This message is from: "Joanna Crell and David folger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
From the nature of the activities described, I agree with those who would first look at physical problems, start simple. An incredible abcess anywhere on the body from deep in a hoof to a tooth to the poll or anywhere on the spine can cause remarkably insane and erratic behavior. The animal does not necessarily exhibit normal pain responses and can just jump out of their skin in one hot moment. ANy infection in the blood will cause a variety of symptoms or reactions. Spinal problems; complicated to figure out and and to treat. Many directions to go from chiropracty to examining the spinal fluid. Parasites; can cause an incredible variety of problems leading to outrageous behavior, from Uveitis to EPM their are some horrible lurking creeps. Virus; affecting brain, or tissues, creating havoc. Hard to pin down and hard to treat. Lastly, a possibility that is sad but real, a brain tumor. I rode a great horse in college; played polo, jumped and ran barrels with Drum and one day he flipped. Bucking wildly after a great warm-up, he put me into a steel girder in the ring. Freaked like he had been hit by lightning but was a lamb the next moment. The next few days he would be normal and then do something totally out of character. We had a vet come and he told us he had a brain tumor. I guess he imaged it and saw an anurysm in the making and a very bad situation. We put him down on the spot and I could barely stand to hear the autopsy results. Right now I have an old horse that is a Special olympics champion who has Cushings disease , a tumor on his pituitary. He is what we call hormonally challenged, and is becoming very affected in his attitude and his failing body. I have put him on pergolide which is a very serious drug and I can only hope that it helps him to feel better. I spend alot of time reading veterinary information and reports on many subjects because it is so important to know how best to manage our very diverse and "priceless herd" of therapy horses. While I don't live close to a great vet center like Tufts, Rochester or the Marion Dupont, I do have a GREAT vet, who puts us in touch with good labs and has good equipment himself. Having an MRI might be outrageously expensive but so is losing a horse or god forbid, a human if that horse has an episode. Confidence is too valuable to lose as well, so make every attempt to find out if this has a physical evidence trail. I liked the logic that some listers had in looking at how and when the behavior occurred. AND yes it would be sad but possible if something weird or cruel had happened to this horse that was unknown to his owner. I guess a video monitor could have shed light on that. Horses in North Carolina that were acting strangely were found to have been molested. I can't imagine. In the meantime I hope there is some simple answer, a saddle not fitting would be so easy.......... good luck! Joanna Crell and David Folger Willowind Therapeutic Riding and Driving Center State Hwy 3 box 1140 Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-9721 (207)288-9506 phone and fax [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.willowind.org--
