Sore back?

[surreygirl17]

Pony is in discomfort when trotting esp on right rein, seems fine in walk (both ridden and on the lunge with and without tack), but when trotting the head chucks up and the trot is hideous and choppy, and today we had some head bobbing. It's been like this for approx a week and I've avoided trotting him because of it and I knew the saddle fitter was coming. Teeth were done on the 19th, saddle on the 27th and the saddle needed flocking up as it was tipping down at the front. I'm wondering if it's been digging into him a bit and bruised his back? I've decided to give him a few days off to see how he goes, maybe just walk him out in hand without tack on to keep him supple. Is there anything else I can do? I'd rather not have to call a physio in as tbh money is rather tight this month as car insurance is due (and no car = no trip to yard) but I want to do what I can for him,

 

[surreygirl17]

Just to add, when I turned him out on tuesday he had a good buck and gallop across the field with his field mate so obv not in massive amounts of pain!

 

[chestnut cob]

I wouldn't bother with physio. It sounds like your horse is actually lame (described by you as "in discomfort", "head bobbing" and "trot is hideous and choppy") so you need the vet, not a physio.

If you are insured then you won't have to pay anything straight away, and even if not vets usually give you 30 days to pay. Unfortunately horses are expensive and when they go wrong we have to find the money to fix them.

FWIW, mine got an abcess last year. He hopping lame, lame in walk with significant head bobbing yet when I tried to catch him so farrier could look at the foot, he jumped over a 4ft fence and proceeded to gallop around snorting and bucking at the other horses. Just because he can canter around doesn't mean he isn't lame.

 

[Ruth17]

So the head bobbing is new today? If so I think it sounds like the back as lameness head bobbing would show sooner. Why don't you phone your very to ask?