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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342
 
Location: Alabama | My 8 year old gelding recently started having some issues, I've owned this horse since he was 2 started patterned seasoned him. He is by far my favorite horse in the barn, memeorial day I took him to a barrel race, he warmed up fine, exabishions fine etc, when I made a run on him, he stopped and just took him a nice break behind the first, smoked 2 & 3 and hustled out, I thought okay, he had a bad day,
Or was having one of his moment where he just wanted to be a pain in my butt.
Long trotted him turning the week(he's not one that needs tuning or working on the pattern) took him to another race that weekend. I warned him up and he wasn't wanting to move out in a big circle, he was wanting to eat up his front end and stay in smaller circles, I accredited it to the warm up arena being wet and super sandy and nasty (he doesn't like mud or water), well I ran him first on poles, he felt off and wanted to fight a little bit, I though well your being a butt munch today, run him on barrels pulled my whip to keep his feet moving, he stopped as he was going around the 1st, even with me whipping, just like the week before. So now I feel like a terrible horse mother and believe something is bothering him...
he has an pt to see the vet this Friday, but I'm so terrified of what it could be... any opinions or experiences, | |
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Location: WA | Has he pulled this c**p before? If not I would first check your saddle. Is it too tight around his shoulders making him fall on his front end and close them up? It doesn't sound like you work him very much on barrels, so I wouldn't attribute it to him being overworked on the pattern. I would definitely have a chiropractor work on him. Sounds like he needs to be adjusted. That's the first path I would take. (lucky for me, my vet does chiro work as well!) I wouldn't ride him until your vet comes out. I also wouldn't work on the pattern and only ride him in field/trails if you can until the problem is fixed. Time off will help him physically and mentally. Hopefully it isn't anything more serious than that! Good luck! I hate not knowing what's going on with my horses! | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342
Location: Alabama | His saddle was a custom on made for him so it should be okay, he also sees the chiro every 3-4 months so he should be okay in that department, he's never done specifically this, but he can occasionally be a little bite of a prick, for lack of a better word   | |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
 
| To me that sounds like there is pain somewhere, rather than just being a sh!t.
When was the saddle made for him? At 8 it's very possible he's just reaching his mature body and has changed shape. It never hurts to re-evaluate.
When was the last time he saw the chiropractor? What is usually out? A slip or fall in turnout or getting a little cast but freeing himself in his stall could throw him out in between visits.
Glad the vet visit in scheduled. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534
Location: Ohio girl moved to PA | Definitley sounds like a pain issue. Maybe consider getting him a massage? My best friend is a equine massage therapist and you would be surprised the amount of difference it makes in my boys. Even the smallest of muscles will make a huge difference. He could be tight somewhere and its hurting to turn to the right. Or possibly a tooth hurting him? when were his teeth last done? Good luck, hope you can figure out what's going on. | |
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