Nutty TB or possibility to re-train?(Also in CR)

[JVB]

Hi All,

Another thread got me thinking.... so, I have a 19 yr old Tb ex point 2 point, had 5 years. Snaffle mouthed with running martingale. Also has stringhalt in left hind, only mildly but does affect gait and easily visible.

Now, he has always been hard work to ride, likes to walk or canter. When trotting will constantly try to break into canter, gets more worked up and once have done some canter work tends to get very strong, canter sideways and rock about a lot. Can work very enagaged but only in walk or canter.

With jumping (which I rarely do) you take your life in your hands, he will canter beautifully up until about 3/4 strides out at which point he throws his head about, jumps up and down and gallops over them at full speed, try and take back a contact on landing and he jumps all over the place. Will do the same with just a pole on the ground as well.

Having done a little research into stringhalt, I'm wondering if he could be improved with regards trotting and jumping (had always put behaviour down to stringhalt and being uncomfortable/ unable to do work asked?)

He will canter lovely round the fields, can get keen but totally manageable.

Back and teeth all fine, I think it's whats in his head that the issue.

Sorry so long, but any ideas welcome on re training, schooling, bits etc all very welcome!

He's a cracking horse and would prob love to have more varied life but until I can control him properly - just too risky

Thanks

 

[AmyMay]

Sounds like he was a jump horse, rather than a flat horse??

 

[JVB]

I think so, he was only supposed to be short term loan of few weeks but has been bit of a rescue case, hence we are now at 5 yrs! lol

The odd time I have jumped him he has no fear and I don't think it wold ever occur to him to refuse, he's a good lad, wouldn't buck, napp etc just very keen!

 

[beer101]

I would get Hilary Vernon to come and assess him. It sounds like he could use Hilary's informed bitting service. She bitted my TB who was very fussy in the mouth and did everything he could to avoid taking a contact or going on the bit. Since Hilary fitted him with his new bit he has gone from strength to strength.He's a pleasure to ride . Just for the record he's 17:2 and I'm 5'2"
Sorry I dont have her website address but a 'Google' should find her

 

[Brandy]

I didn't bother trying to reschool mine as thought it was too late at 18 yrs to change, not expecting to have a good 8 years full work!!

Mine had exactly the same behaviour as yours but had it before the stringhalt!

 

[LittleBlossom]

I had an ex-hurdler which reacted exactly as you've said to jumping and poles (also always had slight pelvic alignment issues, although it never seemed to bother him).

Yours is a bit older so don't know how set in his ways he is, but as regards jumping — it took months/years to achieve, but mine was going sensibly around a BS course of up to 1.05m eventually and making a nice job of it. Just took much, much quiet, steady schooling (on the flat and over poles) until he was chilled about it, strong enough for the job and understood what was being asked of him. All of a matter of time and patience.

Although obviously, not all will ever settle to it — depends a lot on their mind set — and mine did still tend to scuttle around corners/over fences when over excited!