back problems

Question
QUESTION: hello, i am having trouble with my horse hes years old , 15.2 and ive had problems with him through the 4 months now ,ive had his teeth done and saddle and his back done 2 TIMES!! , and hes still having problems , he keep being lazy and when i dont put my leg on , he just stops , but hes very reactive to the leg , hes still got a superb behavoir , i compete with him doing jumping and he had a fall , 5 months ago and bolted , and i fell off we found out it was because of his saddle so we got that fixed then soon after he still had problems by being tensed in the back and we had his back done , it came out again so we had it done again , but since then hes been fine , i really dont know what to do anymore , he will canter and trot , but it takes me time to get him into it , i was wondering if you could help me , he lets me ride bareback with no resitance and he dosen't react to the saddle been put on at all , but he keeps tripping and being lazy and keeps pulling on my hands thanks i really need some advice im getting so fruatrated now thanks bec

ANSWER: Hello Becki,

Do not get frustrated. Remember you have to be a detective to find out what is bothering him.
I can not tell from your letter how old he is.
There seems to be so many different things going on. By having his back done I gather you mean a chiropractor. What did they find? The fact that he fell can be major, and the fact the he bolted from pain in his back from the saddle is also major. Horses have a fantastic memory, and he has had some umpleaeant things happen to him.You have to "set him up for success", so he can build many on pain free memories.

You need to do gorund work with him. I highly recommend that you buy TTOUCH (Linda Tellington Jones)books and tapes and retrain you rhorse alowly with this method. Do not let "Natural Horsemanship" people work with him right now. Round penning and the lead rope thing that they do..(jerking on the lead rope, causing a horse to raise his head which causes pain in its body). will only do him harm.

YOu also should read Dr. Temple Grandin's chapters on horses in her books ANIMALS IN TRANSLATION AND ANIMALS MAKE US HUMAN. These people are correct in their advice. Right now you have to be careful of what amateurs tell you want to do. Force or fear is never a part of training.

Write me again.

Summersdressage@aol.com
www.MitziSummers.com   

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hello , well ,  on sunday i went out with my mom he  proformed perfectly , he jumped a double perfect and then he just wanted to canter ...... but as you ask he question about what she found , his pelvis was twisted to the left he had a twisted neck , and a stiff tail , and stiff legs (all) so he was unavailable to move then problerly but that was when i first had he out , the second time he had a tense tail and it was really stiff so she made it confortable , so she checked his whole body , to see if their was anyproblems , any where else but their wasn't .

And by the way hes 9 but he was backed when he was 6 .

As i went out on sunday he canterd perfect ,and then he jumped big and then he was enjoying himself , so i was really pleased
thanks bec

Answer
Yeah, Bec!

Yes, there is usually a good reason why horses  do what they do...we just have to find the answer.

Thank goodness that the horse had you...some other people would have done resorted to abusive methods, blaming the horse, and ended up abusing him and making him worse.

I am going to do some clinics in England either in 2012 or 2013. You have my regular email...keep in touch.

YOu did the right thing for your horse.


Mitzi