Horse who just stops

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HollyM

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Hi, i am new to the forum so i dont know if this is the right place to post, but anyway im looking for some help. I currently loan a 16 year old pony and she used to be the best all rounder doing absolutely evrything and jumping quite big. Now, she apparently has some arthritis so doesnt do as much, but im wondering if its a bit more than a little bit because in the school after warming up or sometimes just wanting to transition up from walk, she just stops. She plants her feet and will not move or she just goes backwards. She is never naughty or rears or bucks or anything just purely doesnt want to move. I am a competent rider and just do not havr the time for my own horse, so i have tried everything. Schooling whips, batons, someone trying to walk us forward etc, and normally in the end she moves but it has been getting worse and obviously im not her owner so wondering if anyone has any ideas what might be the matter or what i should do? many thanks.
 
Pain, 99%. Hard to say whether it's "just" the arthritis or something else in the body. Does she see a bodyworker, like a physio, regularly? When a horse doesn't want to do something we always need to look at why, rather than trying lots of ways of forcing them to do it. They can only communicate through their behaviour and we need to listen, and you are now, which is great (I do wonder at the trainer and/or owner?). Tricky when it's not your horse.

Does she get treatment for the arthritis? Nutrition, medication?
 
sbloom said:
Pain, 99%. Hard to say whether it's "just" the arthritis or something else in the body. Does she see a bodyworker, like a physio, regularly? When a horse doesn't want to do something we always need to look at why, rather than trying lots of ways of forcing them to do it. They can only communicate through their behaviour and we need to listen, and you are now, which is great (I do wonder at the trainer and/or owner?). Tricky when it's not your horse.

Does she get treatment for the arthritis? Nutrition, medication?
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not sure on the treatment for arthritis, but she did have back problems a year ago and therefore has seen a physio but thats all, and i have said i dont want to force her to do anything but owner says that she just needs a smack and she gets going, but that is not how i normally like to do things.
 
I think you need to talk to the owner and find out if she is on regular pain medication. She really needs the vet to check her out and prescribe drugs if appropriate. The pony is doing her best to tell you she is unhappy. It would probably be possible to bully her to work but without knowing what is wrong it would not be fair.
 
A sad and sadly common story. It is hard when it's not your horse, but she is telling you very nicely that she is sore. I think you need to communicate that to the owner, that you will not ride or bully a horse in pain and let them decide what the next steps are. Be prepared that they may just decide the next step is to find another loaner who will just hit the horse till she goes (or explodes).
 
smolmaus said:
A sad and sadly common story. It is hard when it's not your horse, but she is telling you very nicely that she is sore. I think you need to communicate that to the owner, that you will not ride or bully a horse in pain and let them decide what the next steps are. Be prepared that they may just decide the next step is to find another loaner who will just hit the horse till she goes (or explodes).
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yes thank you
 
A high chance she is asking you to get off for some reason, she is being very polite

Have you tried , wait till she stops, dismount, and ask her to walk on straight away in hand see if she responds

Check saddle fit, if the same saddle she had when fitter might be a bit tight now
 
Old ponies get very smart, and if you are trying to ride it any sort of arena they sometimes are completely sour, they have been got at too many times, and a surface and lots of corners are hard work on the joints. I would try taking it for a hack with company. The fact that you are competent is also a red flag to a pony, our PC schoolmaster loved novices, was completely obedient, would do everything his way, but if you tried to make him go properly he would spook at nothing and generally be an a hole.
I think he is probably stiff and just decided to opt out, which better than putting in the effort to buck you off. I had a old TB which literally go so fed up with the person who was riding him with too much contact, he stood in one corner and gave a huge buck and got her off. In all the time we owned him it was the only time he bucked.
If it was with mine I would work out what he enjoys and start from there.
 
We’ve got a pony who plants. Old RS lad, knows all the tricks in the book. Not pain related, would just rather eat in the field than do any work!
Just as another possibility for you to think about.
 
hi, yes if i try this, and she walks straight on, should i deem her as being smart or what could you please explain this idea further thank you.
 
sarcasm_queen said:
We’ve got a pony who plants. Old RS lad, knows all the tricks in the book. Not pain related, would just rather eat in the field than do any work!
Just as another possibility for you to think about.
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You absolutely must take into consideration that this is new behaviour before you advise someone to ignore possible (likely) pain signals.
 
honetpot said:
Old ponies get very smart, and if you are trying to ride it any sort of arena they sometimes are completely sour, they have been got at too many times, and a surface and lots of corners are hard work on the joints. I would try taking it for a hack with company. The fact that you are competent is also a red flag to a pony, our PC schoolmaster loved novices, was completely obedient, would do everything his way, but if you tried to make him go properly he would spook at nothing and generally be an a hole.
I think he is probably stiff and just decided to opt out, which better than putting in the effort to buck you off. I had a old TB which literally go so fed up with the person who was riding him with too much contact, he stood in one corner and gave a huge buck and got her off. In all the time we owned him it was the only time he bucked.
If it was with mine I would work out what he enjoys and start from there.
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I think this will become "older pony struggles to work in an outline", or on a surface of course, in time. Or just that the rider is working the horse in a way that's uncomfortable. A wee dot sitting on top and probably just tootling about isn't going to cause the same level of discomfort whatever the activity.

I've always thought the whole school versus hacking thing is about endorphins but I think it's more than that in so many cases.
 
Depends on what your loan contract states. If you have her on full loan then you would need to pay for a lameness work up. If you are just sharing her then all you can do is tell the owner of your concerns, if the owner refuses to get the vet involved then id urge you to stop riding her.

This has to be pain related. We had one, who after being angelic started to 'misbehave'. We whizzed her over to the vets and she was diagnosed with hock arthritis. Shes now medicated and back to enjoying life.

Good luck i hope you get some answers for her
 
OP, from your other thread, it transpires that you are a very experienced 12 year old, with a non horsey mum.
Can I suggest you get your coach/instructor to give you and pony an assessment session and maybe get the ponies owner along too? Going forwards the owner can then make arrangements for a vet check. Good luck too with your new share that you got this afternoon.
 
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