At my wits end...story follow on.....

I have a welsh D and my sister has a welsh C. Both are temperamental in their own ways. I have made the decision to turn mine away until spring at least as I have a young family and was not enjoying the stressful few rides we were managing (I think he has an old injury to his back that flares up intermittently and a typical welsh attitude to things he isn't in the mood for!).

My sisters pony has had a few health issues that took a while to get to the bottom of and he had the work up that all the other posters are suggesting you have for your horse. He does not have ulcers but he does have hock spavin. Eventually after a year of horrible experiences with him, including scary hacking, major tantrums jumping and in the horse box, terrible manners in the field especially around food she sent him away on full livery having just had enough. She needed a break to step back and decide what to do next.

In the time he was on livery a child started riding him, something that made us quite nervous as he can be such a horror. He was amazing and has not put a foot wrong! The change is remarkable. He went on to do pony club camp all summer and is now on loan to a 10 yr old. We don't know if he just hates being ridden by adults but he is a saint for small kids. He lets them do anything with him, its like he is a different horse.

Anyway what I am getting at is that sometimes you need to really step out of the box and try something completey different. We did not suit this pony, he didn't like what we wanted to do with him and he let us know loud and clear. I'm not saying chuck a kid on your horse and see what he does but try changing your routine, get other people involved. Good luck, I hope you get to the bottom of his issues.
 
Zipzop said:
He had his teeth done a few months ago :)
Click to expand...

How many is a few? I have mine done every 6 months as 12 seems to be too long to go. Also check if your dentist is registered as some aren't registered with the BAEDT.

Linky here http://www.baedt.com/members_5357.html

Have you yet considered getting another veterinary opinion from someone who will take a more proactive diagnostic viewpoint? This seems to be the general consensus.
 
I would definitely get him checked for ulcers as a starting point. A mare I had on loan was treated go ulcers with gastroguard without scoping and my insurance paid out. I checked with them before hand as it is very expensive. I was initial told a few weeks of treatment was enough but then I read a couple of articles suggesting a longer course is recommended so I think she had about 6 weeks on it in the end. Secondly is he happy in the treeless saddle? Although I support treeless/ bit less and barefoot it also believe it doesn't suit every horse.
 
Magister said:
How does he behave in hand? Does he lunge or long rein more happily? Will he do any work led by you over poles?. Does he trot up in hand?. Does he trot and canter when loose in the field?
Sorry for all the questions but the answers could give us some clues.
Click to expand...

I can't believe how long it took to get to this, my first thought. How is he in the field / at liberty?
 
The insurance should pay for ulcer treatment so long as the symptoms have not been present since before the policy renewal or otherwise stated time period. So, for example if you state that the horse has suspected ulcers and that his symptoms started a year ago, then they probably would argue that it is not a new illness and that they should have been informed. However, I would feel that it would be reasonable for you to argue that his symptoms were thought to be behavioural at first.
 
puppystitch said:
I can't believe how long it took to get to this, my first thought. How is he in the field / at liberty?
Click to expand...

Oftentimes symptoms are not present in the field or at liberty. Both kissing spines and ulcers are often only apparent when the horse is tacked up or ridden. I thought that the OP had stated that he moves fine in the field.
 
Speedyfluff said:
Oftentimes symptoms are not present in the field or at liberty. Both kissing spines and ulcers are often only apparent when the horse is tacked up or ridden.
Click to expand...

That's what I mean...the OP told us all about the ridden issues and everyone piled in with their suggestions, whereas my first thought was 'how is he in the field? Do the symptoms show or are they only when ridden?' That question wasn't asked until much later whereas I would have thought it was fundamental before proffering suggestions as to cause / treatments. I probably didn't word it that well, sorry!
 
puppystitch said:
That's what I mean...the OP told us all about the ridden issues and everyone piled in with their suggestions, whereas my first thought was 'how is he in the field? Do the symptoms show or are they only when ridden?' That question wasn't asked until much later whereas I would have thought it was fundamental before proffering suggestions as to cause / treatments. I probably didn't word it that well, sorry!
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. If he was the same in the field then it would definitely be a physical problem. But as he isn't, and seems fine, then it is either behavioural, or something that affects him only when ridden. I very much doubt if it's behavioural though.
 
I think the op said the horse was fine in the field and was rather fast on the lunge so sounds like the issues are also there when work on circles is involved without a rider
 
puppystitch said:
I can't believe how long it took to get to this, my first thought. How is he in the field / at liberty?
Click to expand...


I don't care. I'm not trying to diagnose the horse's problems, I'm just trying to encourage the owner to get a vet involved who can diagnose it. It's got enough ridden and handling problems to justify a full performance work up, imo.
 
I wonder if he would be better a driving horse rather than a riding one as then he could have the blinkers on which might help with the spookiness and he would be encouraged to move forward more so might be less like a coiled up spring waiting to explode.

If he is on individual turnout and not getting that much exercise he may have more energy than he knows what to do with.

Unfortunately these things can end up being a vicious circle as the more you avoid exposing him to different situations the more frightening it becomes when he sees something unfamiliar as he not used to it. If you are also starting understandably to get nervous or tense when riding him this could aggravate the situation.

Like others have said it might be worth getting someone who is very familiar with the breed to come and work with you. The difficulty with sending him away to be schooled is you might ended with him being fine with someone else and then he comes home and reverts to what he thinks is normal behaviour for him back in his home environment.

I do feel sorry for you as if he has always been like this during the time you have had him then it won't have been much fun for you at all.

I do agree with others with regard to ulcers and KS. I have seen uclers in a horse that was having a quiet life style and plenty of forage and also KS in a couple of horses that was late diagnosed in a couple of horses with behaviour issues that had been checked over by vets before, it is not always obvious.
 
Last edited:
Another question op!

Have you had him in full work consistently? Only say as mine is a right pita if not worked regularly or consistently.

Still think get the checks done first then you know which way to move forward that's best for you and your horse.
 
ycbm said:
I don't care. I'm not trying to diagnose the horse's problems, I'm just trying to encourage the owner to get a vet involved who can diagnose it. It's got enough ridden and handling problems to justify a full performance work up, imo.
Click to expand...

You've lost me....I agree with you :s
 
Pearlsasinger said:
What on earth do you think a 'holistic vet' is, us?
A vet is a person qualified to treat animals, including horses, whether they call themselves, 'holistic' or not!
Click to expand...

Yes but OP does describe the horse having what I call a work up .
That's walking and trotting up flex tests lunging on the soft and on the hard being ridden in front of the vet .
Then nerve blocks based on what they have found .
Then diagnostics based on what the nerve blocks throw up .
I would not trust any vet who told me the horses gut was out of balance unless it was based on some form of diagnostic .
 
OK - you have gone the holistic & classical route for a while now, and from what you are describing its not working. Time to draw a line under it and get a fresh set of conventional eyes.

FWIW, my opinion is you ask for a referral to a specialist equine hospital. Have the horse scoped and worked up (I'd lean towards scintigraphy if nothing obvious comes up in flexion). I assume you are insured? I'd also run bloods and a cushings test. I had an interesting convo with a vet who specialises in hormonal issues and they said (all completely ancedotal) that they had seen a few reactive/bolshy cob types improve behaviour wise once hormonal conditions were under control.

If you get a proper clean bill of health (which you definitely do not have at present) then I'd take you out if the equation. Welsh Ds can be quite tricky characters and it is more than possible that as a combination you are not compatible. It would be interesting to send the horse on schooling livery for a month. A good old fashioned sympathetic horseman/woman. Sod the spending 20 minutes getting the correct posture, someone that has that natural feel of what the horse needs. But choose carefully.
 
Just wanted to say thanks again to all who have commented. All thoughts are much appreciated and I now have a long list of steps to take. Thank you guys :)
 
Wow i could have written this post myself, please let us know how you get on, i too own a welsh D , ive had him since he was a weanling, in my ownership i have probably had 3 months of riding, he is rising 7 now, he has arthritic hocks ( diagnosed at 4 and medicated) kissing spines (lig snip) si issues, diagnosed by scintigraphy , ulcers and hind gut acidosis (diagnosed and treated holistically by a holistic vet) , he still has bad days as the the hind gut is so easily upset, so many people have told me to give up or have him pts, i was told before his diagnosis of all of the above by 2 vets that he was dangerous, learnt behaviour etc, but my gut told me otherwise and you start peeling back and you get a glimpse of that pain free horse it makes it so worthwhile but i appreciate how hard it is when most horse people think you are stark raving mad.....Good luck, ps if you are looking at feeding changes give thunderbrooks a call, apologies if thats already been mentioned,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top