Ali27
Well-Known Member
I bought my girl as a 2 year old as my next forever horse! She is ID x Welsh. She was unhandled so it took a while to get her leading/ tying up, picking up hooves etc. I then sent her off to be backed lightly last February for 6 weeks when she was rising 4. No problems backing her and when she got home, I started hacking her lightly and then early Summer introduced a weekly arena session (20 mins) just walk with tiny bit of trot. All going well apart from going a bit backward thinking hacking and wanting to follow rather than lead and also a bit girthy. She then had a massive bucking episode in the arena which I put down to saddle which had slipped forward, left her for a few weeks and did groundwork while waiting to get saddle checked. Back on her, but still seemed backward thinking and reluctant to lead out hacking and a bit nappy. She was barefoot as was a bit tricky having hooves trimmed with farrier so decided to leave shoeing her until 5 and in more work.
Got back on her in Feb with no problems at all. Decided to use a Total Contact Saddle until she muscled up properly. Then built up hacking where she was going well, although still preferring to follow rather than lead. Started arena work in walk and introduced trot. Then took her for her first lesson where she was fab and lovely and forward. Finally thought we were going somewhere!
Then suddenly she started getting aggressive with picking up hooves and putting saddle on. She then came in from the field looking miserable and reactive so called the vet! She thought potentially EMS so tested her, gave her Bute and on strict diet until the results came back. Also potentially thought hormones or ulcers (very good doer so not typical candidate)!
Anyway tested negative for EMS! Then did hoof x - rays as she looked sore on hooves, put shoes on under sedation. She was still very aggressive tacking up although felt more forward to ride. Then down to vets to be scoped- grade 2 squamous and glandular ulcers! She was trotted up and looked off on right hand so back the following week for performance work up! She was then found to have juvenile hock arthritis which is worse in the right hock. Had it medicated with steroids and then a Tilden infusion. She was having the weekly omeprazole injection. Just been rescoped and ulcers nearly gone, just a bit of redness left in glandular. And also looking so much sounder in back end. Also the girthiness has gone and she is so forward to ride, happily taking the lead and no napping!
In hindsight, she must have been in pain, struggling since she was backed and I feel awful about that! It was easy to blame the lack of forwardness, girthiness, napping, bucking episodes on the saddle and also being a youngster. Lots of people said she was trying it on with me! But all my poor girl was doing was trying to communicate she was in pain
I’m now fairly confident that I can tell when she is starting to feel sore and then we can look at other treatments for the hock arthritis. Whatever happens, she has a home for life with me and I will do everything I possibly can to keep her comfortable and happy!
How easy is it though to blame behaviour issues on the horse trying it on, being a youngster etc! Also the saddle being the issue rather than looking at other pain factors!
This whole experience has definitely been a huge learning experience!
Got back on her in Feb with no problems at all. Decided to use a Total Contact Saddle until she muscled up properly. Then built up hacking where she was going well, although still preferring to follow rather than lead. Started arena work in walk and introduced trot. Then took her for her first lesson where she was fab and lovely and forward. Finally thought we were going somewhere!
Then suddenly she started getting aggressive with picking up hooves and putting saddle on. She then came in from the field looking miserable and reactive so called the vet! She thought potentially EMS so tested her, gave her Bute and on strict diet until the results came back. Also potentially thought hormones or ulcers (very good doer so not typical candidate)!
Anyway tested negative for EMS! Then did hoof x - rays as she looked sore on hooves, put shoes on under sedation. She was still very aggressive tacking up although felt more forward to ride. Then down to vets to be scoped- grade 2 squamous and glandular ulcers! She was trotted up and looked off on right hand so back the following week for performance work up! She was then found to have juvenile hock arthritis which is worse in the right hock. Had it medicated with steroids and then a Tilden infusion. She was having the weekly omeprazole injection. Just been rescoped and ulcers nearly gone, just a bit of redness left in glandular. And also looking so much sounder in back end. Also the girthiness has gone and she is so forward to ride, happily taking the lead and no napping!
In hindsight, she must have been in pain, struggling since she was backed and I feel awful about that! It was easy to blame the lack of forwardness, girthiness, napping, bucking episodes on the saddle and also being a youngster. Lots of people said she was trying it on with me! But all my poor girl was doing was trying to communicate she was in pain
I’m now fairly confident that I can tell when she is starting to feel sore and then we can look at other treatments for the hock arthritis. Whatever happens, she has a home for life with me and I will do everything I possibly can to keep her comfortable and happy!How easy is it though to blame behaviour issues on the horse trying it on, being a youngster etc! Also the saddle being the issue rather than looking at other pain factors!
This whole experience has definitely been a huge learning experience!
It’s so hard! I did send a mane sample to a lovely lady who does radionics! She pinpointed all the issues- sore hooves, glandular ulcers, issues in right hind, saddle slipping to the right! Then obviously I got vet to investigate!
