Clipping back legs and dragging his feet

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Michelle1109

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Hi All

So my lovely horse is 17:2 Warmblood and is now 20, not that u would know it as he still has the power of a 14yr old!!! He has always had close back legs and clips himself (boots or bandages are always applied so he never cuts himself, but he has now developed a little trick......
he will drop his hind when he wants to be lazy! So , trot trot trot dip trot trot stop
Every thing has been checked there is nothing wrong with him at all
I've had him for about 6months (rode him for 2yra before that)
Since I've had him he has thrown every cheeky trick in the book at me as a "new owner" I think he knows it's just me and him now, he used to be a total gent and save u in times of need lol!
When I bought him he tested me and REALLY tested! Charge off stop dead not go to a corner, ended up doing eggs or squares I asked for right he would go left lol, everything u can imagine he tried (he was my YO horse and was used in lessons sometimes by us trusted few he was the perfect horse then I bought him ......)
In a jumping course never an issue at all, I'm now clearing a meter from being scared or a 30x pole, so I know we have come a very long way in 6months
To be fair he is still this way but when I want trot he will trot for a while slow down, dead to the leg and drop his hind in one side ..... me being fairly inexperienced compared to some and soft will stop to a walk "oh no are u ok horsey?) let's walk for a while. He will then walk in the most perfect walk EVER on the bit forward lovely, cheeky right????
Walk to canter, no problem canter beautiful
Trot forget it!!!
Could it be me? Is he telling me "you are a little unbalanced" and I won't have it? So sort it out ride it properly and I'll trot correctly
Walk canter never an issue (I rise trot)

I do sometimes have a balance problem in trot as he bumps me to the moon and back (bouncy Warmblood) and I'm still working on the holy grail of getting a horse on the bit .. I can sit trot but not well enough to sustain it for a whole hour!

He was a GP showjumper and a very good one, he was never trained as a dressage horse, I don't think he likes it much but always gives it a go, he does have great ground work established due to the jumping but putting it all together it a challenge for me
but jumps! Yes please!!! Hahah


Any advice would be VERY much appreciated
Please keep comments positive :)
Thanks
 
You say everything has been checked but not what checks were done or who did them, a 20 year old 17.2 that has had a very active working life is likely to be getting a bit stiff in it's joints and trotting is usually when any stiffness will show, walk and canter are easier and jumping small, yes 1m is small for him, fences is going to be fun so he will do it willingly, asking him to trot consistently in an outline is more difficult and the way they move makes it hard to maintain if there is any degree of unsoundness/unlevelness, you being unbalanced at times will not help but it is unlikely that he is finding you too bad if he is fine in other paces.

I would get him looked at by the vet and expect to get his hocks, possibly other parts, xrayed and medicated if required, I think it highly likely that he has a degree of arthritis that can be managed with a bit of help and if that is all that is wrong he is doing extremely well for his age.
 
Yup vets checked him
But I had a feel it could be arthritis
Worth checking him again it can never hurt
And yes for his ages he is in amazing condition I have been very lucky with him

Thanks
 
My old horse developed arthritis in his hocks, one was worse than the other and it was noticeable when he worked on a tighter circle that he couldn't bring his inside hind under as well as he should. He was stiffer when first starting work, particularly if he'd been stabled but with a good warm up would improve. A sachet of bute also helped him. He didn't exhibit the problem that you are having with your horse but I could feel he was stiff and a trainer could also see it although it wasn't severe. As it progressed I did have his hocks medicated and that also helped him enormously. Interestingly, he started rushing his jumps, not out of enthusiasm more I think because he had to use his hocks to jump and it was a bit uncomfortable. He was better when we stopped jumping and concentrated on hacking and light school work which kept him supple for years before he retired competely. Good luck I hope you find a solution to your problem, it might be worth checking that you aren't using the rein to balance in trot and inadvertently stopping him gong forward.
 
I absolutely use the rains when I become unbalanced In trot I am working on this
This is why I think it could be rider error (it's not always a problem with the horse right)
He is super trained to reins and seat when trainer gets on he moves like u wouldn't believe :) so I do think it's a bit of stiffness ( I'm in dubai so he is stables around 12 -14 per days due to heat in the summer he goes out in the early morning for a few hours then I work him everyday either ride or lunge with one day off.)
Stiffness + rider error
I will have him checked to go on safe side
But it's strange as its as if he is bored and looses interest but liven him up and he goes and goes, flat or jumps
Never refuses ) unless I am pulling or unbalanced
Tonight I'm going to try to trot with loose reins and just hold my balance in the core and legs and see if that changes him
I'll also perform more transitions to wake him up see if it changes if it does = rider error
If it doesn't = call the vet ;)
@oldie48
Can I ask, when u say medicated his hocks - what was used?
And the Bute how and how many times would u use it?
I ride him 6 days a week he is fit enough for him to ride like that and he will do a good hour work out, he is a very fit horse for his ages (fitter than me which is perfect)

Thanks
 
Michelle1109 said:
I absolutely use the rains when I become unbalanced In trot I am working on this
This is why I think it could be rider error (it's not always a problem with the horse right)
He is super trained to reins and seat when trainer gets on he moves like u wouldn't believe :) so I do think it's a bit of stiffness ( I'm in dubai so he is stables around 12 -14 per days due to heat in the summer he goes out in the early morning for a few hours then I work him everyday either ride or lunge with one day off.)
Stiffness + rider error
I will have him checked to go on safe side
But it's strange as its as if he is bored and looses interest but liven him up and he goes and goes, flat or jumps
Never refuses ) unless I am pulling or unbalanced
Tonight I'm going to try to trot with loose reins and just hold my balance in the core and legs and see if that changes him
I'll also perform more transitions to wake him up see if it changes if it does = rider error
If it doesn't = call the vet ;)
@oldie48
Can I ask, when u say medicated his hocks - what was used?
And the Bute how and how many times would u use it?
I ride him 6 days a week he is fit enough for him to ride like that and he will do a good hour work out, he is a very fit horse for his ages (fitter than me which is perfect)

Thanks
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I'd get a good trainer to assess what is happening as they will be able to see if it's you or the horse or a combination of you both. Also, the hot weather will make him a bit lazy, which might be contributing. My horse had steroid injections but there are other alternatives but you'd need a vet to see him. Again, my vet prescribed bute and as I'm a farly experienced owner was happy for me to use as I thought fit, he didn't need it when it was warm and he had plenty of turnout but in the winter he benefitted from one a day. good luck, I hope you get things sorted.
 
I would definitly have him checked out by a vet to rule out minor lameness. It's highly likely he does have a touch of Arthritis going on, especially due to his size & previous workload. Managed correctly, mild arthritic changes do not mean he's ready to be written off. As the owner of a 21 year old who is still in full work I am aware that although she's never showed any signs of arthritis it is still likely to be present as part of the ageing process. I'm a firm believer in regular exercise & turnout to prevent/manage such conditions (under the guidance of your vet & physio of course) & believe hacking to be absolutely paramount to Promote long term soundness. My 21 year old has still never once came out of her stable looking 'stiff' & I do attribute this to varied workload (I never do the same thing on consecutive days) & regular hacking. He sounds like a great horse with lots to teach. Look after him like an athlete & you will reap the rewards :)
 
Hi snowflake

Yes you are absolutely right I did always have in my mind the day would come when the arthritis would set in so have been mentally prepared
Unfortunately we can't hack him Out he hates the desert the last owner took him out and he came home alone hahah (she is xcountry rider) he was very unhappy out so we may have a walk round the outskirts of the yard with another horse as long as he can see home he is fine

We do change the arena work up as much as possible and he gets supliments oils and all the good stuff he needs

So I hope I'm doing my best by him as he is the most amazing horse and I'm lucky to be taught by him :)

Waiting for the vets to cal me back just in case
 
Have you got a good instructor.

I would be surprised if a horse of his history and size could get to 20 without any age related stiffness/issues tbh. It might be just about management too, when my oldie was still schooling he would canter before doing much trot as he found it easier to loosen up that way.
 
Michelle1109 said:
Hi snowflake

Yes you are absolutely right I did always have in my mind the day would come when the arthritis would set in so have been mentally prepared
Unfortunately we can't hack him Out he hates the desert the last owner took him out and he came home alone hahah (she is xcountry rider) he was very unhappy out so we may have a walk round the outskirts of the yard with another horse as long as he can see home he is fine

We do change the arena work up as much as possible and he gets supliments oils and all the good stuff he needs

So I hope I'm doing my best by him as he is the most amazing horse and I'm lucky to be taught by him :)

Waiting for the vets to cal me back just in case
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Sounds like you are doing all the right things for him. Good luck with the vet, it's an amazing thing to have a horse who can teach you -he sounds like a great horse.
 
Thanks for advice everyone

My RI is very good he is ex eventer and has had horses all his life (he is off to Ireland for his holiday so I'm lost with out him lol)
I may try giving him a canter to loosen him up never though about that

I'm quite inexperienced when it comes to management but I am very lucky to be on a yard with an ex jockey, eventer and xcountry riders
He is treated like the king of the castle

And yes I am very very lucky to have him as my first horse (I'm 37 and back riding after a 20yr break)
He has taken me from being scared of a Xpole to jumping a meter, dressage moves such as flying changes etc and over coming general lack of confidence

So much so I'm already thinking of a new young horse I can bring on since I'm surrounded by such good people I've learned so much

Vet is calling tomorrow

I rode him tonight in different lighter boots and he felt great no lazy legs no dropping his hind
Normally self and cutting corners as normal lol

Still I will get him a check but my ex jockey head yard man said the old boots may of been to bulky and as he is so close on his back legs I could of added to the contact by putting on boots that are to thick hence the "tripping" and "dipping" interference
 
Hi all

So a little update on the back leg issue
Remind of problem;
In trot he would drop his back hind. Imagine when you walk or jog and your knee ever so slightly buckles.....
this is kind of what he does, trotting away nicely and suddenly he will dip his back right, like his knee of hip has buckled it's a spilt seconded moment but I can feel the dip.

So I've had the vet out he did a lameness check X-rays checked him over watched me ride, did flextion and stretch test while under saddle, also a little test:
He Flexed back leg, flexed it up to his tummy held it for a few seconds and then I had to immediately ask for trot. He went off fine
NOTHING!!!! He couldn't see anything wrong, he was even really impressed with how supple his legs are - horse is 20 and an ex GP Showjumper!! He said I've seen younger horses with less suppleness in their legs!
My horse obviously didn't do "the move" while vet was there, and NEVER does it when any is watching me ride. Typical!!!

So I am at a loss
Can any one give me any ideas?
He is not lame he is jumping fine

But he does take the pi** out of me
1. when lunging he will just stand there not move I can chase him from behind, tap with with the lunge whip and NOTHING!! I end up running round by the side of him, it's the only time he will move when I lunge him (everyone else can lunge him expect me hahah)

2. He will stop dead in the arena like he needs to poo and then he will not budge like his feet are stuck in concrete. I have to really bash him with legs or make him do a turn on the forehand then he will walk on!!

3. When he wants to move I can just squeeze him and he is off, walk trot canter no problems.

4 he loves to jump it's the only time he really feels happy

Is he turning in to a grumpy difficult old horse?

Could it be that previously he knew I was a bit wary of him, and now he thinks he can dominate me, I'm not wary of him now I will give him a big boot and a tap tap in his shoulder with my whip even if he breaks to canter (he used to do this scare me ) but now I let him, and when he wants to slow down I keep making him canter to show he has rider up there and he needs to listen

What else could it be? I really don't think it's a phisical thing it should of shown up in X-ray and vet said if he had a joint, leg hip back problem it would of been apparent through the series of tests he performed

but I'm lost, totally lost!!!
 
I think your last comments have probably hit the nail on the head. I have a similar 17.2 20 year old who is beautifully bred to show jump. the difference is I have had him eleven years and know exactly what he is doing. I can read him like a book. he wears boots in the field. plants for England, etc, but is amazing and I love him to bits. I suspect your boy is taking the pee a bit and trying it on. you need to learn to read his signals and work with him. it's not about showing him who is boss rather being aware of his feelings and working with them
 
claret09 said:
I think your last comments have probably hit the nail on the head. I have a similar 17.2 20 year old who is beautifully bred to show jump. the difference is I have had him eleven years and know exactly what he is doing. I can read him like a book. he wears boots in the field. plants for England, etc, but is amazing and I love him to bits. I suspect your boy is taking the pee a bit and trying it on. you need to learn to read his signals and work with him. it's not about showing him who is boss rather being aware of his feelings and working with them
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I've tried the soft approach and it's him worse lol, I'm not agressive but I make sure when I ride him and he plants his feet I am assertive and mean what I ask but never aggressive with him.

And you are right he has learned lots of new evasions since I've owned him am deathly he figured me out fast than I him, I was a bit wary of his strength at first (it didn't bother me when I rode him before) but then I became his owner and suddenly I was scared!!

I suppose I will just have to keep asking and mean what I ask and see if the relationship gets better

I was in such a panic that there was an issue with him :(
 
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