Going to find out whats going on

G

georgiegirl2

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 April 2005
Messages
495
Location
York
Visit site
After encountering ridden problems over the past few months - ie random napping, rearing and generally being uncooperative we have got to find out the reason why twig has gone from super talented youngster to complete cow bag

Last year we bought her from a racing yard and got her going very sweetly, going to a few dressage comps and jumping well at home, hacking out alone and in company The past few months she has turned into a monster. From the start we have had saddle prof fitted and teeth done every six months.

I'm giving her one last chance in that I've organised a vet visit and saddle re-check to see if there is pain anywhere that is causing this or wether it is behavioural. There are rub marks under the panels at the back of her saddle though we have put this down to her being a thin skinned / thin coated tb, the saddle doesnt seem to move when ridden and was fitted in sept so is ready for its first check now anyway.

One thing I have noticed is that for a horse that will be 5 in the next couple of months she has been very slow in developing her adult teeth. Her corner front teeth are the tiniest (literally showing a few mm from the gumline) things and on the other corner front tooth she still has a cap on which is ready for coming off as you can see the gap starting to show at the top.

Now is it just me or is this pretty slow development for a 5yo?
 
I would seek further advice on the saddle- There definately should not be rub marks at the back of the saddle, that means that her saddle will be causing great friction and pain-the fact that she is a thin-skinned TB doesnt come into it! My TB mare also had rub marks at the back of her saddle area-because she had changed shape and the saddle no longer fitted. and as soon as we got the saddle re-fitted the hair grew back. She was so sore where the saddle had rubbed her and did need a few physio sessions to put it right.

Apart from anything else, she does sound like a horse in pain,she is clearly trying to tell you something, so will be interesting to see what the vet says. Also get some physio?
 
She sounds to me as if she is a youngster that needs some chilling out time, you've done a lot with her in a very short space of time coupled with the fact she has already raced as well; that's a lot for any youngster. I'd be turning her away for a few months for R & R myself whether your vet and saddler find anything or not.
 
Its definately going to be checked out. It the patched happened last winter too with a different saddle. She is very long in her back and has a 'warmblood' type trot rather than you average tb trot so she moves over her back a LOT! we use sheepskin but nothing seems to be stopping these patches. And of course, we shall see what the saddler says when he comes out.

up until the vet visit and saddle check im giving her time off because if it is something physical then it isnt fair (and certainly not a lot of fun at the moment) to continue riding her.

I have thought about turning her away but in all honesty if I am realistic about it I dont say want to turn her away for four months and find myself in the same boat four months on down the line if it doesnt help. I know in an ideal world thats what we would have done from the start but unfortunately it isnt really feasable.

Its not as if she has been really pushed since we had her. She came from a racing yard but had never been raced - just taken on the gallops. I completely re-broke her in from scratch and she has never been pushed or overfaced.

We ourselves thought it may be too much pressure and backed off the past couple of weeks but even riding out for a walk in company on a looshish contact she has had random rearing / planting fits - non of which we had last year
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'd be turning her away for a few months for R & R myself whether your vet and saddler find anything or not.

[/ QUOTE ]
Totally agree. Sounds to me as if she's saying 'enough is enough' - after all she's been worked in one shape or another since either a two year old or early three year old. Most younsters need a bit of time in the field to digest everything and grow up a bit. And it doesn't sound as if she's had that opportunity perhaps....:)
 
I'd be inclined to agree with the time off I'm afraid. Also would be worth getting her ovaries/hormones checked. It may be that she is feeling the effects of spring! (plus she sounds a lot like my girl
tongue.gif
)

Good luck with the vet. It is horrible because you find yourself almost wanting there to be something wrong so that tehre is a tangible solution, but she may just have an equine form of burn out!
 
TB's are very sensitive creatures. I bought my TB gelding as a freshly backed four year old but he ended up being turned away for six months due to a combination of things - he caught a virus, strained a hind suspensory ligament and when he came back in to work he just didn't want to know. It was hard to wait around for him but he came back into work better than ever, having grown up and muscled out. Now at the age of 9yr he's been turned away again for nine months due to a collateral ligament problem, but fingers cross he'll bounce back. If the vet finds nothing wrong then it might be worth giving her some time off if you can.
 
Hi

I have had 3 Tbs 2 ex-racers and now my current TB that hasnt raced.

My 1st girl (Twiggy) came to me after being off the track for 4 months - to my knowledge she was never turned away and i never felt the need to - she loved her work and seemed to relish it - mind you i did mainly hack and barely schooled her for the 1st year. Unfortunately i lost her to grass sickness at the age of 7 so will never know her potential.

My 2nd TB (Ben) apparently didnt race - i later found out he had in Ireland - his behaviour over the course of a year became increasingly dangerous, on the floor and on his back - on a hack in company he would rear, spin, plant, buck you name it he did it. I tried EVERYTHING - different instructors, oesteopath, chiropractor, 2 saddlers, 3 saddles and i cant even tell you how many vets - i knew in my gut that there was a problem and not a behavioural one - but i still got a behaviourist - and yes he agreed it was pain related - to cut this story short i had a bone scan done and we found arthritis in the spine and bone spavins in the hocks.

Has your horse any behavioural issues on the floor? Ben became more and more unhappy to be saddled and in the end even grooming him was a no go - you may not have a physical issue but its worth looking at the behaviour as a whole, not just ridden.

You know your horse - if your gut feeling is that there is an underlying problem then investigate.

Another thing to think about is hormonal problems - yes few and far between but my friends mare was agressive and stallion like and boy did she buck - when she had peritonitis (sp) they found through the ultra sound a huge lump on her ovary - once removed she was a different horse!

Sorry i'm not much help - but i guess what i am trying to say is believe in yourself and follow your gut feelings. Good luck and let us know how you get on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top