Please your advice - my horse does this weird grunt

[Cor]

Hi all - i have had my horse for years now and I know her really well. I noticed something new recently that she has not been doing normally. Basically during the upward transition to trot she does this grunt (same one she does when she poops) as if something is really uncomfortable for her. Once in the trot she is fine, lively not lame etc. She does the exact same grunt when she crosses a wooden bridge to get into her paddock - which gives me an impressions she does that when she puts an effort into something. Her appetite is the same although I noticed that she poops less when i ride her (but to be fair she poop'd excessively previously). other than that she seems healthy.. Any ideas please? The vet will be checking her as well but as I am stressing out any common experiences would definitely help.

 

[Birker2020]

Hi all - i have had my horse for years now and I know her really well. I noticed something new recently that she has not been doing normally. Basically during the upward transition to trot she does this grunt (same one she does when she poops) as if something is really uncomfortable for her. Once in the trot she is fine, lively not lame etc. She does the exact same grunt when she crosses a wooden bridge to get into her paddock - which gives me an impressions she does that when she puts an effort into something. Her appetite is the same although I noticed that she poops less when i ride her (but to be fair she poop'd excessively previously). other than that she seems healthy.. Any ideas please? The vet will be checking her as well but as I am stressing out any common experiences would definitely help.

My previous horse used to grunt everytime he jumped. Turned out he had saddle issues. I would get it checked out by the vet, and just get her analysed in a trot work up. The connection between the bridge and going into trot might be that she is using parts of herself more which are a little sore (her hocks maybe).

 

[Nudibranch]

My mare does this if we're going down a muddy slope or making a tight turn to close a gate. She isn't lame but does have early arthritis so I suspect it's the elderly joints giving a twinge. Although sometimes she has a little grunty talk to herself, which is the only way I can describe it, I think that's just her "thing" and nothing to do with pain! She'll start it off sometimes if she hears you coughing or clearing your throat. Funny girl.

 

[pottamus]

My horse started doing this but had slowed up in ridden work too...it was a flare up of arthritis. But he was doing it a lot and was noticeably struggling.

 

[Cor]

Hi everyone - tks for the reply. the vet has related this to old age too and nothing more serious in internal structure. should i keep on riding her or prefer to do hacking/lunging or is she telling me it is time to stop ? Any other way I can help her?