I have a 6 year old mare who for the last 3-4 runs has completely shut down before the clock when running into the chute. We made a run this weekend and she actually darted to the left after we passed the timer to avoid running into chute. She also doesn't seem to be firing quite as hard leaving the barrels and has started showing slight hesitation going in the gate. So obviously something is going on. Needless to say, I'm hoping to get her in for a lameness exam later this week but I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with this and what the issue was? 

scoper her breathers 

Thanks! When going through similar past posts I saw where several people suggested it could be a breathing issue. Would there be any signs that she is having trouble breathing? She doesn't cough after a run or act like she's struggling to catch her breath. I definitely don't mind getting her scoped to rule it out! 

When you are saying chute, like as in bucking chutes as in a soild wall type situation that you are running at after coming out of the third barrel going home, or is it a alley way? Is this just happening at this one arena or different arena's.. 

It's an alley way with a closed gate at the end. Sorry I should have specified. It's been two different arenas - both indoors and unfamiliar to her. But still odd nonetheless because we've never had that issue before, even in new arenas. Granted she's essentially still being seasoned. This is her second year running barrels. The hesitation at the gate is what concerns me the most and that paired with the other things has me thinking we have a problem. I'm going to try to get her to an outdoor pen to see if she does the same. But I hate to keep running her when she might be in pain. 

It could be a number of things.  I would start her on a ulcer treatment.  Aloe Vera juice 30 minutes before feeding.  60 ccs twice a day .  After using for at least a week try making a run.  If it’s better then most likely it’s ulcers causing gate issue.  Not pushing out of the barrels is either hocks or SI soreness.  Make sure if it’s hocks, they inject both upper and lower.  It could also cause the bot wanting to run back to the closed gate because she knows it’s going to hurt when she stops.  Not firing can be caused by bleeding or feet.  

It could be a number a reasons.

It's good that you're taking her to get a lameness exam. She could have some discomfort in her joints. Is she on a joint supplement (injectable or feed through)?

As for breathing, you'll notice uneven breathing and that she takes longer to cool down than usual. I'd talk to your vet for more info.

Ulcers could be one thing. If she's delt with them in the past or has mamy of the symptoms I would get her scoped, but it shouldn't be much of an issue (jmo). I would see if she is overweight, underweight, or undermuscled. What are you feeding her?

Thanks for the reply! She gets fed Purina Strategy with Outlast and I also supplement it because she's an easy keeper and doesn't eat much grain. The only ulcer symptom she really shows is that she can be cinchy - but she's been that way since I first started breaking her as a 3 year old. When I called to schedule the lameness exam I mentioned the possibility of ulcers. So I may fast her and get her scoped. Something tells me it's soreness though possibly in her hocks. 

She is currently just being fed Actiflex pellets for joints. I keep all mine on some type of joint supplement. She's been on that for about 2 years now. As far as her breathing, she doesn't seem to have a problem cooling down. She stays a bit overweight (easy keeper to the max) so that's something I need to be better with. She stays fat on air I'm pretty sure. I go back and forth with the possibility of ulcers. She can be a little cinchy and tends to be sensitive when touched - but she's been like that her whole life. So it's not something new which is why it's not alarming to me.  Nothing about this horse screams ulcers. I'm leaning more toward sore joints somewhere. 

A friends horse stoped running, come to find out he was a bleeder.

With my gelding that was a bleeder he had no symptoms/signs. He just bled out his nose one day. And he had no symptoms of ulcers except gate sour, and the scope found bleeding ulcers starting in his throatlatch area going all the way into his stomach, he was a nasty case. My vet guessed his stomach lining to be just over 70% ulcers, worst he had ever seen and was floored he was still eating as normal. For yours it really could be respiratory, gut, or joint. You would be better off going with one at a time, if you try something for all 3 at once you'll never kow what the fix was and next time it starts you'll have to do all 3 again