my horse is always resting his hind legs

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chloenicole

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I need advice! I have had my new 6 year warmblood for 3 months he passed his vetting and had the physio out for a check over and had no problems. since he arrived i have noticed he is always resting a hind leg except when i ride or he is grazing. he rests when he is groomed being tacked up, when i get off him. does anyone elses horses do this alot? my other horses dont seem to do it half as much.
 
Some horses just do. One of mine always seems to be standing hip shot - he'll even do it when you are trying to pick up one of the other 3 feet. I think he's just lazy. We've had him 8 years, he is 100% fit, no concerns at all. Very laid back, calm lad. He just likes to stand on 3 legs not 4. Not always the same hind leg resting - he switches. Like some humans who always like to slouch I guess.
 
If it's always the same leg - then yes, I would worry. If he switches and uses both evenly, then no problem.
 
I used to worry about this until the vet pointed out that we very often sit in exactly the same position with one leg crossed or tucked under ourselves when sitting down.
 
its like my golden retriever preferring to sit like this

she has sat like this for most of her life so I know there are no problems
 
It can mean problems sometimes, I'm afraid. I had one do this, from getting him as an unbroken 3yo (he passed a 5 stage vetting).

He first started to go unlevel as a 7yo, and was retired from competitive dressage, but deteriorated so I couldn't even keep him paddock sound, so he was pts aged 10.

It was his hind suspensories. I've always believed that he had issues with them from the beginning (he had long, springy hind pasterns).

Hope it's nothing like that with yours, OP, and that it's just a habit of his.
 
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