I have a 9 year old arab gelding that has been showing some strange symptoms over the past 3 or 4 years and they seem to be getting worse.
He lives outside year round and basically just gets hay. If I do not ride him for a few-4 or 5 weeks, then the first time i ride him, after about a half an hour of walking, he starts to swish his tail, then he just stops. i ask him to walk off and he does but starts the same thing again.This can keep up for a while, then he gets worse, he has an upset look in his eye, stomps his back feet, looks at him stomach, and if we keep walking, he will start to kick out and then even crowhop a little.
He seems to ease up if i get off and walk him although he still swishes his tail. if i stay on he either won’t go or he tries to go faster, so usually i get off and walk home. The strange thing is he doesn’t do it again the next day, and if i keep riding regularily, will not show any symptons. This tells me that it is not a saddle fit problem.
His mother did have a problem with tying up so i thought it might be that, but the one time i had blood drawn, the test came back negative. I dont know if that means he did not tie up or that it was just so mild it did not show up. I also had a urine test done and it showed no stones.
I wonder if you have any ideas. By the way he also does this when he is hitched to the sleigh in the winter.During the times when i ride often, he is a pleasure to ride, very forward horse who likes to go on the trail.
thank you
judy m.
Sounds like he is just being defiant to me…
Just doesn’t seem medical BUT I would consider chiropractic care just in case.
