Horse started resisting on one side - and ideas?

[Abbeygale]

My dear little mare has, in the last 4 / 5 weeks had her teeth done and her back done (in that order).

I do not know when her teeth were last done - but it must have been quite some time. Her back being done was more of a check up from previous issues, rather than targeting something in particular that is current.

In the weeks before she had her teeth done, she hadn't done a lot of schooling, due to one thing and another, but when I came to school her a few days after she had her teeth done, she is quite resistant on the right rein. She is soft and easy on the left rein - and just seems to want to be bending to the left all the time, rather than to the right.

No specific problems were really picked up on when her back was done - she had some tension in her poll and upper neck (maybe triggered while having her teeth done?) and her pelvis was a little out of line (which was what she was prone to previously, hence the check up).

Is it possible that by having her teeth done, that it has just upset her in her schooling? I have done a little work with her, but do not want to go over and over the same thing if it is more than a lack of training. I rode in the school tonight, and she thought about bucking - which she hasn't done with me in about 18 months.

I'm a little confused with the whole thing, and feeling a little disheartened by it - we had come on such a long way, and it kind of feels like we have met a huge barrier

So any ideas, hints / tips would be very much appreciated. Cookies and wine for anyone who gets to the end of this post xxxx

 

[TopTotty]

Hi,
If this was my horse I would call the physio/Equine Body Worker to come and check your horse over. A full body massage could be in order to check all muscles and not just the back. I understand that you have already gone down ths route but your horse could injure himself overnight in the stable or just while he is turned out in the field. Have a look on the Equinology website for a body worker in your area.
Good Luck

 

[teddyt]

My thoughts-

Who did you use to do her back and teeth?

Have you considered her saddle?

Could there be a problem caused by you- are you even in seat and contact?

Could she have strained something? Is her stride length even? Can she straighten her body and neck or is it just a problem with bending?

 

[YorksG]

After my mare had her neck worked on by the vet, who does chiro and accupuncture, her saddle didn't fit the same, the stuffing had been pushed out of place by her muscles being odd, could this be the case with your mare?

 

[Abbeygale]

Thanks for your replies guys

Toptotty - sorry I didn't explain correctly - it was a chiro - back checked, and she also had a full body massage as part of the session.

teddyt - yes I have wondered if it is in fact me that is causing the problem. As I said it was a while in between times that I schooled her - so it could be me being cr@p in all honesty. I do also wonder that when I school her that I am waiting for her to be tight on that side, and so cause her to do it.

Stride seems to be fine, and she is bending ok when we have done stretches. I loose schooled her today, and she was moving well at walk trot & canter.

The saddle could be a possibility - will be having it checked again as soon as poss.

I was wondering whether having her teeth done caused a change in sensation for her, which has led to this? I guess this would be improbable, but impossible?

xx

 

[teddyt]

If the teeth were very bad then there could be ulcers/soft tissue damage still healing. Other than that if it was done by a qualified dentist or vet then there shouldnt be a problem.

 

[MerryMAL]

Along with the above, look into a Waterford mouthpiece version of your current bit - most do a Waterford if it's a common design. It's impossible to lean on a Waterford and is quite nice on the mouth.

 

[Abbeygale]

teddyt - yes teeth were quite bad. I will give her some more time in which case.

mimi146 - not dressage legal, and I would rather try and solve the problem than changing her bit to something that she just can't lean on. It is more tightness and resistance than out and out leaning.

thanks guys xx