Hello,
For the past while I've been having issues with my horses canter. Right lead canter is great, a bit unbalanced but he is currently still gaining muscle after being off due to a mild gas colic. Left lead canter is a whole different story. Basically feels like his shoulders and up are a mess. He canters a long as if he's using his neck and head to pull himself a long. Really rocking his head. It's becoming a pain when my shoulders are always hurting after. He's a 10 year old OTTB.
Vet has been out to do exams, and he passed all tests. Had the vet back out to show him undersaddle how he moves in the canter. We did blood-work, x-rays on his hocks, feet and stifles. Everything came back fine. Also did an ultrasound on his SI and that was also fine. Blocked him and he was no different. I did end up injecting his hocks and that didn't change anything. At one point I was wondering if he had a "hunters bump" but he doesn't. Saddle is fit to him, he rides in a copper snaffle. Teeth are good and he's UTD on everything. Eventually I had my chiro out and she said that his hips were out, and I tell ya his hind looks soooo much better now! I have comparison photos. That was only a couple months ago and he has now had two sessions plus a massage done. He moves better now then before. Could it be something that now takes time to change as he was out in the hind for so long and he wasn't building muscle on one side due to being blocked and so uneven?
Recently I've also have gotten a new dressage coach and she can get him going better then I can. I'm hoping that this is something that has just become a habit. I can't have a horse that moves like that in the dressage ring. He's not lame, feels fine otherwise undersaddle. It's not head shaking syndrome it looks a lot different.
Looking to see if anyone has similar issues as I can't seem to find anything online, or through horse connections I have. Vet seems to think that it's just the way he moves as he doesn't have the greatest conformation. He is post legged and is short backed. Otherwise he's not bad and a cute mover. Vet wasn't very helpful that day.
I will post a link tomorrow with a video of his canter both ways. I'll see if I can also get a video of my coach on him tomorrow as well as I have a lesson.
For the past while I've been having issues with my horses canter. Right lead canter is great, a bit unbalanced but he is currently still gaining muscle after being off due to a mild gas colic. Left lead canter is a whole different story. Basically feels like his shoulders and up are a mess. He canters a long as if he's using his neck and head to pull himself a long. Really rocking his head. It's becoming a pain when my shoulders are always hurting after. He's a 10 year old OTTB.
Vet has been out to do exams, and he passed all tests. Had the vet back out to show him undersaddle how he moves in the canter. We did blood-work, x-rays on his hocks, feet and stifles. Everything came back fine. Also did an ultrasound on his SI and that was also fine. Blocked him and he was no different. I did end up injecting his hocks and that didn't change anything. At one point I was wondering if he had a "hunters bump" but he doesn't. Saddle is fit to him, he rides in a copper snaffle. Teeth are good and he's UTD on everything. Eventually I had my chiro out and she said that his hips were out, and I tell ya his hind looks soooo much better now! I have comparison photos. That was only a couple months ago and he has now had two sessions plus a massage done. He moves better now then before. Could it be something that now takes time to change as he was out in the hind for so long and he wasn't building muscle on one side due to being blocked and so uneven?
Recently I've also have gotten a new dressage coach and she can get him going better then I can. I'm hoping that this is something that has just become a habit. I can't have a horse that moves like that in the dressage ring. He's not lame, feels fine otherwise undersaddle. It's not head shaking syndrome it looks a lot different.
Looking to see if anyone has similar issues as I can't seem to find anything online, or through horse connections I have. Vet seems to think that it's just the way he moves as he doesn't have the greatest conformation. He is post legged and is short backed. Otherwise he's not bad and a cute mover. Vet wasn't very helpful that day.
I will post a link tomorrow with a video of his canter both ways. I'll see if I can also get a video of my coach on him tomorrow as well as I have a lesson.