strange behaviour, sitting down

[daisy_duke]

hello.

My 14.2 connemara x mare 16 year old honey has been doing just light hacking for the past couple of years when i retired from competeing. she has been compleately out of work for the past 6 months.

first time i took her out (my sister rode and i walked the little pony out on foot) she was fine for the first 15 mins hacking just walking, but seemed to get more and more aggitated untill she then went down onto her knees, my sister lept off and i got honey up.

shes always been prone to bouts of mild colic so i figured thats what it was and we lead her home.

when we were back home she seemed totally fine and without colic symptoms.

a week later my sister took her out again on her own and said she did it again.

I havnt been able to ride for a while for my own back problems hence the mare being ridden so infrequently at the moment, but anyway, i got my own chiropracter who also does horses to come and see her, he treated her on two occasions and was so happy with her progress that we dont have another appointment for another 3 months. but my sister rode her and said she went down again.

i'm really worried about her and i feel reluctant to start working her again incase shes in pain. could she just be playing up? shes always had a rather stroppy nature and to be honest allthough my sister is a competent rider she's never competed or even been interested in schooling so she's not really in touch with honeys behaviour when being ridden as she just likes to hack. where as i've done so many years (blood sweat and tears) of schooling this difficult mare i know her better.

but i'm really puzzled. her back has been given the ok, what else could be making her do this?

daisy

 

[scotsmare]

Has her saddle been checked?

 

[Booboos]

I would get the vet to have a look at her. I would be very surprised if she is throwing herself on her knees as part of a strop, she is probably tripping because of an underlying problem.

Sorry not to be more helpful and I hope you find out what is going on soon!

 

[daisy_duke]

hiya, yes saddle been checked and was restuffed last year to fit her even better. she also has done it bareback.

really weird :S

 

[cruiseline]

After she sits down, do you take her back to the yard untack her and fuss over her because you think she is in pain!!!!!!!!

Why don't you try, getting her up off the floor and carrying on with what ever you were doing and ignore her.

It could be a very well learnt behaviour, as she goes back to the stables and gets fussed over.

So since you have done all the usual stuff, checked back, saddle etc. I would just get on with working her, then at least if there is something it will show up.

 

[daisy_duke]

this is what i was thinking allthough its difficult to say as its been my sister taking her out whilst i've been recovering so ive not had it happen myself.

when shes taken her back to the yard shes turned her back out into the field so i wouldnt say shes been fussed over, but yes the ride will have been cut short and turned around after her going down.

the way she drops down im told is as if theres water under her, u know when some horses wants to roll when they walk through water, altho shes not keen on water and hasnt tried that with me before.

 

[cruiseline]

Going back to the field, being untacked and left alone to play with her buddies, is IMO the same as being fussed over, and probably in her's too.

As long as you are sure that everything has been checked and there is no discomfort, which it seems you have, I would try to work her through it, go out and observe what she is doing, as you know her best.