to see the Opthamologist........

:

 

[ClickMini]

What a horrifying accident! I am glad she appears to be ok. As for the trailer, I highly, can't recommend highly enough, clicker training. Your mare will probably take a good bit of time, but that will really help motivate her and could shortcut the process in a fear-related situation. If I lived close enough I would help you.

The book "The Click That Teaches, a Step-by-Step Guide in Pictures," by Alexandra Kurland is AWESOME! Karen Parker of Clickin' On Ranch has a trailer loading video that is full of great content, and I think it only costs $15-20.

The best part of clicker training for trailer loading is it is a very calm and gentle process.

Best of luck and I am really glad that it wasn't worse for your mare. That is a horrible thing to see.

Edited to add: I own and work with Thoroughbreds, I do understand their special "issues!" There is a link to a clicker training article I wrote from my web site:

http://www.finchmeadowfarm.com/clickertraining.htm there is a pic of my big fellow in that link. I have to say that when I discovered clicker training, it was a great day for the relationship between Tyler and I!

 

[kaykay]

im so sorry and can only imagine how scared you were! I would be really careful of her neck. I have known a couple horses that broke verterbrae in their necks by falling like that. Not trying to scare you just saying to watch for that with that much swelling.

sending prayers for her recovery!

 

[anoki]

I'm sorry to hear...hope your mare is ok....

This will probably take awhile for her to get over this.....

My riding coach is great at getting horses on a trailer when they don't want to go....there are 3 big things when doing this....Patience, persistence and praise!

Take her up to the trailer....don't force her to go on, but get her as close as you can (treats in a bucket, coat pocket, hand will definitely be handy. Talk to your mare, every step forward on the trailer (I forgot to say a ramp trailer is by far the best one in this type of situation), give her many rewards, treats, praise. When you do get her on the trailer (this could take hours keep in mind, so don't plan to do it the day you are leaving), back her out and put her away. The first steps up, walk like you mean it....walk like she is going to go on, no hesitations. Then when/if she does stop, walk up into the trailer and start talking to her. The biggest problem you will get into is if they start swinging to the side, you'll have to get her squared up to go in again (I think my coach takes a riding whip with her, so if the horse does start to go sideways, she lightly taps them to move over...that way she doesn't have to get out of the trailer).....believe me it does work, but takes A LOT of patience.

This is how my coach does it....always by herself, and yes, sometimes she's taken more than 3 hours to get a horse on, and they've always gone on easy after.

~kathryn

 

[Marty]

You need Jerry. If anyone can train any big horse to get in a trailer safely and quietly it's my husband. He is incredible with that. I've had horses fly up and go backwards, through them selves every which way and even lunge up in the feed bin, just like your's did and fight that trailer for hours and days when I was very young. Jerry and I developed our own little regimine for training a horse to get safely in the trailer, and I swear we had half the people in town sending their horses over to us just for that. I didn't have a clicker, but it would have helped very much too.

I am very glad that your horse seems to be ok.

Now please, buy your horse a protective trailer helmut before you ever try to load her again. You will have to start over from scratch but I must tell you that I have never hauled a horse from point A to point B without being properly leg wrapped and trailer helmut in place.

Best wishes to you.

 

[Vicky Texas]

Prayers for you horse

Vicky

I have decided to remove all about the Dually halters and Monty's training Tips.

I will be checking into it more.

 

[busyminimom]

Thank you all for your thoughts and great ideas. Thank you Vicki, I will check out that site on Monty.

Marty, I will be getting a helmut as well. It was really weird, because she is such a passive, sweet mare. It's not her typical behavior to rear at all. She does hate the trailer, and up till today has not reared only pulled back and backed up away from the trailer. She luckily did not rear in the trailer but well outside of it.

Well I did just check in on her and tuck her in for the night and she finally let me do some gentle TTouch tech. with her. I am so glad that she is showing even little signs of improvement each time I go out to her.

Again thank you to everyone.

 

[Boinky]

you know she might just surprise you! sometimes once they've hurt themselves doing stupid crap like that they learn NOT to rear again ect! have you tried parking your trailer in her paddock and feeding her from it? just put it on the ramp at first and work it further and further in over a few day period. feed her buddie in there with her to keep her calm. do NOT close her in for a while. just let her get comfy going ina nd being able to go out as she pleases. works wonders but patience is the key!

 

[RJRMINIS]

Oh I know how you feel, I had a Qtr horse filly rear up on me in the barn, She hit her head just right and fell down and hit it again...............she didn't move, and I lost it, I wasn't sure what spooked her, she was doing so well, anyway, the vet gave her steriods, etc, and she would walk around with her head and neck held to one side.............Just terrible, I had to feed her with everything up, he said it was a good sign she was up & moving around we put DMSO on her neck, as it started to swell, I beat myself up over this, but like he said it was just a freak accident.

Sad thing with our filly is the next day she was sown with seizures, apparantly she had a blood clot break and it was awful, we go her to the vet, and within moments she passed away on us. He said it was a million to one chance she hit her head just right. :no:

I blamed myself over that for along time. I know freak accidents happen all the time, but it was so scarey and I will never forget it.

I'll pray for your mare to pull through this ok, and to work with trailering again. Do you have a big open trailer? I know sometimes they load better in a stock trailer where there is an open area, I had a friend that had a mare that was never would load in her slant trailer but would in a stock/open trailer...........just a thought.

Hang in there.

 

[busyminimom]

you know she might just surprise you! sometimes once they've hurt themselves doing stupid crap like that they learn NOT to rear again ect! have you tried parking your trailer in her paddock and feeding her from it? just put it on the ramp at first and work it further and further in over a few day period. feed her buddie in there with her to keep her calm. do NOT close her in for a while. just let her get comfy going ina nd being able to go out as she pleases. works wonders but patience is the key!

This is what we started about 2 weeks ago. Got the trailer in the paddock and had gotten her to eat in it sort of. It's a step up stock trailer and she would go so far as to put one leg up to eat. Just need to start all over now.

: Thanks

OH my KsCowgirl. That is exactly what our vet had warned us of. He said it would be a slim chance, but a possible worse case scenario seeing as she actually hit her head hard enough on the ground to knock herself out. Sorry for your filly.

What is DMSO? sorry don't recognize that. Thanks for the good thoughts.

 

[Boinky]

sounds like things got a little too rushed for her comfort. I'd definatly suggest starting over again and nto rushing it AT ALL ... unless this eye thing is a big emergency! is it possible to make some sort of chute you can run her through into the trailer? something that starts out wide and narrows down for a fairly long distance? Unfortunatly that doens't help you once you actually GET to the opthamologist because i'm sure he'll probably need you to take her out of the trailer.

 

[Devon]

Everyone makes msitakes and Im not going to tell you yu rushed or what you shoudl've had on her because Im sure through all your guilt you've thought thesee things over a million times. And you probably feel bad but its not your fault. I hope your mare gets better and Im sending prayers for you both to recove mentally and physically

:

 

[Vicky Texas]

Prayers for you horse

Vicky

I have decided to remove all about the Dually halters and Monty's training Tips.

I will be checking into it more.

 

[busyminimom]

Just an update......

My mare is doing better, little improvements each time I go out to see her. She is tenatively now able to reach her hay on the ground, is drinking well and even though it took longer she did eat her normal grain this am. Her withers is very swollen still and it goes into her right shoulder. I have a Holofiber stable blanket on her then her regular winter blanket on too so she is staying warm without having to work at it and I think the Holofiber blanket is helping with her stiffness. So thanks to all for all the wonderful thoughts and well wishes. I also have a lead on an equine opthamologist that may come to us!!!! If that works out then we can take it easy on the training with the trailer. Well we'll have too be easy with it anyway, but at least I don't have to stress about it for now.

Thanks to all again

:

 

[RJRMINIS]

you know she might just surprise you! sometimes once they've hurt themselves doing stupid crap like that they learn NOT to rear again ect! have you tried parking your trailer in her paddock and feeding her from it? just put it on the ramp at first and work it further and further in over a few day period. feed her buddie in there with her to keep her calm. do NOT close her in for a while. just let her get comfy going ina nd being able to go out as she pleases. works wonders but patience is the key!

This is what we started about 2 weeks ago. Got the trailer in the paddock and had gotten her to eat in it sort of. It's a step up stock trailer and she would go so far as to put one leg up to eat. Just need to start all over now.

: Thanks

OH my KsCowgirl. That is exactly what our vet had warned us of. He said it would be a slim chance, but a possible worse case scenario seeing as she actually hit her head hard enough on the ground to knock herself out. Sorry for your filly.

What is DMSO? sorry don't recognize that. Thanks for the good thoughts. [/quote/]

Here's the info on DMSO, you can order it through Valley Vet:

DMSO is used very widely in the horse industry -- and sometimes used too much, too often, and inappropriately. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a solvent for hydrocarbons, salts, and nitrogen-containing compounds. Because it penetrates body tissues quickly, and can "carry" other medications and substances with it, DMSO can be very useful for veterinarians. It can be used as a short-term topical application in conjunction with corticosteroids, for instance, if a horse is suffering from a non-infectious acute inflammation; or with antibiotics, which it will also carry through the skin and underlying tissues. And DMSO has some analgesic effects of its own, as well as some antibacterial and antifungal properties. But you're right, it's something to be used short-term, with great caution, and ALWAYS on the advice of, and in the way suggested by, a veterinarian.

Non-professionals can cause great damage to their horses by using DMSO inappropriately (on an open wound, or over a blister or liniment -- or over ANYTHING that shouldn't be carried into the body, and this includes applying DMSO to a dirty leg!). And you're right, it's a rubber-glove item: anyone who doesn't use rubber gloves while applying DMSO will effectively be applying DMSO to himself as well, and anything that's on that person's hands will be carried into his body along with the DMSO. And when you taste garlic, it's too late -- that means that the DMSO is already in your bloodstream. The FDA has approved DMSO specifically for the reduction of swelling due to trauma, and used properly, by a veterinarian, and on a short-term basis, it is very useful FOR THAT PURPOSE. Many trainers, especially at the racetrack, deal altogether too casually with DMSO. It's not meant to be used in breeding animals, and it DOES cause birth defects. And if your horse is a show horse, and you show under AHSA No Foreign Substance rules, then DMSO is not allowed.

The FDA has approved DMSO specifically for the reduction of swelling due to trauma, and used properly, by a veterinarian, and on a short-term basis, it is very useful FOR THAT PURPOSE.

We used it on my fillies neck due to the swelling she had.

 

[NyborFarm]

Oh the poor baby! She really is such a sweetheart. Im glad Justie is keeping an eye on her. Mum, dad, myself and Joey give our love. I hope she starts to feel better soon.

:

 

[PaintedPromiseRanch]

kinda late coming into this thread but wanted to say we have had great success with feeding in the trailer... first we bought a gelding, when we brought him home he hit his head backing out of the trailer, and that was it, he refused to go near it again. second we rescued an indian pony who had just had a foal, she wouldn't even go in the trailer for the foal... third we were purchasing a mule, she had only been in a trailer once in her life at 6 months old to leave her mother, and not seen one since. here's what we did: start by putting their food right inside the trailer so all they have to stick in is their head to eat. the only thing is you can NOT give in and remove the food if they don't eat - i had a friend who totally failed at this because she didn't give the horse enough time to eat in the trailer, she would give in and pull the food out - the mare quickly learned she didn't HAVE to eat in the trailer if she just waited a few minutes... but i digress! once they are comfortable eating with their head in the trailer (different for different horses of course) we move it back to where they have to get their front feet in. we did not hover either, we backed off and watched from afar, they need to learn that they are on their own with this and if they want their food they have to go in and get it. once they will go halfway in with no hesitation, move it all the way to the front (or if it's a really big trailer, at least far enough up that they have to get all the way in to reach it). the one drawback to this method is, you really need to leave the trailer there during the process...

with the gelding, he would get in but he never did like that 2-horse trailer, but loaded easily once we got a stock trailer... with the mare, within a week we had to pull the trailer because she was jumping in and out every five minutes just to see if there might have been some food put in there for her, and the noise was driving everyone nuts

: and with the mule, we left our trailer at the seller's house for a week and they followed our routine, when we went to pick her up we just hooked up the trailer, opened the door, and didn't even have to put any feed in for her to load.

i think part of the success with this method is that you are not right there trying to FORCE them to get in... with all three we offered them the feed, showed them where it was, and "left" so they did it on their own, without being pushed.

and of course this alone is not the answer, in the meantime bonding between the person and the horse is also very important! we have found that if the animal trusts their human, they will do incredible things if you just ask them to...

i hope your mare has a full recovery from her fall and the eye problem, and wish you good luck loading!!

 

[tagalong]

I am so sorry to hear about your mare's accident - I saw a similar one once - the fancy dressage horse DID have a trailer helmet on - he went over backwards so hard and so fast that he fatally injured himself.

As far as loading up afterwards - you do not need Monty Roberts halters or war bridles... (sorry Vicky Texas - with all due respect - do NOT get me started on the wrecks (and deceit) I saw that man cause/use - that may be the subject of another thread) .... you do not need anything more than patience and understanding. Find someone to help and ask around the area...

I could get her in for you once she is better... wish I lived closer.

:

I always put some feed in the trailer manger (or up at the other end if it is a stock trailer) so that once she is all the way in there is a bit of a reward....I use a very long cotton lead shank... and a dressage/driving whip or something long enough just to TAP gently on her butt. Tap tap. She takes a step forward. Praise. Stop tapping. Tap tap - ask for more. In a way - it is like clicker training... without a clicker. Instant recognizable reward for doing the right thing. Never get in the trailer ahead of them - you stay off to the side and they learn to load themselves. You can tap on their hips if they swing sideways. They need to back out quietly on command. Go right back in again. For a stock trailer, you can always have them turn around to come out - but I would always teach them to back out...

Years ago I worked at a mini/Arabian farm. Two of the Arabian mares were 12 and 8 - and had never been started. Lived all their lives in a huge field. Good to trim, worm etc. but had never been near a trailer.

Now - I'm no highly promoted Horse Whisperer with all the bells and whistles... just a quiet Nobody. The mares had been sold. They had to learn to load. I had taught many others before.... these two would just take more time - and patience. I parked the two-horse straight load trailer in the shade (always hooked to the truck so it does not move as much) and started with the very pushy, Alpha mare who figured she ruled the roost. Her older friend watched from the paddock gate. No time limit set. Just "a lesson". It would take as long as it took. No rushing.

I figured that this mare would be the hardest one I ever taught- and I was right... but after a slow, patient lesson (not without a few setbacks) and much disgust from the mare - I could stand at the side of the trailer and cue her to enter - she would load herself. I would wait until she was munching from the manger and a bit relaxed - then ask her to back out slowly - pausing as her hind feet cleared the trailer (or both hind feet had stepped down if no ramp was involved) and then continuing.

Once that mare had stopped sweating and fretting... and loaded/unloaded smoothly and easily... I turned her out in the paddock and brought the 12 year old up to the trailer for her lesson... she sniffed at the ramp... looked at me - and walked right in. Backed out when asked. All she did was watch - what a smart girl she was! And no - she had never EVER been in a trailer. Of any kind. But she wanted no part of that long, boring lesson. See? she said - I can do this. In. Out. No problem. When's dinner? :bgrin

And the next week both mares loaded themselves into a different trailer... unloaded quietly in the middle of a busy truck stop to meet the larger horse transport - and loaded into that strange trailer without batting an eye.

No horse ever left that farm who did not happily and quietly load (and unload) themselves.

And no gimmicks or Horse Whisperers needed.

I hope your mare continues to improve!!

:

 

[Vicky Texas]

As far as loading up afterwards - you do not need Monty Roberts halters or war bridles... (sorry Vicky Texas - with all due respect - do NOT get me started on the wrecks (and deceit) I saw that man cause/use - that may be the subject of another thread) .... you do not need anything more than patience and understanding. Find someone to help and ask around the area...

Okay, I would like to more, why you are against the halters? Please I do want to know more, and yes

this may need to be a new tread. I would like to know more, and you can PM me if you would like.

This halter and Join has help me with one horse. Who was impossible for me to handle. I do not jerk

on the halter, I do not mistreat him, Its better then Stud Chains. With this halter on, he walks for me,

stands for the farrier, He is so much more gentle. With Join up and the halter, he will load in a trailer.

I am working with the halter and without it. I work every day with him in his stall, with no halter on,

trying to teach him to trust me.

Join up, is teaching the horse to trust the owner or person. The horse is a herd animal, and this helps

to teach the horse to trust, the horse and the owner become like one. Yes, its like being a horse

whisper. I have been to Monty show, and I watch him on RFD TV, I am no expert, no trainer, just a

person who loves my horses. I have never seen him mistreat an animal. If I did, I would not watch

him, or use his products.

But with his halter and the join up, Apachie is learning to trust me, he is a different horse. He is an

8 year old. And before this he would rear and paw at me. I don't have anyone to help me, with him.

Its just me. With this halter and join up, working him in the round pen, he now is learning to trust me.

He is a different horse, he no longer rears, he no longer paws. This is not a mean colt, he is just so

scared of life. He has never been beaten, or hit, or mistreated. He just does not trust, and is easy

to become afraid. With join up, and working with him in his stall, just bending down, loving on him,

talking softly, he will now come to me, and let me pet him, he will now let me hug him. These are

things I learned from Monty's books.

And trust me, if I had seen Monty do something or cause an animal to get hurt, I would not use his

products, or read his books. I am just going by my own experience.

Vicky

 

[tagalong]

Vicky - the halters themselves are not a big deal - but Monty did NOT invent them... he just says he did. Similar things have been around for years.

Used correctly in the right situations, they may be fine. In the wrong hands... trouble. Nylon halters can burn...

Also - Monty did not invent joining up - or roundpen work... nor was he the inspiration for The Horse Whisperer... he just says he was..

As far as my Monty Roberts experiences go... it may be best in a new thread - but in brief... at one Join Up presentation... he ran a red filly ragged in the round pen - she repeatedly banged into the cage-like walls, scraping her nose and lips bloody... he ended up using two of his helpers to get tough on the filly - and put a war bridle on her :new_shocked: ... when one of those helpers tried to climb on the filly (even though she was not ready) she threw him... eventually she was so exhausted and sweaty that she just stood there shaking and one of the helpers climbed on her again... and Monty boasted that she was now perfectly broke as he led her around the pen and she stumbled and panted. No, she was exhausted. The non-horse people in the crowd burst into applause. The two cowboys sitting in front of me left in disgust.

A friend who was an excellent horseman was helping Mr. Roberts' crew organize horses for another demo. He trailered in one sensible but unstarted mare that he thought would make a good subject for the demo... and brought in a seasoned, well broke gelding to keep her company in the trailer. Monty looked over the mare for about 30 seconds... and said the mare was "impossible"... and then said he would use the gelding for a trailer loading demo. My friend said - but he loads easily - he loads himself!! (this friend taught me how to teach horses to load) Monty said - but THEY (the crowd coming to watch the demo) will not know that... say what??!

My friend was surprized - but let Monty use the gelding - who was introduced during the demo as troubled, skittish and terrified of the trailer. Only - he was none of those things... thus Monty did not "fix" him... or train him. The crowd loved it when in a matter of minutes, Monty taught that "terrified" horse to load himself. Quite the Horse Whisperer.

*snort*

Anyway - that is the short version. And JMHO...