Has my horse got back problems?

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SMIS

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Hi all,

I broke my arm 2 months ago. Whilst that was healing someone rode my horse twice a week (normally ridden 4x week) to keep him ticking over. They didnt canter in the school cos he couldnt/wouldnt but did canter in a straight line when hacking.

So after 6 weeks off I got back on to discover he has forgotten how to canter in the school or doesnt want to (worried hes in pain).

He rushes trotting to the corner like he is excited to canter then either stops after a few strides or keeps going but shakes his head and sort of leaps with both front legs like he's going to start bronching but doesn't - he would much rather pull up and stand! Maybe 5 times out of 10 he will canter like he did before my time off (broken arm) but when he does its very slow and feels laboured.

I guess long story short can anyone offer advice on if this is a fitness/out of work/practise thing or might he have a back prob? He has taken to stretching his neck long and low after cantering.

Thanks
 
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Perhaps he is out of shape? I know my guy found it hard to canter in the school until we started having regular lessons and he started working properly. It wouldn't hurt to have his back checked though, perhaps a physio or such like?
 
Development today - now every time I ask for canter he is rushing the trot and is eager to canter then bucks a lot. What is going on with my horse and what can I do to fix it? After 6 weeks being ridden once a week by a friend he has turned difficult to ride. He was a novice persons horse prior to my time off.
 
Definitely get his back checked. It sounds very much like a pain response. Not saying that your rider was too heavy or did anything wrong as it may just be that she asked more of him and has highlighted a problem that was maybe there before but had gone unnoticed as you hadn't asked as much. The rushing trot probably isn't eagerness to canter but worrying about being asked to canter. The now bucking horse is probably because you aren't listening enough to his more subtle hints that he hurts.
 
spike123 said:
Definitely get his back checked. It sounds very much like a pain response. Not saying that your rider was too heavy or did anything wrong as it may just be that she asked more of him and has highlighted a problem that was maybe there before but had gone unnoticed as you hadn't asked as much. The rushing trot probably isn't eagerness to canter but worrying about being asked to canter. The now bucking horse is probably because you aren't listening enough to his more subtle hints that he hurts.
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This^^^
 
spike123 said:
Definitely get his back checked. It sounds very much like a pain response. Not saying that your rider was too heavy or did anything wrong as it may just be that she asked more of him and has highlighted a problem that was maybe there before but had gone unnoticed as you hadn't asked as much. The rushing trot probably isn't eagerness to canter but worrying about being asked to canter. The now bucking horse is probably because you aren't listening enough to his more subtle hints that he hurts.
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Thanks for the advice. Does anyone know of a good back specialist around York?
 
I'm not from the area so wouldn't know who to recommend. Give your vet a call and they will be able to recommend someone for you.
 
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