Walking Downhill- nappy?

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MosMum

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Hey guys.

My horses live at the top of a relatively steep lane. Not bad to drive up but there's nowhere to ride until you get to the road at the bottom of the lane so there's no way to avoid going down it when out hacking.

I've taken my loan horse out 2 or 3 times now, as vet reccomends light hacking to build some muscle now he's put on some weight. I've also walked him out several times on lead. He's still a bit underweight and lacking muscle, but my problem is he seems nappy when walking down the lane. At least, I thought it was him being nappy, but more and more I'm wondering if he's struggling to walk downhill.

Once we reach the road he's happy to hack out/walk out and doesn't nap at all nor does he have barn rush on the way back. But walking down, he is INCREDIBLY slow (my two year old daughter could walk faster!) and picks his way as though walking through a mine field. I'm able to keep him going (if that's what he's doing lol) but he won't walk any faster, no matter what I do. Had another woman ride him and she found the same thing.

Could he be finding it difficult to walk downhill due to muscle wastage? He's had everything checked and been vet checked. Or is he just tricking me and being nappy but also making me feel sorry for him?!
 
It could be his feet ! I'd get a vet to check - have you tried walking him down the hill then getting on at the bottom ??
 
Thanks, he had his feet done 2 weeks ago and the vet was out on Friday and did a full check up (he's on loan). His feet are fine, and he walks/trots/canters fine...

He's the same whether I ride or lead him- will walk it but slow as a snail and watching every step with his nose near the ground as if something is going to jump out at him lol. But he's never spooky and only does this walking down the lane.
 
Problems walking downhill could be indicative of a number of things I'm afraid. Could be a back or saddle fitting issue, joints, or simply that he is being careful because he isn't used to it and hasn't built up muscle.

Did the vet check his back and saddle? Might be worth getting specialists out.
 
Many years ago my Dad bought his first horse. She was living in a very flat area. Our hacking meant scrambling up a steep hill and obviously back down again. For the first few months my Dad's mare literally crept down the hill, in time she was striding down confidently. I would make sure your horse is not in pain, but it could well be that he had never had to carry a person on his back, down a steep slope and he is a bit wary of the whole process.
 
Thanks both...

Naturally, the vet didn't check his saddle at all, didn't even tack him up for her, but she did a general health check and probed for soreness etc...

The saddler checked the saddle, numnah etc. I could have him out again, I guess, since Blue has put on a little weight since then (about 3 or 4 wks).

Red, the horse is a 12 yr old ex racer, I'm not sure if they use hillwork to get them fit but if not its quite possible he's never done hills since he raced on the flat... hm
 
Muscle wastage? I had one in particular who couldn't walk down a hill when I first got him as he had never been out an arena and he used to have a right paddy at the top of them but gradually as he got stronger he found it much easier and touch wood he now behaves himself and can walk properly down the hill!

I had another who walked very slow down hills and used to grunt and shake his head. Again he wasn't very fit or well schooled and he struggled to balance himself going down but a couple months on he is finding it easier.
 
I had a horse on loan who did the exact same. Didn't matter if the hill was steep or slanted, he'd just snail pace down.

Turned out he'd had a bad past with hills, slipping, skidding and sliding down. I just rode positively and forward and we accomplished his little 'worries' :)
 
My horse is an ex-racehorse TB with considerable muscle wastage and he used to to be used only for light work before I bought him. We have a very steep downhill on one of the hacks around our area and he used to walk down it at snail pace. My sister and I have both worked with him, in the arena - flat work and a lot of jumping, and hacking and built up his muscle again. It was only recently when out on the hack, that I realised he walked much more confidently down the hill and convered the ground faster than he used to.

I would say that if there are no problems with your horse it may just not be used to it and is feeling unbalanced or unsure while going down the hill.
 
Not to say that your loan horse has this, but mine has arthritis in his coffin joints and hocks and one of his symptoms before treatment was just what you were describing, ie. picking his way down hills at a snail's pace. Might be worth getting your boy checked out just to rule out medical issues ..... chances are it's nothing, but better be safe than sorry.
 
Thanks everyone. I'm kind of glad to see its not a rare problem and happens to some perfectly 'healthy' horses. I'm hoping its muscle/not used to hill work x
 
We live on a hill.
Last year my ID mare had muscle wastage (long story). The vet treated her with acupuncture and prescribed in-hand exercise after the first 2 sessions.
She didn't want to leave the yard ( slight downhill), then when I got her going she was fine going uphill but didn't want to come back downhill to get back to our lane again. That sounds odd but once off the lane we went round a sort of triangle. She became much more willing as her back improved.
I'd ask the vet and saddler to check again but it might just be that he needs to build up muscle tone.
 
I wouldn't call what your horse is doing 'nappy'. My horse was extremely weak when I bought him and when I first started taking him out, he was very hesitant going down hills and tended to throw his head. I allowed him to pick his way (and speed) down and he has grown in confidence and muscle and is now much better! My McTimoney person thinks he did have pain at one time going down hills and the behaviour was association related. Bear with him, and hopefully things will improve!
 
MosMum said:
Hey guys.

My horses live at the top of a relatively steep lane. Not bad to drive up but there's nowhere to ride until you get to the road at the bottom of the lane so there's no way to avoid going down it when out hacking.

I've taken my loan horse out 2 or 3 times now, as vet reccomends light hacking to build some muscle now he's put on some weight. I've also walked him out several times on lead. He's still a bit underweight and lacking muscle, but my problem is he seems nappy when walking down the lane. At least, I thought it was him being nappy, but more and more I'm wondering if he's struggling to walk downhill.

Once we reach the road he's happy to hack out/walk out and doesn't nap at all nor does he have barn rush on the way back. But walking down, he is INCREDIBLY slow (my two year old daughter could walk faster!) and picks his way as though walking through a mine field. I'm able to keep him going (if that's what he's doing lol) but he won't walk any faster, no matter what I do. Had another woman ride him and she found the same thing.

Could he be finding it difficult to walk downhill due to muscle wastage? He's had everything checked and been vet checked. Or is he just tricking me and being nappy but also making me feel sorry for him?!
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Sorry if this has already been said, I don't want to read all the other replies.

What you describe is very often the first sign of hock spavins. Do some flexion tests on him yourself and if he is lame with them, check with a vet.
 
Sounds like a bit of a balance issue to me to be honest. Are the fields he is turned out in flat as well?

My youngster (nearly 2 now) wasn't sure of hills when I got him - well he practised in our hilly field by galloping straight downand falling over at the bottom (idiot) What did he do then - well he went back up to tje top again and went down even faster but this time he applied the brakes better and didn't fall!!! Lol

However, leading him out the road to our field is very steep - ok going up, no issues but coming down he'd bite a lot (more than normal) and seemed to not be able to control his legs - he wanted to run though more than go steady.

I have had some lessons in hand with a lady who said it was all down to balance so we have done ground work to improve this - also done this on my sisters horse to help with his flat work. The idea is to get them to hold themselves properly and balance themselves on their back end. I would try this - just do some simple in hand work - encourage him to walk slow, stand and when he is standing ensure he stands square and with his weight on his hind legs. If he stands with one back leg out then gently tap it to encourage him to stand with it underneath him. Also ask him to walk forwards stepping with his hind leg first - tap the leg you wish him to move with a whip and, when he steps give him lots of praise and lead him for a couple of strides before repeating (change to ask him to do it with alternate legs)

When/if you are walking him down the hill, try and keep his head up and make him walk SLOWER so he can get his balance. IF he seems to be struggling in any way then halt him then start again nice and slow. Try and make him walk as slow as you can as opposed to forcing him to walk faster. He will or should eventually improve as he learns how to balance.

It would also help him to be in a field with hills ideally but obviously that's not always possible. There could be something physically wrong but there doesn't always have to be. Oh, and I would checj th saddle just in case - if it doesn't fit it could be pinching him around his withers as he's going down hill - this would cause issues!
 
Does he drag his hind feet too? If so could be indicative of hock spavin as typically those with spavin find going downhill difficult.

If after a few weeks he is still stuggling, I would have a vet out just for peace of mind if nothing else......
 
Mine did this when I first bought him. He would go down hill like a crab!
He had collapsed hind heels! Also I suspect an issue with his stifles and lumbar area caused by being shod by a gorilla for 2 years. He had remedial shoeing and didn't jump for 6 months, plus was seen by an equine chiro.
All fine now! Had his back shoes taken off since and he now skips down hills! So don't despair, it may not be anything terminal!!!!
 
There's a problem with front feet that can very easily be missed because it causes BI-LATERAL front foot pain. Symptoms are tripping/stumbling/unhappy going downhill and on uneven hard ground. Because both feet hurt the same amount the horse never appears lame. But nerve block one foot and the results can be horrific with the horse (now only hurting in ONE foot) almost hopping lame. My horse suffered this and I only picked it up because he stumbled every time we came home after a hack, on the same patch of uneven tarmac. He had also been a pain in the bum going so so slowly down a steep lane out hacking and to my eternal shame I'd just got cross with him and smacked him to move him on a bit faster. A more experienced friend recommended a full lameness work up to get to the bottom of the stumbling and when I saw my poor lad trying to walk with one front foot nerve blocked I wanted to curl up and die. He was appallingly lame, but absolutely no sign of lameness without nerve blocking. I would strongly recommend a lameness work up in case your lad has navicular syndrome and or DJD.
 
MosMum said:
Who does a lameness workup, the vet or the farrier? Sorry for being ignorant.
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I would arrange for them both to be there at the same time. The vet would normally do the work-up, farrier can observe, and a treatment plan if needed can be discussed there and then between the three of you. :)
 
I wouldn't have the farrier there just to observe coz you'd get charged just the same! A local vet will have treated up til now (I presume) so I was meaning a referral to a specialist horse clinic for a full lameness work up. They will have all the facilities you need eg straight hard surface, deep soft surface for lunging, x-ray facilities etc.
 
Hopefully it will be something easy to fix but my old boy used to go very slowly downhill but stride out for England on the flat - he has Bone Spavin - good idea about the flexion tests.
 
I'm a great believer in checking for physical causes of 'problems' but TBH, I think it's far too soon to think you HAVE a problem. A horse who is unfit and lacks proper muscle development will ALWAYS find downhill much harder than uphill. And as he's an ex-racer he will almost certainly be on the forehand anyway, making downhill a real balance problem.

Under these circumstances, I wouldn't be rushing to spend a lot of money on diagnostics which are probably not needed! I'd persevere with the hacking out - not pushing him at all on the downhill slope - and see if he improves over the next 3-4 weeks. If he does, you have your answer! If he DOESN'T, then you've ruled out one likely 'cause' of problems!
 
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