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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
    
Location: Kansas | I've just about given up on this gelding. I traded my finished mare for this gelding, was not disclosed his issues....he is flighty, didn't like to be caught in the pasture, was skinny, and beat badly in the feedlot. Fast forward to now, he's fat, slick, can catch him now, rides great.....but will not, and I absolutely mean will not "give" to any pressure on the reins to the right side. He fights me, and will back instead of turn, even if I give leg pressure on the outside asking for the turn. It's affecting the pattern. He turns great on second/third barrel, but first...forget about it. ETA: he also had EPM and was treated for it.
I had the chiro out in march and adjusted him. We thought maybe that was the issue. Well it doesn't seem to be getting any better. he has scars on his right shoulder, and girth area from the feedlot. I'm about ready to give up. Nobody wants a problem horse, I listed him, and nothing. I've worked so hard to get this horse rehabbed and to where he is and now its just frustrating.
Edited by hoofs_in_motion 2015-05-28 8:33 AM
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| Go to the vet. A good lameness vet that takes finding the problem personal. He is sore. Horses are not stiff for no reason if they are broke. The last 2 mysterious one sided stiffness problems were tendon issues we were not even aware of that an MRI found on both horses. You have not found his problem yet...
I wouldn't pay much mind to the scars although that could very much be the reason. Had a friend have surgery to soften up and remove scar tissue in a shoulder, it was hard as a rock once removed, she kept it in a jar after the surgery LOL. She followed with Magna Wave treatments...everyone told her the horse was done...he came back and is winning local shows.
Edited by astreakinchic 2015-05-28 8:36 AM
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | I also agree getting a good lameness vet....
Other aspects I look at when I have a horse who wont bend to one side is...
Does my saddle fit?
What am I doing in my riding when I ask for that side to bend. We as riders do tend to ride better on one side then another....I am right handed and I ride my horses better to the left then to the right and have had to work a lot on that.
Ease into asking for anything on their bad side.....small steps are better then anything when your getting their body back into shape, especially if there is injury and body soreness they need to overcome.
I wouldn't worry about having this horse on the pattern until I can ask the horse to move its body freely and properly at all speeds....
Good luck! |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | I'll see if I can find a lameness vet here in kansas. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 695
Location: Windoming | I have a gelding that would not turn to the right, even at a walk, it was a fight. You could go left all day. Injected his sacariliac, and he's awesome now! I almost gave up on him too, because he had a lot of issues. |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | Silly Filly - 2015-05-28 9:13 AM I have a gelding that would not turn to the right, even at a walk, it was a fight. You could go left all day. Injected his sacariliac, and he's awesome now! I almost gave up on him too, because he had a lot of issues.
that's exactly how this gelding is. Won't even flex with a halter |
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 Thick and Wavy
Posts: 6102
Location: Nebraska | I agree with what others have said and will add check teeth as well. |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| On the flightily thing. We had owners purchase a mare and she was flightily as can be hard to catch and pin her ears at you 24/7. The person they purchased her from said she was mare-ish and they kept her on a shot for mare issues but her behave was still very mare-ish New owner continued with the shot and the mare's bad attitude continued as well...flightly and hard to catch. The owners have been struggling to get her sound for 2 years now. They finally fixed her ulcers and had surgery to remove a chip, gave time off for bowed tendons in both back legs, and the mare has quit all those mare-ish issues. No telling how long she was in pain. She was in pain so long ppl thought the flighty and pinny eared stuff was her attitude. Its been a year and she's a completely different horse that she is finally sound and out of pain. Oh and even with all her issues she had she's still a top super show mare! Oh yea and she doesn't need any moody mare meds anymore!
Edited by astreakinchic 2015-05-28 9:21 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 333
| check for wither pain. |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | powerstroke power - 2015-05-28 12:44 PM check for wither pain.
We had checked that. I shim him currently because just about every saddle I've put on him...doesn't fit. I have a double j roping saddle with a 7" gullet, that is shimmed and used with a 1" pad.
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Maybe something in his neck or neurological? I had a lameness guy look over my gelding last week (different issues than you are listing) and was flexing his neck and found that he seems to be little bit stiff in on direction and those were some options he told me to keep in mind. It has never been an issue before (and he even flexed great for me last night) so I opted not to do neck x rays just yet... but I am going to have to keep an eye on it. |
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  JMHO
Posts: 1869
Location: Oklahoma | You may want to also try a treeless saddle if you can borrow one. It's made a world of difference with my high withered gelding. He is so much happier with the treeless. |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | here is an update:
I rode him yesterday in the arena....he does absolutely wonderful to the left, and will lope a large circle to the right. But continues to stop, and back when asking to turn first. I called the vet and going to get him in. I don't believe it's ulcers, don't think it's teeth as I didn't feel any sharp points......he has 2 large ugly scars on his right side....not sure if there is nerve damage or what. Hope the vet can figure this out. He is going to be a cool dude once he stops hurting.
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 Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
Location: Finally horseback again.... | hoofs_in_motion - 2015-06-01 8:21 AM here is an update:
I rode him yesterday in the arena....he does absolutely wonderful to the left, and will lope a large circle to the right. But continues to stop, and back when asking to turn first. I called the vet and going to get him in. I don't believe it's ulcers, don't think it's teeth as I didn't feel any sharp points......he has 2 large ugly scars on his right side....not sure if there is nerve damage or what. Hope the vet can figure this out. He is going to be a cool dude once he stops hurting.
In regards to this comment.
It will not be the sharp points that cause you an issue.
A horses molar tables and incisors MUST be at the correct angles for the horse to be able to turn, flex, ect.
You could have something as simple as a protrusion on the lingual side of his molar table causing him to not be able to have lateral excursion. Or you could have a wedge on the incisors.
Trust me, there are MANY MANY MANY things in the mouth that can cause a horse not to be able to turn. It isnt just sharp points that cause issues.
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Ditto to the teeth. His jaw has to be able to move back and forth. It might be catching. Will he bend for a carrot?
Mine me was kind of stiffening up on the right side and kind of agitated. He ended up having a lesion on his knee...not quite a chip. Finally injected the knee and he's so much better now. The other day he willingly gave me his head and was loping a nice quiet circle. This is also after he got his hocks and SI injected. I hope it's not a soft tissue thing! Let us know what you find out!!
Edited by hammer_time 2015-06-01 7:11 PM
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 Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | Oh, I feel for you, if that's all you have to go on is that he won't turn right. If only they could speak English!
Probably not this, but I should mention it just in case. Could it be his eyes? |
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 Expert
Posts: 1218
Location: South MS | hoofs_in_motion - 2015-05-28 8:28 AM I've just about given up on this gelding. I traded my finished mare for this gelding, was not disclosed his issues....he is flighty, didn't like to be caught in the pasture, was skinny, and beat badly in the feedlot. Fast forward to now, he's fat, slick, can catch him now, rides great.....but will not, and I absolutely mean will not "give" to any pressure on the reins to the right side. He fights me, and will back instead of turn, even if I give leg pressure on the outside asking for the turn. It's affecting the pattern. He turns great on second/third barrel, but first...forget about it. ETA: he also had EPM and was treated for it.
I had the chiro out in march and adjusted him. We thought maybe that was the issue. Well it doesn't seem to be getting any better. he has scars on his right shoulder, and girth area from the feedlot. I'm about ready to give up. Nobody wants a problem horse, I listed him, and nothing. I've worked so hard to get this horse rehabbed and to where he is and now its just frustrating.
If he was mine I would - if all issues are checked out - teeth, no soreness, no ulcers, etc...
First check you saddle and make sure its not a fit issue making him not want to bend
Go back to basics
Get a sliding gag and german martingale. Tie him to his sides in the round pen and ask him to walk trot and lope with - make sure you dont have him too tight but tight enough him has to give to the bit
Do this for about a week - if he is naturally bending on his on then get on him and work on bending at all gates then start working on forward laterals |
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | hammer_time - 2015-06-01 7:08 PM Ditto to the teeth. His jaw has to be able to move back and forth. It might be catching. Will he bend for a carrot?
Mine me was kind of stiffening up on the right side and kind of agitated. He ended up having a lesion on his knee...not quite a chip. Finally injected the knee and he's so much better now. The other day he willingly gave me his head and was loping a nice quiet circle. This is also after he got his hocks and SI injected. I hope it's not a soft tissue thing! Let us know what you find out!!
I'm thinking maybe soft tissue damage but not sure where.
He is set to see the vet on the 12th...couldn't get any earlier because they were completely booked full. Guess I'll see what the vet says, if no pain and if it's not teeth...then a training issue I'll work on.
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| hoofs_in_motion - 2015-06-02 9:01 AM hammer_time - 2015-06-01 7:08 PM Ditto to the teeth. His jaw has to be able to move back and forth. It might be catching. Will he bend for a carrot?
Mine me was kind of stiffening up on the right side and kind of agitated. He ended up having a lesion on his knee...not quite a chip. Finally injected the knee and he's so much better now. The other day he willingly gave me his head and was loping a nice quiet circle. This is also after he got his hocks and SI injected. I hope it's not a soft tissue thing! Let us know what you find out!! I'm thinking maybe soft tissue damage but not sure where.
He is set to see the vet on the 12th...couldn't get any earlier because they were completely booked full. Guess I'll see what the vet says, if no pain and if it's not teeth...then a training issue I'll work on.
My cutting horse did this when she was sore in her hocks. Wouldn't turn to the right, would just stop and keep backing up.
You might call Heartland Equine in Tonganoxie .... amazing vets. Hit up Dr. Carlson and get in there for a lameness. They truly know what they are doing.
Good Luck! |
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | When you say Flex.. do you mean his head or his whole body or just in neck area and or shoulders to.. some just try to flex head and thats my question . can you post a photo how you flex.. even one to right.. will work.
If he will not flex head look at issues on his poll and on left side of neck.. accupuncture and time can help with that.
if its his shoulders and neck giving him trouble it could be scar tissue from the injury.. tightness and pain..
Id not blame saddle as of now since hes had a injury. YOu dont know what happened and it can be more to it then what was disclosed..
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Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | Bibliafarm - 2015-06-02 10:28 AM When you say Flex.. do you mean his head or his whole body or just in neck area and or shoulders to.. some just try to flex head and thats my question . can you post a photo how you flex.. even one to right.. will work.
If he will not flex head look at issues on his poll and on left side of neck.. accupuncture and time can help with that.
if its his shoulders and neck giving him trouble it could be scar tissue from the injury.. tightness and pain..
Id not blame saddle as of now since hes had a injury. YOu dont know what happened and it can be more to it then what was disclosed..
I guess it would be his head/neck/ area when asking for flex. I'll see about getting a photo or video this evening. I know the last time the chiro came out in march, we couldnt get to his poll because he wouldn't allow you to touch his right ear...now he does. |
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Horse won't bend to the right