_April_
Well-Known Member
Hi,
I'm completely new to the forums and am just looking for some advice on a slight problem I had last week...
I've have a 20 year old horse on loan for about a year and a half.
When I first started riding her she was very soured, sick of life and really, really hated people. She used a variety of indimidation techniques to try and put me off, including bucking, napping, being a beast in the stableetc... her repetoire was quite impressive! I've managed to overcome all of this eventually and we have been having great fun together and she has turned into a really sweet little horse.
Last week however when I tried to school she just wasn't right, didn't want me on her back, very reluctant in walk and trot and trying to buck in canter. I was worried incase she had reverted to the previous years behaviour because she used to be very lazy, but gave her the benefit of the doubt and gave up straight away. Checked fully and there were no signs of lameness etc, plus her stable behaviour was normal. At that time I thought she had perhaps pulled a muscle or something but I wan't overly concerned.
I gave her a few days off and then tried very short hack around the block and then tried some schooling. She was totally fine doing both.
I was due to go to a show that weekend, and seeing that she seemed totally fine we went ahead. In the morning she was great and we actually won the stressage! woo! However by lunchtime she just seemed really, really tired. I tried our showjumping class and felt as though I was carrying her round myself (luckily was tiny).
Anyway I now think that perhaps she had caught some sort of viral infection or a cold or something and I wondered if there are any ways to spot this?
Also as she is now 20 is there anything I can do that will help her avoid them or perhaps shake them off quicker if she gets them?
thanks for taking the time to read this!
I'm completely new to the forums and am just looking for some advice on a slight problem I had last week...
I've have a 20 year old horse on loan for about a year and a half.
When I first started riding her she was very soured, sick of life and really, really hated people. She used a variety of indimidation techniques to try and put me off, including bucking, napping, being a beast in the stableetc... her repetoire was quite impressive! I've managed to overcome all of this eventually and we have been having great fun together and she has turned into a really sweet little horse.
Last week however when I tried to school she just wasn't right, didn't want me on her back, very reluctant in walk and trot and trying to buck in canter. I was worried incase she had reverted to the previous years behaviour because she used to be very lazy, but gave her the benefit of the doubt and gave up straight away. Checked fully and there were no signs of lameness etc, plus her stable behaviour was normal. At that time I thought she had perhaps pulled a muscle or something but I wan't overly concerned.
I gave her a few days off and then tried very short hack around the block and then tried some schooling. She was totally fine doing both.
I was due to go to a show that weekend, and seeing that she seemed totally fine we went ahead. In the morning she was great and we actually won the stressage! woo! However by lunchtime she just seemed really, really tired. I tried our showjumping class and felt as though I was carrying her round myself (luckily was tiny).
Anyway I now think that perhaps she had caught some sort of viral infection or a cold or something and I wondered if there are any ways to spot this?
Also as she is now 20 is there anything I can do that will help her avoid them or perhaps shake them off quicker if she gets them?
thanks for taking the time to read this!
