Suggestions needed!

[Tryingtohorse]

Looking for some advice ... I bought my lovely horse early this year tried him hacking, jumping, schooling and he was a saint. However after a few months he suddenly became very strong and spooky in the school, I originally put this down to him testing his luck in a new home but switched to a grackle for jumping as this is what he’d been previously ridden in but I am a fan of simple tack so tried to stick with a cavesson where it felt possible. I am now finding that when any contact is taken in canter he sticks his head out and just runs, I’ve had other riders on him as was worried it was me but the problem just seems to be getting worse similarly when he spooks (often at the invisible monsters!) he spins and just bolts. I am planning on getting teeth and back looked at just in case, have already had his saddle checked and no issues there but has anyone got any other suggestions? We have regular lessons but he tends to behave perfectly away from home! He’s currently ridden in a grackle, Jeffries precision bit/ns universal and a martingale for hacking and jumping, am open to any suggestions of things to look into (in a vetinary sense or otherwise), exercises etc.

 

[be positive]

If you have not had his teeth done since you bought him I would get them checked asap as it definitely could be the issue from what you describe, otherwise you need a vet to give him a full check over, then find an instructor who will come to you and see the problem where it is more likely to happen, my instinct is that it is his teeth and once they are done and possibly a change of bit you will have your nice horse back again.

 

[Red-1]

It certainly sounds like a pain issue. I would stop riding until the dentist has been. The grackle has not made it better, if he has a sharp tooth it will be likely pressing into his cheeks.

Behaving in lessons away from home is also understandable, as he has other things on his mind so a sore tooth/cheek is not so much on his mind.

If the dentist does not sort the issue I would have a different saddle on just for an experiment (many saddlers are not skilled at fitting!) and then the vet.