RE: [RC] [Guest] Help with pinto/arab - trouble going down hills and more.....advice. - Snodgrass, Bonnie
Horses are very honest and simple creatures for the most part. They do (or
don't do) things for very real reasons. I would guess that your horse is in
pain, very possibly in a stifle joint although it could be a hock. When it's
a hock it's usually visable to a good eye, like your vet's. Stifle problems
can really be baffling though and your horse could appear completely sound
to the eye until put in certain circumstances. The crab-like position, butt
to one side, tells me he's trying to minimize the pain caused by bending a
joint as he has to go down a hill. Typically, if the right leg is the
problem the horse will swing his butt towards the right to minimize how much
he has to bend the offending joint in the leg. I've had two horses with
stifle injuries, it sounds so similar.
You might want to try thermal imaging to try and find a hot spot.
Bonnie Snodgrass
-----Original Message-----
From: Ridecamp Guest [mailto:ridecamp-moderator@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2002 1:59 PM
To: guest@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [RC] [Guest] Help with pinto/arab - trouble going down hills
and more.....advice.
Louisa Pierce Louisa_Pierce@xxxxxxxx
My 5 Y.O. (6 in May) pinto arabian gelding has had difficulty traveling
downhill since I bought him at 3.5. My vet, masseuse and chiropractor could
find no physical reason for his reluctance, so we assumed he just needed to
develop balance and gain confidence.
After a year of dressage training, longlining (2xs a week) and LSD work, he
has not improved. All the trainers give me the same opinion, he seems to
be protecting him self (wont or can't give his back) I am hoping someone
here
has had a similar experience and can offer me some guidance and possible
explanation.
He is a very well behaved and willing horse who loves to work. But when we
come to the top of a down hill slope, not matter how steep, he stops and
wants to turn around. He will then go down at a slant. usually he is
tilted so his right hind is forward, but not always.
He feels like he is afraid. He will do it, but with difficulty. It seems
to
be easier for him to trot than walk downhill. After riding for a bit, it
seems
to get easier for him, then as he tires he has a very hard time again.
And after a trip we were just on that was quite hilly, the second day he did
not
want to go down the first hill we came to at all. He stopped and spun
around and
tried to back down. Any ideas?
He does this on the way home as well as on the way out, only acts like this
at
a downhill. I do not think it is a training issue at this point, he really
seems to be anticipating discomfort with the thought of going down hill.
Does anyone have any ideas? As I said vet and Chiropractor find no physical
problem. I could have x-rays done, but would like to try and determine
where his pain is first somehow. thank-you for any advice.
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If you are an AERC member - PLEASE VOTE in the upcoming By-Laws
Election!!!! (it takes 2/3rds to tango!!)
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