Uneven rider = unlevel horse?

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fairhill

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Ok, please bear with me!

Chloe has been on/off lame since February. The vet thought arthritis but I found she had a tight muscle in her hindquarter, causing the hind leg lameness, which I (with a physio's help!) massaged and sorted out.

She went sound, but then was hobbling a bit in front under saddle. We got her a new saddle as the time off had increased her width, and she has seemed better.

I've not had much time to ride her, so it's been mainly my mum, who is very, very stiff in her hips, has one leg longer than the other, and is unbalanced in the saddle (worse to the left side).

When she schooled her last night Chloe was sound on the left rein, but intermittently lame on the right rein. She's also been snatching her left hind when picking out her hooves. She's ok hacking out in straight lines.

I haven't checked her back yet, but my thinking is that on the right rein she is stretching her left side, which she'd struggle with if there's tightness there...

Has anyone got any other experiences of unlevel riders and whether they affected the horse?
My mum is now starting to feel guilty about riding, but it's the one thing that's keeping her walking, so we need her to continue for as long as possible, but not if it's causing Chloe problems as well
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Chloe's probably only 1/10 lame on the left, and it's intermittent so I'm reluctant to get the vet until she gets worse.

I'm a bit baffled by it all to be honest
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Hi due to my disability when i'm in pain i ride unevenly , which has affected my horse in the past. However lessons and the help of a human and horse chiropractor has sorted it out. my saddler has also made minor adjustments to my saddle to help.
 
I would of thought they'd adjust to compensate, not ideal obviously, but I was thinking along the lines of horses ridden side saddle!
 
Just to check - did the vet confirm it wasn't artritis? my horse's arthritis in his neck gives him backache and bumache on one side when it is bad. Could she have a sore hock if she is snatching her foot up?

I wouldn't have expected uneaven riding to make the horse actually lame to be honest. If however this is the case, gentle lunging can help the horse even out. The rider should explore doing exercises to even herself out as much as possible.
 
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Just to check - did the vet confirm it wasn't artritis?

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Not as such. She was incredibly sore on her right hind, to the point where she was unable to lift it for more than a few seconds at a time. It continued for 6 weeks despite bute etc. One day after finding and massaging the sore muscle she was able to hold leg up, and was able to be shod a few days later.
The vet later confirmed she was sound, and he wasn't interested in the reasons why
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I think I'll have try Chloe on the lunge and see how she is on a circle without the saddle and rider. She doesn't really get the concept of lunging so it may be interesting!

Thanks
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Just be very careful - if she is lame behind, lunging will be difficult for her. Try it in walk first and then trot but leave canter until you are sure it isn't something in her hocks!

I'm glad you managed to put her right with massage etc - sounds encouraging.

As long as she doesn't buck or run around like mad put her in sidereins with a tail bandage tied from the surcingle passing round her bum to the other side like a DIY Pessoa. The tailbandage helps them feel where their hind legs are and will help her build topline muscle. Start off very gently and see how you go. There is a lot that can be achieved in walk so no need to have her zooming round!
I'd tell your mum to keep gently hacking her - light exercise ought to keep her looser, but leave the schooling for now.
hope it helps!
 
Unfortunately, I think the answer is you need more investigative work under the vet. It's quite likely that regardless of the cause (riding, arthristis etc) that good manipulation would improve the situation - I don't feel that any temporary soundness proves one cause or another, just that it is aided by a physio.

There's 2 sides to the uneven rider argument (does it or does it not affect the horse) & I don't think anyone has really ever proven it one way or the other - I could easily gives examples to 'prove' my point for both arguments, as I'm sure others will.

I think you need to have investigative work done immediately - 1/10 lame is sufficient to work on. You should, by process of elimination, be able to work out whether riding is the cause.

My guess, I'd say it's not the cause but it won't be helping - think of good balanced schooling as a physio workout in it's own right.

Hope you get it sorted.
 
Thanks. I've told her to try her today in the school with the wrong bend to see if that makes a difference. It should also mean she stretches Chloe's left side more than the right. I'll suggest the vet again as well
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I normally school her so she gets an even workout, but unfortunately due to being busy with my own horse (and wedding plans) has meant that chloe has been left on the sidelines, which has probably contributed to her stiffness now
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Agree with that lot, something worth a try could be Alexander Technique, which helps with suppleness and posture.

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Unfortunately she's gone beyond that
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Physio for a year has helped a bit (as has yoga for the last 20 years), but she's now on the waiting list for a hip replacement operation and is taking lots of painkillers just to be able to get on the horse
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