Horse struggling with left canter

Hormonal Filly

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My 6yr old Welsh D that I've had him 3 years now since a unbacked 3 year old. Backed him all myself, he was very easy to do and hes a real saint bar the cheeky welsh personality. He moves more like a warmblood and a finer D, not fat or chunky. Hes had a easy start and we've started doing more, done a few unaffiliated dressage tests, intro and prelim, hes not scored below 68% and placed in every test to my surprise.

He has always struggled with left canter and still does, in my test a few weeks back I could feel how difficult it was and he nearly fell into trot a few times. He tries to twist right and lead with the wrong leg, then rushes once hes on the correct lead. Hes also always been quite lazy off the leg, until hes hacking or on a funride hes the opposite.

We have had lessons and one instructor said he is hoys quality if we worked hard enough and another said he could be a cracking dressage horse with his paces.

I had a (top recommended vet) physiotherapist out 2 weeks ago and she said what a lovely horse he was, she found one (apparently minor) sore spot on his right SI area and said how nice he moved. She did note he has very narrow legs for his body size which is common with Welshes, that and the fact he leg rests could signs to hock arthritis. It has played on my mind a little if I'm honest.

Anyway.. we attended a group jump lesson Sunday. Arena surface wasn't great so can understand it wasn't easy for him but he super struggled with left canter. Kept picking up right lead then twisting his head and cutting the corner, then he'd randomly stop and just stand there (?!) We had a small course which consisted of jump, turn right to jump then turn left left to another jump. The left turns he really really struggled with. He jumped well, he was just hard work to ride and didn't feel great. Instructor said he moved like a 18.2 struggling to take the bends but hes only 15.1.. and the right canter he finds much easier. There was a old 16h chunky cob there who didn't struggle one bit.


I now can't work out if hes just immature and green (he is a little green but surely not green enough to struggle so much with left canter?) or somethings wrong. :confused: We do trotting poles and carrot stretches twice a day which hes excellent at. He got insured with NFU a couple of months ago as started doing more dressage.


Thank you for any advice

X
 

Red-1

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I used to work for a SJ'er and an able hrose can canter the corners on a small course, even when not long backed. I am not saying it would be perfectly balanced or anything, but it would be do-able quite quickly.

It sounds like your horse is having difficulty other than just being unbalanced.

You say he is disobedient off your leg anyway, so if he finds it easier on the right leg then I can see him thinking he is at liberty to dump his shoulder and do his own thing. But, I would also want to investigate his tack, and then do a performance work-up with the vet.
 

Hormonal Filly

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It sounds like your horse is having difficulty other than just being unbalanced.

You say he is disobedient off your leg anyway, so if he finds it easier on the right leg then I can see him thinking he is at liberty to dump his shoulder and do his own thing. But, I would also want to investigate his tack, and then do a performance work-up with the vet.

Yes I thought the same. My other gelding was cantering little courses within a few months and hes a chunky cob. He had a new saddle fitted a few months ago, lovely fit and a great saddler and wears a neue schule bit and bridle fits nicely, so don't really doubt tack.
 

JFTDWS

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Definitely sounds like it's worth investigating - it could be a pronounced weakness, as opposed to injury / damage, but you need to know what you're dealing with before you try to work him through it, into better balance. It certainly sounds to me to be more than a young, green horse learning to balance himself. My mare is bigger and younger than him, and her left canter is weaker than her right - but nothing like to the extent of yours (it feels less through, and her haunch turns to the left are less punchy - she certainly is capable of maintaining a decent canter through normal turns!).l
 

sportsmansB

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What is he like on the bad rein on the lunge? Can he do it then? Some times that is a guideline as to whether it is saddle, or rider unbalance, affecting it.
They will all have one weaker rein, more pronounced when they are babyish, but he seems a bit further on than the level of falling out of canter.
Can you canter a large circle with poles or tiny fences at 12 / 3 / 6 / 9 o'clock? Our 5yo's could do that for a short time on each rein without struggling once they worked it out. They have to use the inside hind then so its easier to see if there is a problem.
Might be worth getting your vet to flexion his hinds to see if they come up the same? Or if you aren't competing for a while, a bute trial to see if hes better after being on it for a few days?
 

Red-1

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Yes I thought the same. My other gelding was cantering little courses within a few months and hes a chunky cob. He had a new saddle fitted a few months ago, lovely fit and a great saddler and wears a neue schule bit and bridle fits nicely, so don't really doubt tack.

I have had my new horse since March, and she had had 2 saddles fitted to her in that time that are now for sale! She is onto her third. Ones that are young and increasing in work are particularly susceptible to needing a quick change in saddle arrangement.

There is a thread abut just that at the moment ;)
 

Hormonal Filly

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What is he like on the bad rein on the lunge? Can he do it then? Some times that is a guideline as to whether it is saddle, or rider unbalance, affecting it.
They will all have one weaker rein, more pronounced when they are babyish, but he seems a bit further on than the level of falling out of canter.
Can you canter a large circle with poles or tiny fences at 12 / 3 / 6 / 9 o'clock? Our 5yo's could do that for a short time on each rein without struggling once they worked it out. They have to use the inside hind then so its easier to see if there is a problem.
Might be worth getting your vet to flexion his hinds to see if they come up the same? Or if you aren't competing for a while, a bute trial to see if hes better after being on it for a few days?

He struggles on the lunge, to be honest I am not keen lunging so rarely ever lunge but last time I lunged (3 weeks ago) he did struggle on the left rein compared to the right but he did get the correct leg each time. Its more noticeable on bends, on straight lines he finds it easier which makes me worry hocks. SportsmanB that exercise sounds similar to what the session was on the weekend but only 2 jumps at 12 and 9 o'clock and he really really struggled on the left rein. Kept falling out of canter, puffing and even ran into the wing nearly at one point because he couldn't bend. Could of been my bad riding too but instructor didn't comment on that. Right rein thought much better. I'll try the method you suggest, 12 / 3 / 6 / 9 o'clock and see how we get on.

I did think of that, I do have a lot of bute so will give that a go possibly as have another lesson Sunday. Hes never been on bute so worth a try. He hasn't been insured long so may try a bute, if huge difference I could turn away for a month/2 and get the vet out in the new year. Hope its nothing serious as booked to go to camp April next year.
 

SEL

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Can you get him on that canter lead out on a hack in a straight line or does he always default to the better rein?

Its a combination of hocks and a suspensory problem that is causing mine to strike off on left canter as a preference. Her left hind is the injured leg and so she doesn't like to push off on it for right canter. I thought originally she was just struggling with the school, but spotted her even preferring left canter in the field when the other lead would have been a more logical choice.

If you are insured (and I think there is a 2 week 'waiting period') then its usually better to get the vet out earlier so they can really have a good look at what is wrong. I am still kicking myself for not being firmer with the vets on multiple visits earlier this year when she was a bit 'off' and they told me to try her on bute. No idea whether I caused more damage, but it certainly didn't help.
 

Hormonal Filly

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Can you get him on that canter lead out on a hack in a straight line or does he always default to the better rein?

Its a combination of hocks and a suspensory problem that is causing mine to strike off on left canter as a preference. Her left hind is the injured leg and so she doesn't like to push off on it for right canter. I thought originally she was just struggling with the school, but spotted her even preferring left canter in the field when the other lead would have been a more logical choice.

If you are insured (and I think there is a 2 week 'waiting period') then its usually better to get the vet out earlier so they can really have a good look at what is wrong. I am still kicking myself for not being firmer with the vets on multiple visits earlier this year when she was a bit 'off' and they told me to try her on bute. No idea whether I caused more damage, but it certainly didn't help.

He will canter on the left rein is we're in open spaces, hes not as bad in open fields as he is in a arena. He sometimes does default to the right rein but he is naturally right 'handed' so can understand that. I think its as theres more space in a open field but in a arena he has to bend in the left canter and thats what he struggles with and collecting himself in the canter.
I had a lesson a while back, a hour lesson and he worked his ass off. We done lots of canter work and by the end of the lesson he was cantering on both reins in a lovely outline which was a mixture of the instructor changing how I ride and the more we cantered the more he improved.. I never school him for a hour as think its to much so maybe thats why I don't notice it. I don't think he should need to be ridden for a hour to feel a difference?

Went for a early hack this morning, he was keen. Happy to have tack on, walked off down the track himself without any leg. We done some steep hill work in walk to build his bum up more and noticed going down hill he kept stopping and occasionally resting a leg. We done some canter work he felt fine and was happy to canter. He trotted himself into 2 little jumps and leaped over them himself without any leg aid and was keen.

When we got back I did notice he was resting a leg switching between both, this is where I notice him resting hinds most after work. If hes had a few days off he barely ever leg rests, but after work its a different story.

Hes only been insured 2 months, I have had insurance problems before and know if it is something like arthritis they'll instantly say he had it before the insurance took place and leave me stunned. They're good insurers I'm with but don't want to risk them not paying. Have a £1000 bill for my other one (the other post if you've seen it, just been diagnosed with neck arthritis) as he wasn't insured.

I may ring my vet and ask for advice, I will also try a bute trial from tomorrow as have a lesson Sunday so will be interesting to see as have a lot of bute in the cupboard. He looks great, re clipped him out last week, hes a nice shape for a welsh, very fit and nicely muscled up. Just don't want to cause him anymore damage if he has issues but have no more savings to use.
 

Hormonal Filly

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I tried a strong bute trial, it made 0 difference if anything a naughty side came out. We had a lesson Sunday and he napped a little, something hes never done so was a little odd. It was a pole work session and he flew over poles in trot worked really nicely into the bridle. One lady actually said wow I want your horse, he has so much power underneath him, will you sell him? to my surprise. We then done some figure of 8 canter work cantering 15m circles and trotting in between which he found hugely difficult as there was poles to canter over which to him was a mind f**k. A 16.2 made it look easy which did worry me.. but he almost felt more unbalanced. I cantered him up the long sides and he felt fine it was the tight turns that were difficult. He does have big paces for a 15.1

I rode him this morning at 7am, hes been off bute for 4 days, he gave some lovely powerful flat work. Shoulder in, medium trot etc. The canter wasn't bad but when I ask him to bend I can definitely feel he struggles with circles so now wondering if its a balance issue specially as bute made no difference. Up the long sides he doesn't struggle at all. After 15 minutes we then went for a 15 minute hack to cool off and the cross country field was open so wondered how he would do cantering over a small jump, to my surprise he absolutely stormed into the smaller one, then even kept going and pulled me into a hefty one a good 3ft by that wide box type fence.

I'm going to try and do some canter pole work and long and low, see how we get on. If it doesn't improve i'll get the vet out. I can't see him floating across the ground and working into such a nice contact/outline if he had physical problems?
 

Muddywellies

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I have a Welshie and have also had huge issues with left canter. She has had physio (and continue to every so often), saddle reflocked, saddle replaced twice. Still issues with L canter. I then decided it's ME !! I have made it such a big thing that my body gives strange aids to canter. I think I get so worked up about whether we will achieve a decent strike off that I tense up and don't open up my pelvis. I basically block her, even though I'm in theory giving the correct aids. I can also overdo the aids too, thinking that I'm being determined. All a bit of a disaster ! So i spent months strengthening her so that she is physically capable, and now just don't think about it so much. It's far better now and 80% of the time it's fine.
 

Hormonal Filly

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I have a Welshie and have also had huge issues with left canter. She has had physio (and continue to every so often), saddle reflocked, saddle replaced twice. Still issues with L canter. I then decided it's ME !! I have made it such a big thing that my body gives strange aids to canter. I think I get so worked up about whether we will achieve a decent strike off that I tense up and don't open up my pelvis. I basically block her, even though I'm in theory giving the correct aids. I can also overdo the aids too, thinking that I'm being determined. All a bit of a disaster ! So i spent months strengthening her so that she is physically capable, and now just don't think about it so much. It's far better now and 80% of the time it's fine.

Thank you for your comment. I have a old injury to my left shoulder from a car accident that was quite serious so struggle with anything on the left rein so did think of that! A friend offered to get on and see what he was like with her. Today we rode in open fields and he cantered both legs absolutely fine!
 

dollymix

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Thank you for your comment. I have a old injury to my left shoulder from a car accident that was quite serious so struggle with anything on the left rein so did think of that! A friend offered to get on and see what he was like with her. Today we rode in open fields and he cantered both legs absolutely fine!

100% ask an experienced friend to get on and see what happens. If he is struggling with her too, then you know it is more likely to be something wrong with him (whether injury, tack issue etc). But if he is fine with her, that would suggest something not quite right with your riding, and would mean you'd be better focusing on physio etc for yourself!

If you can, also have a go on a friend's horse (one that is well schooled and supple on both reins) - that way you can personally gauge if you get the same feeling on a horse you know has no issues.

Good luck
 

Muddywellies

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Thank you for your comment. I have a old injury to my left shoulder from a car accident that was quite serious so struggle with anything on the left rein so did think of that! A friend offered to get on and see what he was like with her. Today we rode in open fields and he cantered both legs absolutely fine!

Fab !! So now you know it can be done, you can build on it. Don't be afraid to use a neck strap, then when asking for canter pop your finger under it just to help you in the strike off. Then practice lots and lots and lots. The more you do it the better it'll get. Do be sure you have a good quality trot beforehand and the horse is on the aids. If you're achieving good quality transitions most of the time (sometimes we all have slightly iffy transitions) it will all get easier and after a few weeks/months you'll have it all sorted
 

Hormonal Filly

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Hi all, small update. The vet was out today visiting a friends horse early morning so asked him to look at my gelding without putting anything on the system as I was concerned. Bless him, he spent a while trotting him up, flexing him, feeling his back.

He said he moves lovely nice and elevated for a welsh, not lame before flexion. However he felt his back and said his backs weak which is surprising as hes nicely muscled which that shouts suspensory issue. Hes also got uneven muscle on his back end which is actually visible with his left side being a lot less muscled and he was fractionally lame on his left hind once flexed and very uncomfortable to flex it. He thinks hes got something going on in his hock/hocks and thats given a secondary issue which is the sore suspensory. Apparently welshes get issues with their hocks, not arthritis something else can't remember what it was. Can't get the 'vet out' properly yet as insurance has been active 2 months so going to wait until the end of January and i'll get him out to nerve block and x-ray. It will be 3 months then, is that long enough? mmm. He said keep riding him maybe give him a bute if hes doing schooling or something difficult.

Absolutely gutted hes only 6. I'm going hunting Monday on him, not for long just a couple of hours with a few friends but he said crack on and don't worry to much give him a bute if you feel better but its the schooling/left canter he'll struggle with more.
 

be positive

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Your vet may not 'put anything on the system' but if you go ahead with blocks etc he will be as involved as you in defrauding the insurance company if he denies seeing the horse today, it was lame after flexion so it should be on record one way or another.

I would not risk doing more damage to a young horse I thought anything of by hunting him without knowing what is going on, if he breaks down fully you will regret it, cracking on with normal exercise is one thing, going hunting a totally different ball game even for an hour or two, I am surprised the vet thinks it is sensible or fair to hunt an unsound/ undiagnosed horse on bute .

Probably not what you want to hear but I am fairly shocked to read this and could not ignore it.
 

Hormonal Filly

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Thanks for the reply and being honest.

I'll have a think about it as not keen on going hunting on something with a issue and thought it was only me second thinking it.
 
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