HELP! Back Problems? Mouth Problems?!

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PerryThePony

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Hi, I have an 18yo Welsh/Arab, she's ridden everyday and usually goes on hacks with my mum or our sharer. I've had to have some time of from riding because of a knee problem but decided o take her up to the school the other day, considering she hadn't been ridden in here for a fair few weeks she was an angel. Working long and low the whole time.
Now for the problem, the next day, I was meant to be taking some children for a hack leading her but due to her mis-behaving so badly I had to take her up to the school, (may I add is VERY unlike her!). So i'm up n the school, she's very jumpy, but everytime I try and work a contact she's throwing her head up in the air vertically and very resistant to work forwards. So I trotted her up, still riding, and she appeared lame on her front left (sorry don't know horsey term!), however when lead being trotted up she was sound.
She had a couple of days of, when I rode her next she is woring completely bakwards, if i ride her with long reins and no contact she is working long and low, as soon as I pick up contact, even if it slight, she throws her head in the air, and doesn't work forwards.

I know this is a bit of an essay. But I was just wondering what other peoples opinions are, I understand it could be a number of things and some people I know hve suggested she could of been pulled in the mouth, could be her back etc. But if anyone has any idea or has been in the same situation it be really appreciatted if you could give me some kind of guidance of what it was/what you did or if she's just plain taking the p*** out of me!

Thanks :)
 
I think the best thing is to have the vet out. It could be teeth, but it could also be a back problem or even a lameness problem (hind limb lameness is sometimes felt like a mouth problem because of the stiffness through her body). If all this behaviour is uncharacteristic for her, she is telling you she in pain. Even if she is taking the p***, you won't know until you eliminate a physical cause first.
 
Hi, When did your horse last have her teeth/back checked and/or treated? Is she being her normal well behaved self on hacks and just being more difficult in the school? It may be that she is very stiff if she's used to going out on hacks in straight lines in a fairly relaxed manner and when you took her up to the school she was having to work harder on a bend with more of a contact. When you say 'working long and low', is she working over her back with a contact or is she really just trotting round on a long rein? Sorry, so many questions!!
 
Hi, she had her teeth don not long ago, say within the last 2 months, he said everything was fine but she had a slight wave? but he said this is common with older horses. Regards of her back, we had a saddler down who put her back into place and did something with her shoulders, so whether she's acticng like she is because it's starting to come out again? and if it is, do i get vet, physio or the saddler out?

On hacks she's defintly been more on her toes, alot more lively but then could be weather change as she was very lathargic through hot weather.

And long and low, I meant working over her back with a contact, this was before everything.

Thinks thats everything!

:)
 
I think Booboos is right. Vet should be your first port of call, and then if they do find anything untoward, they should be able to advise you who you need to get to treat your horse. I hope you get sorted soon, don't they know how to put you through it!
 
I'm having similar issues with my horse at the moment.

I contacted my vet as fist port of call who did a few things with us and referred us to a physio. Physio was out today and his bridle is pinching him around his ears and poll and he has also twisted and jammed muscles in his pelvis (pos when he got cast when colicing on boxrest) I have to ride him bitless tomorrow now and check his bit isnt causing any more pain.

But I'd def contact your vet for your first port of call.

Hope you get to the bottom of this soon :)
 
I knew there was something wrong with my horse when I noticed that the saddle was roughing up a small patch of hair just behind the left wither and that every bit regardless was rubbing his mouth on the left side only.
Toothman confirmed a bone spur on the left side of the bottom jaw causing him to tilt to the left causing the mouth rub. This affected the cranial axis pulling up his top line and twisting just behind the withers as confirmed by the ostepath. The horse has his teeth done every twelve months and this is only a recent problem that has escalated very quickly.
 
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