Ex racer, real or imaginary issues?!

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chestnutmarelover

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I bought an ex racer off the track July 2011, did the usual, back, teeth, rested few mnths, started hacking then hit winter so nothing for a few months, then started schooling early last year, he kept going up (proper I dont care if I go over up) which I put down to him having real dislike of any bit cos always very stressy with his mouth so started bitless, all fine till a few more symptoms appeared so had spine xrays & then ks op in Nov just gone. Now we are lunging with EquiAmi (which is a brilliant invention!) but he is again trying to go up in trot - the jerk from back part is preventing him actually going up so he just carries on trotting round. Im wondering if he is objecting to bit again or 'thinking' he is still in pain, or really is in pain?!?! He is sound, tracks up lovely & is having regular McTimoney as part of the recovery. He has cost me a fortune in vets fees, do I just keep working him hoping he'll figure hes not gonna achieve anything & hes only fighting himself. Thought maybe next time will try his Micklem bridle on the bitless option with the EquiAmi & see what happens....... Any thoughts or opinions gratefully received!!
 
It can take some horses a while to "forget" that there is no pain and as long as your vet and back person are happy with him, I think you are just going to have to be patient and not push him too hard.

Good luck!
 
Tammytoo said:
It can take some horses a while to "forget" that there is no pain and as long as your vet and back person are happy with him, I think you are just going to have to be patient and not push him too hard.

Good luck!
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Yeah, agree with this. Treat him right, boost his confidence, give it a year to really start seeing differences :)
 
I suspect the horse still has a problem - and is telling you that in no uncertain terms.

In your shoes I would stop riding it and get the back checked out again by the surgeon. It may be that its riding days are over.
 
Seeing this in a horse close to my yard at the moment and I would definitely say with that one that he is still not right. Such a shame as only 6 but I don't think he will ever come right and vet is of same opinion.

I would honestly bite the bullet, get him fully assessed by surgeon again and move forward from there. Not all problems announce themselves with routine back work, no matter how good your practitioner is.

Sometimes these things come good, sometimes they don't.

Either way, I am sorry it has been such a trial for you both and good luck!
 
amymay said:
I suspect the horse still has a problem - and is telling you that in no uncertain terms.

In your shoes I would stop riding it and get the back checked out again by the surgeon. It may be that its riding days are over.
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If he only had his back done in November, I'm not sure she would be riding just yet. He seems to be resisting the EquiAmi.

OP, I suspect you may be right about the bit, and also there's the issue of forgetting the pain for the most part. I am on week 6 of supposedly 4-5 x per week x 12 weeks of lunging in the EquiAmi (he didn't have the op, his KS is mild) and I noticed that if we hadn't managed to be consistent we got some bucks coming back, particularly in the first session after a break. I loosened it off a bit, lessened the trotting and upped the walking and also swapped it for the Chambon every other session. It seems to have done the trick.

Also, after talking with the EA people, I wonder how much walk you are doing? The told me that at least half the session should be in walk for the first few weeks and less trotting, gradually building up.

Try without a bit for a time - it may be the answer.
 
No not riding yet! We are only in week 5 of lunging. Lunged tonight after bute earlier, used Micklem on bitless with EquiAmi. No mouth stressing but no real difference in trot which makes me hope that it IS in his head not physical. When I use a friends school (rather than our small turnout cos nearly dark when I fin work) at weekend I will probably lunge bitless without equiami to see if it makes any difference. Vet seemed to think he is just anti gadgets, hope so. Since he is so obviously anti bit (have tried every bit/noseband on the planet lol) and goes happily bitless, I will have to accept it! Very disheartening :( and hope is only in his head although niggles in my head say otherwise
 
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