Ahrena
Well-Known Member
My stunning talented little horse who had a lovely tendency to stand bolt upright on her back legs whenever she didn't seem to like something, then repeat it about 20 times?
Well we seem to have finally, after 3 long years, found the answer.
In October we sent her away to be schooled, but she had to come home 2 weeks later as her rider had a fall and broke his leg. We rested her, assuming she would go back when he was better but he needed extensive physiotherapy, so we started to look else where.
When we were looking for somewhere else to send Lacey to, one asked if I had her checked, I said yes but she said to get her checked by this woman called Ruth Mawer as she was especially good at finding problems with horses when they've been given all clears before.
So she came. I do not know how this horse has been looked at by at least 5 different people with all sorts of qualifications and passed. Within 30 seconds she said "Ah thats the problem," she found a spot on her neck and pressured it which caused Lacey to rear, kick out then try to bite - she has never bitten or kicked a human in her life.
Basically for some reason, possible due to an old back injury from a fall or something, the tension has spread up the big muscle which supports the vertebraes in the neck. Lacey wouldn't let her anywhere near the top part of her neck at first. She spent an hour working with her muscles andshes coming back in just over 2 weeks time, and she may need 1 more session after that.
Ruth said she's got 1 of the worst necks she's ever seen (and she's been in the profession for years and has a lot of problem horses reffered to her), and is amazed she let anyone ride her even as much as she did.
So I partly feel very guilty that Lacey has been in pain a long time (she said no way was it short term) and that we wrote her off as a problem horse, but also very relieved as a physical issue like this will be a lot easier to fix than a mental problem.
So the plan now is....Let this lady finish her sessions with her..then get on and get her fit and see how it goes! If we find we still have issues, we'll send her away, but Ruth thinks its very likely that she'll be far far easier to ride and far more willing once she's been sorted.
Well we seem to have finally, after 3 long years, found the answer.
In October we sent her away to be schooled, but she had to come home 2 weeks later as her rider had a fall and broke his leg. We rested her, assuming she would go back when he was better but he needed extensive physiotherapy, so we started to look else where.
When we were looking for somewhere else to send Lacey to, one asked if I had her checked, I said yes but she said to get her checked by this woman called Ruth Mawer as she was especially good at finding problems with horses when they've been given all clears before.
So she came. I do not know how this horse has been looked at by at least 5 different people with all sorts of qualifications and passed. Within 30 seconds she said "Ah thats the problem," she found a spot on her neck and pressured it which caused Lacey to rear, kick out then try to bite - she has never bitten or kicked a human in her life.
Basically for some reason, possible due to an old back injury from a fall or something, the tension has spread up the big muscle which supports the vertebraes in the neck. Lacey wouldn't let her anywhere near the top part of her neck at first. She spent an hour working with her muscles andshes coming back in just over 2 weeks time, and she may need 1 more session after that.
Ruth said she's got 1 of the worst necks she's ever seen (and she's been in the profession for years and has a lot of problem horses reffered to her), and is amazed she let anyone ride her even as much as she did.
So I partly feel very guilty that Lacey has been in pain a long time (she said no way was it short term) and that we wrote her off as a problem horse, but also very relieved as a physical issue like this will be a lot easier to fix than a mental problem.
So the plan now is....Let this lady finish her sessions with her..then get on and get her fit and see how it goes! If we find we still have issues, we'll send her away, but Ruth thinks its very likely that she'll be far far easier to ride and far more willing once she's been sorted.
