I am very much in a pickle!

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tullulahjay

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I am very much in need of anyones help really. I think I am going round the twist with my boy!!


He was off for a while with a viral issue back in april and I brought him back in work and wasn’t properly coming through on the left hind. I had him taken to Rossdale and they bone scanned and did the full works. Nothing other than the right tibia was slightly enlarged but that wouldn’t effect him. His bones were PERFECT!!

So I was told by Rossdale to crack on. I had a new saddle just before he went down there as I wanted him to have his back, teeth and saddle checked before he went.

So we started training again and I did it all very slowly as I didn’t want to burn him out etc. When he was better and I thought he was ready I took him down to Anna ross for a 4 days course it was lovely. The week after we went out and WON our first affiliated novice which I was delighted then two weeks later another competition and great score and qualified for the area festival.

So 2 weeks ago he started to go a bit heavy in the hand and apprehensive into canter. A few days later he started running through the leg.. Now he is tight in the neck. I have been told apparently a new saddle would need the flocking again, as it beds down apparently so I do have a saddler coming to do it next Tuesday. I am v careful with him and he is such a moody horse as well, he soon starts telling you something is up. He has always been a bit of a slug riding wise when this cooler weather turned up he most certainly perked up which i put it down to him running through my leg and it was just a new found energy that he had and that the new feed which he has been on for 6 weeks now. Was finally doing the trick …. More fool me.

Has anyone else been in my situation or could it be the fact that now we are doing more work these little blips are going to happen. I have decided to give him a few days off to recoup and cut his feed down as he wont be needing it whilst not in work for a few days etc. He is only 7 years old so I was wondering if anyone thinks a muscle recovery supplement might help him or something that assists with horses in medium/hard work?

He is seven years old. He has a mixture of schooling and hacking and is ridden 6 times a week, he is a big boy 16.3 holstein x tb and we don’t have the privilege of a horse walker so occasionally he will be lightly hacked in the evening as well as a schooling session in the morning it is just to stretch him. He also get turned out every day from 7am- 1pm.

Your thoughts and guidances would be much appreciated as I am getting to be one exhausted mum!
 
No help schooling wise but remember he is a big horse and as such could be going through a growth spurt which might have affected him. Sometimes big horses don't mature fully until they're 8 or 9 and they are liable to feel a bit weak if anything's happening to their system. Not saying it is that but it's worth thinking about and taking into consideration.
 
Hi Old nag,

I did think that, I know the foreign breeds do take longer etc. I just get to a point all starting to go well and I can start increasing the level he is doing then BOOM we are back to square one again.

I just get so confused sometimes. I have looked at loads of forum responses from othe peoples post

riaflex, green lipped muscle, equi myoplast, feedmark opti muscle and lysine....... im spinning around with confusion lol
 
It doesn't sound disimmilar to a position I'm in with mine.

Mine is being bone scanned soon, and on the assumtion nothing major is found (or should I say nothing that needs operating on) I have made the decision to turn my horse away for a year.

There is the possibility the issues I'm seeing with mine stem from my horse having an accident on a horsewalker back in February, which if no bone issues I will default to soft tissue injury and just give the horse time (and myself a mental break from the worrying!)
 
Does he have regular physio as if he is changing his way of going, moving up to harder work he may just have tweaked something.

What are you feeding him, it may be that it is not really suiting him or providing enough vits and minerals, a blood test would be my first though before giving supplements that may not target the real requirements.
 
Hi Be positive I had Larry Bansusan do him about 6 weeks ago he did have a few tweaks done then and I have Natalie Westgarth coming to see to him on tuesday as well.

He is currently on Dodson and Horrell fibre performance and garlic. He is a sensitive little flower he hasnt reacted to this feed which is good.
 
tullulahjay said:
Hi I hate work.

does your horse lose muscle condition rather quickly if off work?
Click to expand...

Not really he just gets fat!
He always looks very well with good coat and top line, although he is naturally more developed in front than behind, he has a neck like a stallion.

It was the 'heavy in the hand' and 'apprehensive into canter' that really struck a chord with me.

Mine gets very fixed on the contact and his canter has gradually deteriorated, more to the left. He is increasingly struggling to engage & collect. Sound as a pound mind, and in general not objecting to being ridden, so sometimes I wonder if I'm just a complete hyperchondriac who just can't ride!!
 
I must admit he is more developed in the front more to the back. I thinking magnetic rugs for him.

I have the hay on the ground for him to strecth over his back. I am praying and hoping its the saddle. Before rossdale he was kicking out or bunny hopping occassionally and he hasnt shown any of these symptoms this time round :-)

Giving your boy a rest sounds good :-)

I have just found the medium trot and making him sit more behind is just 0 successful at the moment. When he was heavy on the rein I did put just a normal french eggbut and he has got worse
 
Well for a start I wouldnt be feeding a mix, if you list the ingredients on the back you'l see there is more in it than plain chaff etc. Nor would I be feeding garlic as it kills the good bacteria in the gut and makes it very hard for the gut to function properly. Id be feeding a plain base such as Fast Fibre, v low sugar no additives. If he needed more weight Id add micronised linseed, more energy live oats.

The saddle would be a massive question mark for me, id suggest a soft treed heather moffett to see if there is any improvement in his way of going. These saddles have nothing in them to restrict the movement of the shoulders or back. Id also be looking at the rider, to see if you collapse a hip, are one sided etc :)
 
Hi Tiger Tail,

He is on Fibre performance due to the amount of work he is on, I have been told It is a complete feed, would be a good replacement. He was on chaff, soya oil and sugar beet before but he had a massive slump on thatand not enough energy. Fortunately for me he works well with Dodson and horrell. It isnt sticky with sugar etc.. As for the Garlic he is on this because the flies are a pain where we are. . But I have been reducing this from last week as they are thankfully dying down. I don’t have him on garlic all year round though 

I brought a brand new Fairfax saddle as we tried hundreds on him and this was the only one that both of us work well together in. Due to the change of the shape of him as he has toned up and lost the tubby belly (finally) I am praying that this is the major thing that is contributing to my issues I have at the moment as he had been going very well since now.
 
Not to be funny but if the new saddle was fitted when he was out of work and he is now fit and muscled the saddle will almost certainly be too tight and this alone will easily be enough for a sensitive horse to not want to work correctly.

Also new saddles do need to be flocked approx 6 months after purchase as the flocking beds down.

Personally would ride bareback and I this eliminates issues it says saddle so get that done ASAP. If bareback doesn't solve then go down other possibles
 
Susie t and dg eventing I think the penny may have dropped. I've spoken to my vet and she happy with what I have told her so going to look into cost. As there is one bug bare. If it isn't ulcers the is insurance won't cover it. If it is then of course it will be.

May I ask what the actual proceedure is do they have to be starved before the procedure sorry if I sound thick!
 
I have spoken with my vet and it looks like Harry is going to Rossdale to finally have the ulcers confirmed once and for all by scoping I was pretty impressed by the quote as well so I am not worried if it isnt ulcers and that my insurance wont cover it.

But at the moment I am in the frame of mind it is Ulcers can anyone tell me what diet they have there horse on.

I am already getting a bit worried on what I will be able to feed him especially if he is doing dressage etc.

I know for one No GRAINS and ad lib hay is a must for sure.

I have started to work out a plan that he will go on Happy tummy charcoal after the intial treatment as I am aware that ulcers can come back etc. I know that having a horse with Ulcers is a chore and I am going to have to think very carefully how I plan his diet around his competition work and riding. If only there was an automatic feed that would feed at a particualr time for me!! When I am not there!!

Thank you so much so far you really have been most helpful :-)
 
Hey peeps,

Not long now till Rossdale and I am very much on the tither as he is still blocking in the neck. I have even started to think it might be his teeth, but Damian greensheilds did them at the end of May!!!

Horses why cant they be straight forward!
 
I have nothing really useful to say apart from good luck and hope you get to the bottom of your boys issues. Try not to worry as much, its easy to get frustrated about what it could be (When my mare was ill, google was my best friend, although it can sometimes be your worse enemy ;)

Keep us updated :)
 
Ah thanks Maddy,

I most certianly will let you know. Yes you are right it can get all very overwhelming, ESPECIALLY goggling stuff. Lol.

I have had to keep that to a minimum for the time being :-)

x
 
Ok, so d day came and not nd ulcer in sight . I don't know what to feel at the moment . I wanted them to say yep he has ulcer just to solve the issues I have, as it's becoming very frustrating.

So I have had the saddle done, back checked and teeth are being done next week, he does seem better on a no grain diet. I do feed him a big bowl of readi grass 1/2 before being ridden.

Now I won't bore u all my horse is right grump. But he isn't a stressy or spooky horse riding wise but can be an arse when asking to do a bit more when schooled. I'm a quiet and not a bully kinda rider. But the one thing my husband did say to me today "jokingly" why can he be sedated all the time. When u look at him he relaxed spand at ease. I just KNOW something is bugging him. But I can't face bugging my vet anymore I swear they think I'm mad. But my instructor is 100% behind me when I say something isn't right.

I have thought I can't put him on a calming supplement as he is so laid back riding wise and it's hard to get energy out of him but is there ANYONE out there that is in my similar situation.

I am now back to square one and I refuse to give up on my boy. Your wise words and experience is much appreciated :)
 
Maybe a silly suggestion but is he bored? Would he like to try some jumping or a bit of XC schooling? Are you so fixated on it that he is perhaps picking up on your worry?

I am a worrier and I can make things appear that aren't really an issue, convince myself that she isn't tracking up, she tripped so is there something wrong, she stuck her head up all the time today is she in pain (no just being an ar*e)..... I am not suggesting your problem isn't real - it may well be but could it be more of an issue in your mind?

Perhaps your routine isn't suiting him, would he like more turnout or does he like being in his bed?

Having moved yards twice just over two years I have been really suprised at how the routine/turnout/environment has affected my mare.....
 
Hey billie.

I've tried lots of things. He goes out For quietn some time in the morning. I put him out at 5.30 in the morning unless I ride him before I go to work otherwise it's 7- 12.30 the he has lunch and hay. Then someone rides him in the evening. Then he is put to bed around 8. I was competing a lot a aswell so I can't really say its the routine as I'm always ensuring he has a variety.

He gets a mixture of hacking schooling and pole work. We have direct access Epping forests so lots of rides. As for Xc and sj it's on the agenda but he isn't going to jump until we get these issues sorted out. He did pull up lame at patchetts at the beginning in the year again un explained. But we worked him through it and he was fine he even Got 70% that day.

He is so rude when it comes to rugging and tacking up. He isn't a straight forward kinda guy and he takes me ages to get these done. It is difficult for me to describe on here x
 
He sounds like a very 'particular' boy - likes things how he likes them, lots do. I don't know what to suggest really. You mention that someone else rides him in the evening - do you trust their methods? Are they asking too much of him or working in a way that he doesn't appreciate?

Sorry I can't be of more help :(
 
Hey billy

Trust me he is so fickle. U would think he would easy to please as personally he is treated v well.

Yeah I trust her she goes out with my livery who has a veteran horse who needs to take it slow she is just lovely the girl. She has all the patience in the world ... U need to with my boy.
 
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