# Wild Animal Attack



## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

My horse was attacked by some kind of wild animal while he was in his stall. We can't figure out what it might be. He has claw marks on his neck and some on his hind end. Had to call the vet to staple one of the deep ones closed. Seems like he tried to kick at whatever it was with his front leg, as he has a scrape there as well. Now he seems antsy in his stall....pinning his ears back. We think it might have been a mountain lion or bobcat. Anyone else seen anything like this? Please see attached photos.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

im no expert, but i have a feeling (correct me if im wrong) those would probably be way deeper if it was a montain lion or bobcat. is his stall indoors?


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

Thank you for your response. No, his stall is outside and there is nothing sharp in his stall that can do that. We are all baffled at the barn.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

where do you live? could it have been a cat (im not sure if a cat could do that kind of damage though...) ummm a monkey or something? haha im out of ideas, what is a small animal with sharp claws? because im not sure a caugar would go into a horses stall? but maybe im wrong


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## BarnBratt (Oct 11, 2010)

Weird.....Sorry but I'm lost at what it could be


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

oh what if it was a bird?!?! is there any kind of nest anywhere near his stall?


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

My line of thinking is (I may be wrong) it has to be some kind of cat. A cat usually goes for the top of the neck as a dog would go for the throat and belly. If your horse was in a stall the cat would have had to jump into the stall. Most dogs would not bother. 

I don't think the wounds are large enough for a cougar and if it was one it probably would have finished your horse. I honestly think it could have been a bobcat. If your horse was fighting it off it wouldn't have a chance to make really deep marks. It looks a lot like this:


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## BarnBratt (Oct 11, 2010)

It could be a bobcat, but why would it attack a horse?


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

BarnBratt said:


> It could be a bobcat, but why would it attack a horse?


it mightve looked like easy prey, or the bobcat might have been having trouble finding prey, so it was deperate to find something


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

With winter coming on...maybe they have less prey. Is your area known for wild cats?


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## GreyRay (Jun 15, 2010)

Where is your location? My sisters mare was attacked by a bob cat, and the marks where MUCH deeper, and they were on her chest and flank.

Could it have been a '****? Or even a Lynx?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

Lynx and Bobcats are pretty similiar... maybe it was a young one?


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## GreyRay (Jun 15, 2010)

Lynx are smaller... Arent they? Sorry, I have too much info smooshed in my brain lol.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

I think they are about the same size.... I'm not sure if the attack could be from a lynx or bobcat...wouldn't they consider a horse to be too large of a prey? They'd have to be really desperate for some food to attack a horse. I changed my mind...lol. Way too much human scent and too large of a prey.

edited: Lynx are bigger?









Maybe this was a hybrid cat like a Bengal?


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## BarnBratt (Oct 11, 2010)

^ That's what I was thinking. Horses are big animals and bobcats are about the size of a small dog correct?


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## zaudika (Nov 7, 2010)

Could a racoon or angry badger of some sort cause marks that deep? I know they have nasty claws and will attack if scared. My other thought is wolverine, but I don't think those are around populated areas. 

What's odd to me is it looks like a really WIDE spread... how far apart (inches) is each scratch?


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Bob cats are relatively small. I'm thinking he would not have attacked on purpose. He probably got himself in a comprimmised position and thought he was fighting for his life. He may have climbed up the horse on his way out of the stall....


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## GreyRay (Jun 15, 2010)

Maybe someones pet bobcat got out and it only caused minimal damage because it's claws were filed? jk!

But yeah, if he had feed in his stall, I think it could have been a racoon. Or maybe a bobcat chasing a rat?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

Did your vet have an opinion on what it could be?


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## mysticdragon72 (Nov 1, 2010)

Looks to me like he rubbed something that cut him. The pattern of claw marks isn't right for a wild animal unless that animal has 7 claws! Just saying cuz if it was an animal and it scratched twice the marks wouldn't be that evenly spaced. Could he have reared up and caught some nails overhead? You say there's nothing in his stall that's sharp BUT did you look overhead?

Just an idea.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

im thinkin a bird.... haha and if you think im crazy, a hawk attacked my dad when he was biking, and a bunch of different hawks attacked several mail carriers... so maybe it built a nest and was protective of it? lol it sound ridiculous, but thats all i can think of, haha.


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

mysticdragon- She said there are scratch marks on his hind legs as well....

OP: What does the other side of the horse's neck look like?


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Raccoon


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

what about a possum? It could have paniked and scurried up the horses back legs. it happerned to my mums pony when she was younger. but other than that owuldnt have a clue


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

I'm thinking if it was an animal, that it was on the smaller side, and that either the horse startled it, or the animal was scrounging for food, and happened to run into the horse and got scared, or the horse go too friendly. If it was an animal trying to actually attack and kill your horse, there would have been more wounds and either on the underside of the neck, or along the back where the animal would jump on the horse to try and take him down, but in that case it would have had to have been a pretty big animal to try that. Depending on where you are, I would maybe ask around, and see if anyone's seen an injured wild animal of some sort, cause chances are you horse managed to at least kick it once really good, and get it to go away. I would also double check places on the property, barns, sheds, things like that where animals might try to hide or nest, especially if they aren't used regularly, and see if there are any that may have animals living in them. Board up the places really well, make sure that animals can't get into them and hide or make nests or anything else like that.


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

dressagebelle said:


> I'm thinking if it was an animal, that it was on the smaller side,
> 
> hence, possum or another type of small animal, but it depends on where you live, you see, we dont have racoons or anything in Ausstraila unless it is in a zoo. but im not quiet sure what it could be to be honest. sorry i couldnt help a littl bit more. hope you find out what it is and hope your poor horse is ok


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

Definitely need more info. Maybe a pic of the stall too. A pic of the horse not just the neck.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

yeah that may help, the other cuts may help us to distinguish the claw petterns and spacing, if that makes sense?


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

We thought of a bird or hawk, but didn't find any feathers around, but guess it could have been. There are no nests anywhere around his stall. Thanks, though.


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

There were not any other cuts on his rump, just claw marks in his hair. The cut on his leg was an abrasion of the hair, like he scraped the hair off.


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

I live in AZ and we do have coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions in our area. We also have many hawks, but I have never in my life heard of a hawk attacking a horse in a covered stall. Would be very odd, but not impossible.


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

Hear me out..- what if a *cat/****/possum* was in the stall and the horse grabbed the animal (lets say by the tail) and swung it to the side and the animal grabbed him on the neck... LOL


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

That's possible....there is a cinder block wall/fence behind his stall and it definitely could have jumped into his stall from the fence or out onto the fence. Needless to say, whatever it was, it got him good.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Looks like if it was a cat of sorts, it was doing something similar to climbing up the horse's neck. See how the marks are angled towards the head? Cats don't scratch up, it couldn't have been on the horse's back.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## lacyloo (Jul 1, 2008)

I Agree, It looks as if whatever the animal was, had no intentions of killing the horse, but getting away.


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## morganslittleleo (Nov 3, 2010)

Possibly a raccon Hopefully your horse has his rabies vaccine


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## Snookeys (Sep 23, 2010)

I definitely think those are claw marks... they look like clean cuts. It's possible the horse is the one who provoked the attack, maybe pinned the animal down and the animal clawed at its neck to get away? Could explain the marks on the forelegs, too.


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## Snookeys (Sep 23, 2010)

Also, sorry for the double post - I agree with morganslittleleo. We once had a horse get bit by a skunk and catch rabies.


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

I'm sitting here trying to picture the situation. Because there is no pics of the shelter/stall I can only say what others say and a possible animal trying to escape your horse. I know our horses get territorial when the cats get near them. The horses will bite them and try to scratch their face. So who knows. Hopefully its a isolated incident.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Indyhorse (Dec 3, 2009)

Those don't look like claw marks to me. There was a horse at the farm I used to work at that got a very similar injury - even with a scrape on the rump as well. He had stretched out flat on his side, and gotten his head caught under the stall door, and and scraped his neck in a similar way moving his head back and forth trying to get free before the barn manager got him loose. This horse was kept in a pipe corral type stall, and the scrapes were caused by a small "burr" of metal on the underside of the pipe. I'd be more inclined to think something like that happened, then that it was caused by any animal, based on the appearance of the injury.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Do you have any other options for stabling or a large area? He sounds like a sitting duck and won't have any room to flee.


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## dee (Jul 30, 2009)

Indy - your explanation sounds most plausible. 

However, I have seen our semi-feral cats use the horses as a "launching pad" of sorts to try to catch birds. They sometimes have some shallow scratches where the _rear_ claws scratch whatever part of the body they jump _from_. The thing is, our horses are in open lots, not a covered stall. Then again. I've seen the stupid cats walk right over a horse that's laying down, startling it and causing it to jump up. If cat is still on the horse when that happens, I've seen some small scratches. Needless to say, our horses are not particularly cat friendly anymore.


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## Crossover (Sep 18, 2010)

scrapinpics said:


> My horse was attacked by some kind of wild animal while he was in his stall. We can't figure out what it might be. He has claw marks on his neck and some on his hind end. Had to call the vet to staple one of the deep ones closed. Seems like he tried to kick at whatever it was with his front leg, as he has a scrape there as well. Now he seems antsy in his stall....pinning his ears back. We think it might have been a mountain lion or bobcat. Anyone else seen anything like this? Please see attached photos.


Being the devil's advocate, are you sure it wasn't a two footed animal? My husband says it seems to uniform to be an animal. So we're voting for accident in stall or human interference.


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

I am going to agree with Indy. To uniform for animal marks. When my granddaughters horse was chased/caught by a mountain lion in Nevada, the main gash was huge and horrible, it is still healing and has been months. She also had claw marks on her butt, they were deep and were uniform, marks on each side of her hindquarters. If indeed it was an animal, I hope your horse was vaccinated for rabies. My daughters/granddaughters horses were and sure was thankful for that. They were also in a pasture by a hill and away from the house.
If an animal comes into a stall and attacks a horse, it is either very old and sick and weak or rabid.


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## Tulula81 (Oct 11, 2010)

Indyhorse said:


> Those don't look like claw marks to me. There was a horse at the farm I used to work at that got a very similar injury - even with a scrape on the rump as well. He had stretched out flat on his side, and gotten his head caught under the stall door, and and scraped his neck in a similar way moving his head back and forth trying to get free before the barn manager got him loose. This horse was kept in a pipe corral type stall, and the scrapes were caused by a small "burr" of metal on the underside of the pipe. I'd be more inclined to think something like that happened, then that it was caused by any animal, based on the appearance of the injury.


I'm in agreement that these do not look like animal marks. My first thought was a pitchfork. Maybe some punks were messing with your horse? The marks are too uniform IMHO to be a wild animal. :think:


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## tealamutt (Aug 21, 2009)

I like Indy's explaination the best, but I'm opposed to the bob-cat theory. The location and size is consistent with them, is your horse vaccinated for rabies? As other posters mentioned, this is odd behavior for a cat that small so I'd start thinking about it being an ill animal in the first place. Hope your guy makes a full recovery, he's probably so traumatized!


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## tealamutt (Aug 21, 2009)

GreyRay said:


> Maybe someones pet bobcat got out and it only caused minimal damage because it's claws were filed? jk!
> 
> But yeah, if he had feed in his stall, I think it could have been a racoon. Or maybe a bobcat chasing a rat?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Ok I know this was a joke BUT we had a client who had a cerval imported from Africa (I don't know why people want exotic "pets", it is beyond me)

We had filed his teeth (again, not my choice, I wasn't the vet!) and kept his claws clipped for the man because he was going thru chemotherapy and was immunocomprimised. Thank GOD he agreed to neutering because at 1 year old the cat escaped and was spotted a few times over the next 6 months by hunters in the area. Of course the old fool went out and bought another cerval but I'm just saying, you never know what could be roaming your area!!


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## Katesrider011 (Oct 29, 2010)

How many claws does a bob cat have? I counted six scratches. This is on the assumption the cat used all his claws on his paw to scratch the horse, cause why wouldn't it? I would like to say it was animals, but there are sickos out there who will do this to a horse or any other animal, and if it was I really hope they get caught, and a taste of a bullet when they get caught in the act. If anything I hope it was just a stall accident. Sending good vibes for the horse to heal though. God bless it.


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

Thanks for your reply....we checked his stall for just that...something he could have scratched his neck on and there is nothing sharp at all. The roof is too high for him to touch even if he reared up. Our vet did mention that some gangs could have come in and got him with some sort of garden tool. I guess that is possible, but certainly odd. He said he had never seen anything like this in his 30 years of practice. BTW, Bellagio is doing well...healing nicely, but still sometimes skittish in his stall. We are thinking of moving him to another one soon.


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

The vet thought of that too...punks in a gang that maybe needed blood from a horse as some kind of initiation. Don't know how they could pull it off though, their first trial would have gotten the horse pretty riled up unless they were holding him in his halter...anyhow, if they were punks, I hope Bellagio kicked them a good one.


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

Crossover said:


> Being the devil's advocate, are you sure it wasn't a two footed animal? My husband says it seems to uniform to be an animal. So we're voting for accident in stall or human interference.


We thought of that too....punks looking out to hurt a horse or to get blood...crazy world we live in.


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## Katesrider011 (Oct 29, 2010)

Crazy Crazy Crazy, Let's hope that it won't happen again, I'd be more cautious now though. If I caught them they'd get a good taste of My ar-15, wouldn't kill em but they'd be in pain.


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## Fluffy Pony (May 2, 2010)

Im saying could be human..... Too many "claw marks" then an animal would do.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Katesrider011 (Oct 29, 2010)

Fluffy Pony said:


> Im saying could be human..... Too many "claw marks" then an animal would do.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


And too uniform. I say it was punks.


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

stupid idiots. why would they do a thing like that? I read in the newspaper of a 1 weeks old foal that was bashed to death a beaten around the eyes with a nail gun by a few teens. How sick and disturbing and CRUEL!!!


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## Katesrider011 (Oct 29, 2010)

PintoTess said:


> stupid idiots. why would they do a thing like that? I read in the newspaper of a 1 weeks old foal that was bashed to death a beaten around the eyes with a nail gun by a few teens. How sick and disturbing and CRUEL!!!


My guess for the foal incident is:

1. They are mentally ill and need help. 
2. Someone dared them to do it. 
3. They get pleasure out of feeling power by over taking a powerless creature such as a foal. 
4. Antisocial Personality disorder (People who could careless about others and what they do to you) Often their victims are animals at first then they get bored and move to humans. (Start of a serial killer.) 


And my guess for the "Wild Animal Attack" would be punks doing initiation cause it doesn't look like it was their intent to kill the horse, otherwise, they would have done more damage to the horse. But still it amazes me that people do this kind of stuff. That poor horse is probably traumatized now...


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

You all are terrific sleuths. I wish our horse could talk and just tell me what happened. He does seem a bit skittish in his stall. We may move him soon. Whatever happened, Katesrider is right, the intent was not to kill him...perhaps ferrel cat or some other critter trying to get away...a hawk would have gone for the eyes...bobcat or mountain lion would have done more damage..human punk just causing trouble. It will remain a mystery I guess.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

So is this horse at your house or someone's property? Can know one tell if someone comes around? Why is he in an open stall and not in a larger area or a barn?


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

churumbeque said:


> So is this horse at your house or someone's property? Can know one tell if someone comes around? Why is he in an open stall and not in a larger area or a barn?


We board him at a local barn. He is in a covered mare hotel with 5 other horses in his row and 6 other horses across from him. He was by himself in his stall at the time as the two horses on either side of him were out with their owners. We think it happened between 4 and 5:45 PM and no one heard anything unusual. I am telling you it is very bizarre but he is doing well, finished with his antibiotics and seems to be recovering, except he is a little skittish in his stall. Thanks.


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## dee (Jul 30, 2009)

The idea of people hurting your horse and killing that foal gave me nightmares. It was like history was repeating itself after losing my DJ to brutality. I hope you find out what happened, and/or the BO takes steps to beef up security...


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

mysticdragon72 said:


> Looks to me like he rubbed something that cut him. The pattern of claw marks isn't right for a wild animal unless that animal has 7 claws! Just saying cuz if it was an animal and it scratched twice the marks wouldn't be that evenly spaced. Could he have reared up and caught some nails overhead? You say there's nothing in his stall that's sharp BUT did you look overhead?
> 
> Just an idea.





Indyhorse said:


> Those don't look like claw marks to me. There was a horse at the farm I used to work at that got a very similar injury - even with a scrape on the rump as well. He had stretched out flat on his side, and gotten his head caught under the stall door, and and scraped his neck in a similar way moving his head back and forth trying to get free before the barn manager got him loose. This horse was kept in a pipe corral type stall, and the scrapes were caused by a small "burr" of metal on the underside of the pipe. I'd be more inclined to think something like that happened, then that it was caused by any animal, based on the appearance of the injury.


I agree with these two posts.

No way was it a wild animal, unless it had a totally HUGE paw (those slashes are pretty far apart) or it sat there going 'scratch, ok, make another scratch following the exact same arc the same distance away right here'.

It looks just like the type of injury a horse would make them self when either rubbing their itchy neck on something or caught some where.

It certainly does not look like a human caused mark either. 

I know it is more exciting to think something weird has happened to our horses but common issues are common for a reason.


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## x Branded Heart x (Jun 17, 2010)

Alwaysbehind is probably right, it was probably just something in the stall. At first I was thinking maybe a fisher (or fischer.. not sure of spelling), because they are only about the size of a raccoon (explaining the lower leg scratches) but are the porcupines only enemy, and are also known to take down larger prey such as moose and deer. But it would depend on where she is located (I didn't read the entire post :$) . I know they can climb trees too so it could have jumped from the tree with an attempt at reaching the neck, failed quite a bit, fell and tried to claw at the horse while it was kicking it... I don't know lol
As you can see, I have quite the imagination. Anyways, I hope your horse is okay!


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## scrapinpics (Nov 12, 2010)

Alwaysbehind said:


> I agree with these two posts.
> 
> No way was it a wild animal, unless it had a totally HUGE paw (those slashes are pretty far apart) or it sat there going 'scratch, ok, make another scratch following the exact same arc the same distance away right here'.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the response. I went back over his stall with a fine tooth comb, every single inch, today and found no sharp edges anywhere high or low in his stall. I ran my hand over every rail, the waterer, his feeder and everything in between and came up with zilch. Maybe he is packing his own dull knife and has self mutilating tendencies....:wink: I am just bewildered as to what could have happened to the poor guy. He is healing up nicely though and hopefully will get back to his calm self soon. He seems distrustful of everything now. Patience is what we need, and patience is what he'll get until we can gain his trust back. I think he thinks everything is out to get him.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

Sorry that this happened to your horse, I would be surprised if it were an animal and there is no bite marks. 

I hope it is not a human gang thing, as you seem to be thinking, if so, please move your horse fast. I see 6 scrapes, which might be 2 swipes of the 3 pronged garden tool. It would be a pretty lame street gang that would use a horse as their initiation.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

scrapinpics said:


> Thanks for the response. I went back over his stall with a fine tooth comb, every single inch, today and found no sharp edges anywhere high or low in his stall.


I have learned that they can find sharp things we can not.

Take a not really sharp to the touch thing and push against it hard and it cuts quite nicely.

My mare currently has three linear marks on her rump. One cut through her turn out sheet and into the flesh slightly. The other two (one below and one above) are the same length and only some what cut into the skin, more scraped the hair off and left a slight scab.

I can not for the life of me find what she chose to rub herself on. I feel like I have checked every where. I have obviously not. 

Horses are very talented when it comes to hurting themselves.


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## Indyhorse (Dec 3, 2009)

^^Agreed. I find it much more likely that you have been unable to find what he hurt himself on, than to believe either a random wandering wild animal, or random gang of punks, were able to attack your horse in broad daylight while people were around riding their horses. More likely your kiddo is a bit buddy sour and freaked because the horses on either side of him were removed and he got left behind - and now you are seeing changes in his personality because you expect to see them/allow them to be acceptable in the wake of his "big attack".


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Indyhorse said:


> More likely your kiddo is a bit buddy sour and freaked because the horses on either side of him were removed and he got left behind - and now you are seeing changes in his personality because you expect to see them/allow them to be acceptable in the wake of his "big attack".


Well said.


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

PintoTess said:


> stupid idiots. why would they do a thing like that? I read in the newspaper of a 1 weeks old foal that was bashed to death a beaten around the eyes with a nail gun by a few teens. How sick and disturbing and CRUEL!!!


 
oh and also they caught the people and also found out that they cut off lambs heads and put them on fence posts  how CRUEL!!!!!! and also they slit a baby pigs throat!!!! so watch out around you stable, even get video cameras, i would. if it means saving my horse i would go through anything!!!


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## mbender (Jul 22, 2009)

Can I ask where you guys live?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

me? Cessnock. :S


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## charro (Nov 8, 2010)

Thats just terrible, either way I hope he is doing better now.


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## RandomHorsey (Oct 10, 2010)

Hmmmm.....lynx???Or mabey a bird of prey?


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## HUSAngel (Apr 18, 2010)

I'm thinking mountain lion. We had one lay open our yearling filly's face this summer while she was in her pipe panel stall. I'm thinking she stuck her head over the gate in curiosity and it must have swiped at her. It also knocked the yard light out of the tree, and branches were all over the ground. It must have gone up the tree and over the hay barn. Was there any evidence in or near the stall???


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

gee no one would ever think of a mountain lion or lynx in Australia!! we dont even have them at all lol  hope the horse is ok....


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