I hope its not happening again :( help please

cob&onion

cob&onion

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Please bear with me as could be a long one!
Cob has been owned by myself as a 10 month foal. I started backing her at 3 yrs & 6 months. Mainly hacking and plodding about for a few weeks. She was then turned away till she was 4 (i think 6 weeks off her 4th bday), had her wolf teeth out and a new saddle fitted and i started some light schooling work after fittening her up gently. After 3 weeks or so she started to hold her head to the left and gradually got harder to straighten her up - this was just asking for any kind of contact. Out hacking in straight lines on a loose rein she was fine. However road work and keeping to the left proved difficult as she kept drifting off to the middle of the road then it was hard to get her back to the left (if that makes sense?)
I fell pregnant and stopped riding in the june. She had a good 10 months off work and was left living out with my youngster and did no ridden work. During this time she grew a bit and filled out.

I brought her back into work approx march/april time,now a 5yr old. The saddler came out and refitted her saddle and started slowly with a few weeks of walking then trot then canter.........i started to school her again around june time and she was alot better with regards to looking left. She was then re-checked by the saddler after 3 months and he adjusted the saddle again. She started to lean on the bit very much so (before and after saddle fit) on the left rein. I rode her in a hanging cheek myler without a joint (the curved one) and immediately she stopped the leaning and was less fussy in the mouth, but still very stiff when turning right and still a slight head tilt to the left?
I had a very experienced rider ride her after explaining about her problems, incase it was my riding. She seemed to think she could have a dental issue going on as so reluctant to turn right and found it difficult, and she was very crooked she said she would say its def more a pain thing than an *i don't want to do it* thing.....so physical?
I had the vet out this morning for routine vacs and also to look in her mouth and also explained the above. She had them rasped and vet says there is nothing there to cause obvious pain, no remains of wolf teeth just a few edges but nothing horrendous? she checked out her poll and back and again nothing.
The vet did a lameness assessment and she trotted up sound. We popped her on the lunge. I had to lunge her in the field and ground is uneven and she wouldn't pick up the canter lead but TBH i think it was due to ground as ridden on a circle in the school she will canter and 9/10 picks up correct lead but is understandably unbalanced due to age. The vet said she wasn't 100% sure if she was lame behind or it was just unbalanced babyness on uneven ground? The vet wants me to see how she gets on with her teeth now they have been rasped to see if that will make a difference. Also i am to have a physio check her out and also do carrot stretches and lunge twice a week just to help with suppling. Vet is on the fence as to whether its just a lack of suppleness going on due to greeness or whether its something pain related going on. If the physio doesn't pick anything up i am to call vet back for a bute trail for 2 weeks to see if it is pain related and if it is then further investigations will begin.............the vet says she is 50/50.

Going to ride tomorrow and see how she feels. Am on the case regarding the physio. Also starting the carrot stretches tonight

Her normal work load is riding 4 -5 times per week - 4 of these are hacking (road work and a few canters) and 1 x schooling session for around 40 mins. She has between 2-3 days off per week.

I can't help but feel really deflated by the whole thing especially as i lost my TB last year due to arthritic changes in hocks and KS at 7 years old............:( i am worrying it could be something more sinister and am going to have yet another baby with soundness issues........:/ all i want is a nice horse so i can play around with showing/dressage, i love schooling and this is very frustrating again having a horse thats not right :(

Does anyone have any suggestions or opinions?
 
I'm afraid I can't be much help but didn't want to read and run. I think you are going the right way by investigating possible pain issues and getting the physio to check her out. Sometimes they can damage themselves without anything being obvious to the naked eye, or even to the vet.
Good luck with getting it sorted.
 
I understand why your having a panic, but just take it steady with her and i'm sure either the physio or vet will get there in the end. Frustrating i know, but patience is what you need atm. I wish you both well
 
Physio, vet etc. My highland was off for 9 months as he strained a hock, he was really out for 12 months as he had foot infection , then stepped on nail. He was very out of work and we have had trotting problems in the school. He was just lacking muscle and out of work.

Cobs take a long time to mature and get there fitness back. After all is cleared then I would long rein and do some raised pole work
 
I am hoping its just due to lacking muscle and being unfit, although her fitness has really improved.
I just don't want to push her untill i can rule out any pain.
 
It could well be a muscular thing. In my experience a cob will often accommodate their way of going rather than have a meltdown when they find something difficult to do. Once the habit is there it can be a real challenge to change it even when it doesn't hurt any more or the horse has muscle enough to to the job properly.

Although I have used a physio before, I've also found a chiropractor extremely helpful. (I have no idea why the technique works, but it does). If your vet is willing that could be another way forward. I've found long reining on a circle very useful for improving suppleness if it is a muscular issue - and let's hope that's all it is, from what you describe it could simply be that.
 
Oh dear :( I wouldn't worry yourself unduly though, I've known a few youngsters that went through exactly the same thing as you're describing and with all of them it was decided that it was down to muscle development because they came through it with gentle conditioning in anything from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. The vet involved with one of those told me that he sees this sort of issue mostly with horses that are naturally very one sided. You've done everything right getting the vet etc. involved so please try not to worry too much :)
 
So sorry to hear about this :(

Firstly, could you try a bute test? See if she improves?

To me though it sounds as if it could just be babyish unbalancedness! Our youngster (also a chunky type, and of a similar age) went through a period last year where my mum decided he must have navicular/KS or something similar as he was so all over the place, but vet checks all came back with nothing. His suppleness and balance improved with time and he is sound as a pound now, so I think he was just going through an awkward growth spurt or similar. Hopefully that's all it is with your girl!! Give the lunging and carrot stretches a few weeks and see if things start to improve :) And try not to worry!! (easier said than done I know!!)
 
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ridefast said:
Agree with physio, have you had yourself checked out? Never hurts
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No i keep meaning too though!
I swear these horses get better treatment than myself!

Pigeon said:
So sorry to hear about this :(

Firstly, could you try a bute test? See if she improves?

To me though it sounds as if it could just be babyish unbalancedness! Our youngster (also a chunky type, and of a similar age) went through a period last year where my mum decided he must have navicular/KS or something similar as he was so all over the place, but vet checks all came back with nothing. His suppleness and balance improved with time and he is sound as a pound now, so I think he was just going through an awkward growth spurt or similar. Hopefully that's all it is with your girl!! Give the lunging and carrot stretches a few weeks and see if things start to improve :)
Click to expand...

Yeah vet wants to try the bute in a few weeks after stretches, exercises and physio if its still there.

What do you guys think to trying a equi-ami to lunge with twice per week? do you think it could help?
 
i think i good physio could really help, which you know, vets obviously have there place, but with something possibly stiffness/muscular, physios can often pinpoint the cause and offer helpful exercises. try not to worry, it is very common for young horses to get unbalenced/not straight.
 
Going to the middle of the road rang a bell with me.young unbalanced cobs often find the camber a problem and are worried about slipping. Have you tried road nails or road studs to give a bit of grip?
 
cob&onion said:
What do you guys think to trying a equi-ami to lunge with twice per week? do you think it could help?
Click to expand...

Used the Whitaker training aid with mine, which looks to be pretty much the same thing, and it made such a difference to his way of going, really helped him stretch through the back, definitely worth a try :)
 
cobgoblin said:
Going to the middle of the road rang a bell with me.young unbalanced cobs often find the camber a problem and are worried about slipping. Have you tried road nails or road studs to give a bit of grip?
Click to expand...

Hi she is shod all round and has road nails too.

I have noticed if she is unsure on the footing she is reluctant to canter like today on the lunge.
 
I have no experience with an equi ami, but for straightening up wonky youngsters gently lateral work in walk (either on long reins or under saddle), particularly shoulder in and travers is excellent. You can also do it while hacking, which is nice, and makes the conditioning more consistent.
 
Update.

Being doing 2 sets of five carrot stretches since Thursday. She seems to find them easy both sides and stretches right round to her hocks with ease. Also does the one between her legs well too.
Rode her this morning for the first time since teeth where done. Pleased to report there was a big difference :D took her out on a hack , she was more forward and took and maintained the contact for the duration of the last 25 mins of the hack. Did a bit of flexing to the right and met no resistance! Fingers crossed it was sharp edges after all. The physio is booked for 3 weeks anyway and she has another session with the pro rider on wed.
Really hoping things may start to improve now :)
 
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