Horse planting?

[EthelAndEllie]

Recently my mare has begun planting, even if she isn't spooked. For example we will be just working in the school, and suddenly she will plant and refuse to go forward, even after a few kicks and a tap with the whip; she will not respond. Do any of you have advice on what to to? This is quite worrying as I don't want her to do this on a hack or on a road, and at the moment the only way I can get her to move when she does this is get off and walk her on (although when I get back on, she still doesn't listen).

I really don't want to use spurs or be any harder on her than I already am, as she hasn't needed this before. This seems to have come out of the blue as she used to work well and forward-goingly, even in the school, but recently will just plant after a while.

Her teeth and back are all okay, and we had the saddle checked up not too long ago, and the placement was fine. Any advice? I'm very worried over it and don't really know what to do

 

[Equi]

Sudden change in performance this drastic but consistent is a vet call. I know you said saddle/back/teeth was done not too long ago but how long is not too long..they can literally change in a few weeks/months. Your horse is saying something. Listen.

Just for example, a horse at my yard did this...vet concluded he had knee issues (young horse, hopes its a growth spurt thing...)

 

[Sparemare]

Mine started planting shortly after a saddle fitting. Does she plant if you ride bareback?

 

[EthelAndEllie]

Thank you. I willl try riding bareback and if she is the same, I'll have the vet called out

 

[OldieButGoodie]

I rode a lovely big horse that out of the blue started planting. Vet came out and diagnosed arthritis in both hocks.

 

[LaurenBay]

Vet, when my lovely mare had a drastic behavior change it turned out she had hock arthritis.

 

[BBP]

Mine started planting when he had gastric ulcers.

 

[EthelAndEllie]

Thank you all for the advice. I will definitely call out the vet then

 

[little_critter]

I had a long saga ref my pony planting.
Lots of vet visits, over the years we had bone scan and hock x rays (diagnosed mild spavin, were injected twice). No great improvement.
some time later after other investigations we had another bone scan, diagnosed SI issues and possibly mild PSD, medicated the SI and rehabbed but again no real improvement.
There was never one strong diagnosis where the vet could say THAT is why she doesn’t want to work, she just seems to have a collection of mild issues.
In the end I retired her as we had both had enough.
But definately get a vet to check your horse thoroughly, also (to cover all bases) get a good instructor to check you are not doing anything to initiate the plant.
Don’t accept people telling you to use more whip / spurs. I’m ashamed that I did try that way but it doesn’t work, train through positive reinforcement.

Good luck, I’m sure you’ll get a better result than I did.