Video Welshie kicking at stomach when schooling

[RHGR]

P.S. Forgot to say what a stunning little man he is - hope you get it figured out soon.

Thank you! He's a wee star and I'm hoping we can get out and enjoy a range of new things together at some point! I've never had transport to be able to try anything new and he spent the last ten years being a lawn mower and hasn't seen much of the world at all so it's exciting times for us both, if we can figure out what's bothering him!

 

[poiuytrewq]

I would wonder a few things.
Firstly the way you ride. Do you use more leg, or have more contact in the school- try schooling out hacking and see if you get the same reaction?

Secondly- Is your school near something like water, especially stagnant or under tree's that may mean more/different types of flies perhaps? It does seem odd that its only in the school and theer must be a reason for that. Assume you use the same tack to hack and school?

 

[RHGR]

I would wonder a few things.
Firstly the way you ride. Do you use more leg, or have more contact in the school- try schooling out hacking and see if you get the same reaction?

Secondly- Is your school near something like water, especially stagnant or under tree's that may mean more/different types of flies perhaps? It does seem odd that its only in the school and theer must be a reason for that. Assume you use the same tack to hack and school?

Exactly the same tack hacking and schooling. Hacking in company we're usually pretty relaxed and just enjoying the company, but hacking alone (which we do more often) we 'school' whilst hacking. No point in trotting about if we aren't doing it properly school is right next to his field, bordered by trees on the other side, but a lot of our hacking is also in woods and don't tend to have issues (if we have fly issues, he's the type to try jog away from them). He does much prefer hacking to schooling though, much more forward on a hack than in the school so I do need to use more leg. But I do keep the 'leg on' when hacking to encourage straightness and working from behind

 

[RHGR]

Well things have become slightly more sensical. Haven't ridden since posted. Had saddle fitter out yesterday. He was very impressed with the changes in my boy over the 8 weeks since saddle was fitted, biggest and best transformation he's seen this year! He very happy with how pony is looking, but saddle isn't right anymore (as expected). We tried a different saddle in the school, started off fine again, walked happily and first circle of trot happily. Brought back to walk, told saddle fitter next trot transition would be the real test. And sure enough when asked to trot again, the right hind kicked up. He did this halfway across the school and so we hopped off and removed saddle and I hopped on bareback. Same reaction bareback and when I didn't listen and get off his solution was to just put the handbrake all the way on. Just stood totally still, head down, not reacting to me at all. Hopped off and lunged briefly, still seems sound. Took him back to the stable, tried a different saddle and this time tried to go for a little hack. This was when things started to make sense slightly better as he refused to hack. Got out of the yard and part way down the track and then the right hind was kicking up again so we just stopped there. Saddle fitter is also a massage therapist and had a good feel of his back and was confident there wasn't back pain, said his back felt really good actually. But with how much he's changed in the last 8 weeks he may have pain elsewhere. Still going to wait for Physio to come out on the 22nd as if anyone can pick up a subtle lameness it's her. Just going to pop the brakes on for now and maybe just do some in hand walks to help keep the weight off. We have started him on Equishure for hindgut issues in case it's anything like that. Our grazing is too good for natives really and with the constant heat and sun and regular rain showers the grass is very green so I wouldn't be too surprised if there is some gut issues/ulcer type problems. He is on protexin gut balancer and has been the whole time I've had him. He gets thunder brooks healthy herbal chaff just for his gut balancer and breathing supplement (breathing supplement was on vet advice). I am happy to go down scoping/further investigation route if physio doesn't find anything else to explain issues, but would prefer to have her out prior to vet as she is better at spotting lameness in case there's anything like that that we're missing.

 

[SO1]

This behaviour sounds a little similar to Bert and it turned out to be his liver. I had him on a bute trial for two weeks as no signs of lameness and was trying to find out if it was muscular. Made no difference tried saddle adjustment. Scoped clear for ulcers. X rayed hind hooves in case it was hoof balance all good. Had physio. Had sheath checked and cleaned by vet and had teeth done . Then had blood test and it was his liver. I wish I had done the blood test first as it is the cheapest option.

He has been on Hepalyte for three weeks and is improving. Unfortunately he too is a fat native and has been taking it a bit easy over the last couple of months whilst trying to work out what was wrong with him. He was becoming more and more nappy and was side biting was fine on the lunge to start with and was only difficult under saddle but then was tricky on the lunge especially on the right hand side. He too was not wanting to go into trot. We really expected ulcers and was surprised he scoped clear.

The liver is on the right hand side.

 

[RHGR]

This behaviour sounds a little similar to Bert and it turned out to be his liver. I had him on a bute trial for two weeks as no signs of lameness and was trying to find out if it was muscular. Made no difference tried saddle adjustment. Scoped clear for ulcers. X rayed hind hooves in case it was hoof balance all good. Had physio. Had sheath checked and cleaned by vet and had teeth done . Then had blood test and it was his liver. I wish I had done the blood test first as it is the cheapest option.

He has been on Hepalyte for three weeks and is improving. Unfortunately he too is a fat native and has been taking it a bit easy over the last couple of months whilst trying to work out what was wrong with him. He was becoming more and more nappy and was side biting was fine on the lunge to start with and was only difficult under saddle but then was tricky on the lunge especially on the right hand side. He too was not wanting to go into trot. We really expected ulcers and was surprised he scoped clear.

The liver is on the right hand side.

Thank you so much for this! Will ask for bloods if we get to vet investigation!