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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
  
| Is this common and how do you know if training issue or soundness issue?? I vet checked a 5 year old, had film done on feet and joints, found what vet referred to as minor changes on front left - nothing in his words to say don't buy him. Horse runs a great pattern, left and right barrels both feel great but he is missing foundation work, doesn't break at the poll, doesn't know how to flex etc. When loping to the right he is nice and soft bends, can easily lope a tight circle. To the left he is stiff, leans with his shoulder and I had to really work to keep him loping as the circle got smaller. I have a call into my vet if he thinks this a physical issue, if anything he saw in the vet check ( left front) could be why or just needs training. I am taking the horse to a trainer next week to get her assessment. I have the horse for a couple of weeks to try him and love everything about him.
Edited by rodeomom3 2016-02-26 4:31 PM
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
 
Location: Florida.. | rodeomom3 - 2016-02-26 5:27 PM Is this common and how do you know if training issue or soundness issue?? I vet checked a 5 year old, had film done on feet and joints, found what vet referred to as minor changes on front left - nothing in his words to say don't buy him. Horse runs a great pattern, left and right barrels both feel great but he is missing foundation work, doesn't break at the poll, doesn't know how to flex etc. When loping to the right he is nice and soft bends, can easily lope a tight circle. To the left he is stiff, leans with his shoulder and I had to really work to keep him loping as the circle got smaller. I have a call into my vet if he thinks this a physical issue, if anything he saw in the vet check ( left front) could be why or just needs training. I am taking the horse to a trainer next week to get her assessment. I have the horse for a couple of weeks to try him and love everything about him. Sounds like a strength issue.. sometimes when one side is easier thats all thats worked as a youngster and they never get strong on the bad side..
Edited by Bibliafarm 2016-02-26 4:40 PM
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Has the horse been checked by chiro, my guess is the horse is out of alignment |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | cheryl makofka - 2016-02-26 5:02 PM Has the horse been checked by chiro, my guess is the horse is out of alignment
I agree about the chiro, I would have him checked out befor I took him to the vet. I really belive in Chiro work  |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | cheryl makofka - 2016-02-26 4:02 PM Has the horse been checked by chiro, my guess is the horse is out of alignment
my guess too. My older gelding was just like this one sounds. He was pretty out of whack. |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Yes, vet is a chiro, he felt all over him at vet check- he is not sore or out anywhere. He was barefoot and pretty ouchy in his hard round pen. I put shoes on him today.
Edited by rodeomom3 2016-02-26 5:26 PM
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 340
| EPM! My big 5 year old was the same way. Thought it was a stifle problem, he had EPM that we caught extremely early.
I'm editing to add some details. He was having a hard time loping small circles to the left. He just couldn't seem to hold himself up and was stiff that direction. He loped a pattern okay. We discovered he was extremely weak on his left side (no resistance when you pulled on him). Treated him for a month and he's a totally different horse.
Edited by RustyLove 2016-02-26 7:26 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 340
| EPM! My big 5 year old was the same way. Thought it was a stifle problem, he had EPM that we caught extremely early. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 502
Location: United States | Great topic because its the biggest pet peeve of mine, ever! I cant stand a horse that isn't balanced, or one that dumps its shoulder. I have zero tolerance for that! My FAVORITE exercise of all time during dry work is counter arches and I i do a ton of it. I start at the walk and make my way up to the lope. It takes time and consistency but boy does that make a horse stand up in circles when they are sound and just needing some strength and correction.
With that being said, one particular horse (and this also was the same case with a friend of mines horse) had arthritic change in the knee. Once the knee what treated both horses were conditioned correctly and started riding balanced again but needed counter arch work to help them use their body right.
Sounds like your new horse just needs lots of basic training and your lucky she is so nice on the pattern. It should be easy for your new horse to learn and she will probably prefer being broke. Good luck, the wet saddle pads will be worth it!
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Location: Tenn. | Chiro would be my first reccomendation, but since that doesn't seem to be the issue I would say someone skipped a step when he was started. My husband has been training horses for years. As most of us know when starting out, most horses are better one way over the other. Like you had mentioned your horse lopes circles great to the right, however going to the left he is not as comfortable. A lot of trainers (at least around our area) get in a rush especially in the beginning, and feel as if "they will figure it out" and want to move on to the "more important steps". In all honesty though they usually don't, because the owner gets them back and realizes that they lope much better one way than the other and the rider just rides in a way that is most comfortable for them. Hopefully the trainer you are taking him to can give you some good advice on what to do to help him become more comfortable loping to the left, he will have a much more promising future that is for sure. |
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | Bibliafarm - 2016-02-26 4:39 PM rodeomom3 - 2016-02-26 5:27 PM Is this common and how do you know if training issue or soundness issue?? I vet checked a 5 year old, had film done on feet and joints, found what vet referred to as minor changes on front left - nothing in his words to say don't buy him. Horse runs a great pattern, left and right barrels both feel great but he is missing foundation work, doesn't break at the poll, doesn't know how to flex etc. When loping to the right he is nice and soft bends, can easily lope a tight circle. To the left he is stiff, leans with his shoulder and I had to really work to keep him loping as the circle got smaller. I have a call into my vet if he thinks this a physical issue, if anything he saw in the vet check ( left front) could be why or just needs training. I am taking the horse to a trainer next week to get her assessment. I have the horse for a couple of weeks to try him and love everything about him. Sounds like a strength issue.. sometimes when one side is easier thats all thats worked as a youngster and they never get strong on the bad side..
This. Most horses do what you're describing when they're lacking a foundation, and balance, and are stronger are one side. It takes a while to get the weak side stronger and get them better balanced.
As far as determining if it's pain vs training, I give them a while to improve with a lot of riding and then if they don't get softer/ better balanced i'll start looking. |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| RaschPerformanceQHS - 2016-02-26 7:35 PM Chiro would be my first reccomendation, but since that doesn't seem to be the issue I would say someone skipped a step when he was started. My husband has been training horses for years. As most of us know when starting out, most horses are better one way over the other. Like you had mentioned your horse lopes circles great to the right, however going to the left he is not as comfortable. A lot of trainers (at least around our area) get in a rush especially in the beginning, and feel as if "they will figure it out" and want to move on to the "more important steps". In all honesty though they usually don't, because the owner gets them back and realizes that they lope much better one way than the other and the rider just rides in a way that is most comfortable for them. Hopefully the trainer you are taking him to can give you some good advice on what to do to help him become more comfortable loping to the left, he will have a much more promising future that is for sure. He was broke and started by the seller, who although is a successful rider is not a trainer. Steps were definitely skipped, with the little I know I could tell not much flat work as my go to trainer calls it, was ever done with him. This horse is easy, easy on the pattern which probably made it easy to overlook the basics. The seller is the daughter of a very good friend of mine and as I stated before, allowing me to keep him a few weeks before I decide to write the check. The gal I am taking him to is very good and will be able to tell me if it is just a training issue, it is great to hear others experiences with this. Hearing "minor changes in the left front" keeps nagging me a little since the left is his weak side. Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer!
Edited by rodeomom3 2016-02-27 6:27 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 396
| I agree with all the above. The horse is young, but if they rope on it without proper fundamentals, I find that also teaches a horse to dump its shoulder to the left!!! And it is sooooooooo hard to fix. |
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 Expert
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| I have a 5yr old that I have had for a year and a half. She was this way loping to the right, her foundation was pretty weak so I worked on that did a lot of flex , bending , counter flex ect and it did get a little better. I had the chiro out which helped but it was still not coming along like I was wanting and she just acted like she could not physically get the bend and stay up in her circles. I bought a Magnawave and have treated her 4 times and she is way better now. I had always noticed that the right side of her neck had a ridge in the muscle not super easy to see unless you were on her. That has mostly disappeared now. I think her muscles were so bound up and knotted that she could not get right that direction. |
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 Member
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Location: Florida | My mother's 5-year-old mare was the same way, and it was most definitely a strength issue. She cantered beautifully to the right, but was very unbalanced going left and didn't pick up that lead as easily. She would lean way into her turns to compensate for her lack of strength. I just did a lot of left work with her, at both trot and canter, and helped her hold up her shoulder in turns/circles. It didn't take long for her to begin evening out and now she can frame herself both ways. It just takes a little time and patience. Good luck! :) |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 695
Location: Windoming | try loping squares in that direction. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| I agree with many of the comments above - One other thing, my 5 yo will get super stiff when she needs her teeth checked and floated.
Sounds like you may have found one you'll like - good luck! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | I think it's a training issue/strength issue. With proper work he will balance out and stop leaning.
When I get one in that leans I always check for lameness/sore spots just to be sure but most of the time it's just a strength problem. If you're looking to purchase him just ask about it during your pre-purchase.
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 Expert
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Location: Deep South | I also think that it is a strength issue.
I actually just went through this with a coming 5yo myself. Even though I have started quite a few colts, and I know they all have a weak side and that it takes a little time for them to build up the strength to lope a decent circle both directions. The one I'm riding now was especially bad loping to the left. Picks up his right lead fine, will lope a circle to the right on a loose rein. Really struggles to pick up his left lead, does not want to stay in a circle to the left, moreso than most colts. After a week of it, I took him to the vet. Vet said he is absolutely sound.
I'm just spending more time on that side. Loping big circles, but more of them, trying to strengthen it. Doing softening/strengthening exercises on both sides, but more focus on the left. |
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