Not wanting to Canter

[Anna**]

I've started riding Daily again slowly after her injury which has healed up great and isn't a problem.

At the weekend I asked her to trot and she swished her tail and shook her head but did trot. When I asked her to canter she just went mad swishing tail, shaking head and bucking - really not happy. At first I thought her time off has made her not want to work. But when I did get a canter her head seemed to be going right down and it seemed jerky at the front I think. Anyway I did think maybe it could be her teeth and she is resisting. I gave her a rest and then decided to lunge her without a bit to see how she went. Fine except when I asked her to canter and she shook her head and swished her tail. Once cantering she looks alright - dosn't look obviously lame. But when she takes of into canter she does seem to fall onto the leading leg abit too much - its hard to explain but like a jerky take off.

She is not at all lame in walk and trot, although a couple of times she did resist trot she is not lame in it.

So do I call an equine dentist first or the vet. After I asked for canter a couple of times she didn't resist so much from then on but I don't want to be causing her pain.

I know this is a hard one and I can't explain very well. She dosn't look lame in canter but I feel that something is not right.

Can a vet look at her teeth like a dentist or are they completely seperate?

This is all I need after 5 weeks box rest and a hefty vet bil.

[Murphs]

i use my vet to look at Ebony's teeth. At least if you use the vet he/she can check any other likely problem sources where as the dentist can't - if you call the dentist and it's not teeth you then have to call the vet anyway! She may be a bit stiff after 5 weeks rest and so may find trotting and cantering a bit too much like hard work to start off with and maybe her muscles are a little sore? Let us know the outcome as it's always useful to learn from others experiences

[Rachel R]

Hi Anna,

I would be inclined to at least phone the vet for advice. I have probably missed a previous post, but what exactly was the injury? From your description, I would want her back checked too.

Another thought, if she has had time off, it could be that she has changed shape and the saddle is no longer a good fit.

Rachel

PS - I use my vet for teeth.

[Anna**]

Thanks for your replys.

Daily had a haemottoma so was on box rest. I have been light working her since then just hacking and just started back to schooling at the weekend. I can't take her out on a hack at the moment to see how she responds to cantering then because I am in a rural community and want to stay off the roads whilst this foot and mouth is about.

I have just purchased a new saddle and had it fitted by a proffessional, could it be that the new saddle is weird to her but then again would she still act like this when being lunged without tack on her.

I will check her at lunchtime today and then if there is no difference I will call the vet and get him to look at her teeth at the same time. I was abit worried that you had to have a seperate person do her teeth but I am pleased that vets do this.

Does anyone know if horses can be lame in just canter and not any other gait. She is not obviously lame but then again she dosn't seem right

[Sarah]

hello!

HOrses can show particular types of lamenes in different gaits. For example, a shoulder injury can be much easier to spot in walk than trot. Generally mostr lamenesses will show up in trot, particularly foot and lower leg.

When Tango damaged her stifle, it was most noticeable in canter on a circle, particularly when doing hte transition when the damaged stifle was on the outside (as that is the first leg to start the canter).

Where about was Daley's haemotoma?

I think it may well be sensible to call out the vet, just to put your mind at rest. It could well be htat she is stiff and unfit and can't be bothered to trot and canter, but it may well be that she is feeling pain somewhere.

I hope it all turns out to be nothing, do let us know how you get on.

bye!

[Anna**]

Hello!!

Just had the vet out to look over Daily and look at her teeth.

And its good news!! He couldn't find anything physically wrong with Daily and once into canter he said she was moving well.

He does think that she was misbehaving and bucking when I asked for canter because her teeth were sharp. They were not as bad to put her off her food but she would definitley find it uncomfortable whilst riding which would be more noticeable in faster gaits - so he's sorted those out.

We can now get on with carefully building Daily back up to fitness.

And thanks everyone for all your advice.