Nervous Mare

Thursday

Thursday

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I have a 5yr old event mare who had one problem after the next all through last year and into the beginning of this year. Finally got everything sorted with her and we started to produce better dressage tests and going (almost) clear out XC.

Then out of the blue she decided that she couldn’t canter to the right. No reason, just couldn’t :S Then the very next day she had a nasty fall where she slipped and fell on her side. Naturally that panicked her and she hasn’t been the same since. Everything is an ordeal to her.

I have re-thought her to canter to the right now but it’s a major deal. She just runs and runs and runs and runs until I get upset or annoyed at not getting anywhere. We had worked so hard to get to where she was and instructor was evening starting to work towards starting to lift her front end and get her working more from behind and carrying her head higher. But now I can’t even get her head to come down and relax. She is in constant flight mode.

She is on a calmer which does/did work with her but it doesn’t seem enough anymore. Any thoughts as to what I can do? (I am getting lessons but not proving successful at the moment!)
 
That's what I was going to suggest. A full check up to rule out injuries from her fall. I would imagine that she's trying to tell you something if it's only a problem to the right. Once injuries are ruled out try loose schooling to see how she copes without tack etc. Or cantering on the right leg in a straight line out hacking. She might just have lost confidence in herself with a rider. It might well take a while to build her confidence again.
 
I think there is always a reason - sometimes physical, sometimes psychological - when a horse 'out of the blue' stops doing something they were perfectly happy to do the day before. Refusing to canter to the right - rushing forwards rather than springing off her right hind - really sounds like a problem in that limb to me.

You don't say how long it was since the problem started - if very recent, you could try giving her a week or two off, let her recover, then try again. However if the issue is ongoing then I would be speaking to my vet for advice and seriously consider calling him / her out for a lameness work-up. Or he / she may suggest a 'back person' who can come out and look for sore muscles etc.

I strongly suspect that the reason she will not relax and take the contact is because she is uncomfortable - this would fit with the canter issue - so she is not being 'bad' and it is not your riding. Try not to get upset or annoyed with her or yourself.

She is a young horse and could legitimately take a break from schooling for a bit anyway - why not stick to gentle hacks on straight lines for a few weeks. See if you can get to the bottom of the issue in the meantime. She will not forget what you have taught her, and may well come back better able to put it into practice.

Good luck :)
 
I can give you all a little timeline if that’s any good!!!

She stopped cantering right on the 8th September. Had a the fall out XC on the 9th September and she was given a week off and then light work. She was going perfect for a week or so except for the right canter. Got her teeth checked on the 19th September where he found the sharp tooth and was filled down. Then her back started to show problems which hadn’t been there before – I presume they were from the fall but took a while to come out so to speak. I had an osteopath out to her on Friday last (1st October) and she hacked out fine over the weekend.

Rode her last night determined to fix the right canter, which we did, but I did with her off the lunge she went bananas and shot off.
 
Vet then.

Would be highly suspicious of the refusal to canter on one leg. And certainly would stop working her until she's had a full examination.
 
Obviously get the checks done, but to me this sounds very like a young horse that has done a lot very early in its life, and is perhaps now telling you that she is not ready, and has been pushed too much too early. I would rather a horse takes its time to grow up, especially a big one. Some of them are not mature until 7.. I would suggest forgetting about the canter, as it sounds like its become a big issue and cause of stress for you both. Take a couple of months off schooling, just hack out, and let the horse "breathe out". After Xmas start again, and see if the rest has done any good for her mentally. I think you would be suprised. Also when you do bring her back into work, let someone else be the first to try for the canter - best if its someone who knows nothing of what has happened, and is not expecting anything to go wrong on that rein - so the horse gets no "oh gosh is she going to do it" vibes..
 
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