Not going forward in the school

[NooNoo59]

I have a 7 year old welsh d, he was going lovely earlier in the year but seems to have become aggy! Changed bridle to a Quantum and he was in a myler hanging snaffle now trying a sprenger max control loose ring, the saddle has been checked and was too wide so has gone down a gullet size. He is reluctant to go forward in trot, shakes his head up and down and trys to evade the contact and wont move forward, once I get after him he settles down and can work nicely but its hard work. He also does the head shaking out on hacks and snatching at the reins. I have tried so hard to get everything right but it is unpleasant. Surely it has to get better again soon, I am tired and fed up with it and just want to get off, I keep going in the belief that it will come right again, but am slowly giving up hope. I know welsh D can be tricky but he is a sweetheart and as I said earlier in the year was going a treat, anyone else had a similar experience, just want some hope!

 

[jkitten]

Could his teeth or mouth be hurting him?

 

[NooNoo59]

Teeth were done 2 weeks ago apparently all good

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would get his teeth checked and the snatching at reins can sometimes be the saddle being too tight, I find it strange how a horse would go down a gullet size? A young horse doing correct work should get wider as the top line and muscle improves I would get it checked possibly a second opinion.

What's he like on the lunge if he seems fine it is likely the saddle.

What width is the saddle?

 

[littleshetland]

This may sound a bit 'out there', but check for ulcers. Not going forwards is a fairly common symptom ......I expect there'll be lots more posts describing lots of others. Obviously, check everything else, but ngf can be indicative of ulcers.

 

[NooNoo59]

Well he was very fat in the summer and has now lost weight. Teeth done 2 weeks ago. Ulcers is an interesting one

 

[NooNoo59]

I would get his teeth checked and the snatching at reins can sometimes be the saddle being too tight, I find it strange how a horse would go down a gullet size? A young horse doing correct work should get wider as the top line and muscle improves I would get it checked possibly a second opinion.

What's he like on the lunge if he seems fine it is likely the saddle.

What width is the saddle?

It's a wintec and a 2xw.

 

[milliepops]

This may sound a bit 'out there', but check for ulcers. Not going forwards is a fairly common symptom ......I expect there'll be lots more posts describing lots of others. Obviously, check everything else, but ngf can be indicative of ulcers.

was thinking the same. mine went really backward and difficult in the contact when she got ulcers.

 

[NooNoo59]

He doesn't have any symptoms of ulcers apart from ngf. Eats well bonny shiny coat etc etc

 

[Melody Grey]

I’d have the saddle re- checked/ try riding in an alternative saddle/ bareback and see if it still happens.

have you had a physio? Could be a sore back caused by saddle fit issues that needs attention? Re-fitting the saddle isn’t always an instant fix.

 

[NooNoo59]

Trying to get hold of physio. I hope the saddle is right now she has been out twice. My normal saddler is doing less appointments now and they have sent an alternative I trust my regular one not sure about this new one yet.

 

[Haha123]

was thinking the same. mine went really backward and difficult in the contact when she got ulcers.

Yes mine went from yanking my arms off to refusing to walk forward when he had ulcers!!

 

[w1bbler]

Ulcers kissing spine pssm badly fitting saddle etc etc
A forward horse becoming backwards I would suggest pain
My ulcery horse was overweight & looked great only symptom was grumpy & occasionally refusing jumps (now she's fixed I realise she also wasn't very forward, as she is like a different horse now)
Also turned out to have kissing spines

 

[Coblover63]

My first thought would be to check for PSSM

 

[vmac66]

How long ago was the saddle checked. My mare had a saddle that was too wide and was refusing to go into trot in the school. Changed saddle but it took a while for her to realise that it didn't hurt anymore.

 

[Antw23uk]

If he was going forward in the previous saddle fit and he isnt going forward now its been made narrower then there is your issue. I would ask for someone else to look at it and i would also book in a physio as a way of apologising to your horse, lol

 

[NooNoo59]

He was very fat in the summer (we have excellent grazing!) but I have managed to get his weight down, so saddle was checked six months ago and made wider as he was tubby and then it was checked 2 weeks ago and he needed a smaller gullet as he had lost weight saddler was off the opinion that it would have been pinching on his shoulders, came back out yesterday as since she has adjusted it it has been moving anyway adjusted again so physio is booked for Thursday to rule out/treat any pain then we see where we go from there. I just want him to be comfortable as I think that if he was comfortable he would go forward and work happily. I dont want it to be world beating but just not a constant battle

 

[ycbm]

Well he was very fat in the summer and has now lost weight. Teeth done 2 weeks ago. Ulcers is an interesting one

How did you do the weight loss? Being hangry can cause ulcers.

 

[NooNoo59]

More work, soaked hay, not so much grass

 

[ycbm]

More work, soaked hay, not so much grass

Sounds good but even the stress of knowing he was losing weight might have given him ulcers, so my way of checking for that would be to give him aloe vets juice for a week and see if anything changes. It has been proven to help cure ulcers.
.

 

[milliepops]

FWIW aloe did nothing for mine at all, the only thing that helped her was 16 weeks of prescription meds. it's worth a try but i wouldn't use it as a diagnostic.

 

[NooNoo59]

So my mate rode him tonight I am.not having a great week (anniversary of my husbands death) and he was as good as gold. She asked him to trot he was a bit mardy so she smacked him once and after that he was very forward and obliging. So it must be me struggling with life and a youngish welsh which I have always believed is way too good for me. Hey ho

 

[TotalMadgeness]

Mine are distinctly less forward when their joints are hurting (one - stifles, the other - hocks). Yeah I guess a smack would get them going but only temporarily. So when they start backing off the leg I adjust their management and if necessary get them re-medicated.

 

[NooNoo59]

why would his joints be hurting? he is only 7 and has a easy life broken at rising 4 and I got him about 5 months after, not sure what happened to him in between that time as cant track down the person named in the passport but it was only a couple of months

 

[Gloi]

So my mate rode him tonight I am.not having a great week (anniversary of my husbands death) and he was as good as gold. She asked him to trot he was a bit mardy so she smacked him once and after that he was very forward and obliging. So it must be me struggling with life and a youngish welsh which I have always believed is way too good for me. Hey ho

How about some lessons with someone who will help build your confidence.

 

[NooNoo59]

my instructor is marvellous very empathetic and encouraging. Its all in my head so frustrating, not sure how to sort it

 

[Birker2020]

Having issues with this myself, I would suggest that a sacro illiac injury might be possible.

 

[NooNoo59]

well surely the physio who is sees every six months would pick that up? I have known horses with si issues and he is nothing like them, I do think its an attitude issue and he reads me like a book knows how to make me back off so I am just having a few easy weeks with him over Christmas not making myself ride unless I want to, see how we feel in January

 

[ImmyS]

my instructor is marvellous very empathetic and encouraging. Its all in my head so frustrating, not sure how to sort it

Are the problems happening just when you ride alone? Are they better when having a lesson and you have someone on the ground to advise and support?

 

[NooNoo59]

sadly both although someone on the ground motivates me more, on my own I just feel like giving up!