stumbling question (long)

["Karla Watson" <karla@pcez.com>]

Hi all,

 

Hope you can help me. I have a 8 yr old Arab gelding who stumbles and trips downhill when he gets tired on the trail. I have only owned the horse for 4 mos. and have done only limited trail with him. He seems to hit his "wall" and then gets very clumsy and it gets scary.

 

Background: He was owned for 3 years by a young girl who rode him 1-2 week very light western/4-H and demanded very little from him. Actually she made him develop some bad habits but I am a strong rider who is working them out. He was pretty out of shape when I got him. He has very strong legs & good solid feet.

 

Farrier said he was pretty "off" by his last farrier & the adjustments he has made now have helped him alot. He was forging (overstriking front to back) quite a bit. He said there should be no reason he should do this stumbling thing in the prime of his life and his feet looked very good considering the bad shoeing job old owner had on him. He said his legs were nice & straight and feet very strong & tough.

 

The funny thing about this horse is, he gets very lazy/tired & starts tripping/stumbling but then when he head back to barn, he gets 2nd wind and gets pretty racy going home--which is by the way "down" the hill. He never trips then when he is high to get home.

 

Is this an attitude problem? Would this horse make a bad endurance prospect? I was hoping to start training for rides in the Spring. I've never had a purebred Arabian that is like this. He does it less when riding with others on trail. Someone suggested "getting after" him for tripping but that doesn't sound like a good thing to do.

 

He is 15h. with good conformation--a pretty well bred Polish Arab. I have had my little 10 yr old daughter on him to see if the weight difference would make a difference but he still does it. I have had him in different saddles and bareback pad & the same thing has happened. My friend rode behind him & says he doesn't take small steps--that he takes long strides & doesn't look like he pays attention to where he is going. Ever ride a clumsy, leggy thoroughbred down a hill? Thats what it feels like.

 

I have been working 3-4 week in ring (trails are wet right now) with alot of basic training and dressage work.

 

He also had this attitude problem about working. He is very smart and willing but when he has decided he is tired or "done" in the ring, he gets very lazy and "quits." Whatever I teach him he remembers very well the next time (thats why I LOVE Arabs!) but he doesn't have the staying power in his mind or something. I have never owned an Arab that wasn't always "up, up & up" on the trail. On the other hand, he does have a nice laidback attitude that would be an asset to endurance rides. He also will eat at ANY time.

 

I did not know about this problem when I bought him and the vet wouldn't be able to spot this problem cause it only happens after he hits his wall on the trail. He doesn't stumble or trip in the ring only on hills going downhill and sometimes on flat when he is tired. I work him 30-40 min. on trail with walking & trotting--not hard rides.

 

Any help/suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. I don't know if I could afford to buy another endurance prospect right now & my twin daughters have really bonded with this horse. Does a horse get over this once they are in better shape?

 

Karla Watson

Portland, Oregon

(Mudville, USA)