Maz55
Well-Known Member
Hi there,
I've had my mare almost 6 years now and she's never been easy but recently I've had a new issue arisen that has me and my instructor completely stumped!
End of last year my mare turned very lethargic to ride and I found it very hard to maintain trot with her. She went in for a work up and the vet found bone spavin in both hocks. Joints injected and I had a much more forward going horse but would still stop from time to time which I put down to habit as the vet was happy she wasn't showing any sign of lameness. In January she was much more forward going and I had a fall which knocked my confidence and I decided to stop riding over the winter. My hacking buddy then left the yard so we were only able to go in the school.
I started riding again last month, mainly walk but have started trot work again and its been much more forward. I'm still struggling with my confidence so haven't done too much trot work.
Over easter i got my OH to come out with me on foot so i could hack her out (she's sharp on her own and we've not hacked in months) and she was nappy to start which is not unusual at all. we went down a hill fine then up the other side and she saw some other horses and then planted which she's never done on a hack. she was shaking and snorty and just felt really anxious. I didn't feel comfortable so got off and walked (something i've never ever done!!) including up a steep hill when she became more and more on her toes, practically dragging me up the hill. i realise could have been excitement/eagerness to get home but really unlike her, she seemed really unsettled. I rode her home for the last few hundred yards and took her in the school and she still felt quite explosive so I really don't think her behaviour out hacking was just about getting home.
The last couple of weeks my horse turned very sharp in the school. She'd either be difficult to mount and then feel that I was sitting on an unexploded bomb or she'd feel that way as soon as I got on. I also had a ride when she was going lovely and then suddenly started resisting going to the right which was followed by a buck when I made her do it (very unusual behaviour for this horse).
Physio checked her back and no sign of any tightness or soreness, only a mild reaction in her hip area.
As she's been so sharp to ride and also because she's weak through her back having lost her topline (due to the hock issue) my instructor has had me lunge (on a long rein i might add) before riding. She's moving better than ever, tracking up and lifting through her back but is weak so my instructor has had me do a short bit of work on the bit and then completely give her her head. However now when I get on i'll get a few minutes of really nice work out of her (instructor says it's the best she's seen her) but then she'll suddenly stop, starting going backwards and then refuse to go forward or i'll get the resistance going to the right or both. today she went beautifully including doing some lovely lateral work, then suddenly stopped and would only go backwards. we took off the saddle but she still refused to move. we tried free schooling but again no budging. her eye was kind and she was quiet so we didn't feel it was naughtiness at all and she wasn't napping towards the gate - even when we tried to lead her in that direction she just didn't want to move.
We can't decide if this is just where she's so weak she's finding it really hard to go correctly, so can only do very little and as my instructor says "it's like the petrol has run out of the tank", or if there is something else going on. She's generally a nice person on the ground, has on the odd occasion been grumpy to rug but nothing of any real significance and she looks really well. I feed lots of hay before riding.
Could it be that this is learned behaviour from basically letting her stop after a short stretch of trot, for example? she has always gone backwards when she hasn't wanted to do something but unlike previous instructors who made me get after her, this one is very much about listening to the horse (which I love). In the past i've always been able to get her to go forward but today she was having none of it although have stopped using a whip.
I've got the saddler coming tomorrow and debating trying some bute before the next ride. If the behaviour continues I will consult my vet.
I've had my mare almost 6 years now and she's never been easy but recently I've had a new issue arisen that has me and my instructor completely stumped!
End of last year my mare turned very lethargic to ride and I found it very hard to maintain trot with her. She went in for a work up and the vet found bone spavin in both hocks. Joints injected and I had a much more forward going horse but would still stop from time to time which I put down to habit as the vet was happy she wasn't showing any sign of lameness. In January she was much more forward going and I had a fall which knocked my confidence and I decided to stop riding over the winter. My hacking buddy then left the yard so we were only able to go in the school.
I started riding again last month, mainly walk but have started trot work again and its been much more forward. I'm still struggling with my confidence so haven't done too much trot work.
Over easter i got my OH to come out with me on foot so i could hack her out (she's sharp on her own and we've not hacked in months) and she was nappy to start which is not unusual at all. we went down a hill fine then up the other side and she saw some other horses and then planted which she's never done on a hack. she was shaking and snorty and just felt really anxious. I didn't feel comfortable so got off and walked (something i've never ever done!!) including up a steep hill when she became more and more on her toes, practically dragging me up the hill. i realise could have been excitement/eagerness to get home but really unlike her, she seemed really unsettled. I rode her home for the last few hundred yards and took her in the school and she still felt quite explosive so I really don't think her behaviour out hacking was just about getting home.
The last couple of weeks my horse turned very sharp in the school. She'd either be difficult to mount and then feel that I was sitting on an unexploded bomb or she'd feel that way as soon as I got on. I also had a ride when she was going lovely and then suddenly started resisting going to the right which was followed by a buck when I made her do it (very unusual behaviour for this horse).
Physio checked her back and no sign of any tightness or soreness, only a mild reaction in her hip area.
As she's been so sharp to ride and also because she's weak through her back having lost her topline (due to the hock issue) my instructor has had me lunge (on a long rein i might add) before riding. She's moving better than ever, tracking up and lifting through her back but is weak so my instructor has had me do a short bit of work on the bit and then completely give her her head. However now when I get on i'll get a few minutes of really nice work out of her (instructor says it's the best she's seen her) but then she'll suddenly stop, starting going backwards and then refuse to go forward or i'll get the resistance going to the right or both. today she went beautifully including doing some lovely lateral work, then suddenly stopped and would only go backwards. we took off the saddle but she still refused to move. we tried free schooling but again no budging. her eye was kind and she was quiet so we didn't feel it was naughtiness at all and she wasn't napping towards the gate - even when we tried to lead her in that direction she just didn't want to move.
We can't decide if this is just where she's so weak she's finding it really hard to go correctly, so can only do very little and as my instructor says "it's like the petrol has run out of the tank", or if there is something else going on. She's generally a nice person on the ground, has on the odd occasion been grumpy to rug but nothing of any real significance and she looks really well. I feed lots of hay before riding.
Could it be that this is learned behaviour from basically letting her stop after a short stretch of trot, for example? she has always gone backwards when she hasn't wanted to do something but unlike previous instructors who made me get after her, this one is very much about listening to the horse (which I love). In the past i've always been able to get her to go forward but today she was having none of it although have stopped using a whip.
I've got the saddler coming tomorrow and debating trying some bute before the next ride. If the behaviour continues I will consult my vet.
