“Whenever I push him to go forward in a trot he tries to bite me and kick me off and when I get off him he bites his side. “…
My horse has been acting quite odd lately, whenever I ride him he has little fits and tries to buck me off. I realized that it has something to do with his left side but I’m not to sure what. Whenever I push him to go forward in a trot he tries to bite me and kick me off and when I get off him he bites his side. I don’t believe it is colic or an ulcer because he has had no other symptoms than what I am telling you, and if it was colic he would have already colicked. If you have any suggestions that would be great. Thank you
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Kelsey:
Your horse’s behavior is peculiar, and could be caused by a myriad of things. Ulcers could indeed be the problem, and without looking for them, you cannot rule them out 100%. Stomach ulcers can be mild and persistent and are caused by stress, even though he may not *seem* stressed to you. For riders of horses who have been found to have ulcers, one of the most common complaints is that their horses are reluctant to go forward, make upward transitions, and/or jump fences. Ulcers can be present in low-grade state, which would not necessarily cause full-blown colic. It would be worth getting an endoscopy of your horse’s stomach, to rule ulcers out.
Other causes of his problem could be a skin condition that is irritated by tack or your legs, muscle soreness, arthritis (aggravated by cold, damp weather of winter), lameness, or spinal (chiropractic) problems. These things are all to be considered, and checked to rule them out. Good luck.
