Old horse, new tricks?

[Brockles77]

Hi all.
I went to a ODE on Saturday and it was a total disaster. Over the last few months my horse has been a bit more spooky than usual and we are going backwards in training and our successes out have been few and far between. He jumped great in a lesson at home on grass in the week, but at the event he was really bad. I had a fall, he kept putting in chippy ones.... and then out over XC which he usually loves - he kept refusing. It was very demoralising.

I'm going to put him on a holiday shortly and hope this is a chance to reset - but I also wondered if a week of training with my instructor is a good idea - when he is 16 years old?

To add, I have had his teeth, back, eyes all checked and there's no sign of ulcers. He seems otherwise fine - no sign of pain or discomfort we can see.

 

[Fluffypiglet]

Mine showed no obvious pain other than being extra spooky and reluctant over jumps. Had his hocks x rayed and treated and he’s happy and back on form. It wasn’t major changes found but enough to make him uncomfortable. Might be worth checking with vet if he’s behaving out of character.

 

[TotalMadgeness]

I'd get a vet's assessment - sounds like pain unfortunately. May be hocks or SI for example.

 

[Squeak]

Agree with the others, I'd get a vet to have a check up.

 

[AmyMay]

Loss of performance/change in performance should always be followed up with the vet.

 

[Fieldlife]

Sore feet on hard ground?

 

[Hallo2012]

hocks or front feet sound sore iMO

 

[Brockles77]

I'd get a vet's assessment - sounds like pain unfortunately. May be hocks or SI for example.

I had a vet's assessment already. The said no SI paid/discomfort. Not sure about hocks though. Thanks.

 

[Brockles77]

Sore feet on hard ground?

Maybe!

 

[AmyMay]

I had a vet's assessment already. The said no SI paid/discomfort. Not sure about hocks though. Thanks.

Did they do a lameness workup?

 

[Brockles77]

[QUOTE
To add, I have had his teeth, back, eyes all checked and there's no sign of ulcers. He seems otherwise fine - no sign of pain or discomfort we can see.[/QUOTE]
Just to be clear - it was a vet who came out and did these checks, followed up with his physio.

 

[Brockles77]

Did they do a lameness workup?

They trotted him up. Couldn't see anything. Might check out the hocks option.

 

[AmyMay]

They trotted him up. Couldn't see anything. Might check out the hocks option.

Well, at 16 he’s going to have some wear and tear. If he were mine I’d have a full workup done if you want to continue competing.

 

[ycbm]

Check out trigger stacking if you want to understand how this could be caused by pain when he only does it away from home. My money would be on bilateral hock issues. Did they do hind flexion tests?
.

 

[dixie]

Loss of performance/change in performance should always be followed up with the vet.

yes I agree. I’ve found there is usually a valid reason for this.

 

[View]

He’s telling you something. You’ve had some checks done by a vet, but I would get him booked in for a loss of performance workup at a good equine vet facility.

Chipping in short ones is a lot of effort for him - the question is why?

If, like most of us, your funds have limits, have a frank conversation with the vet about where to look first and what is the most cost effective route to a diagnosis and trearnent plan.

 

[spacefaer]

One of ours started chipping at his fences last winter. He was slightly positive to flexion on both hocks. He's had both hocks injected, and the first time I jumped him after his injections, he nearly jumped me off, he was so extravagant over the fence. He's 15.

I would be pretty confident that your guy will have some bony changes in his hocks and possibly also be feeling the hard ground.

 

[Brockles77]

One of ours started chipping at his fences last winter. He was slightly positive to flexion on both hocks. He's had both hocks injected, and the first time I jumped him after his injections, he nearly jumped me off, he was so extravagant over the fence. He's 15.

I would be pretty confident that your guy will have some bony changes in his hocks and possibly also be feeling the hard ground.

Thank you. I've a different vet looking at him tomorrow. Fingers crossed. I rode him on a sand surface last night and he was good as gold.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I'd get a vet's assessment - sounds like pain unfortunately. May be hocks or SI for example.

^^^ yeaph, this is what I'd say too. My old gal (who was gifted to me, ex-endurance horse) suddenly started going differently - can't pinpoint exactly what I'm trying to describe - but there was that point when her whole way of moving somehow changed.

She was an old gal and had done well, so she was retired.

Sorry to be telling you what you don't want to hear but it might be time to let your old lad take things a bit easier - I wouldn't advise to stop everything immediately as to do something is better than doing nothing - but I'd certainly ask your vet for an honest opinion as to whether it might be appropriate now to do considerably less with him such as a little light hacking, for the future.

 

[Ratface]

Good luck withe vet. Let us,know the outcome, please.