Posted 2005-12-29 9:08 PM (#34526 - in reply to #34507) Subject: RE: OCD in young horses
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: washington
I posted a thread earlier about equine self-mutilation syndrome... my horse suffers from it. It is similar to OCD in that once he starts a particular behaviour (biting himself in the sides - hard - while spinning in circles) he will continue every couple hours, for days on end, until something interrupts the cycle. He'll stop if I hollar at him or clap my hands but if I turn away to clean his stall, he'll start again. I think cribbing is a type of OC behaviour, as is weaving, pacing, etc. My horse will streatch out and pee every afternoon when I walk up to his stall or pasture. It's the oddest thing. He seems to be very sensitive, more so than other horses I have owned, and extremely intelligent, but definitely has OCD. I'd love to hear what a specialist has to say about it.
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Posted 2005-12-30 4:08 PM (#34571 - in reply to #34507) Subject: RE: OCD in young horses
Regular
Posts: 68 Location: Flagstaff, AZ
My goodness, what a thing you have to deal with with your pony. I read an article about a mare that had an obsession with her water trough but nothing to the extent that he has. Essentially the person answering her question had no real suggestion to alter her behavior of being anxious if she could not straddle the water container.
What I was referring to as OCD is Orthochondritis Dessicans, which is something that causes cartlege not to grow into bone as it should in a young horse. It causes pain and lameness because of lesions that form at the ends of the cartlege. Usually shows up about age 2 or at the time a young horse begins training. Her problem seems to be in the shoulders.
I really hope you can find an answer for your horses' problem, maybe he has some type of deficiency of some mineral essential to the brain. I had a co worker that swore that if she didn't take Shakly vitamins she would return to having severe anxiety attacks.
Posted 2005-12-30 6:04 PM (#34578 - in reply to #34507) Subject: RE: OCD in young horses
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378 Location: Nebraska
I have seen it in young horses that are over trained and fed to hot of a ration. With a longgggg rest and feed change these horses have come out of it. It has been suggested that marco/mirco mineral imbalance or hormones can cause OCD. If a degenerative joint is present it is not good news. Good Luck.
Posted 2006-01-06 5:27 PM (#35031 - in reply to #34507) Subject: RE: OCD in young horses
Regular
Posts: 87 Location: Perry, Georgia
Sunny, I haven't had that experience. I'm sorry that your friend does. But I was reading this thread and decided to do a search to learn more. See if this helps http://www.recoveryeq.com/osteochondrosis_pro.htm. Anti-inflammatories, dietary and exercise restrictions and special supplements might help.
Posted 2006-01-08 8:17 AM (#35102 - in reply to #34507) Subject: RE: OCD in young horses
Expert
Posts: 1719 Location: PA
OCD can be inherited and some breeds, QH included, are more prone to it. It can make the horse permenantly lame or it can sometimes fuse and the horse can be sound again. It really depends on where it is and to what degree.
OCD in young horses
