The dream is going wrong.....

[buddylove]

Disclaimer #1 horse is going for full work up asap.
Bought lovely mare in March, only 5 and broken in Ireland, we had a lovely summer getting to know each other, had a tooth problem and is rather hormonal but we rubbed along ok.
Gradually as summer has passed she is becoming more difficult under saddle so I have been having my instructor ride her.
She is behaving better, but it almost seems to be done through gritted teeth.
She never looks relaxed, struggles when changing rein and finds it much harder to get right canter.
She is only fed TB chaff, vit/min balancer, salt and has been on equishure for a week. She is not visibly lame but is always resting a hind.
My gut is thinking hind limb lameness, but she doesn't buck in transitions, her go to evasion is to rear/leap.
She is fab on the ground, never grumpy in the stable, or to tack up.
Just wondering if anyone has any similar experiences? (With happy ever after endings would be great)

 

[blitznbobs]

Yes and I have to say it didn’t end well... get a vet full work up then see but I would suspect pain somewhere

 

[Regandal]

Have you had her back and saddle checked?

 

[buddylove]

Have you had her back and saddle checked?

Yes saddle checked and physio checked her over about 6 weeks ago, found her to be sore over left hind quarter, stretched her out, but it hasn't made a massive difference. No stiffness/soreness through neck or back, no issues with her carrot stretches. No major assymetry anywhere, she does dish on her right fore, but has since I got her. Passed a 5 stage vetting with no issues in March.

 

[Shay]

Have you had an Irish broke horse before? They do tend to have very specific (and very similar) issues. Absolutely you must rule out pain first. But speak to others with Irish broke - particularly sport horses. Before we got our first one I really hadn't appreciated how similar the problems are.

 

[Goldenstar]

You need a good vet to do a workup.
There’s something wrong I hope it’s easy to find .
It’s very frustrating.

 

[Xanthoria]

Have you had an Irish broke horse before? They do tend to have very specific (and very similar) issues. Absolutely you must rule out pain first. But speak to others with Irish broke - particularly sport horses. Before we got our first one I really hadn't appreciated how similar the problems are.

Can you speak more about this?

 

[Bob notacob]

In general,the Irish draught/Irish sports horse is a very amiable creature. The problem is that because of this they are considered broken at a point where other horses are still trying to kill you."so Ted ,you want to sit on me back , well thats a thing ,but hey well OK ". When you ride an Irish broke horse ,he is merely accompanying you because it is the polite thing to do .

 

[Xanthoria]

I've always thought all horses were more or less being polite in puttin gup with us! But what kinds of issues are seen? Aside from no steering, no brakes? Stuff like that first time they say "no" to whatever thing, like having the saddle on?

 

[Red-1]

I would have a full workup- preferably at a vet hosp so they have all the gizmos there so you don't have to have another visit. I would imagine se may react to a flexion test to some degree, so you can start to pin it down. I would expect X rays and an ultrasound on the suspensories as a minimum once the seat of pain is found.

Before that, though, you don't mention the saddle. I am always wary of a saddler checking the saddle, I would test using a bareback pad or treeless, not that you want to ride in one forever, but simply because it will help eliminate the saddle as a cause. I have found that horses can be reluctant to bend in some saddles, even when they, on the face of it, fit.

I would just walk initially, allow the horse to stretch and use a very light leg, followed up with a sharp tap if they don't respond. I would not touch the rein at all, allowing the horse to go forwards in response. This should get the horse swinging along with a lower head carriage. No confusion, as sometimes a maudlin attitude to work is from confusion.

 

[buddylove]

Have you had an Irish broke horse before? They do tend to have very specific (and very similar) issues. Absolutely you must rule out pain first. But speak to others with Irish broke - particularly sport horses. Before we got our first one I really hadn't appreciated how similar the problems are.

No, she is my first Irish horse, she had a foal at 3/4 and was then backed by a petite lady showjumper, only hunted a couple of times, so perhaps not your "traditional" Irish broke horse. But I am conscious of my numpty riding, hence why my instructor is riding her, plus it gives me a chance to observe her behaviour.....

 

[buddylove]

I would have a full workup- preferably at a vet hosp so they have all the gizmos there so you don't have to have another visit. I would imagine se may react to a flexion test to some degree, so you can start to pin it down. I would expect X rays and an ultrasound on the suspensories as a minimum once the seat of pain is found.

Before that, though, you don't mention the saddle. I am always wary of a saddler checking the saddle, I would test using a bareback pad or treeless, not that you want to ride in one forever, but simply because it will help eliminate the saddle as a cause. I have found that horses can be reluctant to bend in some saddles, even when they, on the face of it, fit.

I would just walk initially, allow the horse to stretch and use a very light leg, followed up with a sharp tap if they don't respond. I would not touch the rein at all, allowing the horse to go forwards in response. This should get the horse swinging along with a lower head carriage. No confusion, as sometimes a maudlin attitude to work is from confusion.

She is ridden in a WOW saddle, it was checked by a fitter in April and then again around September as it was getting increasingly difficult to get a good canter transition. She went up a headplate size but other than that, there were no changes to be made. I have bought a bigger headplate to try but not arrived yet. As mentioned she is absolutely no trouble to tack up, does not move away from the saddle and no girthy-ness.

 

[jj_87]

Random one but have you tried her in a traditional flocked saddle as some horses suddenly can dislike flair, I would get a full vet hospital workup ASAP, my little irish sports horse felt like the handbrake was on, none of her normal happiness and flair for work, people were telling me to whack it and boot it, but my gut knew she just was in pain, so a full workup found inflamed suspensories, she did come back into full work better than before, but last year she broke the wing off her pedal bone so spent 11 months on box rest, she owes me nothing now so although she could do more work, shes happy to hack and do fun rides!

 

[luckyoldme]

If shes not enjoying the ridden work and you aren't t either why bother? I had loads of problems with my first horse so I just took him right back to the begining as if he had never been broken in. I walked for miles with him and it built up our confidence and bond no end. I took what I learnt to my second horse and actually did break her in myself from scratch. It wasn't a walk in the park but eventually we got there. With my second one I discovered the pleasures of long reigning and I enjoyed it so much that we walked for miles..if she is in pain it might be something for her to do which doesn't trouble her so much.

 

[Casey76]

I know this sounds like it's trooped out all the time, but test for PSSM. You have mentioned several things which ring the bell...

Seems sore over HQ
Consistently testing a back leg
Struggling with canter
Problems appeared after an increase in work
Problems occurred when temperatures are decreasing
Never looks relaxed

Just a thought...

 

[bubsqueaks]

Have you had an Irish broke horse before? They do tend to have very specific (and very similar) issues. Absolutely you must rule out pain first. But speak to others with Irish broke - particularly sport horses. Before we got our first one I really hadn't appreciated how similar the problems are.

Shay please could you enlighten me on your point about "very specific & very similar issues" as I am intrigued being the owner of a connie who I am going to restart - many thanks

 

[bubsqueaks]

Disclaimer #1 horse is going for full work up asap.
Bought lovely mare in March, only 5 and broken in Ireland, we had a lovely summer getting to know each other, had a tooth problem and is rather hormonal but we rubbed along ok.
Gradually as summer has passed she is becoming more difficult under saddle so I have been having my instructor ride her.
She is behaving better, but it almost seems to be done through gritted teeth.
She never looks relaxed, struggles when changing rein and finds it much harder to get right canter.
She is only fed TB chaff, vit/min balancer, salt and has been on equishure for a week. She is not visibly lame but is always resting a hind.
My gut is thinking hind limb lameness, but she doesn't buck in transitions, her go to evasion is to rear/leap.
She is fab on the ground, never grumpy in the stable, or to tack up.
Just wondering if anyone has any similar experiences? (With happy ever after endings would be great)

Full work up first but if nothing revealed I would be looking at hind gut/ulcers - you say she is always resting hind leg, tight on hind quarter for physio, not picking up canter lead, these could be symptoms of hind gut pain whereby she is holding herself to combat the pain - we had glandular ulcers & had none of the obvious girthing signs just full on broncing but looking back he did have facial expression pain & when he tested positive on succeed hind gut test he had gone 1/10th lame on his hind - never really carried himself in a relaxed way either - good luck with your girl.

 

[MissMoo]

As bubsqueaks above has mentioned, with the symptoms you have mentioned I would be asking the vet to check for ulcers when you go for full work up. Fingers crossed you're back on track soon

 

[Red-1]

She is ridden in a WOW saddle, it was checked by a fitter in April and then again around September as it was getting increasingly difficult to get a good canter transition. She went up a headplate size but other than that, there were no changes to be made. I have bought a bigger headplate to try but not arrived yet. As mentioned she is absolutely no trouble to tack up, does not move away from the saddle and no girthy-ness.

I appreciate that you have had the saddle checked, but WOW is not a magic cure, and some horses don't like them. Some horses grow to not like them as they develop. Just changing a head plate may not be enough.

For example, when I bought my horse, also Irish and 5yo, she was flat backed as a profile, big shoulder and slightly downhill in the ribcage with a forward girth groove. She has now changed, a flat ribcage, slightly curved back profile. She has also grown an inch in height and 3" in length. I have had to have 2 different saddles so far to accommodate the changes. Such it is with some young horses (hence having 2nd hand saddles for the moment).

My last horse, Jay, was fitted for a WOW by a master saddler. He hated it, despite the fact that it did 'fit'.

Some don't like the Flair, some grow sensitive to it after a while (I believe where the airbags join, but as they can't talk I can't know that for sure).

Hence suggesting trying a treeless or bareback pad to eliminate the saddle as a cause.

 

[buddylove]

Full work up first but if nothing revealed I would be looking at hind gut/ulcers - you say she is always resting hind leg, tight on hind quarter for physio, not picking up canter lead, these could be symptoms of hind gut pain whereby she is holding herself to combat the pain - we had glandular ulcers & had none of the obvious girthing signs just full on broncing but looking back he did have facial expression pain & when he tested positive on succeed hind gut test he had gone 1/10th lame on his hind - never really carried himself in a relaxed way either - good luck with your girl.

Started on equishure a week ago as poo small and shiny and literally going backwards off the mounting block. Ridden last night and she stood perfectly to be mounted, but still looking worried and tense when being ridden. Will continue with equishure and hopefully may see some more improvement, hasn't been a magic cure as yet though, hence the planned full work up.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Have you determined which hind leg isn't working properly? If it's right hind, I would suspect hind gut ulcers although tey are usually a bit girthy too - but symptoms DO vary. And Irish horses are usually backed too quickly. I would start with getting dung tested for blood - and if clear - take her back to the beginning.

 

[samleigh]

I too would have a lameness work up with a good vet. The above symptoms were hind leg related for my mare. I hope you find the problem is easily sorted xxx