Horse unhappy in canter

[WhizzyKizzy]

Hello,
I've owned my Welsh C for nearly 18 months now and she has never been happy in canter,
When I ask for canter in the arena, she speeds up her trot, throws her head up, swishes her tail and pins her ears back.

When we're finally in canter, she never manages more than 2 laps and still has her head up and ears back - but out hacking she'd happily gallop up hills, ears pricked and loving it.

She's not the fittest but is ridden for about 30-40 minutes 4/5 times a week.
She has never bucked, reared, kicked etc. but my instructor suggested to get her scoped. She's in very good condition except for a bloated belly (it's mostly wind).

What should I do? Does this sound like a genuine problem or just Welsh mare attitude?

Back/saddle checked? Scoped? Send her for schooling?
Physio was out in January.

Please no mean and unhelpful comments
Thank you

 

[WhizzyKizzy]

To add, she is rushy in canter, it's a very "quick and get it over and done with", very bouncy and quite bad in general. she's also a but unbalanced and can mess up her leads occasionally. But this is mostly down to her not cantering, therefore, not giving me a chance to help

 

[LEC]

Full vet work up first and then ulcer trial. If an improvement in 1 week on antacids then would scope.
Tbh sounds like more than ulcers.

 

[rextherobber]

How old is she? How big is the arena?

 

[scats]

Hock issues or PSD would be another line of thought. My mare would canter happily out hacking on the straight, but would not canter in the school without having a meltdown.
She wasn’t noticeably lame either and was sound after flexion. I sent her for scans as I had a sneaking suspicion it was PSD and I was right. Albeit it is mild, but she’s bit of a wet wipe!

 

[paddi22]

what's your arena surface like? if it only happens in arena surface my first guess would be hocks. I'd def get vet out.

 

[WhizzyKizzy]

what's your arena surface like? if it only happens in arena surface my first guess would be hocks. I'd def get vet out.

To be honest it's horrible, we're down a livery yard run by a clueless farmer who refuses to spend any money on anything ? - there's a load of stones and the sand is deep down one end and shallow on the other

 

[WhizzyKizzy]

How old is she? How big is the arena?

9 and the arena is around 20 x 30

 

[scats]

To be honest it's horrible, we're down a livery yard run by a clueless farmer who refuses to spend any money on anything ? - there's a load of stones and the sand is deep down one end and shallow on the other

I wouldn’t be riding in that arena then. If the pony does have an underlying hock or suspensory issue, you might be making the situation worse.

 

[magicmoments]

Kissing spine to add to what others have said

 

[WhizzyKizzy]

Thank you everyone,
I'm going to call the vet and see what he thinks and then get her a MOT on her hocks and back

 

[J&S]

A small arena, tight corners, rubbish surface, will not help an unbalanced horse/pony. I'm not surprised she is reluctant to canter in there! When you have had all relevant checks done I would suggest you try to find a better, larger school or even use a field where you can make gentle turns. What is the quality of the trot like? If it gets a bit rushing you won't get a good transition to canter.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

To be honest it's horrible, we're down a livery yard run by a clueless farmer who refuses to spend any money on anything ? - there's a load of stones and the sand is deep down one end and shallow on the other

No wonder she doesn't want to canter in there! Why do you persist? I would find somewhere more conducive to good work before thinking that the horse has a physical problem

 

[Four Seasons]

Thank you everyone,
I'm going to call the vet and see what he thinks and then get her a MOT on her hocks and back

I think this is a good idea. Check if there's no medical underlying issue first. It might just be (hopefully) a lack of balance/coordination and a bad arena surface. If nothing medically, any possibility to ride in a field and try riding circles in canter there, see how that goes?

 

[WhizzyKizzy]

I think this is a good idea. Check if there's no medical underlying issue first. It might just be (hopefully) a lack of balance/coordination and a bad arena surface. If nothing medically, any possibility to ride in a field and try riding circles in canter there, see how that goes?

Yes that's a good idea thank you

 

[WhizzyKizzy]

A small arena, tight corners, rubbish surface, will not help an unbalanced horse/pony. I'm not surprised she is reluctant to canter in there! When you have had all relevant checks done I would suggest you try to find a better, larger school or even use a field where you can make gentle turns. What is the quality of the trot like? If it gets a bit rushing you won't get a good transition to canter.

There's a typo in my previous reply, the arena is 20 x 40 rather than 20 x 30. Yes I think the arena certainly is playing a factor. It's not usually this bad but it hasn't been harrowed in a long time so I'll contact the farmer and insist on it at least being harrowed.
Thank you very much for the suggestion, I'll ride on our field and see how she goes. She's got a very nice trot and it only seems to be canter she has any issues with
Thank you again

 

[Leandy]

Have you had her saddle checked? Also what was her standard of schooling when you bought her? What is her background? Green as grass and possibly never been taught to canter properly let alone be balanced in an arena, or more educated? Has she just been a treking pony or similar who has never worked properly in an arena and rarely canters, especially on a contact. Or yes, it could be physical issues as mentioned above. Was she vetted when you bought her?

 

[WhizzyKizzy]

Have you had her saddle checked? Also what was her standard of schooling when you bought her? What is her background? Green as grass and possibly never been taught to canter properly let alone be balanced in an arena, or more educated? Has she just been a treking pony or similar who has never worked properly in an arena and rarely canters, especially on a contact. Or yes, it could be physical issues as mentioned above. Was she vetted when you bought her?

We had it checked when we first got her but I think she's definitely due another one, she was 7 when we got her and I think her previous owner schooled her and done some showing, but not loads and her advert said rather green in canter but compared to old videos on her sale ad - she looks alot different.
I will send her to my friend for schooling for a few months if the vet and her saddle is ok,
Yep had a 5* vetting and passed with flying colours,
Thank you

 

[Zoeypxo]

Mine pins her ears back and runs really fast in trot refusing to canter when her hocks need medicating, mild arthritis. Doesnt do it after medicating

 

[Zoeypxo]

What does she canter like on the lunge ?

 

[Leandy]

We had it checked when we first got her but I think she's definitely due another one, she was 7 when we got her and I think her previous owner schooled her and done some showing, but not loads and her advert said rather green in canter but compared to old videos on her sale ad - she looks alot different.
I will send her to my friend for schooling for a few months if the vet and her saddle is ok,
Yep had a 5* vetting and passed with flying colours,
Thank you

Good plan to get a more experienced rider on her for a spell if everything else checks out. Then you have a better idea whether it is a pony issue or a rider issue. Good luck.