Horse gone backwards in flatwork

[Hormonal Filly]

My mare is rising 6 and end of summer - mid December she was going so well on the flat. We have an instructor who is a Grand Prix rider and I was seeing lots of improvements. We came third in our first prelim with 68%

Mid December we had an amazing flat lesson as I keep a diary of when I ride. Fast forward to end of December, she changed. Was that when it suddenly got colder? In the arena she wants to trot on the spot, stare at everything and anything going on outside the school, is evasive to my hand.

Has anything changed?
She was on regumate all summer and I stopped it mid November, I put her back on it 2 weeks ago. (How long does it take to make a difference?)

My vet came out 2 weeks ago just for a checkup, saw her on the lunge and did some flexion tests. No issues, also felt her back and was very happy with her.

Saddle has been checked, I’ve booked the equine dentist who is coming in 2 weeks. She was last done 9 months ago.

We have beautiful hacking so hack a lot, every ride is over 5 miles long with a lot of cantering. She’s ridden 4-5 times a week, once a week in the school.

I don’t know if it’s because she is fresh? When hacking I ride her in a universal because she’s strong. Her routine hasn’t changed, she’s been in at night since October but the last week I’ve been leaving her out some nights sometimes as have the ability to do this.

I started feeding a very small amount of speedibeet in December, but that shouldn’t be heating?

Can’t put my finger on it

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It's not really been that cold the last week so it has a bit of a spring feel in the air I think, my 2 are definitely feeling very up for it and they are 19 and 20 now but I've noticed when I hay late in the evening at about 9pm they are not waiting for it they are grazing whereas normally they have been on the hard standing wanting hay.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

It's not really been that cold the last week so it has a bit of a spring feel in the air I think, my 2 are definitely feeling very up for it and they are 19 and 20 now but I've noticed when I hay late in the evening at about 9pm they are not waiting for it they are grazing whereas normally they have been on the hard standing wanting hay.

Good to hear yours are feeling well.

I tried to lunge her on Sunday and she was squealing and cantering a 10m circle around me, throwing many shapes. I had to call it a day after 5 minutes, didn’t want to ruin a friends ride on her youngster.

I expected her to be more like that in Feb/March not mid December. She is on good amount of grass still though.

 

[dottylottie]

no advice or insight, but it could just be they’re all feeling spring coming around - mine was chilled as anything tonight, standing half asleep whilst i was chatting to a livery, and then nearly deposited me in the neighbours hedge when i asked her to please trot properly twice!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Good to hear yours are feeling well.

I tried to lunge her on Sunday and she was squealing and cantering a 10m circle around me, throwing many shapes. I had to call it a day after 5 minutes, didn’t want to ruin a friends ride on her youngster.

I expected her to be more like that in Feb/March not mid December. She is on good amount of grass still though.

I wouldn't over think it mine are like complete idiots

 

[sbloom]

I recommend to some customers, who are interested, to take conformation photos regularly, say every fortnight, so that you can compare the body, muscle development, posture. So often there is a warning sign before something becomes clinical. Not an opinion on whether this is pain, but it could well be what we might class as the stage before pain.

 

[ycbm]

I'm going to sound like a broken record on this one soon but vitamin E levels are low in the second half of winter, especially in horses with limited turnout. I now recommend all horses are supplemented vitamin E Jan to May and all year round if getting limited fresh green food.

Depending on the horse, feeling not right often results in behaviour that feels like an excess of energy.
.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I'm going to sound like a broken record on this one soon but vitamin E levels are low in the second half of winter, especially in horses with limited turnout. I now recommend all horses are supplemented vitamin E Jan to May and all year round if getting limited fresh green food.

Depending on the horse, feeling not right often results in behaviour that feels like an excess of energy.
.

Thanks YCBM, I often say this to friends! She gets 3,000IU Natural Vitamin E a day and was on vitamin E all summer because on restricted grazing. She’s moved onto some rested grass too (and been out a lot recently) so might contribute to her feeling well.

 

[millitiger]

Have you had another lesson since the behaviour started? What does your trainer think?

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Have you had another lesson since the behaviour started? What does your trainer think?

Yes, had a lesson a couple of weeks ago so mid January (week after the vet had been) she said my mare was struggling to concentrate and relax which she’s not seen her like before (we’ve had 4 lessons now, one a month) last lesson prior to that first week of December, she went the best she ever has. Usually I apply my leg and she works into a lovely outline, now she just totally ignores me asking/fights or trots on the spot.
I thought it was me, but trainer said it isn’t.

Trainer was convinced it was hormonal because I’d taken her off the regumate in November she was probably in season and to put her back on regumate. She also said get her teeth done just in case.

I’d of thought regumate would be working now, starting giving it again the day the trainer said hormonal. A week until her teeth are being done so will be interesting to see.

 

[Vodkagirly]

I recommend to some customers, who are interested, to take conformation photos regularly, say every fortnight, so that you can compare the body, muscle development, posture. So often there is a warning sign before something becomes clinical. Not an opinion on whether this is pain, but it could well be what we might class as the stage before pain

That's a really good idea. It's easy to miss subtle changes when you see them everyday. Will try and do this.

 

[sbloom]

That's a really good idea. It's easy to miss subtle changes when you see them everyday. Will try and do this.

Both sides, and compare the two on the day, not just with previous ones, it's illuminating!

 

[Cowpony]

I've just had something similar. Had the saddle reflocked, bit fitter out, changed arenas, tried a different saddle......horse would go well for about 10 minutes, then plant and go backwards. Got a vet/physio out to have a look. Seems she was very tight in her back just behind the saddle, had a slightly wonky pelvis, and a bit tight in the poll. Physio worked her magic and horse seems a lot happier now. I'm getting on her tonight, so we'll see........

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I've just had something similar. Had the saddle reflocked, bit fitter out, changed arenas, tried a different saddle......horse would go well for about 10 minutes, then plant and go backwards. Got a vet/physio out to have a look. Seems she was very tight in her back just behind the saddle, had a slightly wonky pelvis, and a bit tight in the poll. Physio worked her magic and horse seems a lot happier now. I'm getting on her tonight, so we'll see........

Thank you. Do let me know!

Funnily enough I gave her a massage all over myself this evening, a friend is a sports therapist and showed me some massage techniques years ago.
I noticed today she was tight at the back of the saddle and behind the saddle, both sides.. felt much better after a good massage and was then non reactive.

She had a new saddle fitted a week ago, although the behaviour started 6 weeks ago so can’t say it’s the new saddle.
Will keep an eye on it and see how she goes on the weekend. Physio is coming out in a couple of weeks and I’ve bought dentist forward to start of next week.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I got a friend to video me riding in my new saddle today.. only fitted less than a week ago. Well it clearly has loads of lift in the back of it, no wonder she’s sore there. I thought I could feel it lifting under my bum.

I switched saddles and rode in another I’ve been borrowing from another saddler, she went much better and no lift behind.

Doesn’t explain why she turned difficult mid December but it does in the last week.

 

[Cowpony]

I've ridden mine 3 times since the physio came. The first time we just did 20 minutes in walk, and she did stop and want to go in the other direction, but not as badly as before. I'd say she was expecting it to hurt rather than it actually hurting. The second time I took the thinline pad off to see if that made a difference and we got some really nice trot, and no stopping. Today we went on a road hack with a fair amount of trotting and she was striding out nicely. She didn't seem sore when we got back, which is good. I'll try her in the school again tomorrow. At some point I'll put the thinline pad back on to see what happens.

 

[Palindrome]

I'd tend to agree with your trainer. One of my mares was a bit reactive in her back behind the saddle. A few days later my second mare has the same, she is rising four and has never been ridden so can't be the saddle, feed has not changed but they are both in season. I am thinking it's the first seasons of the year when they are a bit sore around their ovaries, I will get the vet out if it goes on but I am waiting for a few days first to see if it settles.

 

[Michen]

What kind of natural vit E? Here the vets are convinced it must be in the oil format to be absorbed, I syringe directly into mouth (10,000 IU)

 

[Hormonal Filly]

What kind of natural vit E? Here the vets are convinced it must be in the oil format to be absorbed, I syringe directly into mouth (10,000 IU)

Powdered natural vit E from Progressive Earth. I know Nano E is expensive, 250iu per ml I’d need to feed 12ml a day for 3,000IU which means a bottle would last just over a month (£88 a bottle)

@ycbm @PurBee Is there a big difference in absorbency between natural powdered and oil Vit E?

 

[Michen]

Yep appreciate it's expensive and I'm not sure on the research but the USA vets really do think powdered is a waste of money. That was their words to me, anyway, and it's very heavily supplemented here because of lack of grazing in so many states.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Yep appreciate it's expensive and I'm not sure on the research but the USA vets really do think powdered is a waste of money. That was their words to me, anyway, and it's very heavily supplemented here because of lack of grazing in so many states.

Really interesting, thank you Michen. I feed it with micronised linseed but not sure if that makes any difference.

 

[PurBee]

Powdered natural vit E from Progressive Earth. I know Nano E is expensive, 250iu per ml I’d need to feed 12ml a day for 3,000IU which means a bottle would last just over a month (£88 a bottle)

@ycbm @PurBee Is there a big difference in absorbency between natural powdered and oil Vit E?

It’s a fat soluble vitamin, so the powder would want to be mixed in oil for better absorption. Micronised linseed has a good fat content, but as those fats are bound-up within the linseed mix, they likely wont be helping absorption of the vit E.

I’d be tempted to mix the vit E powder with sunflower oil, it should dissolve, and give doses from the sunflower oil bottle.

I havent looked for absorbency comparison studies using vit e powder mixed with oil Verses vit e oil, if there are any - but the general consensus in nutrition is any fat soluble nutrient needs fat to be better absorbed. Turmeric is fat soluble and powdered turmeric is much better absorbed mixed with oil.


Sorry to hear about your mare - your trainer could be right it may be hormone seasonal, for her to rapidly change. Do you remember when you first put her on regumate before, if her behaviour was unpredictable initially? It wouldnt be surprising with it being a hormone treatment, for things to go a bit up and down, until the system adjusts to the new hormone levels.

Some on here have mentioned their horses are sensitive to beetpulp. If that coincides more with changed behaviour, try replacing with soaked grass nuts mash, and see if there’s any change.

 

[hock]

Coming off regumate is the obvious reason but it should have kicked back in by now. Only other thing depending on how mature your horses teeth are is were still on every 6 months dental at rising 6 years old with my lot. My 5 year old has great teeth and no problems but I know instantly when he’s ready for the dentist and it’s often shy of six months.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Coming off regumate is the obvious reason but it should have kicked back in by now. Only other thing depending on how mature your horses teeth are is were still on every 6 months dental at rising 6 years old with my lot. My 5 year old has great teeth and no problems but I know instantly when he’s ready for the dentist and it’s often shy of six months.

Thank you @hock and @PurBee

Dentist is coming out tomorrow, I’m thinking it was probably originally coming off the regumate and then her behaviour didn’t improve because she had a saddle fitted (which actually didn't fit) so then related to being sore in her back.

Will gauge how she goes and try removing speedibeet if no improvement.