Just got back from the vets and still no answers :-(

Was going to post the other day but decided to wait until you had been to the vets. My 3 year old had a similar problem. I had her in the school on the lunge a couple of months back and my instructor noticed a similar thing. It was difficult for me to see when in the middle of the circle but with someone else lungeing her it became quite apparent she wasn't quite right. I took her off to the vets and again it was difficult to spot but it was occasionaly apparent that she wasn't following through with her offside hind and it did look worse on a hard surface. She also looked wide behind. I proceeded to have xrays of both hocks and stifles and they showed nothing at all. Vet said that it happens alot with youngster when they are growing as they don't always grow symmetrically straight away and a spurt will make it really hard for them. As Alee is very young and I was planning on giving her time off anyway I turned her away. She now moves so differently.
Warmbloods grow so slowly maybe she is just having a spurt and struggling with it.
I really don't think that it sounds too much to worry about.
She has done a lot since you have had her and come on in leaps and bounds. Maybe a few weeks off is in order. I'm sure she will be fine and nothing that a rest or a good chiropractor can't sort out!!
 
I have had a similar problem with my gelding. I got him when he was 8 and he had only ever been hunted so had NEVER been schooled or done any flatwork. Because he started his schooling late in life and had to develop the correct muscles at the age of 8 after years of being upside down and back to front, he is inclined to get quite stiff and is more prone to muscle injuries. A few weeks ago, he wasn't quite tracking up with one hind leg, although not lame he didn't feel right. He had pulled a muscle under his back leg. I was able to feel it when I felt his inside back leg, right under the buttock, the muscle felt stringy and wasn't smooth like the other side. He also wasn't able to stretch his leg out quite as far as usual. It wasn't a major thing so I just did some gentle hamstring stretches with him and lightly hacked for a few days, with hill work and he was back to normal in a few days. I was talking to my chiropracter and he said he's seen quite a lot of these type of injuries this year as it's been so wet and slippy, they go to put their leg under them and it slips from under them so they pull the muscles.

I don't know if it could be what your mare has but I would be inclined to think you should get a physio or chiro out, especially as the vet couldn't find anything.
 
A girl at my yard has a 16.2 wb that does this all the time, it looks like stringhalt but it isn't, and when he walks up the yard you hear clip-clip-clonk-clip as it hits the floor hard and he gets frustrated as he cannot control it as it is a spasm in his back from damage a long time ago.

His case is very severe, and very obvious, and I would suggest that you try the bute and get a osteopath or McTimoney out pronto
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Good news that the flexions came up clear, and that nothing of any significance has been found

I would echo a lot of what has been said above, she is starting to be pushed physically now and that any weaknesses she may have in her frame and muscle will be highlighted by the more intense work you are asking from her You said that the left was her weak side, do you feel anything through her mouth that feels like she is needing support from you on this rein?

I personally love McTimoney and it helped my mare a lot! So if you have a good chiro then take some time, it may be that she needs regular sessions if there is some niggle or tightening that she has rather than the 6 month checkup

The other thing is get yourself checked out, do you feel you sit straight all of the time? do you have any tension yourself? Sometimes areas of tightness in the rider can manifest itself in the horse and therefore alter their movement. I realise Spencer hopped on and you could see (and I would be surprised if he sat odd!) but if over a period of time you have been "out" yourself Grace may be holding herself because of this

Hope you manage to get some answers soon tho!
 
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Good news that the flexions came up clear, and that nothing of any significance has been found

I would echo a lot of what has been said above, she is starting to be pushed physically now and that any weaknesses she may have in her frame and muscle will be highlighted by the more intense work you are asking from her You said that the left was her weak side, do you feel anything through her mouth that feels like she is needing support from you on this rein?

I personally love McTimoney and it helped my mare a lot! So if you have a good chiro then take some time, it may be that she needs regular sessions if there is some niggle or tightening that she has rather than the 6 month checkup

The other thing is get yourself checked out, do you feel you sit straight all of the time? do you have any tension yourself? Sometimes areas of tightness in the rider can manifest itself in the horse and therefore alter their movement. I realise Spencer hopped on and you could see (and I would be surprised if he sat odd!) but if over a period of time you have been "out" yourself Grace may be holding herself because of this

Hope you manage to get some answers soon tho!

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Thank you for all of that... I was so relieved when the flexions showed nothing. I think even in an unlame horse, I would panic when they did the flexions
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She has checks on her back every 3 months anyway, so is actually due now. Unfortunately it is a 2 weeks waiting list but he is very good so I am willing to wait. In the meantime I will continue riding her (if the vet recommends to do after this weekend) and start long lining her too so I can watch the movement very carefully from the ground. The problem is, I have not seen anyone on her for over 12 months, so seeing Spencer on her made me realise firstly how stunning she looked on the right rein, and secondly that it is not just me who feels she is heavy on the left rein
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She is not heavy in your hands at all, but there is more weight in that hand than the other even though it is still not a major weight.

I am right handed so work very hard on my left side... I do have a weakness due to an injury in my neck but I have regular treatment for this with a physio and they have noticed my muscles are now evening up a little in my back and shoulders so I must be sitting more correctly than I used to do
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Fingers crossed
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