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How would you?

2K views 28 replies 12 participants last post by  Dehda01 
#1 · (Edited)
This is my girl, an Xrace horse, that has been in a pasture for 2 years without any form of training. We are finnally starting to see some results with her training, but from where she is right now, how would you work with her? :)

Also, with her back legs, she walks like a model.. Literally. One Hoof infornt of the other. Ive observed the other horses in the stable, nad they dont walk like this. Anyone else seen this, and is it any cause for consern?
 

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#2 ·
Once she is easily handled on the ground (leading, cleaning feet, grooming), I would introduce the saddle.

Once she accepts the saddle, without a rider, I would introduce the bridle. The bit might be a D-ring snaffle with two joints.

Once she accepts the bridle, I might attach long lines to the rings of the bit and do some driving as I walked behind her.

Once she could turn easily and stop easily and on command, I might start putting weight in the stirrups and eventually ride.

And though I can explain the process in writing in four steps, the process will likely not go that smoothly and you may have a thousand questions along the way.
 
#5 ·
I ride her dailly, and will also lunge her most Days. What I meen is that she has gotten a lot of muscles since she got here :) What do you een "something wrong there"? :eek:

Also, here is a video when Im lunging her a Little, if you want to se what I meen by the feet, she does it while Walking, not otherwise, and I dont have any video of that :(
 
#6 ·
Sorry for not telling you what KIND of trining I was refering to! Lol

Im working on building muscles on her. She is right now riden everyday, as well as lunged most. What Im looking for is to get hr in a good muscle form for riding. :)
 
#8 ·
A good set of conformation pictures with her standing square would be helpful. Have you ever had a veterinarian do a full evaluation on her, perhaps when you bought her?

She appears to have a generally weak backend, short croup, perhaps not using her stifles in a fully functioning way, or it may be because she might be sickled hocked ( but I would really need to see a proper picture to be sure). She is wasp-waisted , with a weak loin. Much will improve with adding a bit of groceries and proper work, but not all of it.

What are you feeding her. She needs quality protein, fat and lots of hay. I find exracehorses need much more for groceries than many people expect to put on quality muscle. But groceries are the first building block for adding muscle. Calories and lots of them. And the quality work!!!
 
#9 ·
when people say 'something isn't right', it usually means they are not understanding your original post, and since I gather English is not your original language, their may be some confusions there.

I agree that this horse jsut needs time, and good riding. think , what can I do for her in one year's time?
 
#10 ·
She doesn't quite look totally sound to me. Right hind, left front. I can't tell if it's because she's unbalanced or perhaps she has an old injury or she needs to see a chiropractor or if she's just weak and once she has more strength and conditioning if she'll be regular. I'm saying it not to concern you but to keep your eye on it.

I do see what you mean with the crossing in the trot, not quite as much but I can see it in her mechanics of her hind end. I think a good part of it is due to conformation but I could be wrong.

Horses I've usually seen who walk like they're walking a tight rope generally have neurological problems of some kind but that is probably not the case with your mare but possible.

I think just helping her develop over her topline, do some lateral work leg yield, turn on forehand, turn on haunches, shoulder fore and good basic mechanics will help a lot. It might not totally change it for a while but it will help. It takes a while to develop musculature and change mechanics.
 
#12 ·
She has an old injury in that leg, whereas it might look a bit "isshyy" :) But with the hindlegs movement, that doesnt seem to good :O Ive been concidering breeding her in a few years (Foal will stay with me, want too keep the bloodline pretty much!) but that wont be an option if her confermation (or neurological problems) cause her to not even walk properlly :/
 
#11 ·
Thank you for the video, that gave a better idea. Her backend is weak and tight. In able for her to bring her hindquarters under her, you need to do these exercises with her - gradually increasing the stretch:



Then lateral work starting with three in a row both sides is enough, as it's going to be hard work for her. You should ride hills, active walk, slow trot - this is the best riding exercise you can do to help your horse to build strength. Poles at walk and slow trot, and raised cavaletti at walk is good as well. Slow work - walk-trot transitions. I do not agree riding and exercising her everyday, as muscles need rest to strengthen and grow, and you do not want her to be sore.

It is going to take time. Best you can do is to not push her too hard. You should also massage her back, group, buttock - more precisely semitendinosus muscle, and stifle area - quadriceps muscles. Start gently, as I reckon her hindquarters are sore.
 
#13 ·
Thank you for the video, that gave a better idea. Her backend is weak and tight. In able for her to bring her hindquarters under her, you need to do these exercises with her - gradually increasing the stretch:
8 Different Horse Stretches - YouTube
Hindlimb Stretches - Equine Physiotherapy by Surrey Vet Physio - YouTube

Then lateral work starting with three in a row both sides is enough, as it's going to be hard work for her. You should ride hills, active walk, slow trot - this is the best riding exercise you can do to help your horse to build strength. Poles at walk and slow trot, and raised cavaletti at walk is good as well. Slow work - walk-trot transitions. I do not agree riding and exercising her everyday, as muscles need rest to strengthen and grow, and you do not want her to be sore.

It is going to take time. Best you can do is to not push her too hard. You should also massage her back, group, buttock - more precisely semitendinosus muscle, and stifle area - quadriceps muscles. Start gently, as I reckon her hindquarters are sore.
Thank you! For both the advise and the videos! I dont think she feels or acts sore during any riding so far :O Altough yesterday when doing groundwork, she wasnt really happy about walking over anything. Maybe Ill take that as a sign and give her some time off sadel, I might need it as well, just getting back in the sadel after many years, and riding everyday is hard on you, lol!
 
#14 ·
walking one foot in front of the other is called "threading" or at least that is what it is called where I am from. This is usually a sign of pain. They are trying to keep their center of gravity by walking in the "middle"

If this were me - I would probably not ride this horse until I had a thorough vet examination and x-rays. I would re-evaluate her breeding potential based on those results and any info on how that injury happened.

I completely understand being in love with a bloodline - try looking for foals currently on the ground with that bloodline and see how they are doing in the discipline of your choice. You may change your mind - Forever is a long time to own a horse.
 
#16 ·
Its her moms blood Im looking for, and my Hubble was sadlly her only offspring :( So its her, or nothing so tp speak. Ofcourse, if it wont bring anything to the table I wont breed her, but it breaks my heart a little :(
Her injury is verry common in race horses, pretty much, they overdid it with training, and she got hurt due to it. :/
 
#15 ·
I know that movement as rope walking

I have copied the following, from a link on gait abnormalities and moment, and think good conformation pictures might help you in determining the cause:

'Plaiting or rope-walking is a gait abnormality that may occur with the front or hind limbs. This is a bad fault in which the front or hind feet travel in an inward arc and land more or less directly in front of the opposite front or hind foot. The horse that plaits has a very distinctive movement and has a high possibility for injury. Not only may the horse knock himself, but there is also a good chance of stumbling or tripping, thereby injuring the rider also. This type of movement is often associated with base-narrow, toe-out conformation.

Problems with movement can almost always be related to a defect in conformation. With proper riding and training these problems can often be overcome. It is also essential to employ a qualified farrier who is experienced in dealing with gait abnormalities and can keep the feet properly balanced. Finally, the owner must realize the limitations that conformation or movement place on the horse's ability to perform certain activities. Find those events that the animal is comfortable with and hold limited risk of injury.'

Body Type and Proper Movement - Equiworld -Horse and Pony Informationon the internet- Text Only
 
#18 ·
I would not be afraid to breed her, IF, I determined that the rope walking was due to an injury, and not to a conformation defect.
Thus, my logical progression would be,to have her conformation evaluated by a vet, after a good farrier made sure her feet are balanced
If the vet determines that her abnormal gait is due to her protecting some injury, versus a conformation defect, I would feel perfectly okay breeding her
 
#20 ·
No, hope is not lost to breed her. I personally think there is a big possibility it is due to an injury and horse being pushed beyond their ability, as so often happens with race horses. I have seen many Trotters (or horses, for the matter) with problems, due to a way they have been started and worked. Rehabilitation has helped them to move correctly.

What you have to do is to help her to re-train her body to move properly by changing the muscle memory.

Here is a good article: What is Horse Rehabilitation?| What is Reschooling?
There is actually a lot of good stuff on their site.
 
#24 ·
Only read first page, agree her hind end doesn't look right to me, correlating with your saying she 'tightrope walks' with her hinds... I'd want a chiropractic vet or other bodywork specialist to check her out/treat her before I did too much. How old is she? How long did she race?
 
#27 ·
She is verry stale in her hinds as well as theyre verry weak. Were working a ot on that, but she has had a injury in left hindleg, and has since gotten it beeten up a few times. She has a tendency to get it kicked. (twise in December, not since)

I acctually think the walk is a lot better by now for some reason (Maybe its the building up and stretching of the hind legs?) alhough its still bad

Anyways, here is a video where you can see her legs moving from behind. Sorry for the bad quality :)

 
#28 ·
Looked at that vid. That's not 'rope walking', just very base narrow. But it appears that right hind is rather wonkier. Her croup/SI region looks rather angular from behind too, although this is hard to tell in that vid. Some conformational shots, standing on hard, level ground would probably give more away than a vid.
 
#29 ·
She appears to me that not only is she is narrow, but sickle hocked. The angle of the legs are then bowed out at the hocks because she is set narrow at the stifle. I am not sure if this is a FULLY accurate picture or pain induced. They can guard themselves into these positions too, though the sickle hocks are permanent.

I would recommend a full vet work up for pain and lameness evaluation. Particularly looking at her backend down.
 
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