# Meltdown mid-trail ride. How to proceed?



## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

It's entirely possible that she smelled something, there are pigs where I ride, and my horse doesn't like them. If she does it again and you can't figure out what may be causing it, maybe have some blood work done on her.


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## ligoleth (Sep 9, 2011)

In my area, we have bears, cougars, stray dogs, and just one breed of poisonous snake, depending on the area. 

The possibility lies in the fact that there might have been something that she smelled (like a bear) and reacted. I have known an equally reliable horse to spazz out a bit at the slightest smell of a wild cat.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Yes, they are horses after all! The pigs are dangerous, I listen to my horse when he tells me they are around. And I had a problem once with him wigging out, had a blood test done, and it was a new supplement he was getting.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

is it possible she was stung by something?

i have known normally bomb-proof horses to lose their minds if they are stung. and in at least one case, we never found marks on the horse, but the rider also got stung so knew what had happened.


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## ligoleth (Sep 9, 2011)

No welts or anything? Weird.


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## SunnyK01 (Mar 15, 2010)

I'm pretty sure we don't have bears or big cats here in lower Michigan , but someone very well could have pigs or some other animal that she was able to smell and I wasn't.

I don't think she was stung by anything, but I suppose I can't totally rule that out either. There were a few annoying bugs, so it's definitely possible that something stung her. She's generally pretty sensitive and will get a welt from being stung, but the fact that she was currently exercising may have prevented that from happening.

Thanks for all the responses! I'm sure I'm over-reacting, it's just so odd for her to display unusual behavior.

I'll probably run blood on her just to be safe - working at a vet clinic, I can get a good deal on labwork!


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Were you by yourself? I would take her out next time with another horse, if that is possible, and see how she does. If there are other horses in the area, she may be in heat, and caught a whiff of a stallion. My endurance mare used to do that at rides, maybe not that extreme, as she was pretty business-like on a ride. 

Good Luck!! 

Nancy


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Lab work sure wouldn't hurt. Being 20 and all and wanting to do distance it would give you a good picture.
But my money would be on some sort of wild critter you could not see but she knew was lurking. I have a tendency to listen to the head up, tail up, snort and blow routine.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

There was probably something in the bushes. If it were me, I would ride a different direction for the next ride or two.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Sounds like she smelled something. We were 5 minutes away from home after a 3 hour ride last year when both our horses did that and refused to move forward even though the trailer was almost in sight.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

I agree with those that posted there was likely something in the bush that you couldn't hear or smell. Bear, pig, big cat, dog, wolf, coyote, moose, skunk... whatever. When I trail ride, I always pay attention to my horse's reactions such as those because the first thing I do is look for a bear. I know my horse and have lots of miles on her; if she is reacting, there is something out there.


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## SunnyK01 (Mar 15, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the replies! It makes me feel better that everyone thinks she must've been able to sense something (and wasn't just "having a senior moment" as my grandmother suggested!)

We're planning on heading to a different park, and going with another calm horse, on Sunday so hopefully I will have my normal, reliable mare back!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SunnyK01 (Mar 15, 2010)

UPDATE - Went out riding again today and my sane, well behaved horse was back! We went 18 miles without a single silly or sassy moment. I did ride her in her old french link snaffle, and with a buddy. Very happy to have gotten a nice ride in. Here's apic of her relaxing after finishing


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## ligoleth (Sep 9, 2011)

That's good. It was probably something in the bushes that caught her attention. At least she reacts, instead of just moseys on along.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

You've got a good trail horse. You need a horse that will tell you if something is wrong, not a push button horse. This is where a lot of trainers and I part company, I don't want a horse that blindly follows me, that's OK for a show horse but not a working trail horse.


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## KodasSlvrWings (Feb 5, 2014)

My mare has done that. She is usually a very reliable trail horse. I'm able to ride her in a halter for miles and turkey and deer running by, squirrels jumping over head and rabbits running out and underneath her have never bothered her. One day we decided to go on a late after noon trail ride, everything was going well and then all of a sudden she started spinning and trying to go back the other way. Thinking she was just being lazy and wanting to go back I tried kicking her forward, that's when I heard something in the bushes and coyotes howling not to far off; I let her turn back around and go back home. The next day we went back out and she was fine. I've learned to trust her, her hearing and sense of smell is far more powerful than mine and if she feels its not safe I'll listen.


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## Rob55 (Mar 6, 2014)

SunnyK01 said:


> I'm pretty sure we don't have bears or big cats here in lower Michigan , but someone very well could have pigs or some other animal that she was able to smell and I wasn't.
> 
> I don't think she was stung by anything, but I suppose I can't totally rule that out either. There were a few annoying bugs, so it's definitely possible that something stung her. She's generally pretty sensitive and will get a welt from being stung, but the fact that she was currently exercising may have prevented that from happening.
> 
> ...


There are coyotes every where now. Just because you do not see them doesn't mean they are not there. If you are in a park they are there. In Michigan if you are in a park that goes for miles there are probably fox, bob cat and black bear. Your mare can hear and smell better than you ever will. Could be a new supplement, a predator smell or growl or a bur under the saddle. Sounds like you kept your seat. Hope you figure it out sounds like you two had a good thing going. Do not give up.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Rob55 (Mar 6, 2014)

SunnyK01 said:


> UPDATE - Went out riding again today and my sane, well behaved horse was back! We went 18 miles without a single silly or sassy moment. I did ride her in her old french link snaffle, and with a buddy. Very happy to have gotten a nice ride in. Here's apic of her relaxing after finishing


She is beautiful. I'm sure there was a critter, real, not imaginary, in the bush.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

My mare is usually pretty laid back. One day I was adjusting some tack on her and she was snorting and fidgeting and holding her head way up. Kept dancing around and pawing. Very unlike her. Took a few pictures of a saddle fit. Finally gave up because she just wasn't paying a bit of attention to me.

Went inside and transferred the pictures onto the computer. Low and behold in one of the pictures... a black bear getting up out of the tall grass. We were about 50 ft away from him and I never noticed.


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