Re: Just Lazy?

[Pat Gluckin <a1234@michiana.net>]

At 05:19 PM 4/9/99 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi fellow ridecampers, hope you can give me some hints.
>I have a 4 year old Arab mare who is dragging her feet, all 4 of them.
<snip>She has always been this way.
>So what am I looking at here? Would cavaletti work help? I am also thinking
>of taking some lessons with from a riding instructor. What are your
>opinions?
>
>Thanks for your help
>Jutta Schmidt        (is it true that they "come alive" when they're five?)

I'm not sure about coming alive after five..is that 5 PM or AM? LOL! I can
empathize with you. I have a 13 YO 1/2 Arab who drags all 4 feet as well.
However, he is worse with his front feet. Laziness is the diagnosis...but
that doesn't necessarily mean your horse has the same disease. <g>

What I have found to work are:

* more workouts varying the gaits (I do all trail work,my horse and I get
bored in the arena)

* go over all sorts of obstacles (the cavalettis will help), however, I
find that going through cornfields at this time of year makes for great
natural obstacles, plus we go over brush, fallen trees, and branches.

* have a farrier do special trimming and shoeing to allow for a natural
breakover so that the foot turns before dragging occurs. I don't know the
technical term for this but ask your farrier.

* When I ride I vary the directions and commands. My horse doesn't know
what I'm going to ask for next so he stays more alert

* there are certain times of the day that are my horse's regular naptimes.
If I mount up during one of these moments, it takes a tad longer to get his
battery charged. <g> I go easy at first but then I start to insist on more
immediate responses to my commands.

* I have noticed that there is less dragging of feet the more and better
conditioned my horse is. Even in the pasture he moves with more adroitness.

Hope this helps some.

Pat
 


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