Posted 2018-05-05 11:18 PM Subject: Running up the wall
Veteran
Posts: 110
my daughters horse goes through spurts where he will run up the wall on the first barrel. He warms up great but when he chooses to run up the wall, he gets super stiff and won’t give his nose. We work on a lot of bending and flexing exercises so he’s supple. I plan to have him looked over by a vet but wanted to know if there was an area I can focus on? It’s only the first (right) barrel and not every time. TIA!
Posted 2018-05-06 6:37 PM Subject: RE: Running up the wall
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 324
Once you have ruled out anything physical, my trainer taught me a little trick for my mare when she would run up the wall. After every single ride, no matter what we did, at the end we would walk or trot to the first barrel, stop, and just stand there until she took a deep breath and relaxed. Then get off and loosen the cinch. When we made the first barrel her happy place, she started working it.
Posted 2018-05-06 7:59 PM Subject: RE: Running up the wall
Location: in the ozone
My one that wouldn't give her nose or flex ended up being PSSM2. If your horse has that or any other issue causing pain, they are going to avoid doing what hurts. Normally if a horse runs up the wall, there is pain or some sort of issue somewhere. They don't just decide "hm, think I'll run up the wall this trip". I had a gelding that previous owners said would run up the wall. I had him feeling good & running good. I also realized he had a blind spot in his right eye ... so I figured he ran up the wall on them because they never gave him the signal to turn the barrel & he had to go somewhere when he got to the fence. I gave him the body cue to turn & never had an issue
Posted 2018-05-06 8:03 PM Subject: RE: Running up the wall
Lived to tell about it and will never do it again
Posts: 5408
One I had would run up the fence if I touched his face. If I dropped my hand and just used my foot and sat down he would wrap it. I sold him, I just couldn't ride a free runner that way. I resigned to the fact that I was too old to learn new tricks. lol
Posted 2018-05-07 6:26 AM Subject: RE: Running up the wall
Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
My first suspicion is pain, especially since you say he gets stiff and won’t give her his nose - kissing spine and pssm both come to mind.
Choose a good vet who will be thorough and take videos of good runs and bad runs with you to review as well - when we diagnosed kissing spines in one of mine a video of what he was doing was really helpful.
Running up the wall
