Narcolepsy (sp?) ??????

[Perfect Pony]

ok, just wondering has anyone ever encountered a narcoleptic horse???
I have ridden 2 in the past few years and was wondering if anyone had any info or opinions on this!!!
Horse no.1 Busby- 17.2hh tb ex hurdler, and he had been diagnosed with narcolepsy, you would see him in the field drift off while standing and the dog used to see him and run up the field and bark to wake him up!!! but when his mind was active he was fine, loved to jump and gallop and ran around with the best of them!!! :)
Horse no.2 Biya-16.2hh ex racer, had also been diagnosed with it, he is fine and i still ride him sometimes but is mainly ridden by my friend mostly for hacking!!! well his tends to drift off when tacking up and on the yard grooming so u have to keep patting him and making sure he is awake, but has never drifted while being ridden!!! :)
however biya is more brain dead than busby (more like a steriotypical blonde)!!! is this the narcolepsy or the racing??? :rolleyes:

so what do u guys think!!! strange subject i know!!!
is it just racers that get it???

[Werehorse]

There's a fantastic vid on the web somewhere of a narcoleptic dachshund! Is running really fast but suddenly falls over fast asleep. :D Probably one of the most laughable things I've ever seen, poor little beasty (but possibly just a well trained dog pretending to be narcoleptic). Would be pretty scarey if it was a horse though :eek:

not V relavent sory, but your post reminded me!

[MadMumInKent]

One of the ponies at the RDA where I help has this... just drifts off all of a sudden, starts to fall over, then wakes up. He's definately not any kind of race horse, the opposite I'd say - a bit of a plod, so I don't think its especially confined to them :)

[Perfect Pony]

One of the ponies at the RDA where I help has this... just drifts off all of a sudden, starts to fall over, then wakes up. He's definately not any kind of race horse, the opposite I'd say - a bit of a plod, so I don't think its especially confined to them :)


ok so does he get ridden or not???
just a few questions really as its made me think now knowing 2 horses have it!
how old was the horse when it got narcolepsy and how big is the horse??? just comparing really!!!

[Jessey]

I knew one, I am not sure if he was ever formally diagnosed but it was definatly it. He was a Quarter Horse, he could fall asleep anywhere, it always amused us because his owner was the same, he was ridden all the time and it never affected him while his mind was occupied, while waiting round at shows though either with someone sat on him and also in in-hand classes he would sometimes go down :D

Sadly he had to be PTS last year, he went down in the trailer (he was normally fine while travelling, he came all the way to the UK from canada with no trouble and we took him all over the Uk to shows) and as he got back up he cracked his pelvis badly on the breeching bar, he may have just slipped in the trailer, guess we will never know.

J x

[Jessey]

I knew one, I am not sure if he was ever formally diagnosed but it was definatly it. He was a Quarter Horse, he could fall asleep anywhere, it always amused us because his owner was the same, he was ridden all the time and it never affected him while his mind was occupied, while waiting round at shows though either with someone sat on him and also in in-hand classes he would sometimes go down :D

Sadly he had to be PTS last year, he went down in the trailer (he was normally fine while travelling, he came all the way to the UK from canada with no trouble and we took him all over the Uk to shows) and as he got back up he cracked his pelvis badly on the breeching bar, he may have just slipped in the trailer, guess we will never know.

He was always a very calm laid back horse, until you got him to a big indoor arena then he went nuts :rolleyes:

J x

[ambatt]

My friend has a narcoleptic horse, he is an Irish Draught cross Arab and an ex endurance horse. He also suffers from Epilepsy and COPD.

Saying that he lives a full and active life and is still ridden out safely.

[MadMumInKent]

Yes, he's ridden, and he's fine when he's got a child on his back, never falls asleep then :) I'm not quite sure how old he is, he's certainly not young, in his 20s perhaps. It's only recently been diagnosed. I can find out more next week when I next go back there if you like. He's a cobby type.

[Francis Burton]

My friend has a narcoleptic horse, he is an Irish Draught cross Arab and an ex endurance horse. He also suffers from Epilepsy and COPD.

Saying that he lives a full and active life and is still ridden out safely.
Hmm, I do hope so! :eek: I suppose it depends on the severity of the condition. I was discussing narcolepsy with an equine vet recently. She said that once it was diagnosed an owner would usually be advised to stop riding the horse altogether.

[Calsanjo]

Tim Stockdale has a narcoleptic horse. I can't remember which one it is! Says it only ever does it in the stable, not when ridden, fortunately! :rolleyes:

[lynz+ollie]

there is a horse at college that has evented to quite a high level, she has it.

[ambatt]

Hmm, I do hope so! :eek: I suppose it depends on the severity of the condition. I was discussing narcolepsy with an equine vet recently. She said that once it was diagnosed an owner would usually be advised to stop riding the horse altogether.

The yard she keeps him at is owned by an equine vet so I guess she has 24/7 supervision for her boy. I know she would not put herself or others at risk and certainly not her horse.

Seems to only happen when he is very relaxed in his stable and the horse knows when he is going to fit and lies down.

[Perfect Pony]

thanx a lot guys!!! so its not so rare then???
would love some more info off those who have them, such as their general character and how you know they are going down!!! see as biya and busby were completely different when being ridden and in the field but biya seems to be worse with it than busby!!!
Biya is generally very slow and tired naturally, when leading a 16.2hh ex racer into the barn he is slower than a snail!!! and has to roll everywhere!!! he doesnt move in the menage but take him on a hack and he livens up!!! he is a great hacking horse!!! but is otherwise like he is brain dead!!! what are the others like personality wise??? do they seem alive and awake with the world or like biya in a lil world of his own??? :rolleyes:

Thanx for your replies guys!!!

[jacxXx]

A horse at collage called later had it, she didnt normaly fall alseep while you where riding her, i think she did it twice, but would just drift off in her stable, it was scary when she fell down but she was on deep litter and never seemed to hurt herself ...i dont actually think it really afected her.

[Perfect Pony]

no biya and busby have never fallen while they have been ridden but just when there mind isnt ocupied!!! biya nearly fell on the yard the other day, i had to quickly wake him up!!!

[chev]

I was reading something about this not so long ago. It won't happen while the horse is under saddle; it's a bit different to the human form, which if I'm right can happen at any time. It actually has little effect on horses' lives because of the way it works...

I'll go and see if I can find what it was I read. :)

[Jessey]

My friends Quarter horse was a great riding horse, he could jump and rein and although needed a little encouragement was one of those horses you could stick anyone one, novices he would look after and advanced riders had to work to get his best work.

My Mate fell asleep whilst out hacking one day :eek: and the horse brought him home safe and sound, having come along a fast A road to get back to the stables :eek:

He would only fall asleep when relaxed (like his owner), I do have a picture somewhere of both, Mark on the horse asleep and the horse was asleep too :D this was at a show waiting around to go into their class :p I also have a picture of him tied to the lorry, layed down, flat out asleep when we were getting ready to do a sponsered ride.

You always knew when he was going to sleep, he would start swaying and then his legs would just go from under him, sometimes he would go right down and stay there (like he did in a halter class one time) but lots of times he would catch himself, as his knees touched the floor he would wake up.

[chev]

Ok - have now found it. First of all are you sure the two you've known actually have narcolepsy? It is very characteristic - just drifting off isn't really quite the same. It's also pretty rare; it affects around 1 or 2 in every 2000 people, and the incidence in horses is lower than that. Most vets never see a narcoleptic horse; so to know two is quite amazing.

Anyway... the actual condition doesn't affect the horse in any way other than to cause episodes of falling asleep. There are two distinct types of attacks; one lasts between 10 seconds and 10 minutes, is basically falling deeply asleep and horses can sometimes be roused. It rarely happens when teh horse is active. Second type of attack is known as cataplexy; that is more dangerous and is usually caused by a reaction to some stimulus or other (stroking the neck, cold hosing and so on). It causes the horse to collapse and buckle at the knees, and attempts to rouse him can cause complete ataxia or loss of muscle co-ordination.

Most reports suggest that neither form of attack happens during exercise; but there have been reports that suggest the opposite.

Here's the article if you'd like a quick look...

http://www.pferdenet.at/Krankheiten/narkoartikel.htm

[Perfect Pony]

thanx chev!!! will have a look now!!! yes both horses have been diagnosed by vet with it!!! amazing really!!!
Thanx for your help!!!

[JOJOBA]

Interesting topic - I watched a programme on Narcolepsy which was really interesting.
There's a horse next door to me that sleeps all the time. I never thought he might have it but having read all these reponses Im considering that he might do? He's always nodding off and Ive never seen a horse sleep SO much. He's fine ridden but when he comes in from the field he eats his breakfast, lies down and goes to sleep. It isnt just resting either - it's a really deep sleep. He gets dragged up to have his tack on and often lies down in it and goes back to sleep (naughty horse!). He sleeps all through lunchtime and all afternoon. I think left alone he would sleep all day.
He's only 5 and it's a running joke on the yard - especially seeing as he whinnies and runs in his sleep :p. But does that sound narcoleptic to you?


xxx

[JOJOBA]

attempts to rouse him can cause complete ataxia or loss of muscle co-ordination.
There used to be a pony I knew who would have fits if you woke him up too quickly. You had to leave him to wake up slowly, if you walked in and shouted 'come on, up you get' he would suddenly wake up and start convulsing and shaking and would fall over if he tried to stand. They were worried he was epileptic but the vet just said that if he woke up too fast it was messing up the brainwaves he was having and causing him to fit.
He's fine now, so long as you dont surprise him whilst he's in the land of nod.:p


ccc

[Francis Burton]

Anyway... the actual condition doesn't affect the horse in any way other than to cause episodes of falling asleep. There are two distinct types of attacks; one lasts between 10 seconds and 10 minutes, is basically falling deeply asleep and horses can sometimes be roused. It rarely happens when teh horse is active. Second type of attack is known as cataplexy; that is more dangerous and is usually caused by a reaction to some stimulus or other (stroking the neck, cold hosing and so on). It causes the horse to collapse and buckle at the knees, and attempts to rouse him can cause complete ataxia or loss of muscle co-ordination.I have video of a horse having a narcoleptic (not cataplectic) attack. He is standing quietly on his own in a barn, nothing being done to him at all. For a while it looks like he is just dozing with his head sinking, but then his knees start to buckle. After a few seconds, he drops to the floor. The moment his belly touches the floor, he "wakes up" and clambers to his feet.

[Jessey]

Yep, Mikey would just drift off and his knees buckle and he was gone, sometimes as he touched the floor he would wake but other times he would just stay asleep :rolleyes:

He would do it when tacking him up, so we always chatted alot and regularly slapped him on his rump to keep him focused :rolleyes: once he was gone you could shout and scream but if he was going, he was gone!

I seem to remember that this is particually common in quarter horses, think I read about it in a 'Western Horseman' article.

J x

Edit: Yep just checked it was in 'Western Horseman' October 2000.

[Perfect Pony]

iv just found some info on it in decembers horse magazine theres a whole article about living with a narcoleptic horse!!!! :D

Anyway i rode the narcoleptic one again last night (Biya) and didnt do too well, hes so lazy he will only go for my friend who has him jumping 3 ft and i cant even get a decent trot!!!! dammit!!!
Il stick with shadow!!!