Help/Advice re: loan horse!

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NatalieS

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Hi Guys

Hoping someone can give me some advice, I have had my horse 'Honey' on loan for about two years and she has never been an angel but I have managed and coped, until the last six months where I don't feel riding her is enjoyable anymore.

To cut a long story short when we leave the field and for about a mile out into a ride she is perfect no problems at all, she is always grumping when brushing and tacking her up but nothing major, then she turns into a horse that is 'possessed' all jumpy, jogging won't stand still and the worse thing is she is constantly shaking her head and pulling her head down like she is in pain, we normally end up coming home after 30 mins because she is dripping in sweat because she gets in such a state and its always a rush home. I really have no idea whats wrong with her we had the back lady and saddler approx 6 months ago and that was sorted, teeth done two weeks ago because I thought that maybe the problem but she is still the same, like I said to me it seems like something is hurting but I have no idea what. I have also tried a range of different bits rubber, happy mouth, plain snaffle etc etc but I have to be careful because she is strong, she can aswell be pretty naughty on the road because she is so wound up which does scare me because we have to go out and come back on a busy road.

She is 21/22 15.3hh tb x.

She is on loan to me and I do feel like it might be time to send her back, its just difficult because im not sure the girl who owns her will look after her properly if I send her back, im so confused please help!

Thank you
 
Regardless of the back lady this horse sounds 'backy' to me. All the symptoms plus worsening after about a mile suggests this (think about when you have a bad back and try to do something it tends to get worse). Could very easily be high cervical (neck) vertebrae. It seems a bit rough to send back without trying a bit harder with the diagnostics - is she insured, if so I would get a vet.
 
Thank you for replying, I really don't want to give up on her because she can be a complete sweetheart and I was thinking maybe time to get another back person to have a look at her, I have had a couple of vets but they won't give me any straight answers which is really annoying, because if I know something is wrong I will sort it but I need them to tell me. She is insured so thats not to much of an issue.
 
Hey, I'm sorry to hear this, however it sounds very similar to something my previous horse used to do.

I had him for 2 years, and when I bought him he was very out of condition and well behaved and a true gentleman. This is until the last six months or so, and it may have been longer but i didnt notice it as much, that when we went out on a hack, whether it was sunny rainy etc, he would be fine on the way out, but after not very long at all and getting worse the longer we were out, he would shake his head, pull at the reins, and not be concentrating on where he was going, as if he were head shaking but more servere, as if it was a pain.
I did exactly the same thing as you and had his back checked, saddle checked, teeth done, change the bits and the bridle, but nothing would stop it. One day i took him out on the roads to somewhere new that he had never been for a few hours and he was fine until we arrived back on the farm and he knew where he was. I don't know if this was just him napping, or that there was a back problem and when he was just walking around somewhere he felt familiar he also felt more of a need to express this? I'm sorry but I never found a cure for this, and I did hate hacking him out after a while because I knew this was going to happen.
I still believe he had a back problem, even though it was proved he didnt.

I hope you have better luck x x x
 
Do you have any medical/behavioural history of this horse before you loaned it?

I am afraid that to resolve this issue and hopefully get a diagnosis you are going to need a vet to take a look at her and possibly refer her to a specialist veterinary clinic such as the Animal Health Trust or one of the other specialist practices in Newmarket.

Bear in mind that you have every right to return the horse and find another horse which is more suitable for your intended purposes.
 
Thank you for replying.

History of her - well the girl that actually owns her had her five years prior to me and I think to be honest from what I have heard she was a little 'hammered' hunting, polo, jumping etc etc and I don't think she was taught any manners during that time, which I am desperately trying to do but its hard. Before that she was at a riding school, I know she has had a pretty rough life so I want to give her the best chance I can. Her owner wasn't very honest with me when I had her especially about the fact she isnt very good on the road but she only spooks at lorries/tractors so I can cope with that, but because she is getting worked up so much with the other issues the road thing is becoming more of a problem.

Sounds like a need a vet/back person to look at her again :(
 
I had a tb mare who did exactly the same as yours, had everything checked and it was all down to her behaviour. For 4 years I battled with her nodding, cantering sideways. She was never dangourous just very full of it, and as I wanted a hack I sold her in the end and she was still the same with her new owner.
 
I had one of the top physios in the country and a very well respected osteo telling me my horse was fine, vets ignoring me etc so one day I just booked him into the vet hospital for a full lameness workup (also insured), had his back x-rayed and turned out he has kissing spine. Another lady on our yard had a similar problem, took her mare to newmarket and she had damaged the ligaments in her back! I would query this and if insured just book into a vet hospital for a full lameness workup (be prepared for paying the excess ours was £100!) :)
 
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