Lack lustre performance

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Wheels

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I am going to get the vet out this week but looking for advice from people who have had similar issues.

My horse isn't right, I can't put my finger on what it is but I just know something is not as it should be.

He is so lack lustre when exercised, really not forwards especially at the trot, he will go forward when I apply my leg but a few strides later and he's dropped back again. This has been gradually getting worse over the last 6 weeks or so. Before this he kept a lovely rhythm with little persuasion required.

He was also really soft when bending on circles but now I'm getting resistance in both directions but especially to the left, he falls heavily onto this shoulder and then loses the bend. He's also trying to grab at the rein when on a loose rein on this side suggesting stress in some way

My trainer rode him yesterday and in walk I saw the odd short step on the left hind, not often but definitely there in walk but not in trot. When loading the left hind on a small circle and asking for it to come right under there was no irregularity.

Saddle recently checked but have had problems with saddle fit before so not ruling this out completely, teeth done end of Feb, physio about 4 weeks ago, she said he was a little tight in his hamstrings but no other tension found.

The good horse specialist vet is a 2 hours away in the trailer and I'm not sure whether that is a necessary trip at this stage but I'm not convinced my local vet will pick up if it's something very subtle.

I was thinking maybe try the local vet first, check for lameness and get bloods checked and then if nothing found and no improvement make the trip to the equine specialist or whether just to go straight to equine vet.

If I get bloods taken then what do I get checked?
 
And his usual response to pain or soreness is to buck and / or run off but at the moment he just feels like he's shut down.
 
My horse felt like this when he was stiff/sore in his shoulders, does your horse feel "off" or short?

Have you tried doing something other than his normal work to see if he is just a bit sour? Like ride on beach/forest hack/trip to gallop etc.
 
He doesn't feel short no.

Over winter we have been in the school a lot more than normal so he could be bored or sour I suppose but I don't think it's that and I certainly wanted to rule out something physical first.
 
He's lost his usual rhythm on the lunge too but is a little freer than when ridden.

I'll do some groundwork later and take a really good look
 
He's a part bred PRE, forage based diet with dry haylage, same brand since last summer and then he has an off the shelf forage plus balancer

Mostly lives out with wet days on hard standing, same set up since he was a foal
 
Honestly, it could be anything. Kissing spines, arthritis, ulcers, you name it. I really think you are best getting the vet out. In the meantime keep a note of all of his symptoms so you can be as clear as possible with the vet.

- Compare ridden, lunged and at liberty (let him loose in the arena or watch him in the field)
- Drill down into each of the paces, is he off in his transitions, or are there specific paces he is worse in?
- Video him if possible.
- How is his appetite, is he drinking?
- How is his manners on the ground? Still in good form or a change there too?
- What is he like to tack up? Girthy or ok? Funny about his poll?
- Note anything that may have changed or happened in the last few weeks, no matter how small.
- Does it change on different surfaces? How is he about jumping? Does he still enjoy hacking?
- Is he more spooky than usual?

That's all I can think of for now but as I said could be a multitude of things so best keep a diary of all the symptoms and bring them to your vet. With my horse, my vet actually advised me based on the symptoms to bring her straight to the equine hospital for xrays to save me the callout fee, as he knew it wouldn't be possible to diagnose anything without an xray, and he was right.

The very best of luck and I would suggest go to the vet sooner rather than later as you could spend a lot of money on supplements or new tack etc, as well as worrying, when a vet could give you a quicker (hopefully) answer.
 
Two things I'd be thinking about trying. Does your vet do a free "zone" day? If so I'd use them for a blood test then.

If not, if you search on here people have recommended diets for horses with pssm(think right abbreviation). That seems to be a condition that affects muscle?
 
I think you can add muscle disorders like EPSM etc to nato's list. (ah I see wench got there first)

I'd probably go straight to the equine vet for a loss of performance work up. Although you could get bloods done, but knowing they might not tell you the whole story.
 
Thanks so much everyone.

My usual local vet is coming tomorrow evening, will let her check for anything obvious and take it from there.

Nato I will work him loose, on the lunge and ridden today and try and get some video clips to see if I can notice a difference.

From your questions;
Appetite is fine, weight is good. He is drinking but can't tell if normally or more / less normal due to shared trough
Manners on the ground perfect as normal
Fine to tack up, loose in the school where he gets brushed and tacked up in the corner of the school with no need for tieing up
Will ride on grass, tarmac and school tonight to see if there's any noticeable difference
Hacking not forward in trot
More spooky than usual
Tail swishes if use leg more than he likes
 
IIRC more spooky can be muscle related, have you seen KatPT's posts on her partbred PRE? I think he was more on edge iirc.
 
I think spooky can be a result of many things though??

He's not uncontrollable freaking at everything type spooky but he is a little more aware of his surroundings I suppose. Especially out of his right eye
 
Update after tonight.

We started on the lunge and he didn't show any lame steps but was definitely not forwards and loose like he usually is, the same when worked at liberty. He was trotting without trying to go back to walk but there was definitely no real impulsion.

Ridden he was a little better than yesterday but still not really keen to just go although the video looks better than it felt which was a bit stiff and shuffly.

He was the same in the arena, in the field and up the road - there's just no real sparkle there.

Untacked and gave him a good check over and found what I think is a swollen lymph node, not sure what this really means but will discuss with the vet tomorrow.
 
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