Sorry this is long... Help please!!!

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LouiseG

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Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for what I can do with my boy (he’s just turned 6). Left rein, he’s fine, canter is a bit flat but we are getting there… right rein walk and canter great, but over the past few weeks he has been feeling uneven in trot with some head nodding going on until you get him bending and moving properly (which is a battle in itself as he seems to set himself against you) but once he has given in and decides that he can in fact bend and also use his inside hind at the same time then he feels completely even and in fact can feel better on the right then the left when I get him going. The fact that his right canter is actually lovely and bouncy means he can actually take weight on his inside hind with no issues. We have had some issues getting off the wall on the right rein and he falls out badly. I also think I may have been blocking him with my inside rein so I am very conscious of this now making sure he can step through and I’m not hanging on to it. My instructor has tried loads of things to determine if he’s sore anywhere – whilst working in a long and low frame but still in a contact he’s completely even and not a head bob in sight, on all sizes of circles, changing rein, etc, he’s completely sound.

I wonder if he is maybe taking the mickey out of me, it is harder for him to bend to the right in trot (he was slightly stiffer across the left side of his back last time when it was checked 2 weeks ago) and it’s easier for him to tighten up and not use himself properly. It’s getting really frustrating now because although I am able to ease him out of the uneven steps and get him going nicely, I thought this would have improved by now but I have the same battle to varying degrees. I’m running out of ideas of what I can do. Any suggestions?! Has anyone come across this with their horses and are there any exercises that may help us?

He’s getting his teeth checked next week which of course could be a reason for his reluctance to bend, and I’m waiting on the physio to come out in the next few weeks to do an assessment on me, and to give him a physio session.

Thanks in advance! Any advice would be much appreciated!!
 
Maybe he has a bad tum tum. The cecum lies to the right, horses having difficulty using their right hind normally have tummy upset
 
I would be starting with the vet, my six year old struggled in the school with canter, and other odd things that weren't quite right, odd uneven steps now, and then, he was five at the time.

Ended up going to Cambridge vet school,had a bone scan,one of the worst sacroilliacs they had seen, he is having a year off any ridden work, to see if we can build up his muscles, to protect the area and then see if he can be ridden again, and that time is being spent by long reining him six days a week, for an hour and a half a time, physio once a month, carrot stretches everyday.

If you think he is taking the mick, I would bet it is more he is trying to tell you something is wrong.
 
ridefast said:
Maybe he has a bad tum tum. The cecum lies to the right, horses having difficulty using their right hind normally have tummy upset
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Could be this ^, but you say that he doesn't have any problem using his inside hind in canter? He could also be tight on his left hand side and it takes him a while to loosen up enough to get a good trot to the right - hence the initial tension. I would get the checks done (and possible call the vet if there is nothing found from what you have booked in), and go from there. Good luck:)
 
LouiseG said:
The fact that his right canter is actually lovely and bouncy means he can actually take weight on his inside hind with no issues.
!
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The outside hind is the one that pushes off in canter, how's his left lead canter? (Would be right hind pushing)
 
Left canter lead is fine, he's never had an issue with left canter, he did with right when I first got him a year ago as he used to leap into it, left feels flatter than right but the transition tends to be much sharper than the right, if that makes sense. He bends really nicely in right canter and holds himself really well in self carriage, he can get heavy In your hands on the left. Could this mean something with regards to his uneven right rein trot steps? The left sided stiffness makes a lot of sense too! Thanks so much for all replies!
 
LouiseG said:
Left canter lead is fine, he's never had an issue with left canter, he did with right when I first got him a year ago as he used to leap into it, left feels flatter than right but the transition tends to be much sharper than the right, if that makes sense. He bends really nicely in right canter and holds himself really well in self carriage, he can get heavy In your hands on the left. Could this mean something with regards to his uneven right rein trot steps? The left sided stiffness makes a lot of sense too! Thanks so much for all replies!
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I would be looking very closely at his left hind given your description above. It may simply be his weaker side in which case lateral work in hand is amazing. Equally there could be more going on that needs vet investigation.
 
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