Bridle Lame....

[JM7]

an aquaintance of mine has a horse that, ever since she has had it, seems to have been "uneven" in front......

well, she was at the show yesterday, and it was slightly "uneven" again......

now, bearing in mind, ever since she has owned it, EVERY conceivable test and treatment has been done, from veterinary to chiro to bowen..etc..and she is still, on and off, "uneven"..

well, another forum member, who was at the same show, said, immediately, "bridle lame", meaning it was totally over-schooled and restricted, and therefore unable to move correctly, making it look pottery and "uneven"...

Possible????????

 

[vicster]

Hi JM7 doesn't this sound like Monty to you?

 

[Greyhound]

Is it always ridden in an outline?

Gh

 

[JM7]

not unless he's changed sex, vix!!!! pmsl!!!

 

[JM7]

market harborough...or at comps, a double....

 

[vicster]

you know what i mean - you make me laugh well Spaniel always used to say that Ronuts was bridle lame as he is never sound looking

 

[Greyhound]

Ok only my opinion, based on what little knowledge I have ...

I would say yes, if the animal is restricted the muscles wont be being used correctly and if correctly they may be tight causing a possible uneveness.

If there is no impulsion and is just pottering around with its head tucked in then it isnt working properly either IMHO.

What is the animal like free schooled, not ridden in an outline?

Gh

 

[siennamum]

I think it would probably be interesting to put a decent rider on board and see how horse moves. Can't always be corrected though once horse has the habit of moving a certain way. But not an uncommon sight in the show ring, and fairly identifiable.
Chew Stoke you'll see a horse going correctly

getting excited!!

 

[JM7]

to be honest, i've never seen it without tack on!!!!

 

[ihatework]

certainly possible

 

[Madam_max]

I bet also that if you give it a long rein it won't know what to do with itself as its so used to being held in.

 

[JM7]

mmm, i've been stewing over this since it was mentioned.....

and to be honest, rider is very tense.......



chew stoke...dusting off the tweeds are we, M??

 

[Greyhound]

[ QUOTE ]
and to be honest, rider is very tense.......

[/ QUOTE ]

tense rider = tense horse
crooked rider = crooked horse

Gh

 

[JM7]

i'm sure you're right, K................

 

[Gingernags]

This was on my post about Asti being lame - this was what we found out about being "bridle lame"

******

Have to point out, one of the women at the yard we went to, who knows Asti very well says she looked bridle lame... it does make sense if you read this...

"By the end of the clinic this was no longer a concern. First, Ray was able to pick up on the "bridle" lameness of my horse, Prompt. This is a type of mechanical gait problem caused by him being "crooked" in the bridle. As he leans on the bridle, one side is heavier than the other, which led me to pull more on that side. That "pull" can cause the horse to feel that he is trapped, or has no place to go. As a result, either the front leg on that side or the diagonal hind leg is not used as much as the other, which makes the horse limp. Ray taught me how to avoid this by getting him to work straight in the bridle through the proper use of my legs. Now, Prompt never looks lame at a show. "

And the previous brat was guilty of this...

"Bridle lameness often happens because a rider will use pressure on the reins as a timer with the stride."--Hilary Clayton

I'm wondering if a combination of the way Asti now leans her head (Courtesy of brat) plus pessoa lunging, and a different rider asking her to work correctly - could cause this?

****

and the other quote that went with it -

"Bridle lameness is one of the easiest to cure. Just change the rider and see if the horse goes sound."--Andrew Bathe

 

[catherinep]

Agree wholeheartedly.....

does horse go sound on lunge (with no contraptions on!) and/or in the field? I have a cob that had been ridden solely in draw reins before I had him and his evasion of choice was to go bridle lame and suck off behind the bit and not "move" forwards.....not uncommon problem.....

Hack out and teach them to stretch down (free walk on long rein idea) and same in trot.....bet no lameness then!

Good luck!

Catherine

 

[SirenaXVI]

Definately possible, can be caused by tenseness, I used to have a little mare who would look unlevel in front through tenseness and was what I call 'bridle lame' on occassions, I found that riding her really forward did the trick she was a really forward thinking mare and this seemed to help her forget to be tense

 

[siennamum]

As it happens on that day I will mostly be wearing tweed

Just need to get rid of her enormous grass belly, and my enormous chip belly.

 

[JM7]

PMSL!!!!! chip belly indeed.............

really am struggling NOT to go to Puddy's and buy that gorgeous tweed jacket up there......................

 

[Beanyowner]

Why don't you get a gorgeous tweed jacket made by Alexander James Faye...they are soooooo comfy and not too hot in the summer either!!

 

[JM7]

aaah, there's a problem...i don't receive a student loan....PMSL!!!!!!

seriously, i LOVE your jacket..don't think i warrant getting a really expensive one doing local/unaffiliated stuff???

 

[FMM]

I always think that bridle lame is an excuse for a horse that is slightly unsound and noone knows why. My bridle lame horse finally turned out to have a degenerative joint problem. Another bridle lame horse was eventually diagnosed with navicular. Perhaps there ARE some horses that can be bridle lame, but my experience has shown that when a horse is lame it is for a reason.

 

[Beanyowner]

[ QUOTE ]
aaah, there's a problem...i don't receive a student loan....PMSL!!!!!!

seriously, i LOVE your jacket..don't think i warrant getting a really expensive one doing local/unaffiliated stuff???

[/ QUOTE ]

Student loans are amazing things...but mine didn't pay for my jacket! I was suppose to be going on holiday but was let down by friends hence why I went to badders and went on a bit of a bender!!!

My theory was with my jacket...I was going to get a Barbour one which was £175 off the shelf so why not get one fitted with my own choice of material etc for £180!?!? Sounded like a great idea to me!!

 

[Chambon]

I think I know the horse you are talking about if it's the one I judged recently? If it is the same horse, I would say that it is 'bridle lame'...

In my class the horse looked ever so slightly unlevel in trot under saddle. I asked her to strip the horse and run it up in hand which she did, and the horse trotted up as sound as a pound. She put the tack back on and the horse again looked ever so slightly unlevel in trot. It's marginal, and not every stride, but it is noticeable.

I did feel that the horse could go a little more forward in it's trot and carry himself a little better - that alone may improve his trot, providing anything physical has been ruled out.

 

[spaniel]

Could definitely be 'bridle lame'. Often interesting to see someone else on horses like this.

Bless Monty, he is very good at being bridle lame Vix! Get him straight and then give him a big pony club kick and 'voila' not bridle lame any more, crafty bugger!!

 

[Irishcobs]

I missed the lame steps (busy watching the working hunter refusing to jump next door) but the ground was quite rough on that side, Hattie tripped a couple of times there, also the horse didn't appear to be going forward as well as it could. Maybe a combination of things made it appear unlevel for a few steps.

 

[PapaFrita]

I think it's possible from what I've seen here; SJers who, unless actually jumping ALWAYS ride in draw reins and horse's nose tucked in... horses sort of stomp their feet down and look very short in front... does that make sense?

 

[Sal_E]

I totally agree with FMM - bridle lameness goes with 'cold backed' in my book - it's just a generic term which people use as a condition in it's own right but it is usually a symptom of something undiagnosed. I say 'usually' - I don't know if I should say usually or always, not sure...

I'd be interested to know how the horse trots on concrete on a lunge. I'd also be interested to know how the horse trots when the rider sits twice & rides on the wrong diagonal (seriously). Also be interested to know what would happen if the horse was pushed forwards into the bridle (but not the double you've seen him in which is probably causing a 'false' outline - he needs to be tried in somethig mild without poll pressure so he's going in to a more natural outline on his own accord).

Personally, I think it is irresponsible of the owner to ignore the problem. Whether she needs lessons or a bone scan I couldn't say - either/or, she should be trying to get to the bottom of it.