I think my horse isn’t suitable for me anymore

[Santa’s Irish draught]

It kills me writing this but I don’t think my horse is suitable for me anymore. My gelding is very very lazy to the point that is extremely hard to keep him going. He keeps stopping I have tried lessons for 2 years and nothing has improved it. Nothing is physical wrong with him . He was retired for 3 years before I got him because the owner lost interest. He is very sweet But I generally think he doesn’t like riding . The only thing likes is hacking around the field he very spooky on the road.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

Can you give us a bit more info. What breed, age is your gelding? What health checks have been done with him?

 

[paddy555]

It kills me writing this but I don’t think my horse is suitable for me anymore. My gelding is very very lazy to the point that is extremely hard to keep him going. He keeps stopping I have tried lessons for 2 years and nothing has improved it. Nothing is physical wrong with him . He was retired for 3 years before I got him because the owner lost interest. He is very sweet But I generally think he doesn’t like riding . The only thing likes is hacking around the field he very spooky on the road.

2 things immediately come to mind which are PPID and PSSM. It may not be that he doesn't like riding but more that he simply can't. Can you provide the info. requested in the post above. This may give a better idea.

 

[Santa’s Irish draught]

Can you give us a bit more info. What breed, age is your gelding? What health checks have been done with him?

He is 12 years old
Irish sport horse
full lameness work up and has gotten the physo .

 

[sportsmansB]

What does your instructor say?

 

[Casey76]

It’s just not normal for a 12-yo to be as you state. I would want a full vet work up, to include myopathies, and also micronutrient/mineral analysis. Even out of the box ideas like colitis, or other inflammatory disorders.

Laziness can often be a symptom of pain, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be related to limb or joints.

 

[paddy555]

so you have owned him between 10 and 12 and he was in a field between 7 and 10 years. Being retired between 7 and 10 makes me suspicious of PSSM, (that is only one thought, it may not be correct)

what happens if your instructor or another more experienced person rides him? do they get the same response of laziness? Is it just you he is lazy with?

Has he been blood tested in case anything obvious shows up and have his teeth been done recently?

 

[exracehorse]

My friends horse was lazy. Huffed. And puffed. He was on loan and had arrived over weight. About 8 weeks down the line, it was discovered he had lung cancer. Not saying this is the case but it’s unusual for a horse to be practically dead to ride.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

OP, my immediate thought was PSSM. I would be wanting him to have a full work up from the vets and testing. It is well worth it, as I am sure you want to make sure he isn’t in pain.

 

[Lammy]

We need more information really but I’m a firm believer that horses aren’t just lazy or naughty for no reason and that they’re often trying to tell you something. My vet came out to see mine who was unwilling to go forwards and unable to maintain canter, I could feel that he was trying but he just wasn’t able to. Vet agreed and said he looked as if he was travelling with the handbrake on but nothing was obvious and on the lunge he was a different horse.

Mine was insured so vet recommended a bone scan to try and pinpoint the issue and it came through, X-rays showed changes in the hocks and gait analysis and nerve blocking backed it up.

I know you’ve had a lameness work up but mine did too initially and nothing showed up and actually you could only see the lameness on the gait analysis on hard ground. If you’re not insured and you can get somewhere to do it I would talk to your vet about a gait analysis, it was £50 and though I was skeptical it was well worth it when we got that data back confirming what the naked eye couldn’t see.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

Can anyone link to PSSM testing in the UK for the OP. OP - very straight forward to get tested. Would at least rule it out. ?

 

[ycbm]

It's not very straightforward I'm afraid. AnimalGenetics in the UK do a hair test for type 1 but the type 2 variants are tested in Germany, aren't cheap or yet officially peer reviewed (I think? )

She might be better off seeing what the response to high doses of vitamin E are first and proceeding from there.

The description is very much of possible PSSM to me.
.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

It's not very straightforward I'm afraid. AnimalGenetics in the UK do a hair test for type 1 but the type 2 variants are tested in Germany, aren't cheap or yet officially peer reviewed (I think? )

She might be better off seeing what the response to high doses of vitamin E are first and proceeding from there.

The description is very much of possible PSSM to me.
.

Ah, was thinking of “ease” of testing for type 1 in the UK. wasn’t aware of the testing for type 2 so thanks for adding that. ?

 

[fredflop]

What exactly have you had done on the workups? Vet doing a couple of flexions, or more?

 

[Upthecreek]

It kills me writing this but I don’t think my horse is suitable for me anymore. My gelding is very very lazy to the point that is extremely hard to keep him going. He keeps stopping I have tried lessons for 2 years and nothing has improved it. Nothing is physical wrong with him . He was retired for 3 years before I got him because the owner lost interest. He is very sweet But I generally think he doesn’t like riding . The only thing likes is hacking around the field he very spooky on the road.

If he likes hacking around fields and is spooky on the road he obviously has some life about him. Is he only lazy in the school/arena? If so he might be school sour or he might not be able to cope physically with the work being asked of him or he might dislike it and just switch off. Have you tried asking your instructor to ride him in a lesson and is he the same with them?