# Horse biting at his knee's?



## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

I got a phone call just a few mins ago that my horse was in his stall biting at his knee's and pawing at the ground..
I dont know why my guy would do this, any ideas?????
We've gotten some rain today so I just thought maybe he was throwing an antsy fit or something about the mud?? I dont know..
She said she went down to check on him and he seemed fine other than the weird behavior.
(I'll see him tomorrow to double check his feet and knee's)
I am just wondering if any of you would know what would cause this behavior and if I should be worried??
Mind you he is a 5yr old and I have seen him throw some paw action "tantrums" before. I just dont want to dismiss it in case if he is in pain..Ive never seen a horse bite at his knee's before have you?


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Without seeing it's hard to tell. I had horses bite their pasterns and cannonbones due to bugs who emerged after a rain in warm weather. 12 horses. All biting/ scratching, but one went nuts and started running....had to flyspray him to make him stop.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Ha ha desert..Yea that sounds about right.
When I brought him in his pen earlier this evening he did have a patch of flies on his back and I sprayed him there...You may be right its just flies bugging him because I didnt spray his belly or legs..It was a quick pen up and leave before the rain..
She said "Your horse is Nuts!" He's biting at his front knee's and pawing ever so often..Ive seen him do this a couple times as I am walking down to feed in the mornings..(Could be antsy) I told her as long as he dont look like he's colicing then I will wait to see him in the morning and she said no-not colicing he's just a freak..Ha ha!


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

The ones who bothered my horses I couldn't see...so I guess they were a type of gnat. 
Here we have a smaller fly, sits in clusters on the horse and obviously bites. My greys have tiny blood spots on the legs and stomp a lot. They are also not very agile, when I spray or wipe stuff on, I frequently wipe some of them too. Strange. I noticed they were bad yesterday, they windrowed the alfalfa next to my paddocks. It had gotten rained on.....sooooo, spray legs too;-)


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I agree with bug bites or even tick bites:shock: It really tissed me off the other day when I found blood in my 25 yo's ears from the No-See-Ums. Already! The house flies aren't even out n about yet:-(

And sometimes my knee-biting horse will actually be trying to reach for the chestnuts. I've noticed, on him anyway, if they grow too big and I don't whack them off, he will start trying to bite at them so must itch him for some reason.

This particular horse is in his mid-20's, has EMS and grows a really thick winter coat. About this time of year he starts getting the itchies, so I clip all that hair off and the chestnuts "get gone", as well.

It's probably plenty warm enough where you live to wash your horse's lower legs with some sort of medicated shampoo. I'm not much for a full bath, just yet but it wouldn't hurt to clip and wash his lower legs


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## SaddleOnline (Oct 20, 2011)

I would guess bugs, or if it rained and is muddy, as the mud dries on his legs it could be itchy. I second the medicated scrub for his legs just to be safe- I love products with tea tree oil in them for legs and skin health.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Thank you for the tips
Saddleonline,walkinthewalk and desert. )
I went down and checked him out today..Both front knee's seem a little swollen and like yours deserthorsewoman there was one blood spot mark I seen on him..I rubbed and felt both front knee's and they dont seem tender to touch or squishy...No heat..No limping...
Ive narrowed it down to a tantrum possibly bugs bothering him or boredom.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Nasty boogger bugs.....I know why I keep my guys sprayed on the lower legs....seems to bother them most down there.
I'm glad he's okay....such a cute boy


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Thank you  I am going to saddle him up this weekend and have some pony time in! Its been a while for ground work and pleasure due to bad weather here.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Just noticed, you're not even 90 miles from me;-).....was wondering what bad weather....;-)


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Wow, cool!!!


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Just had snow last month ha ha!!! Rain....Rain and more rain...You know spring showers bring May flowers. ) 90 miles....Your not to far!!


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Where abouts are you at?? I am just outside of Fresno/Live in the mnts called Piedra up by Pine Flat Lake.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Los Banos.....all flat...I can see Thursday who'll come to visit Sunday.
We had 50 mile an hour winds for almost three days....my shed roof is a puzzle now:-/


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Ha ha ha ha!!! "you see Thurs and who will come Sun"
My Husband works up around that area during the wk..He is all over the Bay area..
I seen you have quite a collection of horses in your album. I just have the one right now. The white one with the Appy-tude lol!
I dont like the wind, I dont know how you deal with that??


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Atwater is about two hrs from me..I stand corrected Husband works San Jose, Hayward area's..Sometimes and he hates it! San Francisco areas..Its nice to meet you on here! Who knows, maybe some day can meet in person.
39yo married female...I have two boys one 21 and the other 11yrs.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

I don't....im a nervous wreck. Especially after seeing the metal sheets flying off, one landing IN the paddock. My horses haven't slept the three days, I expect to see them flat out tonight. 
The majority of horses in my album I had. When living in Europe. Currently I have three. The two in my avatar, Snipper and Patino, and Beau.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

I think I can remember taking 152 to the bay area one time to meet w/hubby its off of 99south for me...And 152 is a long stretch of nothing rd/Flat yessss!


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Charley horse said:


> Atwater is about two hrs from me..I stand corrected Husband works San Jose, Hayward area's..Sometimes and he hates it! San Francisco areas..Its nice to meet you on here! Who knows, maybe some day can meet in person.
> 39yo married female...I have two boys one 21 and the other 11yrs.


Nice to meet you, too
female, 56, married, no children, only horses and cats
My hubby works in Hollister, but insists on living as far as possible from it....so he does Pacheco Pass twice a day.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

I could only imagine..We had some of those winds run through here Monday w/rain..Well you have some good looking horses there. And good luck getting that roof fixed where the sheets of metal came off..


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

"Horses and cats are good!!!" I dont know about the pacheco pass..Must be a commute?? 
I'll have to friend you on here to keep in touch..My hubby stays gone during the wk while working he just stay's there and comes home on the weekends..Horses are my passion in life I have to have one...I had two different types of arabs before my appy I have now..I hated my H for it but had to get rid of them..He was upset because I went off one and broke my arm..Crazzzy! Things like that happen sometimes.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Charley horse said:


> I could only imagine..We had some of those winds run through here Monday w/rain..Well you have some good looking horses there. And good luck getting that roof fixed where the sheets of metal came off..


Hubby is, of course, gone to school for a week, so fixing the roof will have to wait. 
Thanks for the compliment
They're not only good looking, they're also very good kids. They chose us, btw. Patino made crystal clear he wanted to come with us, and we just couldn't leave his buddy Snipper behind( bad situation). Beau started licking my hand, eyes closed, off in Lala land....done deal also.....that's how I pick my horses;-)


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Charley horse said:


> "Horses and cats are good!!!" I dont know about the pacheco pass..Must be a commute??
> I'll have to friend you on here to keep in touch..My hubby stays gone during the wk while working he just stay's there and comes home on the weekends..Horses are my passion in life I have to have one...I had two different types of arabs before my appy I have now..I hated my H for it but had to get rid of them..He was upset because I went off one and broke my arm..Crazzzy! Things like that happen sometimes.


That could have happened with any horse....so I take it he's not into horses?


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Yea at that time I dont know what he was thinking, I am still sore about it and it was over 4yrs ago this happened...I am sore because I raised the Polish Arab from the time he was 1yr...His mother died giving birth so his odd werent good but he made it..And had a personality!!! Then I later got a mare she was Spanish Arab 2 when I got her and had her four yrs..But the gelding I had for over 15yrs...Now I am doing it all over again with a five yr old appy...So this time hopefully it wont get taken away from me.. This appy was "trained" at two yrs of age I dont know much history just that kids rode him and a lady had to get rid of him because she was preggers/she gave him to some ppl w/a dairy farm and he was put out to pasture w/dairy cows!!! For a whole year!!! Eating nothing but their kind of food....He got real skinny
They realized they couldnt take care of him so found my niece to give him too for a couple hundred bucks..She got him at three yrs of age and did nothing w/him just focused on putting on weight...Once she realized he was to much horse for her I opened my mouth w/the idea "I can train him I did two horses before" ha ha ha!!! I got him for free, but board him down on her property..Its the same property I am on - she is just down our road..So he gets to stay w/2other horses..
This is the first big horse I have ever had. I had a quarter horse once w/my arab gelding but sold him then later got that mare I was talking about, but this guy is 16.3hh and just turned 5!
I didnt know if he had been ridden or what when I got him I just knew he was PUSHY! He would try to intimidate you when you walked in his stall by walking into you!! After a wk of me ground working him he dont do that anymore..Ive only taken him out to ride on the property twice so still dont know him well enough yet I just have to trust in my ground work Ive done w/him...(He spooked a lot when I took him out those 2 times) but he gives to pressure and you can refocus his mind easily..So its all fun for me again!
Annnndddd Yea that can happen on any horse
That was totally my fault I have never fell off a horse before in my life but I shouldn't have been riding because I just came out of a cast for surgery on a tendon on my left ankle...I was loping w/my feet out of the stirrups/ and a jump did me in....Was not the horses fault it was mine..


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

deserthorsewoman said:


> They're not only good looking, they're also very good kids. They chose us, btw. Patino made crystal clear he wanted to come with us, and we just couldn't leave his buddy Snipper behind( bad situation). Beau started licking my hand, eyes closed, off in Lala land....done deal also.....that's how I pick my horses;-)


Did you rescue them? Thats great they are good kids.
You pick your horses out if they lick your hand?? Hey if it works!:wink:
Ive never gotten to pick mine just came across my (3free) in my life and that quarter horse I bought, he was a good boy just had a choppy gait that hurt my back so I sold him to a neighbor.
Each horse has its own personality dont it?! 
If I had to pick one I think I would go by its mannerism, I want CALM now ha ha ha!!! And look I dont think I have a calm horse..Yet


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

So your husband should've given YOU away....not the horses....;-)

So, where did they end up, do you know? Just wondering. People around here don't seem to care or know much about Arabians unless it can do barrels......


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Charley horse said:


> Did you rescue them? Thats great they are good kids.
> You pick your horses out if they lick your hand?? Hey if it works!:wink:
> Ive never gotten to pick mine just came across my (3free) in my life and that quarter horse I bought, he was a good boy just had a choppy gait that hurt my back so I sold him to a neighbor.
> Each horse has its own personality dont it?!
> If I had to pick one I think I would go by its mannerism, I want CALM now ha ha ha!!! And look I dont think I have a calm horse..Yet


I sort of rescued Snipper and Patino. Owner in jail, his brother who took care of the horses ran out of money, they were in a flake of straw each a day. He was ready to take them to auction. 
Beau was just for sale, owner had a bad back, couldn't ride anymore and we were looking for a quiet, tall horse for hubby(6'6"). 
I pick them if we click. Horse has to be interested in being with me. Nor for food or treats, just for company. No matter hoe well trained, if it doesn't click, horse is not coming. 
We live with our horses, they're 10 feet from my house. I don't want a piece of equipment only, if you know what I mean


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Try some petroleum jelly (vaseline) on his knees and down the cannon bone. Bugs don't like it. My horses do this when the bot flies are out. They generally bite from the knees down and leave tiny yellow eggs.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Ha ha yea but its the other way around "I'm the horse lover" lol!!! 
You would think after ten grand in doc bills I would of gotten the boot~ ha ha!!!!
My gelding I had for so lonnng I dont know???  Thats what hurts. He took them both to this persons house that does auctions...And she said they were both to good looking to go to an auction so she gave the mare to a person I know. "So I know she is okay" But the gelding I just heard that he was w/a family that had kids and he is a companion to another horse...Thats all I know. Annnnndddd its a waste for both of them because I PUT alot of time in the both of them to get them where they were..The accident was totally my fault the poor mare was shaking and scared to death when I went off and she tried not to step on me..Yea your right though arabs do get a bad rap in this area where we live. Everyone is into quarters, and paints..Some thoroughbreds...I have two Thoroughbred ranches I live next too for racing...

Good thing you got those horses! Straw has no nutrients for them..
six six is tall, my son is 6'4 and my horse is a good size for him..

Same here mine is not a tool he's for pleasure, my soul..
Married into 1800acres we live on here..."Recently sold to cattleman" But 40 is secure we are living on and another 40 down there where I have mine staying at is secure and separate from the 1800.. So yea same property just different area of living quarters..I go down and feed mornings she does it at night..So I am kinda earning my keep for boarding there..And they love my horse so enjoy getting to see him daily there..All I need is a fence and I could have him here but not sure if we are going to stay anymore? We would love to buy somewhere in Nevada area...I dont like California anymore "laws and prices of crap"


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

*saddlebag* - I'll keep an eye out for those pesty critters and do that ty..Right now I am not noticing anything and he's not doing that biting at the knee's..Its so easy to see everything on him since he's white.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Charley horse said:


> Ha ha yea but its the other way around "I'm the horse lover" lol!!!
> You would think after ten grand in doc bills I would of gotten the boot~ ha ha!!!!
> My gelding I had for so lonnng I dont know???  Thats what hurts. He took them both to this persons house that does auctions...And she said they were both to good looking to go to an auction so she gave the mare to a person I know. "So I know she is okay" But the gelding I just heard that he was w/a family that had kids and he is a companion to another horse...Thats all I know. Annnnndddd its a waste for both of them because I PUT alot of time in the both of them to get them where they were..The accident was totally my fault the poor mare was shaking and scared to death when I went off and she tried not to step on me..Yea your right though arabs do get a bad rap in this area where we live. Everyone is into quarters, and paints..Some thoroughbreds...I have two Thoroughbred ranches I live next too for racing...
> 
> ...


we too are looking at Nevada or Arizona 
it depends for us where work is. We even considered what you guys are doing, gone for the workweek, home on weekends. I guess I could deal with it;-). Get him a travel trailer....hmmm.........;-)


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

That's neat you are thinking that way too! Yea my H does the out of town work..He would still have too even if we moved but we would be out of cali..
We have a travel trlr its not being used now but he would save money using it instead of using all his comp for rms.
"They if yours worked in cali" would have to commute over the Donner Pass..I hear it gets hairy in the winter months..I am so use to him being gone during the wk I dont know what I would do if he were home everynight??? lol!!!! He has been doing it for 15yrs or better..


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

I hear ya....;-)
We had somewhat decided to not do that anymore after 8 years of him in Korea and me in Italy, seeing each other "live" twice a year for ten days, minus the jetlag....


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Here is a pic my son w/Charlie when I first got him back in Aug of last yr..I had put a saddle on him for the first time not knowing his knowledge or where this horse was at during this time...Ha ha my son hopped up and sat in the seat - I was freaking out thinking the horse was going to take off bucking..He didnt though, I just made him get down lol! I dont have any of me riding ugh! because usually I am the one that's always taking pictures. I'll have to get some this summer.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

deserthorsewoman said:


> I hear ya....;-)
> We had somewhat decided to not do that anymore after 8 years of him in Korea and me in Italy, seeing each other "live" twice a year for ten days, minus the jetlag....


Now that had to of been hard!


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Wasn't easy at times. But we survived. 
The positive thing about all that is, when he has to go away for a week or two, to school, it doesn't phase me a bit. Unless, of course, roofs blow down or the like.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

For sure, then your on your own for a while.
Took some photo's of my guy today the "knee biter" lol!!!
I cant wait till this weekend to saddle him up and put put around on for a while..
He has to be worked first so it will be a full day of Charley.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Nice guy 
And I envy you for the pastures. And trees. And hills. And the clear air. 
Although I can't complain, this morning I smelled freshly cut hay instead of dairy. And it was somewhat clear air. 
Oh, Pacheco Pass....ask your hubby. He should know it.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

It is beautiful here now I agree! I do love the greenery~ Ever so often I go out and just look..We wont have all this soon as it starts warming up it will turn yellow..This is the best time of the year right now.
Pacheco does sound familiar - I will ask him lol!!


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Here is a pic of Monday..I just took these for fb
And a pic down by the lower rd..The property where my horse is at.
Maybe one day you can make it out for a trail ride w/me?! Who knows??
We sold the majority of the property here but I still have ACCESS to it! tee-heeee....
I think the new buyer is going to keep it the same as it and use it for cattle..I think I heard he may put in a cabin up here "I am guessing for hunting or vacationing?"


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

It's 152 going over to Hollister, Gilroy, San Jose. Pacheco state park, San Luis reservoir. Beautiful country.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Are you on fb?? I can pm you my name and you can join me there if you have a fb..I have a ton of pic's there of the property here...


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Oh yea I am sure he has seen that area he is there all the time..."Lucky Duck"
He dont think so but I do..


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

I sent you a pm


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