Random flying changes in canter?

KateRF

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Hi all,

My pony has been exhibiting some strange behaviour over the last few months and I was wondering if anyone else had experienced it or knows what might be causing it.

In canter, he keeps changing legs, often going disunited. If I let him go around the school, he does it consistently in the same places and if I circle him, he catches on and does it sooner. It happens at M and K on the left rein in the indoor school, and at around B and M in the outdoor, again on the left rein. He also does it chronically over poles - he changes every stride over canter poles.

I've had him about 18 months and he's been doing this for about 8 months. We've changed his feed, tried him bitless, had shoes put on him and he's been ridden by various people, including my instructor with years of experience - nothing has changed, in fact he's got worse.

He is absolutely sound - he's never been lame in the time I've had him and he moves correctly. We have no problems in walk, trot or gallop and he is fine on the other rein. It just seems strange that he does it in the same place every time, and that the habit appeared out of nowhere - he was fine one day, exhibited this behaviour the next and hasn't stopped since.

He has done work on flying changes with his past owners as he was a showjumper, but we have never done it with him.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you!
 
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It is usually a sign something is amiss, he may appear totally sound but it is likely something is hurting somewhere, if he canters on one rein ok it is not simply showing his party piece, you do not mention having the saddle checked that could be slightly too tight on him, the rider is the other easy thing to rule in or out but you say he is the same with others.

The next thing should be a vet check, he may appear sound but in the early stages of an issue it could be the only time he feels uncomfortable is when cantering, if the vet is happy then I would get a physio to look at him it could simply be some muscular tension that is easily resolved although it may take a few treatments as it has been going on for rather a long while.
 
Does he do it on the lunge or free schooling without tack?

He doesn't do it on the lunge. I've never free schooled him as we aren't allowed in the indoor and the fence of the outdoor is too low - I've tried once and he was straight out and eating the grass on the other side.
 
I forgot to mention that he was exercised by the grooms at Newmarket when he was there for an unrelated issue and when he displayed this behaviour, they asked the lameness specialists to have a look. They couldn't find any soundness issues or painful areas and assumed it was a deeply embedded habit.

I've not had his saddle checked as of yet, but I'll try that - thank you!
 
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