Help! Horse having odd symptoms!

Hi all!
I am leasing a 25 year old Quarter horse mare ( she acts no where near 25). Last week the owner of the stable told me that one night she had an episode of some sort. She started to whinny, and then she was circling in her stall. She was rearing and just a mess. She was shaking her head, and would tilt it to the right. The owner tranquilized her, and by the next morning she was fine. She has shown no signs since, and last night the same thing happened just not as severe, once again she was tranquilized for her safety. Today I went out to ride her, and she just seemed out of it not her normal self, which is VERY energetic and a bit of a brat at times. She has been ridden more than normal, but she is the kind of horse that is never tired. I road her that day and she showed no signs of anything of the sort. Her ears were out to the sides and her eyes glazed over and she was not very responsive. Her left side especially, I was snapping by her eye, and she was not really blinking, she was better and the right. Then after a while she would jerk and almost come out of this daze. She was still eating while not in her daze. I didn't end up riding her and ended up by just observing her. Her jaw was also clenched so tight. I did walk her a bit, and she was a bit sluggish and dragged her feet a bit, but nothing to odd. The vet and the dentist are coming out tomorrow, but if anyone has any idea of what this could be please let me know as soon as possible!
Thank you!
Andriana

Get the vet ASAP! I don't want to alarm you - I'm no vet & don't know your horse, but it sounds very similar to a horse I dealt with who had a brain aneurism(sp?).

I was called by the ranger to collect a stray horse, as my property was close, while they found the owner. She was a sweaty, quivering mess when we found her, but was very quiet. I walked her around a bit & she seemed OK. Started walking her home & she seemed OK, then all of a sudden, she'd just blow up - start rearing & screaming.... for a minute, then calm down again. It was lucky I had her on a long rope & gave her her space, or I reckon she'd have trampled me. She also appeared blind in one eye. It was a 2km walk home and she did this a number of times. Towards the end she'd get the staggers a bit too & I thought she'd fall over. I put her in the yard at home & gave her hay & water, which she didn't touch.

I saw no more wierd behaviour, but watched her & told the ranger to inform the owners she needed a vet & I didn't think she was well enough to be moved. The owners arrived with vet and trailer. The vet didn't have a clue but took a blood test. The horse still appeared OK so they led her to the float. She put one foot on the ramp, keeled over & died then & there.

I learned that the day before she was behaving strangely - like having temper tantrums - and they'd made an appointment for the vet the next day, but that night she broke through the (post & rail) fences & bolted. They'd been following her zig zagging, circling trail through the bush all morning! She was only 5yo.

Again, I'm no vet & this is apparently very uncommon, but whatever is wrong with your horse sounds serious.

Thank you! That does sound kind of similar, I have been researching online and it is almost all coming back neurological. She is on careful watch, if she exhibits any more and the same symptoms the vet is going to come out immediately.
Thank you again I really appreciate it.

Let us know what you find out. It almost sounds like when a person has a stroke.

Hi,

If the vet and dentist clear your horse I would check into a good chiropractor. I have seen two cases with horses having similar symptoms and they were completely resolved by the chiropractor.

Here's a link to a veterinary chiropractic website:
http://www.avcadoctors.com/avcadus.htm

Good luck, would love to hear how everything turns out.

Sounds neurological to me. There was a horse that got kicked by another horse out in the field in the side of her face and she exhibited the same symptoms.

Definitely get your vet out ASAP

Just get the vet if he/she is unavalible. Call one out a ways. ASAP!!!! Good luck

I really appreciate the advice! The Vet thinks it might be some kind of syndrome, which he is going to look more in to. I went out yesterday and she was back to her old self, I even road her, and she was amazing. The vet said as long as she wasn't having an episode she was fine to ride. We might send her up to MSU to have her head scanned, if she continues to have her episodes.
Thank you all again

Best of luck to you. Hope it was just one of those weird one time things that never happens again.