Pony "Stumbling" Behind - What to do?

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Roisiny

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Hi there,
I recently started my pony back in work again after a 2 month holiday. Now approximately 5-10 times during our ride (only in trot and transitions down, and sometimes in walk) he will stumble, or "loose" his back end. It feels as if he's stood on a pole. It doesn't bother him in any way and he is not lame and is tracking up well all the time. Doesn't do it in canter. He's always been very ewe neck and since coming back into work has lost all idea of what a frame is, so is working hollow through his back. I've been looking up about it, and so many people are suggesting to others its things like arthritis etc, so I'm getting worried.
He is a pony who works considerably better away from home, and when we brought him to a training day, he rode round and did not stumble once.
He used to stumble very occasionally and last year we got the back women out, who said he had a little problem with his back, but the majority was down to lack of muscle. I'm a bit loathe to get her back as the 2nd time she came he lashed out at her and basically had a horrible experience (He's not very trusting of strangers, needs to be completely sedated for farrier) I suspect it is just lack of muscle, but has anyone else had this problem before and it turned out to be something more sinister?
We started competing 'properly' in 1.30 classes at bigger events this year, and towards the end of the season he was just getting a little tired and his heart wasn't in it anymore. The 2 month break wasn't anything to do with health problems, and we took it during Sep\Oct as we want to jump throughout the winter. We're jumping small 80s\90s at home and he is as eager as ever, and seems happy and willing to ride.
Thanks for your help and sorry for the ramble on, just wanted to cover all bases.
 
It sounds as if he has not much topline and finds working in any type of frame difficult which will be having a knock on affect on his muscle development, to be jumping competitively at 1.30 he needs to be well muscled up if he is going to remain fit and sound, after a 2 month break he should in my view still be walking and possibly trotting working as correctly as possible to build up the muscles properly before he starts jumping again.
When the physio treated him and he lashed out it was probably because she was working on something that hurt, a sign that there is an issue that requires a vet to look at or at least to have continued with the physio until he responded fully to the treatment, lack of muscle or incorrect development of muscle is often a symptom that there is a physical problem, although it can be due to other things such as poor saddle fit, poor feeding or allowing them to not work correctly when riding but it is often a combination of many things.

I would get the vet as the first port of call, if nothing shows then get a physio back to help you plan how you can improve the muscle tone as he sounds like a genuine pony who wants to please and they are frequently the ones that continue despite being in pain.
 
The first signs of something not right with my last horse was him slipping behind and turned out to be the very start of bone spavin (arthiritis) in both hocks. He is now in a new home doing intro/prelim dressage, hacking and low level showing so will be fine at that level for many years to come. Definitely give your vets a call. I took my boy straight to Glasgow vet school for a work up. Where the nerve blocks indicated his hocks even though it was too early to spot it on xrays.
 
Be Positive - He never had much muscle or topline before we bought him, and we spent a long time trying to get him to work correctly.
Personally 2 months of practically only walk work is too much for a pony who was not on boxrest. He was constantly moving both in the field (2 days a week and during the night up till a month ago) and was out in the arena for 2 hours during the day with other ponies. I know from how I phrased it it sounds like we're constantly jumping but we have done 2 sessions. In will however look for a new physio :)
JoJo_ did he suddenly start doing it? Were there any other signs or only the stumbling? Thank you x
 
I haven't read the replies as in a bit of a rush but I would have your vet check his Sacroilliac Joints, hocks and stifles. Being out of work can often exacerbate SI joint problems as good muscle coverage helps stabilise the joint, so this could explain why it is worse after his break. Loosing the back end is a very common symptom of SI joint probs, particularly in trot. It may just be that he needs some hill work to help build the muscles but its worth investigating. A heck of a lot of horses (particularly SJs) have their SI joints/stifles and/or hocks medicated. It's not necessarily the worst thing in the world, but you do need to take the bull by the horns and have it checked in my view (and this is the voice of someone who has been in pretty much the same position as you).
 
My mare was stumbling behind after a few weeks off when I first got her - she needs to be kept in work constantly and kept properly fit. My horse only does it walking downhill though. She wasdiagnosed with a slipping stifle.
 
Roisiny said:
Be Positive - He never had much muscle or topline before we bought him, and we spent a long time trying to get him to work correctly.
Personally 2 months of practically only walk work is too much for a pony who was not on boxrest. He was constantly moving both in the field (2 days a week and during the night up till a month ago) and was out in the arena for 2 hours during the day with other ponies. I know from how I phrased it it sounds like we're constantly jumping but we have done 2 sessions. In will however look for a new physio :)
JoJo_ did he suddenly start doing it? Were there any other signs or only the stumbling? Thank you x
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The fact that he has never had much topline suggests there is something amiss and that he requires a vet to look at him as there is likely to be an underlying reason, the stumbling ties in with something wrong behind.

You said he had Sept/ Oct off so as we are not yet at the end of Nov only 4 weeks back in work, yes I do think in view of the fact he has not much muscle that walking and trotting with plenty of hillwork to focus on his weakness would be more appropriate than getting back to jumping, long term it is worth spending time building them up correctly, time off is not always that helpful for some conditions as they tend to build muscle where they really need it by not maintaining what they do have any weakness can be exacerbated.
 
Roisiny said:
Be Positive - He never had much muscle or topline before we bought him, and we spent a long time trying to get him to work correctly.
Personally 2 months of practically only walk work is too much for a pony who was not on boxrest. He was constantly moving both in the field (2 days a week and during the night up till a month ago) and was out in the arena for 2 hours during the day with other ponies. I know from how I phrased it it sounds like we're constantly jumping but we have done 2 sessions. In will however look for a new physio :)
JoJo_ did he suddenly start doing it? Were there any other signs or only the stumbling? Thank you x
Click to expand...

Yes it all happened quite suddenly. Within the 2-3weeks prior we had qualified individually for Novice Dressage at BRC Nationals, came 2nd in the Novice jumping qualifier out of a lot of people at the BRC Area 22 qualifiers and won coloured champion at one of the larger agricultural shows. He was on amazing form then something wasnt quite right. The hind leg slipping accompanied with him starting to not pick up the correct canter lead everytime, favouring one rein to the other was the big signs for me but every horse is different. He never went hopping lame with his spavin. Just stiffness and the odd unlevel stride. The vets at Glasgow were surprised I picked up on it as it was at the very start of the condition and a lot people wouldnt notice until the condition progressed. I'm sure you know your pony and if he loves his jumping but started going a bit sour on it along with the stumbling suggests to me he may not be comfortable with his hocks but definitely have your vet investigate to be sure.

Initially I was advised by other liveries just to give him a month off and not get the vet involved as it might not have been anything but the best thing I did was get a diagnosis so I knew what I was dealing with.

I then had a lot of different advice from work my horse harder to encourage the hocks to fuse faster (apparently they do that in america) to turn him away for a year or two to sort himself out. The best thing I did was get a diagnosis so I knew what I was dealing with.

Keep us updated!
 
I had the same issue with my mare except with her front legs and sometimes she woul nearly be down on her knees, try rolled toe shoes if you don't already have them, they made a big difference to my mare :) also found out that she had mild arthritis in her back hocks so may be worth getting it checked if you feel concerned! Good luck x
 
Hello everyone! Sorry for my late reply.
We got a good equine vet out who wasn;t from the locality and he looked him over completely. I wasn't here at the time so Mum rode him. He was looked over and the vet said that his hips were completely straight, wasn't stiff anywhere and put it down to our arena surface (compact in the middle and loose at the sides, also all the rain recently is making it migrate towards the gate) and said it wasn't down to a problem with him exactly. He also said he needs lots of flatwork to just encourage him to work properly in trot, but didn't seem to be worried about him being sore or not being willing to go down properly.
I'll keep all your comments in mind and if he seems to be getting worse, or going off cantering and jumping (but comparing videos from last year and this year of his canter, it seems its become much stronger) or not making progress with working well in trot I'll look into getting him checked out further.
Thanks everyone :)
 
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