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| I've got a 3 3yr old, was riding nice as a 2 yr old. had him sent off for 60 days barrel training with some other colts and he was the only one that came back and forgot how to walk a straight line. Just looking at this gelding you would think he was BEYOND athletic, but he acts like he has 4 left feet. He just isn't picking things up, i understand its still middle june and he still has time to grow but i just don't think he is understands what he's supposed to do. Its not that he isn't willing, he just struggles, sometimes even at a walk. he throws himself everywhere, every rough like. He utd on teeth and all that. No soundness issues. Even in the pasture running and trotting around he isn't balanced. I know lots of colts start out slow, but is there any exercises i can do with him to help him find his legs? anyone have any colts like this? | |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| I know everyone gets tired of hearing this, but I would take him to the vet for a very thorough exam. If he isde that nicely built and wasn't like this before you sent him off, I would definitely want him gone over with a fine tooth comb. I sure hope you get this figured out. | |
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| he has always been "goofy" even before i sent him off. i know this sounds crazy but its almost like he's trying to hard, and is confusing himself. he's not hot,he's actually kinda lazy but is always super willing, even if he doesn't get it he trys. | |
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  Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576
  
Location: ND | He's only 3, they all mature at different rates. I honestly wouldn't worry very much & if he was mine would likely just ride hills with him for a while or give him some time off. | |
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 Crazy Doggy Mommy
Posts: 1419
Location: Where Governor's make the liscense plates | I know a lady who got a ottb and he had no idea how his legs were able to work at a slow pace. Just simple circles in the arena would make him trip and be all over the place! It took time and practice but as he has matured mentally and physically he's much better! I'd say more trail riding or obstacle riding in general so he can be accountable for his feet! | |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Hummm if he were mine I would like to have blood drawn to make sure theres not something going on, this just dont sound right to me. | |
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Regular
Posts: 60
| might consider EPM. The vet can help you figure it out. Good luck
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | If nothing is going on medically really drive him up in the bridle and get him collected that will help him out, a lot of times even colts with the beginnings of a handle on them haven't really been taught how to use themselves. There's a difference between being able to get something done and really knowing how to use himself and do it correctly. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 410
| EPM for sure | |
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 Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | I had a colt that I raised and trained several years ago named Wally. He was by my dad's stallion and out of a TB mare that I had trained three others out of. The only difference was this colt was by a young stud and the other three were by the sire of the young stud. As a 2 YO this was the biggest, gangliest, goofiest colt ever. We had him broke and the guy who broke him rode him outside, through creeks, tried to do anything to get his legs and feet under him. He was just goofy, but was great minded and willing to try to do anything your asked of him, but literally would get his feet crossed and fall down walking a circle. He was a big ol clumsy colt. I thought, well, he's just 2, he'll grow out of it, no big deal, turned him out to let him grow. Get him up as a 3 YO and he had definitely grown, but was still as clumsy and goofy as ever. Still great minded and willing, but literally you couldn't lope a circle on him in a 3 acre pasture. He just couldn't get everything going in the same direction. I got a little bit more serious about getting him collected and up under himself and once I had the basics on him, I put him in a martingale to encourage him to move into his frame and collect up. Now I pride myself in putting a nice handle on a horse and getting one soft and supple in the bridle and riding with a nice "frame" so this was a big challenge not being able to get him there. The martingale helped to get his headset where I wanted it, but it didn't help in getting the rest of his body under him. He was very soft in the face, but very weeble wobbly through his body almost rubber bandy if that makes any sense. It was like riding a water bed. I rode him through his 3 YO year and turned him out again. Got him back up the spring of his 4 YO year and still no better, so I put a bit on him with a curb and a little shank. This did help to keep his shoulder within his frame. At the time I was dating a cutting horse trainer and he advised me to put something in his mouth that was a stiff bit with some shank. Being that i'm very light handed and conscientous of what my hands are doing all the time, I was able to do this and then we worked him on the cutting flag. A couple days of this and I literally had a new horse. By putting something on his head that wasn't encouraging bend through his body, he was able to keep his body under him and learn to use it by working a moving object. 60 days after that I entered him in a barrel race, still using that same headgear. I was able to back him off of that headgear and ended up competing on him in a long shank Ed Wright. Never had to touch him in a run except to finish a turn, but it's like he needed the extra stability of more headgear to keep his body under him. He made a dang nice horse and did it quickly. Here's a video of one of his first competition runs. You can see he wads up a little behind the second barrel, but I let him get out of position and commit to his turn to early, but considering 45 days prior to this we were having trouble loping collected circles, I was thrilled with this run. What a fun horse he was and he sure taught me alot! I have actually used this technique on others i've started since this colt and it's really stepped them up. I probably leave them in an o ring or d ring alot less time than most, but it works for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtDcQPJlaJU | |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| Herbie - 2015-06-17 11:46 AM I had a colt that I raised and trained several years ago named Wally. He was by my dad's stallion and out of a TB mare that I had trained three others out of. The only difference was this colt was by a young stud and the other three were by the sire of the young stud. As a 2 YO this was the biggest, gangliest, goofiest colt ever. We had him broke and the guy who broke him rode him outside, through creeks, tried to do anything to get his legs and feet under him. He was just goofy, but was great minded and willing to try to do anything your asked of him, but literally would get his feet crossed and fall down walking a circle. He was a big ol clumsy colt. I thought, well, he's just 2, he'll grow out of it, no big deal, turned him out to let him grow. Get him up as a 3 YO and he had definitely grown, but was still as clumsy and goofy as ever. Still great minded and willing, but literally you couldn't lope a circle on him in a 3 acre pasture. He just couldn't get everything going in the same direction. I got a little bit more serious about getting him collected and up under himself and once I had the basics on him, I put him in a martingale to encourage him to move into his frame and collect up. Now I pride myself in putting a nice handle on a horse and getting one soft and supple in the bridle and riding with a nice "frame" so this was a big challenge not being able to get him there. The martingale helped to get his headset where I wanted it, but it didn't help in getting the rest of his body under him. He was very soft in the face, but very weeble wobbly through his body almost rubber bandy if that makes any sense. It was like riding a water bed. I rode him through his 3 YO year and turned him out again. Got him back up the spring of his 4 YO year and still no better, so I put a bit on him with a curb and a little shank. This did help to keep his shoulder within his frame. At the time I was dating a cutting horse trainer and he advised me to put something in his mouth that was a stiff bit with some shank. Being that i'm very light handed and conscientous of what my hands are doing all the time, I was able to do this and then we worked him on the cutting flag. A couple days of this and I literally had a new horse. By putting something on his head that wasn't encouraging bend through his body, he was able to keep his body under him and learn to use it by working a moving object. 60 days after that I entered him in a barrel race, still using that same headgear. I was able to back him off of that headgear and ended up competing on him in a long shank Ed Wright. Never had to touch him in a run except to finish a turn, but it's like he needed the extra stability of more headgear to keep his body under him. He made a dang nice horse and did it quickly. Here's a video of one of his first competition runs. You can see he wads up a little behind the second barrel, but I let him get out of position and commit to his turn to early, but considering 45 days prior to this we were having trouble loping collected circles, I was thrilled with this run. What a fun horse he was and he sure taught me alot! I have actually used this technique on others i've started since this colt and it's really stepped them up. I probably leave them in an o ring or d ring alot less time than most, but it works for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtDcQPJlaJU
Similar to this we story - we had a 5 year old that just wouldn't hold herself together until we put her in a mullen mouth with a shank and made her work a mechanical cow. TOTALLY different horse after that. She, just like Herbie's horse, was so rubber band like through her shoulders, ribs, and hips that she would just loose herself if you asked her to lope a circle.
She now is a 4-H mare and runs her timed events in a hack but shows in a mullen mouth. Sometimes all they need is a bit of stability.
Good Luck! | |
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 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | That sounds neurological. If a colt isn't coordinated under saddle that's one thing, but if he can't control his limbs in the pasture I would have to investigate. | |
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