Christmas Crumpet
Well-Known Member
I bought a 7 yr old ex racehorse earlier this year and have had him for about 2 months. When I first got him he seemed ok apart from hanging to the left quite dramatically when he cantered. He got kicked quite badly on his off hind down the top bit of his cannon bone and was off for 2 weeks. I had the vet out twice in that time firstly to check that he was just lame because the bone was bruised and wound healing nicely. He was fine then. Then had the vet out again a week later to vet another horse I was selling and asked him to have a look at his teeth which he did. Teeth had obviously never been done so by rights now should be a lot better.
Since that time he has started doing another thing which usually only happens trotting up hills although some days can happen whilst trotting along the road (funnily enough never on the grass). He lifts his head up and turns it a bit to the left and it feels as though he is running not trotting. Anyway - got the back lady out who said he is very tight all along his off side (he slightly tweaked a tendon a few years ago and was fired). She says he is tight because of that and also because of having a badly fitted saddle previously. That was about a month ago. We've had the saddler out again and have hopefully found a saddle that fits him brilliantly but he is still doing this thing. He finds trotting up hills very hard work and sometimes when trotting again it feels as though he's running (although not very fast).
He was doing the head thing trotting up hills yesterday and being a bit odd but we finished on a good note because I trotted him to the village and back and it was a good working trot which felt powerful and positive like he was using himself much better. The kind of trot I like and the kind I'd like to see him do more.
What I'm wondering is whether his back is still hurting, his teeth are still wrong but in a different way since the vet has been, whether there is something wrong with his hind end. I am getting quite down about it all and frustrated. The annoying thing is that riding out in company he hardly does the head thing at all if at all.
Could it be a total lack of schooling that makes him do it or is he still in pain? I wonder if he's not used to trotting up hills and perhaps I should walk up them for the time being to get him used to the long, steep Dorset hills!!
If anyone has any ideas I'd be more than grateful to hear them. Back lady coming again tomorrow so will ask her if I can ride him for her to show her what he looks like doing the head thing. Its quite hard to explain!!
Since that time he has started doing another thing which usually only happens trotting up hills although some days can happen whilst trotting along the road (funnily enough never on the grass). He lifts his head up and turns it a bit to the left and it feels as though he is running not trotting. Anyway - got the back lady out who said he is very tight all along his off side (he slightly tweaked a tendon a few years ago and was fired). She says he is tight because of that and also because of having a badly fitted saddle previously. That was about a month ago. We've had the saddler out again and have hopefully found a saddle that fits him brilliantly but he is still doing this thing. He finds trotting up hills very hard work and sometimes when trotting again it feels as though he's running (although not very fast).
He was doing the head thing trotting up hills yesterday and being a bit odd but we finished on a good note because I trotted him to the village and back and it was a good working trot which felt powerful and positive like he was using himself much better. The kind of trot I like and the kind I'd like to see him do more.
What I'm wondering is whether his back is still hurting, his teeth are still wrong but in a different way since the vet has been, whether there is something wrong with his hind end. I am getting quite down about it all and frustrated. The annoying thing is that riding out in company he hardly does the head thing at all if at all.
Could it be a total lack of schooling that makes him do it or is he still in pain? I wonder if he's not used to trotting up hills and perhaps I should walk up them for the time being to get him used to the long, steep Dorset hills!!
If anyone has any ideas I'd be more than grateful to hear them. Back lady coming again tomorrow so will ask her if I can ride him for her to show her what he looks like doing the head thing. Its quite hard to explain!!
