Posted 2015-04-06 10:38 PM Subject: If it's not one thing, it's another!!! Horse can't lope while lunging but CAN under saddle?!
Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586 Location: Phoenix
So his feet are better-ish, hocks/SI were injected a month ago....he's in pretty good shape but he CANNOT lope when I'm lunging him--either in the round pen or on a lunge line. It's like he's panicking and trying to go really, really fast. He's cross-firing and doing the bunny-hopping/stabbing motion in the back legs. SO. FRUSTRATING.
Under saddle he's fine. He's 16 years old for gosh-sakes! Although usually when I ride under saddle, I ride off property to softer ground. The ground in the arena/round pen is rather hard so I'm wondering if that plays a role. I board so I can't really do anything about it. Going to get the chiropractor out soon because he responds well to that. Any ideas though? He gets so agitated... And he just seems retarded. At this point I'm almost considering EPM because he startles at the most stupid things on the trail. He's a rodeo horse--he shouldn't be this spooky. And now his retarded loping/lunging thing.... But EPM is from possums and I have never seen a possum in MY LIFE....I just don't know......blahhhh
Posted 2015-04-07 12:13 AM Subject: RE: If it's not one thing, it's another!!! Horse can't lope while lunging but CAN under saddle?!
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
A horse with arthritis tend to be ouchy on hard ground, also in circles so this may be why you see the difference in riding in soft ground and lunging on hard ground
Posted 2015-04-07 12:27 AM Subject: RE: If it's not one thing, it's another!!! Horse can't lope while lunging but CAN under saddle?!
Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586 Location: Phoenix
Hmmmm, maybe I need to get serious about starting and staying on a consistent schedule of Adequan or Pentosan. I just wanted to finally have my horse with me after 3 years and it's been such an uphill battle. Just having a rough day. Got him switched into the long run instead of his stall and now he's taken up having digging contests with his neighbor horse which is very unlike him. I just wanted to strangle him today!!
If it's not one thing, it's another!!! Horse can't lope while lunging but CAN under saddle?!
