Pony doesn’t want to hack out (sorry long)

[Swift00]

Hi all, sorry it might be a long one! so I have a 13.2 18yr old welsh pony. I’ve had him 11years and we’ve never really had a school so spent most of our time hacking. Last summer was did a lot of hacking, even entered a Trec POR. However shortly after, I started struggling with Swift not wanting to go out, nothing nasty, just reluctance, trying to turn back etc.
Had the vet out and they x-rayed one foot that had a growth ring, as thought he might be sore. Turns out he has sidebone, no problem he now wears hood boots all round and pads in front, and walks out much better on hard surfaces.
Had the chiropractor out, tight hamstrings, so she did her thing, next appointment he had a clean bill of health, treeless saddle checked no problems there, dental check, no problems.this was August ‘17
So we carried on, Assuming it was now just separation anxiety from the mare that he shared his field with, but still no improvement, got to the point where I’d start getting stuff together to go out to ride (boots etc) and his whole attitude would change, he’d freeze, with an oh no not again look. I know it sounds silly, but I just know he doesn’t want to.
So by now it’s spring, dentist out again as he had sudden bad breath, broken tooth and overall three teeth removed. I haven’t ridden since.
Just after he had his teeth done his mare companon was pts very suddenly so he did go through a few frantic/depressed weeks .
Recently bought a new total contact saddle, just went to try it on and got the same glazed frozen ‘oh no’ reaction, I tried it on and took it off, Didn’t do anything else.
I don’t want to force him to go out, he obviously doesn’t want to, infact unless I have food he’d rather have nothing to do with me! so we’ve been doing some ground work with clicker training, which is going well, but it’s s slow process. And Problem is I want to ride, and hack out, long line out etc, but I’ve got no idea how to encourage him to want go out again.
I’m open to any ideas, but please don’t say just get on and make him, or show him who’s boss. Should add Ive tried long lining, and walking in hand, but he had the same reaction.

Thank you to anyone who got to the end of this, not 100% sure what I’m after, or if I just want to ‘get it all out’ but any advise or anyone else with the same issues please feel free to share.
Thank you

 

[bonny]

Do you have anyone else you could hack out with, just wondered what he was like with company ?

 

[Swift00]

Not really, we have gone out with someone else occasionally, but he seems to just get stressed trying to stick with them. He’s always been spooky, but just doesn’t seem to be able to relax. Ive had trouble finding someone who’s happy to just walk out, most want to go faster! My husband sometimes would come with our dog, Swift always seemed to like that 😊

 

[SEL]

Might be a long shot, but mine gets like that when something hurts - usually ulcers playing up.

She's not so polite to just give you dirty looks though. This morning the cow kick missed me my millimetres.... Given everything your pony has been through I would say ulcers are a definite possibility.

 

[Swift00]

Thank you I hadn’t thought of that, he has constant access to some one of forage, so shouldn’t ever have an empty stomach🤔 vet is out to re-test his cushings on Thursday next week so maybe I’ll mention it then

 

[SEL]

Thank you I hadn’t thought of that, he has constant access to some one of forage, so shouldn’t ever have an empty stomach�� vet is out to re-test his cushings on Thursday next week so maybe I’ll mention it then

Quite often flare up with pain. My mare is never short of forage and is chunky (verging on fat at times!) and still gets them.

 

[Dizzle]

So the last time you rode was before his teeth were fixed?
Personally I would assume that he was expecting his teeth to still hurt. I would start off by putting his saddle on and walking him out with lots of praise and treats, just in a head collar but make hacking and tack a fun happy thing again.

 

[Swift00]

So the last time you rode was before his teeth were fixed?
Personally I would assume that he was expecting his teeth to still hurt. I would start off by putting his saddle on and walking him out with lots of praise and treats, just in a head collar but make hacking and tack a fun happy thing again.

Yes that’s true, but he had been like it for the previous 6 months having been given the all clear at the time, i only ride 3 or 4 times during those 6 months due to other life commitments. it was just that teeth consided with when I finally said I would give him some time off.
But yes that’s certainly an idea, he’s ridden in this rope halter anyway so no worries about putting a bit in

 

[Swift00]

Quite often flare up with pain. My mare is never short of forage and is chunky (verging on fat at times!) and still gets them.

That’s interesting, I’ll definitly look into it, thank you

 

[LaurenBay]

If he has previously been fine for years and there is now a sudden behavior I would bet that something is hurting somewhere. It may be that he is anticipating pain because of his teeth, which may change now they have been sorted and given a it of time. OR he is still hurting somewhere and the cause is yet to be found.

I think in your shoes I would hack him again and ask your OH to come on foot. See how he is after a couple of times doing that, just in case it is remembered pain from the teeth, he might need to build some confidence back up. If no change then I would ask for a referral to an equine hospital and do a full lameness work up.

 

[meleeka]

He’s not been in regular enough work to be familiar with it so I’d guess he thinks it’s going to hurt. If it were mine (and I’ve been been in a similar situation because of a fright, rather than pain), I’d start by leading him outside the gates and just hand grazing if that’s possible. Then repeat with tack on until he’s happy leaving the yard tacked up.

 

[Swift00]

Thank you all, I will get him checked over again first by the chiropractor, he also has the dentist again in two weeks time, and start just taking him out in hand with some grazing on route a few times and see what he thinks. Funny how sometimes you can’t see the simplest answer that’s right in front of you

 

[Goldenstar]

I would think he has pain somewhere .
I would try a Bute trial .you can’t rule out pain doing that but you can rule it in .
My first thought is that it’s a saddling issue and I would check that out .
Horses do reach a time where their working life is over the difficultly is in teasing out if you have a horse saying that enough now or if there’s a issue you can easily find and manage .
It also depends how much money you want to throw at it .

 

[Orangehorse]

Well if he has previously been OK, to the point that you have done Trec, etc, then this is a big change in behaviour, and I would go along with others and say that this is most likely a pain issue.

Bute trial is a good idea.

 

[D66]

If he is worse when on the bute it indicates ulcers.

 

[Gloi]

Any odd change in an older pony and I'd also want to test for Cushings.

 

[southerncomfort]

Probably not relevant as she would have been a bit older than your pony but our old girl made it very obvious when she'd had enough of being ridden.

She'd had a long life of teaching many kids to ride and she just reached a point where she just wasn't happy to do it any more so we retired her.

Like I say, probably not relevant and it's good that you are repeating all the checks.

 

[Goldenstar]

If he is worse when on the bute it indicates ulcers.

It would but in a horse of his age the ulcer would be likely to be secondary to something else .
Ulcer treatment is expensive and when found you need to carefully consider if it’s best to work up the rest of the horse before treatment .
My experiance is that ulcers in leisure horses are almost always secondary to something else in my view you need to find the something else and deal with it with the ulcers or you just waste a lot of money and time and worry .

 

[rachk89]

Probably not relevant as she would have been a bit older than your pony but our old girl made it very obvious when she'd had enough of being ridden.

She'd had a long life of teaching many kids to ride and she just reached a point where she just wasn't happy to do it any more so we retired her.

Like I say, probably not relevant and it's good that you are repeating all the checks.

I was thinking this too. Maybe just had enough.

Could be pain though still. They can hide pain well. As in you know they are in pain, but no idea where.

 

[D66]

It would but in a horse of his age the ulcer would be likely to be secondary to something else .
Ulcer treatment is expensive and when found you need to carefully consider if it’s best to work up the rest of the horse before treatment .
My experiance is that ulcers in leisure horses are almost always secondary to something else in my view you need to find the something else and deal with it with the ulcers or you just waste a lot of money and time and worry .

Absolutely, but if the OP gives bute expecting it to be calmer and less reactive and then horse has a tantrum she may wonder what's going on.

 

[maya2008]

I would add to those replies that say that there is either something wrong still, or your horse hasn't been worked enough since all the problems were solved, so is still expecting it to hurt. All the horses I have known, have loved being ridden unless something hurt, especially hacking. My oldest girl retired 2 years ago - she adapted ok but was over the moon when she came sound enough to come back into light hacking work this summer. I have never known her stride out so much! She wants to explore all the paths, and see everything!

Children's ponies probably do get fed up eventually, but an adult's ride should enjoy their work - unless there is pain.

 

[Swift00]

Any odd change in an older pony and I'd also want to test for Cushings.

He does have cushings and is medicated for it, vets out to check bloods next week

 

[Swift00]

Probably not relevant as she would have been a bit older than your pony but our old girl made it very obvious when she'd had enough of being ridden.

She'd had a long life of teaching many kids to ride and she just reached a point where she just wasn't happy to do it any more so we retired her.

Like I say, probably not relevant and it's good that you are repeating all the checks.

Thank you, I did wonder weather he’d just had enough, but he’s never had a hard ridden life, just weekend hacking.
He does seem to be enjoying the clicker training at the moment, so after checks maybe something do so whist ridden too

 

[Swift00]

It would but in a horse of his age the ulcer would be likely to be secondary to something else .
Ulcer treatment is expensive and when found you need to carefully consider if it’s best to work up the rest of the horse before treatment .
My experiance is that ulcers in leisure horses are almost always secondary to something else in my view you need to find the something else and deal with it with the ulcers or you just waste a lot of money and time and worry .

Thanks, I don’t know enough about ulsers to understand what causes them, besides stress, and restricted access forage. I am going to look into it tho, and have a chat with my vet next week when she’s out

 

[Turitea]

I am most likely completely off the track here, but a friend had a similar experience with her horse. Happy hacker his whole life and suddenly he got nervous and insecure on hacks. It turned out he started to lose his eyesight. Just a thought! Anyway, I hope you find the reason and a solution for it.