Too much energy :/

[Casey76]

My supposedly arthritic 18yo cob, has turned into a raving lunatic this past week.

After a lesson last night where Pinto took off in a flat out gallop across our up-a-hillside xc course, my confidence is getting seriously dented, and it has taken so long to build my hacking confidence after a trauma involving a bolting horse 20 years ago that I'm at a bit of a loss what to do.

He is already on half rations of food as he came out of winter a bit porky, but he is dropping weight so quickly that I'm reluctant to tell YM "hay only"

While I would like to blame spring grass, we're still on winter t/o which is next to nothing.

I want my sensible not-so-ploddy cob back *wails*

 

[Princess Jess]

Oh dear
I'm afraid I can't suggest anything other than looking at his food (which you've already done) and blaming the spring grass!
How often is he getting ridden? Could you do more schooling if he's being strong out hacking?
I hope the lunatic returns to his normal self soon!

 

[wellsat]

He's not in pain anywhere is he?

 

[Casey76]

PJ: Currently we are schooling 2 days a week, free schooling (because he doesn't lunge) 2 days a week, and hacking two days a week. though at the moment we are hacking in walk only, because anything else is getting too hairy, and my nerves are not the best in the open countryside.

Wellsat: I'd say that his pain is well managed. He has a spavin in his right hock, which was diagnosed last year. He is currently on: MSM, glucosamine, boswellia, ginger, tumeric and rosehips, and isn't showing any of the symptoms leading up to his lameness last year.

Just to be sure he isn't "off" on any particular day, we do a fairly long warm up, about 20-30 minutes before asking for any proper "work" If during this time he is showing any discomfort, other than his baseline stiffness, which I know rides off during the warm up, we stop and we normally go for an inhand hack instead.

His manners on the ground are perfect, and he isn't reluctant at all.

In fact last night, before we went up the xc, I had some of the calmest, softest, relaxed canter ever... in 6 years!

I think a lot of it is anticipation. My last sharer was very confident, and he used to fly around the xc with her. I just can't do that!