[Arabians4ME]

I 'think' this is health related and that's probably not the best title...

As many of you know I have 2 rescue horses that are horrible windsuckers, and if anyone saw my thread in Tack & Equipment the stallions Miracle Collar broke the other day, (Tuesday to be exact).

For the past 8 months he has gone without a MC, due to the fact he was 'supposed' to be leaving everytime I heard something. Anyway, when I found out he was staying I bought him a collar.

Now here's the weird part. The first time I met this horse (talk about lasting impressions) I was asked to care for them while they were still at the barn they were seized from I did morning shift. They were in stalls that you couldn't see into and you had to open the door to see them. I opened the door to feed him that morning and saw a wicked site. He was hanging from his MC on the top board of his stall. At the time this horse was extremely violent and I liked to have got my head bit and stomped off trying to get him free. (Thus why I never fasten my MC's through the buckle thingy I just buckle them) I took the MC off of him that day and he never had one put back on after that until March/April.

So I put this one on him in April and it's like I took the wind right out of his sails. He almost acted like he was depressed that he couldn't windsuck but his weight greatly increased, his hay intake doubled, however he seemed extremely withdrawn from his surroundings and depressed. I was just trying to be 'tough' and think it was for his own good.

Then Tuesday the MC broke. I figured when I took it off he would be very grateful and back to his windsucking self. Well, he's NOT! Hasn't even latched his teeth on a single thing. I don't know whether to worry or be amazed?!

I really feel bad for him, windsucking is the only thing he has ever known. He is coming 3 and hasn't been turned out to my knowledge and has no respect for a fence line and yes is still a stallion. (Don't ask, it's not a choice of his or anyone elses that cares, it's our wonderful legal system at work) He loves treats and stall snacks and such but he won't even pay them attention now I even went and got him a new one just to see.

So did the MC cure him or has this poor guys mind finally crack? I'm not sure what I think.

FYI-He's still eating good (and drinking) just is majorily zoned out. We turned our round pen into a grass lot for him and he gets turned out in it in the evening while the mares are up eating and he is very content grazing and will even kick up his heels but when we go back to the barn and to his stall it's like no ones home.

[JBandRio]

The MC didn't cure him. You cured his ulcers by feeding and treating him properly

[Arabians4ME]

Originally Posted by JBandRio

The MC didn't cure him. You cured his ulcers by feeding and treating him properly

Then why didn't he stop months ago? He only stopped when I put the MC on. We was a windsucking fool up until the day I put the collar on and you would have thought I had shot him.

I understand what your saying but why did it take putting an MC on for him to stop?

[JBandRio]

It can take a while for ulcers to heal when they are being passively treated, as in nothing like Gastroguard.

It can also take being "told" that you can't do something for the horse to open his eyes, so to speak, that the cause of him developing that habit in the first place is now gone so there's no need to.