Vet or schooling..wwwyd?

[Sagamoon]

I have a recently retired ex racehorse that was vetted sound. Has had teeth, back and saddle done. She is going very sweetly in trot and walk and very happy to work long and low. Her canter had been slowly improving but now that I am back to work and cant ride every day the problem starts as soon as we canter. She plunges into canter with her head up and feels very tense and you can hear her grunting slightly which seems to go with the tension. As you continue to canter she still stays very tight in her frame with head up. When you trot again you get a short choppy trot and she keeps breaking into canter.
So my dilemma is, do I send her to a professional who can ride her every day to see if we get improvement and relaxation in her canter and if not I will take her for a full work up at the vets or do I get a full work up from the vet now?

 

[paddi22]

if she has put on muscle from long and low maybe the saddle is too tight now and pinching. could she have pulled something during turnout?

 

[Sagamoon]

if she has put on muscle from long and low maybe the saddle is too tight now and pinching. could she have pulled something during turnout?

Thanks but I dont think it's that as saddle has just been refitted in the last couple of weeks. I had this problem at the start then it slowly improved when she was ridden every day but now we seem to be going backwards

 

[AmyMay]

How long have you had her, and how long since she stopped racing?

 

[Sagamoon]

About 6 months and stopped racing then also

 

[FourLeafClover]

I would probably give her a couple of months consistent work and see if this is just a phase in her retraining before going down the vets route ?

 

[SWE]

What is your gut telling you? I often find that is right.....

If you're worried that it might be pain related I'd get saddle checked & speak to the vet to discuss discuss getting back xrayed & scoped.

But if you're not sure, sending to a pro for 2 weeks might give you a second opinion if nothing else?

 

[Roxylola]

This was improving and has now got worse. I'd be looking for pain first personally.

 

[Equi]

I agree it’s always best to rule out pain but it’s also just gotten significantly colder and a lot of horses are now feeling sharper.

 

[paddi22]

it's a bit coincidental that the issue started when you couldn't ride as much. is she still being fed the same amount with less work, or has feed changed? has she had less turnout? could it just be excess energy and boredom? what's she like when you canter her on the lunge? or do a Bute test?

 

[Sagamoon]

it's a bit coincidental that the issue started when you couldn't ride as much. is she still being fed the same amount with less work, or has feed changed? has she had less turnout? could it just be excess energy and boredom? what's she like when you canter her on the lunge? or do a Bute test?

Shes out 24/7 and only getting grass. She is better on the lunge though is still tense looking. I did do a 5 day bute test but no change. Yes shes definitely gone backwards now that I'm not riding her every day.

 

[be positive]

I would give her a couple of weeks with no canter work under saddle, get her more established in walk and trot, make the work more demanding and really concentrate on suppleness, having her really on the aids, do some polework and possibly even pop a few x poles out of trot so she does a canter stride/ transition with no pressure, at the end of some sessions pop her on the lunge for some basic canter work and only start to canter under saddle, ideally using a x pole, when she has improved on the lunge, it may not work but if she has not improved within a month I would then look at other options.
It is what I have done with many and usually works by breaking the pattern of anticipation causing them to slightly panic through the transition which then ends up with a rushed tense canter, small fences can be used to great advantage in this type of situation and I often continue to use one for some time if they work, some get worse if they think 'jump' but if they are relaxed about poles they just pop into canter quietly.

 

[Cazza525]

Some horses just thrive on lots of work! Consider a sharer? Also, it’s silly season......

 

[Rowreach]

Thanks but I dont think it's that as saddle has just been refitted in the last couple of weeks. I had this problem at the start then it slowly improved when she was ridden every day but now we seem to be going backwards

So was the fit of the saddle altered then, or just checked? If altered, that would be something to consider.

 

[Sagamoon]

I would give her a couple of weeks with no canter work under saddle, get her more established in walk and trot, make the work more demanding and really concentrate on suppleness, having her really on the aids, do some polework and possibly even pop a few x poles out of trot so she does a canter stride/ transition with no pressure, at the end of some sessions pop her on the lunge for some basic canter work and only start to canter under saddle, ideally using a x pole, when she has improved on the lunge, it may not work but if she has not improved within a month I would then look at other options.
It is what I have done with many and usually works by breaking the pattern of anticipation causing them to slightly panic through the transition which then ends up with a rushed tense canter, small fences can be used to great advantage in this type of situation and I often continue to use one for some time if they work, some get worse if they think 'jump' but if they are relaxed about poles they just pop into canter quietly.

Those are great ideas thank you

 

[Carrottom]

Do you only canter in the school? I find with ex racers they really struggle with circles and corners. I agree with BP that poles and small jumps can help. Also cantering out in a field to accustom them to cantering with your seat more in the saddle.

 

[Dexter]

I'd test for PSSM 2. Its horribly common in TBs and the canter issue, tenseness, grunting and being worse with lack of work is a major red flag. its also the time of year when vitamin e and protien drop off dramatically in the grass. A lot of horses get diagnosed due to detriorating round about now

 

[Carrottom]

A further thought on this, I regularly have a physio appointment for my lad as he can be very tense and this causes soreness to develope. She also suggests exercises which help muscle development suitable for a riding horse rather than racehorse.

 

[paddi22]

yeah I wouldn't jump straight to vet immediately. I'd do physio and knock the canter on the head. with my exracers I never start them in canter in the arenas, I usually build them up cantering up hills on hacks as mentally and physically its easier for them.