pony is walking like a puppet! help

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gemmahodgkinson

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I took my pony out for a hack last night with my friend who works at my yard and we were having a lovely time until we went down a hill. El started to walk in a completely strange way, which is really hard to explain. it is like she moves her off fore and hind together and then her near fore and hind together, like those 1950's puppets on TV. it is really uncomfortable to ride and you can hear that the beat of the walk is not a 4 time beat, it goes to like a 2 time beat. My friend noticed it straight away, and once she has gone down a hill once, she keeps doing it on the flat, it's like she forgets how to put her feet down! we got back, and tried her down a hill without tack on and she did the same thing. my friend checked her for discomfort in the back and didn't find anything, and she regularly has massages and the massage lady has never picked anything up. she did fracture her leg last year though so i dont know if this could have anything to do with it?? has anyone else ever had this happen or is it just my pony being weird? thanks! x
 
that's what i thought, he is coming out today, but my stomach is churning incase it is something horrible. i just wanted someone to say it doesnt sound serious! oh dear! x
 
She started to 'pace' in walk? That's really odd and shouldn't be possible without falling over.

It sounds like a nuerological problem - a pain issue shouldn't change their gait to that extent. Def have a vet out to look, although you can bet she won't do it whilst he's there
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I know a cob that does this-only out hacking and usually downhill. he's sound as a pound, regularly winning RC dressage and jumps rounds of 3'3. Its just as if he decided this was easier one day! you can ride him out of it though and doesnt do it while schooling.
 
well, the vet has been and he says it is normal for her as she has done it for a while apparently according to my YO. you see i have been able to hear something is weird when she goes down hill but i hardly ever hack so assumed it was a one off. YO (who schools & hacks her for me sometimes) says she has always been like this. vet has checked her back etc and says she is totally sound and in no pain that he can see. it's like dutch_viscount says, it's just like she finds it easier somehow. she is totally fine in trot and never does it in the school. weirdo!!
 
My sister's cob does exactly the same thing when walking downhill - usually when trying to keep up with mine who power walks everywhere. He is only 5, and used to do it a lot more, but it just seems to be going down hill now. Mine used to do it, but seemed to grow out of it. Sorry - we call it Charlie's spacca walk
 
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