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Member
Posts: 20
| I have an 11 year old quarter horse gelding that has been having a lot of problems in the alley. He has been checked out by a vet and chiropractor and given a clean bill of health. The problems started about a year ago and have increasingly gotten worse. He has been off since January in hopes of a break helping. This past Saturday I took him to a local feed show and the problem began where we left off. He will not go near the alley way. He begins to rear and just will not go. If you get after him it just makes it worse. He begins rearing and by that time I usually get off and lead him to the corner of the arena and mount up. Then I just go because if you stall even for a second he will begin acting up again. Although once you get him going he runs a flawless run. Please no rude comments and ALL info/help will be appreciated! |
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Regular
Posts: 98
| how are his feet he maybe sore there. I might also consider getting a second opinion from another vet also when was the last time he got his teeth done? does he take awhile to cool down or cough after his run. he might also just have some anxiety you could possibly try oxygen's jaibreak or pozzi relax. Not trying to seem like i attacked you or threw to much a you at once but those are all the possible options that i can think of. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
  
| Did you just have him looked over for lameness or also checked for ulcers and bleeding? |
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Member
Posts: 20
| Yes, he has been looked at by two vets, local and a well known. He had a lameness exam done and everything was fine. He got his teeth floated at the time also. His feet were also checked. We had every physical aspect checked out lol:) |
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 Famous for Not Complaining
Posts: 8848
 
Location: Broxton, Ga | You might try some B1 calming supplements.....I've had some good results with them.
Also maybe ace, chlorpromazine you can use day of show.....and some prefer resprine or fluphenazine. I had a gelding that pretty much refused to enter the alley on show day you could go ride him any day of the week at the arena. Think the noise excitement etc just caused him to much anxiety which lead to his refusal....had him vetted no issues.....
Ace worked.....when nothing else did.
This is always my last resort.
Ps never had any success with any of paste products giving day of show.
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| I just have about fixed my mare from this problem... Sad news is, I gave her 3 years off (1st year was just a break, 2nd she was pregnant, the last year she was with the foal). Give him time to just be a horse for a while (he probably wont need 3 years, but a good amount of time is probably necessary). Haul him places that aren't arenas (trails, etc) and let him get his mind off of things. If he has ANY bad habits at home, work them out completely before you go back to trying to run again. I finally got on my mare last November, worked on just basic skills and getting her riding in a snaffle with a soft, responsive mouth (she was not like this before). I then started hauling to open arenas, and letting her be in the arena without doing any sort of pattern work. I would walk in and out until she would do it with her head low and she was calm. Basically I won't get off of her until she does anything I ask, calmly. After she got comfortable at an open pen, I started hauling to events, but just letting her be in the warm up area/near the alley way. The first time she did this she was super nervous and thought she was going to run - reared a couple times, but i was able to manage it. Finally, yesterday, I hauled her and we were able to walk in and out of the alley and stand in the holding pen like a complete angel. Once shes back in perfect shape Ill most likely enter her in some exhibitions and after that get her running.
Good luck and if you need any more advice you can PM me! My biggest advice though - please don't get rough with him and try and force him in. It makes me cringe when I see this happening at barrel races. When they start rearing and getting stupid on you, theyre just using the reactive side of their brain, and yanking on them and spurring them just eggs on the reaction. You have to get the regular side of their brain working again for them to understand that the arena isn't going to eat them. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 639
Location: God's country...aka TEXAS | It has to be pain somewhere. Horses don't refuse the alley for no reason. Not trying to be rude...just saying. I would treat for ulcers and then maybe x-ray her back for kissing spine. That doesn't always show up on a lameness exam (it didn't for my horse) but it will show up on x-ray. |
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 A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
Location: Southern Oregon | How are YOUR nerves? Put your self in check, trying chewing gum and thinking and everything but what you are about to do. KEEP HIS FEET MOVING!!!! IMO this is the biggest thing for a "sour" horse. I have taken on lots of problem children, many of them are gate sour. After lots of trips to the vet and chiro, tons of ulcer meds ect I have learned tons of tricks. I personally dont like dealing with rearers, I have seen too many flip over and hurt the rider. With that being said, I do take them on but I it is rare that they will actually rear at my house. I do not push them to that point. I keep their feet moving and their mind off of what is going on. If you let a horse sit there outside the ally while all the other riders are running chances are you are going to be getting him and your self all jacked up with nerves. I work circles at a walk, move body parts, back, roll back anything and everything to keep those feet moving. I also start a routine as to when I am going to ask for them to enter and run. One mare I ran, I would kiss twice and bump my legs twice and she knew it was time to move on and through. I also spend a lot of time at BIG practices with my problem children, not running them, but walking them up to the gate and back to the holding pen, up through the gate and to the first barrel and back to the holding pen and I do it all speeds. Also while waiting my turn at small jackpots I will walk up to the gate hesitate and walk off. |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | Seriously review your attitude and personality in the alley. Watched over 200 runs this weekend and I would say that 90% of problem horses are from their riders. (provided there is no physical issue) however, the rider has to be open minded enough to continue looking even though there is not a complete diagnosis. Watch the calm/mellow-no nonsense attitude horses enter the alley sometime, pay attention to those riders and how they do things. Learn things, having a jacked up wreck generally speaking starts in the riders hands. Sometimes the truth hurts, please be very careful, but be open minded to what you're doing. Good luck. |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| You have not found the lameness problem yet. Keeping looking and unfortunately keep spending $$$$. Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 trips to the expert to find the problem, sometimes it takes an MRI. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 160
Location: Outside of Larryville, KS | saddle fit may be an issue and I would treat for Ulcers. Behaviors are generally caused by pain or confusion. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 806
Location: Arkansas | Keep his feet moving. Make it more work to stay outside than to just go in and run the pattern. With that said, I don't do rearing. I want to run barrels and ride for a long time. I want to have fun doing it when I do. I am not being mean, but please put your safety first.
I was given a horse to ride and spent 3 months roping off of it in the practice pen, hauled to a rodeo, backed in the box, and she flipped herself over. Later found out, that she had done this before when she was "entered" on. They are hard to rehab once they figure out how to do it. Good luck! |
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 Coyote Country Queen
Posts: 5666
| Just skimmed the responses and wanted to agree with a couple of them. There has to be some reason your horse does not want to go into the arena. Is it pain related? Ulcers, saddle fit, sore feet, etc. I have heard it mentioned on here before, and I have to agree, that refusal at the gate could mean front foot soreness. I've had a couple that would refuse the gate, and they all had front foot issues. When they felt good, they'd go right in. When their feet were bugging them they'd fight me at the gate. The next question I'd ask is is it rider related? Are you nervous and relaying those nerves to the horse? Do you camp out on your horse when what he really needs is to be hand-walked prior to runs? When your horse heads into the arena are you hanging on his face? Do you allow him to go once he starts, or do you get ahold of him and try to hold him up? How about on the pattern? Are you a calm rider, or do you yank your reins, give mixed signals by being inconsistent, etc. I don't want you to think I'm accusing you of any of this because I've never seen you ride! Just offering up some ideas of why a horse might not want to go in the arena. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316
| I would say that it is either bleeding and/or has ulcers. Something that you don't see from the lameness examslasix and ulcer meds aren't always a quick fix. You have to spend time with them and teach them that is doesn't hurt or that they feel like they can't breathe while running |
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 Expert
Posts: 1218
Location: South MS | Cashrebel14 - 2015-05-25 8:09 PM I have an 11 year old quarter horse gelding that has been having a lot of problems in the alley. He has been checked out by a vet and chiropractor and given a clean bill of health. The problems started about a year ago and have increasingly gotten worse. He has been off since January in hopes of a break helping. This past Saturday I took him to a local feed show and the problem began where we left off. He will not go near the alley way. He begins to rear and just will not go. If you get after him it just makes it worse. He begins rearing and by that time I usually get off and lead him to the corner of the arena and mount up. Then I just go because if you stall even for a second he will begin acting up again. Although once you get him going he runs a flawless run. Please no rude comments and ALL info/help will be appreciated!
Teeth - are his incisors aligned?
Feet - I would put shoes on him if he has been barefoot by a exp journayman, check his angles on x-ray and make sure he is set at the right angle - it can look right to the naked off but way off when you get down to it. Also rule out navicular changes
Have you done a blood panel for abnormalites and anemia?
Ulcers?
Have you x-rayed all the legs to check for fractured splint bones? I had a fractured splint bone one and he wasnt off watching him - he just wasnt driving hard out of the barrels - mine was on stall rest only for 3 months for that
Have you run him at home and checked to make sure he isnt bleeding? - just because he isnt bleeding out doesnt mean he isnt bleeding - I have a bleeder
Has your vet done a block to make sure nothing is lame
Have you injected hocks, stifles, whirlbones
Have you checked your saddle for a cracked tree?
Have you let someone else ride him and what does he do? |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | I had a gelding like this, he would spin and run the other way if you got near the alley, he was dangerous if you pulled him around to go back. If you were in the pasture kids could crawl all over him and we let a bunch of my childrens friends ride him. He just was not happy being a barrel horse or any playday event that involved an arena. He loved to get after a cow so I sold him as a ranch horse. The buyer called me and thanked my for such a great ranch horse after I sold him. He is now happy pushing cows all day long!!! In my opinion some horses will never make speed event horses, its just not worth the risk! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2013
Location: Piedmont, OK | Have you had him scoped after a run? I had one that all of a sudden started rearing in the alley but once he got in ran a perfect run. Treated him for ulcers nothing changed. gave him every supplement under the sun - nothing helped. Adjusted and vet checked, teeth done - every thing - nothing ever helped. Then I had him scoped and he was bleeding. Fixed that and he went back to his old amazing self. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 462
Location: Louisiana | JLBerry - 2015-05-26 9:14 AM
It has to be pain somewhere. Horses don't refuse the alley for no reason. Not trying to be rude...just saying. I would treat for ulcers and then maybe x-ray her back for kissing spine. That doesn't always show up on a lameness exam (it didn't for my horse) but it will show up on x-ray.
I second this! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 462
Location: Louisiana | soonergirl98 - 2015-05-27 2:39 PM
Have you had him scoped after a run? I had one that all of a sudden started rearing in the alley but once he got in ran a perfect run. Treated him for ulcers nothing changed. gave him every supplement under the sun - nothing helped. Adjusted and vet checked, teeth done - every thing - nothing ever helped. Then I had him scoped and he was bleeding. Fixed that and he went back to his old amazing self.
Not trying to steal the thread but would you please elaborate on how you fixed the bleeding
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 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | Jenbabe - 2015-05-26 1:07 PM
Just skimmed the responses and wanted to agree with a couple of them. There has to be some reason your horse does not want to go into the arena. Is it pain related? Ulcers, saddle fit, sore feet, etc. I have heard it mentioned on here before, and I have to agree, that refusal at the gate could mean front foot soreness. I've had a couple that would refuse the gate, and they all had front foot issues. When they felt good, they'd go right in. When their feet were bugging them they'd fight me at the gate. The next question I'd ask is is it rider related? Are you nervous and relaying those nerves to the horse? Do you camp out on your horse when what he really needs is to be hand-walked prior to runs? When your horse heads into the arena are you hanging on his face? Do you allow him to go once he starts, or do you get ahold of him and try to hold him up? How about on the pattern? Are you a calm rider, or do you yank your reins, give mixed signals by being inconsistent, etc. I don't want you to think I'm accusing you of any of this because I've never seen you ride! Just offering up some ideas of why a horse might not want to go in the arena.
This!! ^
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | you have some great responses here. I would start with you, are you anticipating his rearing?
I would start with having a clear mind and body. Go in there like he's never done anything before, keep those feet moving and send him.
And I would never get off when they rear, I know it's dangerous but at what point does your horse go, "oh wow, every time I get up in the air she gets off... I'll do that more often." |
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 Hugs to You
Posts: 7551
Location: In The Land of Cotton | To add my little thought process to some already good answers - does he do a "full blown" rear - or just a "jump up" type?
To me, these are two different types of manuevers and handled totally different. |
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Alley Issues; Rearing