Disunited in canter

basilcob

basilcob

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My warmblood mare who I've owned since Sep began going disunited when ridden, probably November time. I initially thought it might be a fitness or rider issue. However she continues to do it now both for myself and my daughter who rides her mainly. Today I noticed she does it frequently on the lunge (I don't normally lunge so hadn't picked that up until now) She has a physio appointment in two weeks. I'm wondering wether to get the vet first and how they may begin investigating the cause? She has always swished her tail quite a lot but I haven't noticed any other symptoms and seems sound to me behind although could probably flex her hocks more in canter. She's rising 12 years, has had her teeth done recently and her two saddles were fitted to her. Has anyone any experience with this? Thank you!
 
basilcob said:
My warmblood mare who I've owned since Sep began going disunited when ridden, probably November time. I initially thought it might be a fitness or rider issue. However she continues to do it now both for myself and my daughter who rides her mainly. Today I noticed she does it frequently on the lunge (I don't normally lunge so hadn't picked that up until now) She has a physio appointment in two weeks. I'm wondering wether to get the vet first and how they may begin investigating the cause? She has always swished her tail quite a lot but I haven't noticed any other symptoms and seems sound to me behind although could probably flex her hocks more in canter. She's rising 12 years, has had her teeth done recently and her two saddles were fitted to her. Has anyone any experience with this? Thank you!
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Swapping hind legs and going disunited in canter can be a sign of spavin and also SI problems. Maybe you should get the vet to do a lameness examination, and maybe a flexion test will show if there are any problems with the hocks.

If it is spavin there is plenty that can be done.
 
Mine has just been diagnosed with bilateral hind suspensory damage. The reason I had him investigated was disuniting in canter.
 
One of my young horses started to disunite, but he had not been injured to our knowledge or experienced difficulty show jumping, until that point. Our osteopath was able to sort him out quite quickly, he had twisted his back and we were having problems with his foot trimming, both dealt with.
 
My big ginger boy did this a few years ago. On one rein he'd change behind and really bump as he did it, like I was driving over a speedbump. I think, through a recommendation on here, someone suggested a chiro as first port of call. The chiro I used was also a vet at my practice. One session and he never did it again.
 
Going disunited in canter and swapping legs was the first sign of my horses issues. This continued for 2 or so months before he eventually broke down with what was diagnosed as spavins in both hocks. It's not been an easy road for us so I wish you luck whatever the outcome x
 
Thank you for your replies. I'm going to start with the vet I think. I free schooled her tonight and she was doing it more than she's done before. It was predominantly on one rein but now both. I'm not insured but I'm happy to pay whatever it costs, just don't want to throw money down the wrong avenues if I can avoid it - of which there's probably no avoiding! I would've thought if it was a schooling/ fitness/ rider issue it would only happen under saddle, so I'm thinking it's something that requires veterinary attention.
 
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