really need some advice.....

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rachelha

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Ria is just too much for me, but there is absolutely no way i could sell her with her bad leg as i know where she would end up... its so hard because i've got to the point now where if she didnt have to spend the rest of her life on danilon, i would sell her. she has had absolutely everything checked numerous times but my vet assures me that it is just how she is and it is definitely not pain related.

every single day now i come so close to falling off her, she just takes off, sticks her back up and broncs and bucks - and shes getting worse if anything.

i try so hard to ride her through it and i usually do, but today she had been bucking so high that her saddle had slipped right forwards onto her withers so i had to get off to sort it out and then couldnt bring myself to get back on.

everyone keeps telling me to lunge her first, but she WILL NOT lunge. i can just about get her to walk okay now on the lunge, but if i ask her to trot she plants herself and refuses to move no matter what you do. so this is just not an option. it is not just me, i have had numerous people, instructors etc out and they all have the same problem.

i just dont know what to do with her :(
 
Have you tried long reining instead?

Why does she have to be on danilon? Sorry i've not seem any of your previous posts about it (assuming you have posted of course), I usually notice people in the same area :-)

I have a friend who does massage and I'd highly recommend a session, my sensitive TB has a session a month so I can see where he's holding tension before it becomes a problem, the slightest little thing is enough to set him off and it sound like your mare's the same.

I think something needs to be done before you lose your confidence and trust in her. (((Hugs)))
 
It's a horrid position to be in :(

Ditto MrsM, what's the matter with her leg? If it is sufficiently bad to need long-term danilion, can you be sure it's not causing her pain & triggering the behaviour under saddle?

Otherwise my advice would be to find the right RI, who can help you work through the issues :)
 
Hi there, after watching your vid of her I think I'd be getting a second opinion veterinary wise and getting a good physio to check her over, I'm sorry but to me that horse looks downright uncomfortable at points.

Also in a previous post you mention how she reared as you were mounting and then bronced, to me this would suggest back problems.

I'm sorry I can't be more optimistic, but I've seen behaviour issues time and time again that have turned out to be pain related, and sometimes it is a long hard slog to find the cause, even when you've been given the okay by one professional, another can sometimes pick something up.
 
Another thing to consider might be taking some of the pressure off yourself and her. I would echo getting someone to see if they can find any hot spots which might be causing her pain - and in the meantime, have a go t a bit of clicker training and/or longreining.

If she is the intelligent mare that she looks like and sounds like, this might be a way of keeping her interested and mentally active while you see if there is anything else that might be causing her physical discomfort.

It might also help to rebuild some trust that sounds like recent events may have damaged...

You don't have to saddle her up everytime...

Might be worth trying some carrot stretches with her?

http://www.elitephysiotherapy.co.uk/clinics_and_events.html

I use these with my boy....

Not saying any of this is correct, but just throwing ideas out there really!
 
she fractured her pastern joint and now has boney growths to compensate


she is literally only on a handful of alfa a lite so that she can have her supplements and danilon etc twice a day.. and ad lib haylage, but its more like hay to be honest

she is the same with long reining as she is with lungeing :(

does your friend have a website or anything? x
 
Sorry to be a drag...

I know you've had a vet go over her and I know it's hard and wrong to try and pass comment on such a sensitive subject, when all one has is a few facts and a video, but I have to agree that she does not look comfortable. I thought it was the light or her boots or something, but there was 'something'.

If she's not a nasty horse by nature, and I'm assuming from your posts that she isn't, then there has to be something else going on.
 
Have to echo the others. When one of my boys showed behaviours that just weren't him - I got the vet, who gave me a referral to a physio (the link on previous post).

Physio came out - found sore points and gave me exercises to do every day. By the second visit, I had the all clear and have continued doing the exercises daily with my other two horses as well.
 
I would try replacing the alfalfa with dried grass, my Appy mare cannot cope with alfalfa and become unridable. It is a phyto-oestrogen and can cause problems for some mares. I have a friend who feeds it to her riggish gelding to calm him down!
 
Really sorry to say this, but I think you need a second opinion from either a proper equine clinic or to see someone physio/McTimoney like. I just watched your video from yesterday - well sat by the way! I believe that there is pain there and it isn't just behavioural, as soon as you start to canter her she becomes very uncomfortable and that's when she tries to get you off.

How long has she been back in work since her fracture?

I would be very wary of pushing her through anything at the moment until you know for sure, those leaps, bolts and bucks are not nice and it isn't worth you seriously hurting yourself just to push her through. I would also be wary that you are giving her some much danilon per day and this is still happening. How long is is supposed to be on this amount?

Please do get someone else out before you get hurt.
 
I just watched your video too and I have to say she definately doesn't look sound. She trots the same way as a mare I used to have who was diagnosed after a year with arthritis in both stifles. She was only 4. She acted the same way as your mare, wouldn't lunge, erratic behaviour, one minute trotting along the next I'd be on the deck as she'd bronced me off. Ask your vet about her stifles and whether an MRI might be the way to go. Good luck! x
 
First of all, I would worry that this is pain related. I knew a horse that would do the same, bucking rearing ect, they got all the normal things checked, back/teeth/tack were fine, eventually one vet recommended feet x rays (horse was trotted up sound, they just had a hunch) turned out the poor thing had something wrong with his pedal bones.

If you're sure this is behavioural, could you not send her for schooling? Or even just turn her away for a little while, wouldn't do any harm.
 
(I'm at work so will have to be quick!)
She ha been x-rayed, have had lots of vet opinions, my usual vet even got a surgeon from Newmarket to give his opinion.
She had physio out about 10 times last year and was given the all clear but I have to say I agree in that I really do believe there is something she's uncomfortable with.. So will get physio out again asap. As I said, my vet was out last week, he's one of the best in my area and was really pleased with how she looked, as was I... But I'm not so sure anymore...

But the thing is, when she has been in work for 2 weeks or more, she does settle and the bucking etc does stop. That's why i don't know what to think. Thanks for your opinions people, will definitely get more people out whilst it's still on insurance.
 
I use a lady called Sue Palmer, she used to live near me but is now based in Stafford.
She's an equine physio and also a Monty Roberts recommended Associate (Sorry if that's not quite right Sue!)
I've found her brilliant, as she can use the physio part to check for pain, and only when she's sure there's no physical reason for the behaviour will she work on the behavioural part.
she's also forthcoming - if she thinks the problem is you, she'll tell you! fabulous combination if you ask me!
Her website is : http://www.holistichorsehelp.com/
I'm sure she'd be happy to come and visit.
 
You know your horse and if you think she is uncomfortable then she probably is. Our old TB was like this - looked sound as a pound some days (not on any danilon or anything) and only 1/10 lame other days. Most people never, ever thought he looked lame including a couple of good vets and some instructors. We knew though:( He would bronk, cow kick and even rear when he was uncomfortable. Basically it was suspensory ligaments in his hinds. Eventually it was diagnosed and he had treatment and improved tremendously until it all went wrong again:(
If you think she is not right then she is not right. It certainly sounds like pain.
 
I agree that you should get a second opinion from another vet/physio. Has a Chiropractor looked at her at all?

You say she settles once she is in regular work and that you tend to be able to ride her through it. I know this is pretty obvious and you have probably already thought of this, but could it be possible that she is cold backed?

Also, is she getting plenty of turnout and is she like this all year round or just during the winter?
 
Never had chiro to see her no, only 2 physios. She has very little turnout at the minute because my fields are so boggy but should be living out again come march time. She is an angel in the summer, it's just in winter she's like this which is understandably why my vet believes she's just like a bottle of pop. But I would rather be on the safe side and get her double checked. I have heard of sue Palmer before actually, will give her a call x
 
I think maybe you are beginning to answer your own question. I think most horses that have had limited turnout over winter are ready for bursting! Just keep positive, get her checked, but it could just be something as simple as she is bored cooped up in her stable through the winter, as you say is she fine when she is living out.
 
You're so right, she is very fiery anyway and is known as 'the red devil' on the yard cause shes so cheeky and always causing trouble! I'm probably panicking over nothing! She's due a physio check anyway, well... Thats the excuse I shall be telling my poor bank account lol. X
 
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