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I have a 20-year-old mare who has changed her behavior recently. She stamps and squeals excitedly for no apparent reason, gallops around the field randomly and constantly calls when in her stall. She shows no signs of physical distress.
I am wondering if this erratic behavior can be a result of mental deterioration, or even the onset of mental illness due to old age, as is fairly common with humans. Does this happen to horses?
Horses, like any other animal, can suffer from age-related mental degeneration—but this is not terribly common. Michelle, I would suggest having a vet come and give your horse a thorough exam. Whenever a significant behavior change occurs without an obvious reason, it is important to first rule out any medical issues. In this case, it sounds like your mare may have a hormone imbalance, which can affect her behavior.
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