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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
  
| I agree that trying him on bute isnt a bad idea. Least you will figure out if its physical or mental.
If its mental, I would switch him to the left. That can alleviate some of the stress. I would also try getting him a job during the week. I am a firm believer in dressage, you really can work a horse both physically and mentally. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 1273
 
Location: South Dakota | dianeguinn - 2014-03-24 12:24 PM I had a friend that had a horse that sounds just like this. He would be fine practicing, but try to compete and he would run off. She spent a small fortune and finally found out what was wrong with him. He has enlarged hind suspensories, and they get enflamed and hurt him when he makes tight turns. They don't hurt him when he goes straight, therefore, the trouble with the vets finding where he was sore, because 99% of them flex them and then trot straight. He had to be put into a tight circle AT SPEED for it to show. She is heartbroken, but is glad she finally found out what was causing it....and that it wasn't her. This horse had also been on the racetrack and we suspect that the injury was there even then, and we just didn't know it because, as I said, it only presents a problem at the kind of speed you use when you compete....he can do 3/4 speed all day long and never have a problem. I would suspect that your horse has an injury similar to this, probably from the racetrack....if you've never had rear suspensories checked, you might want to do that....I'd also suggest palpating the pelvis for a separation or crack (something else that never shows until you decide to make small circles at a high speed) and if you don't want to do this, I would suggest a different career, because I'd almost lay big money that it's an old injury causing this behavior.
That is weird, I had a horse that I got off the track that made a beautiful pattern at a high lope but couldn't make a hard first turn to the right for anything. You could move cows on him all day and he never had a lame step-just couldn't make that tight fast turn. I never did know what his problem was but was heartbroken cause he was such a fun, honest horse. I was really looking forward to hauling him. | |
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Member
Posts: 25
Location: siberia it seems | I had a horse with similiar anxiety in a speed situation. He had a chip on a vertebrate and another mare that was calm as the day is long, only showed anxiety at the gate, ended up having kissing spines. I know its frustrating, I hope you figure it out | |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| A few things
You say the horse was hurting on circles. This tells me the horse is sore, did the vet block, flexion text, X-rays and ultrasound.
You say your horse has been treated for ulcers, ulcers can come back in as little as 3-5 days, if your horse had them once, he will get them again.
It doesn't matter if it is an alley or where you can circle, there is no reason for your horse to be on the wrong lead, you should be able to cue him to pick up the correct lead before you send him off. Especially if the horse has lost his confidence in you and barrels, this could be part of the problem.
It sounds like this horse doesn't have much for confidence, work on this, give him positive reassurance, ride him with confidence, these horses are tough to fix as they are always second guessing themselves.
Also for work outside of the arena, I know it sucks, but you need to try and get this horse relaxed, if he is spooky out on the trails, ride him through it, sit deep and relaxed. One of my good horses I hated riding him after the winter, he would spook at snowballs, vehicles going by, any reason he would spook, I still did it, and by summer he would finally settle down. | |
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Location: Tumbleweed Capital of the World | Another thing to consider is his feet. I had a shoer almost cripple my horse but it wasn't detectable until I asked her to really work. If your horse is lame in a small circle, I'd start with that. Good luck with him, I know how frustrated it can be! | |
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Lickable I mean Likeable
Posts: 3965
Location: De Berry, Tx | He WAS lame when he over reached a year ago. That has been fixed and he no longer limps in a circle. I wouldnt get back on until he was sound there. Wouldnt hr palpate sore over the back if it was kissing spine? I changed head gear today and started him to the left. It took a little bit to relax but when he did he was a 100 times calmer than he has ever been to the right. He also would sweat a lot when I worked him. He sweated like a normal horse and seemed happier if that makes sense. We only walked and trotted but I will continue to work him and keep a sharp eye out for anything that indicates he may be hurting. If he does it will go back to the vet. | |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Pain. A trip to A&M may be in order.
When you practice, are you truly gunning through like at a show? Or doing slow work? | |
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Lickable I mean Likeable
Posts: 3965
Location: De Berry, Tx | At home always slow work. If I feel I need to do speed work I will haul to an arena close by. When I first got him I spent lots of time working the alley because I kind of figured out the person that had him must have not worked one because was lost. But when I do work him fast he works. | |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| The saddle problem where he was sore in his back, my gelding was,so,sore in hismback,with fusing hock even on previcox, someone told me mymsaddle was makig him,sore was not as imhad itmcustom made the year before never made,him sore. My gelding also,had lower angles in his feet than the outside so he had heel pain you need to start with a vet. Work on what you find and thenmsee what is sore.
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Lickable I mean Likeable
Posts: 3965
Location: De Berry, Tx | daisycake123 - 2014-03-25 6:13 AM
The saddle problem where he was sore in his back, my gelding was,so,sore in hismback,with fusing hock even on previcox, someone told me mymsaddle was makig him,sore was not as imhad itmcustom made the year before never made,him sore. My gelding also,had lower angles in his feet than the outside so he had heel pain you need to start with a vet. Work on what you find and thenmsee what is sore.
He was sore in his withers. His hocks are good. He does get stifle injections and he was out in his c3. | |
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