Horse not cantering

[J_sarahd]

Basically, my pony has stopped cantering in the school, especially on the right lead. But on the left lead, he’s started switching his front legs. He canters on the lunge and out at arena hire and hack and back/teeth/saddle have all been on in the last 3 months.

Is it likely school sour or pain issue? He’s been put on lami-watch due to the grass and his weight. Is it likely to be laminitis? I’ve no experience with it at all as he didn’t have it last year but we have since moved to a yard with better grazing.

 

[[131452]]

This is classic pain behaviour.
I would call the vet , they will examine and refer to physio if necessary or treat depending on the findings.

 

[TotalMadgeness]

It is likely to be pain. Have you checked for digital pulses/heat in hooves?

 

[J_sarahd]

It is likely to be pain. Have you checked for digital pulses/heat in hooves?

I’ve checked for heat in hooves and not found anything. But will check again and digital pulses when I go up later today

 

[ForeverBroke_]

It would be a pain response for me as well I'm afraid. I'd be calling the vet for a chat and see what they suggest x

 

[scats]

Switching leads and refusing to canter can be signs of things such as hock arthritis, PSD and SI issues, even if Horse appears to be sound.
I’d get the ball rolling for a vet check and some investigations.

 

[J_sarahd]

I think my biggest head scratcher is that he can canter on the lunge (with tack on) in the school. I understand being able to canter on hacks/arena hire is a sense of adrenaline. I’ll check his digital pulses and his hooves today and contact the vet. He is due the farrier for a trim (he’s barefoot), is that likely to have an affect?

 

[scats]

I think my biggest head scratcher is that he can canter on the lunge (with tack on) in the school. I understand being able to canter on hacks/arena hire is a sense of adrenaline. I’ll check his digital pulses and his hooves today and contact the vet. He is due the farrier for a trim (he’s barefoot), is that likely to have an affect?

Remember that on the lunge he is not carrying the weight of the rider so likely can adjust to be more comfortable.

 

[J_sarahd]

Remember that on the lunge he is not carrying the weight of the rider so likely can adjust to be more comfortable.

True. Thank you. I, stupidly, didn’t think of that

 

[scats]

My mare exhibited almost identical behaviour to yours- point blank refused to canter on one rein, switching legs on the other rein. Better on the lunge, albeit would throw a few shapes in before cantering. Cantered happily out hacking.

 

[sport horse]

I would be getting his hocks checked out.

 

[J_sarahd]

My mare exhibited almost identical behaviour to yours- point blank refused to canter on one rein, switching legs on the other rein. Better on the lunge, albeit would throw a few shapes in before cantering. Cantered happily out hacking.

Did she switch her front legs in canter legs in canter? What was she diagnosed with? Feel free to PM me if it’s easier

I think for me (and this is going to sound so stupid) I complain about his behaviour (in a worried way!!) to people and they pass it off as him “trying it on” and in my head I’m thinking if I call the vet out will people think I’m overreacting. I know I need to put him first and it’s better to call the vet out for something that turns out to be nothing than not call out at all

 

[scats]

Did she switch her front legs in canter legs in canter? What was she diagnosed with? Feel free to PM me if it’s easier

I think for me (and this is going to sound so stupid) I complain about his behaviour (in a worried way!!) to people and they pass it off as him “trying it on” and in my head I’m thinking if I call the vet out will people think I’m overreacting. I know I need to put him first and it’s better to call the vet out for something that turns out to be nothing than not call out at all

She was switching behind in canter. She was diagnosed with mild PSD, mild hock arthritis and SI joint disease. Wasn’t lame so took a lot of persuading to get the vets to listen to me.

 

[DabDab]

It does sound like a pain/discomfort response. Possible quite early on in him having an issue, so he is still alright on some surfaces/in straight lines/without a rider.

 

[LegOn]

Even if they've had a slip in the field or a hoon about on hard ground, it can cause their SI or pelvis to be feeling a bit stuck - can be worth getting a physio to check them over to start with!

 

[Frumpoon]

Hind suspensories

 

[J_sarahd]

I think for me (and this is going to sound so stupid) I complain about his behaviour (in a worried way!!) to people and they pass it off as him “trying it on” and in my head I’m thinking if I call the vet out will people think I’m overreacting. I know I need to put him first and it’s better to call the vet out for something that turns out to be nothing than not call out at all

Following on from this, I just messaged my friend cause her horse had his hocks injected and I was asking about it told her about the responses I’d received and she said there’s no way he’s in pain because he tanks off and jumps amazing and the switching legs in canter is just the start of flying changes. Basically saying I’m overreacting, but I’ve messaged my physio as a first port of call to see what she says

 

[J_sarahd]

Even if they've had a slip in the field or a hoon about on hard ground, it can cause their SI or pelvis to be feeling a bit stuck - can be worth getting a physio to check them over to start with!

He had a check up at the start of this month. But I’ve messaged her as it is likely he’s done something afterwards as he has decreased in performance in just the last week or so

 

[J_sarahd]

She was switching behind in canter. She was diagnosed with mild PSD, mild hock arthritis and SI joint disease. Wasn’t lame so took a lot of persuading to get the vets to listen to me.

I know it’s early for me to think about but what was the outcome? As in rehab/medication/is she back to full work etc

 

[LegOn]

He had a check up at the start of this month. But I’ve messaged her as it is likely he’s done something afterwards as he has decreased in performance in just the last week or so

They LOVE doing this!!! Get the physio out & then knock themselves about straight after!!!

 

[Tidy_rabbit]

Have had 2 do this, both were hind suspensories

 

[Silver Clouds]

I had a horse whose canter quality deteriorated a little, then he struggled to get the correct leg on one rein, and finally he really didn't want to canter at all. I had him seen by a vet when he started striking off on the wrong leg and at that point the vet couldn't find a cause, but said to rest for a few weeks and have physio. When he came back into work and by that point didn't want to canter at all I sent him to a vet specialist and he was diagnosed with spinal arthritis (lumbar region)- he had a bone scan so the diagnosis was confirmed. I was also told by people that he was being naughty or lazy, and was glad that I ignored them and had it investigated; he was a good natured, compliant horse who would do whatever asked and it may have been possible (but wrong) to force him to 'work through' the issue up to a point. Like your horse, mine could also manage to canter on the lunge without a rider, and would canter in the field when turned out.

I'm not saying that your horse must have the same problem that mine did, just that canter issues are often a sign of back or hind limb issues and to trust your instincts on this, and get the horse checked by a vet.

Good luck- hopefully it turns out to be something easy to fix.

 

[TotalMadgeness]

[QUOTE="I just messaged my friend cause her horse had his hocks injected and I was asking about it told her about the responses I’d received and she said there’s no way he’s in pain because he tanks off and jumps amazing and the switching legs in canter is just the start of flying changes. Basically saying I’m overreacting, but I’ve messaged my physio as a first port of call to see what she says[/QUOTE]

Ignore your friend and trust your instincts. Every horse I've ever known to have canter problems turned out to have a physical issue. Your horse was fine cantering in a school and now he's not. That's really all you have to tell a vet - a good one will listen, fully assess the horse and hopefully start the process of finding out what's wrong & treating it. Good luck!

 

[eggs]

Ignore your friend - who doesn't sound as though they have taught any horse a flying change - and call the vet. This isn't normal behaviour

 

[sport horse]

I had a young horse do this and it turned out to be spavins. Get your horse vet checked,

 

[ForeverBroke_]

Following on from this, I just messaged my friend cause her horse had his hocks injected and I was asking about it told her about the responses I’d received and she said there’s no way he’s in pain because he tanks off and jumps amazing and the switching legs in canter is just the start of flying changes. Basically saying I’m overreacting, but I’ve messaged my physio as a first port of call to see what she says

Without being rude, please ignore your friend. Changing legs without an aid is not the start of flying changes..and 'tanking off,' is also not a reasonable argument to say there is NO pain going on. Please get a vet, they will really help you and your horse.

 

[scats]

I know it’s early for me to think about but what was the outcome? As in rehab/medication/is she back to full work etc

Back in light work. 12 months off and then 12 months very careful rehab. Vet chiro on board for regular treatments.

 

[scats]

Following on from this, I just messaged my friend cause her horse had his hocks injected and I was asking about it told her about the responses I’d received and she said there’s no way he’s in pain because he tanks off and jumps amazing and the switching legs in canter is just the start of flying changes. Basically saying I’m overreacting, but I’ve messaged my physio as a first port of call to see what she says

I’d ignore your friend and trust your gut. In the very unlikely scenario that your friend is right and you are wrong, if you still investigate, you won’t have lost anything other than a bit of time and money.
If you follow your friends advice and she is wrong, you potentially may make a problem worse and reach a point that the situation cannot be salvaged. It’s a no brainer really, and coming from someone who had several professionals tell me my horse was ‘being a cow’, I would definitely advise you follow your gut.

 

[ihatework]

Trust your gut and get a vet check.
My big horse lost his right canter over a period of a couple of weeks following a livery horse causing mayhem in the field and kicking him. He never presented lame but was positive on flexion and when we xrayed could see some bone damage. A jab and light duties and he came back super. Had it been left it could have been made worse.

 

[Jango]

Horses aren't intelligent enough to start struggling to canter as an evasion, if they are struggling with anything they could physically do before then it's a physical issue. My mare was struggling with right canter during lockdown, I couldn't get the physio or the vet so I just hacked in walk until I could get them out and she was diagnosed with hock arthritis. Please listen to your horse