# Why would a horse dislike going downhill?



## Orangehorse (15 April 2016)

My horse is 18 now and in good health.  One ride we go on has quite a steep downhill, and back up again!

He always seems very reluctant to go down and I wonder what part of his anatomy might becoming a problem.  This morning he actually stopped at the top of the hill which he has never done before, but after a bit of encouragement he went down, although slowly, stepped onto the verge about 2/3 down and walked down quite nicely then.  He is fine coming back up no problem at all, although I don't force the pace.  He trots up to about 1/3 up and then I let him walk the rest.

1.  Feet?  He is exactly the same whether barefoot, hoof boots or metal shoes (has been barefoot/boots, recently re-shod).

2.  Saddle.  I wondered if the saddle was pressing into his shoulders, so had a fitter look at it.  It was OK but as his back did look very slightly "dippy" behind the withers, added a prolite (memory foam) pad, which has worked very well and his back looks like normal again, no dippyness after about 12 months of use.

3.  So could it be hocks, knees, shoulders?  Any bright ideas?  Oviously it it gets worse I will get the vet.


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## SullivanB (15 April 2016)

could be elbow arthritis, there often appears to be a double elbow moventent going downhill. best bet is to get your vet out though


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## Exploding Chestnuts (15 April 2016)

Its a veterinary problem, now rather than later, best to dismount if he is actually needing encouragement to go downhill.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (15 April 2016)

I would be checking hocks if he is fine at everything else, have a phone chat with your vet first tho x


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## HashRouge (15 April 2016)

Definitely speak to your vet. It could be one of a number of things - in my sister's horse the cause was bone spavin (hocks), in my mare it was sacroiliac pain, in another horse I know it is navicular. It might be none of those things. But given your horse is older, a touch of arthritis somewhere wouldn't surprise me at all.


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## Orangehorse (15 April 2016)

Thanks for the ideas.


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## Equi (15 April 2016)

My old loan was ever so slightly reluctant down hill. Eventually after spending 10000s on tests (saddler, vets, back people, hoof people etc etc) he had navicular.


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## JennBags (15 April 2016)

The Fuzzy Furry said:



			I would be checking hocks if he is fine at everything else, have a phone chat with your vet first tho x
		
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This ^


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## Nudibranch (15 April 2016)

Speak to the vet. My bet would be arthritis in the fronts, possibly knees.


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## Meowy Catkin (15 April 2016)

A horse I know really struggles with hills, he has issues with his sacroiliac joint.


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## Tnavas (16 April 2016)

Horses out in the neck struggle with going downhill,


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## ihatework (16 April 2016)

It could be a variety of things.
I'd be getting a good vet check done.
Given the age my money would be some arthritis somewhere


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## Silmarillion (16 April 2016)

ihatework said:



			It could be a variety of things.
I'd be getting a good vet check done.
Given the age my money would be some arthritis somewhere
		
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This. Both of mine dislike steep hills. One is 10 has an old sacroiliac injury, the other is 20 and almost certainly has arthritic hocks (never investigated as he only hacks and we avoid making him uncomfortable). The 10 year old actually refuses to go down one particular hill near home, it's really really steep and we just avoid it. They're happy enough about most hills just not really steep ones.


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## Swirlymurphy (16 April 2016)

Also check hind suspensories - difficulty going downhill is a big flag for problems there


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## FfionWinnie (16 April 2016)

Could be so many things it would be hard to pin it down without a veterinary work up. Symptomatic PSSM horses struggle going downhill too as the muscles must be more painful in that position. 

Second opinion on saddle would also be a good idea.


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## BailingTwine (16 April 2016)

Hi. I had exactly the same problem with my cob.  He was also 18 when he started disliking going downhill.  He was very very forward but when there was a hill started slowing down.  Anyway, it turned out he had arthritis in both front feet.  He had a course of Cartrophen and was back to normal within a few weeks.


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## Archiepoo (16 April 2016)

my horse was reluctant to go downhill before he was diagnosed with ulcers -it was a very gradual change . now hes fixed he will go downhill again quite happily


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## Izzwizz (17 April 2016)

More than likely arthritis somewhere.  As others have said get your Vet to check your horse out.  My older mare is 21 and has a daily bute, this helps her no end.  Younger gelding at 15 has just starting having a daily bute as arthritis has been diagnosed in 1 hock and front opposite pastern.  He came from Ireland and had tough beginnings which seem to have now caught up with him .


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## catembi (17 April 2016)

Mine wouldn't go down a steep hill & turned out to have KS.  He is 10 months post surgery, but we haven't tried that hill again, so I can't say whether the surgery has fixed the problem or not...  He also had ulcers.

T x


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## teddypops (18 April 2016)

My old pony has arthritic hocks, he's not keen on going down hills. Also a friends horse had a bad back and she really struggled going downhill.


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## poiuytrewq (24 April 2016)

So many ideas! 
Mine dislikes going downhill and I can agree with a variety of the above, which is no help to you! 
I was going to say navicular as that would be the obvious to me but think it needs a vet opinion really.


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## PolarSkye (24 April 2016)

Well - the sheer number of possible issues should be a clue - it could be anything - get the vet out.  I know you posted looking for reassurance and ideas . . . but no'one who has given you a possible answer is a) a qualified vet; or b) in the privileged position of having examined your horse.  

I hope you figure it out .

P


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## katherine1975 (24 April 2016)

I had a horse who became reluctant to walk downhill, she was found to have coffin joint arthritis and side bone. My other horse was reluctant to go down hill when her saddle became too tight. As others have said get the vet to check, it could be almost anything!


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## AdorableAlice (24 April 2016)

Tnavas said:



			Horses out in the neck struggle with going downhill,
		
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and were would his neck gone out to, a party, shopping ?

What a ridiculous comment.


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## hypopit (25 April 2016)

I know what Tnavas meant. No need to be rude Dear.


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## eggs (26 April 2016)

equi said:



			My old loan was ever so slightly reluctant down hill. Eventually after spending 10000s on tests (saddler, vets, back people, hoof people etc etc) he had navicular.
		
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Ditto this.  The first sign with my horse was a reluctance to go downhill and he would try and 'crab' his way down.


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## Tnavas (26 April 2016)

AdorableAlice said:



			and were would his neck gone out to, a party, shopping ?

What a ridiculous comment.
		
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Not a rediculous comment at all, the neck is out of alignment, pinching the nerves that travel to the front legs. I'm sure you will have heard people referring to their back/neck being out!


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## sbloom (26 April 2016)

The most common reasons in my experience are heel pain and a saddle that's running forwards or otherwise jamming the shoulder.


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## AdorableAlice (26 April 2016)

Tnavas said:



			Not a rediculous comment at all, the neck is out of alignment, pinching the nerves that travel to the front legs. I'm sure you will have heard people referring to their back/neck being out!
		
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I have, and anyone who thinks the skeleton of a horse can be manipulated needs to think again.  Certainly massage, exercise and stretching can ease muscle pain and the hi tech machines now available in equine hospitals, can identify nerve and ligament issues, but anyone who tells you they have put the back or neck 'back in place' is in fantasy land.


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## SusieT (26 April 2016)

If he is actively stopping it is time to suck it up and pay the vet to assess him - if you were sore going down hill you wouldn't be happy to ignore it - he may need a bit of pain relief or lighter work.


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## Tnavas (26 April 2016)

AdorableAlice said:



			I have, and anyone who thinks the skeleton of a horse can be manipulated needs to think again.  Certainly massage, exercise and stretching can ease muscle pain and the hi tech machines now available in equine hospitals, can identify nerve and ligament issues, but anyone who tells you they have put the back or neck 'back in place' is in fantasy land.
		
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Care to tell my horse, chiropractor and vet who worked on my horse, under anaesthetic, manipulating his neck back into alignment. They worked together to get him sorted. He was out to such a degree that he collapsed under me when the nerves were trapped to both front legs at the same time.

I drove my chiropractor around for a year when he lost his license and I saw first hand the effects Chiros can have. 

A large number of horses are out in the neck and poll, a surprisingly large number!


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## SusieT (26 April 2016)

They manipulated muscle - they certainly didn't manipulate bone ...


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## AdorableAlice (26 April 2016)

SusieT said:



			They manipulated muscle - they certainly didn't manipulate bone ...
		
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Thank you.

It is worrying the number of owners who think the skeleton of a horse can be 'clicked' into place.


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## Tnavas (26 April 2016)

SusieT said:



			They manipulated muscle - they certainly didn't manipulate bone ...
		
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Unfortunately the vets don't quite agree with your comment.

Go to this site to receive qualified information

http://www.bllac.com/equineservices/chiropractic.html


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## Beausmate (26 April 2016)

'...A chiropractor *does not put bones back in place,* but moves the joint through its normal range of motion...'


On the 'doesn't like downhill' subject, the Anticob is very sticky downhill and he vet suspects ulcers.  It isn't the only sign he is showing though.


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## SusieT (27 April 2016)

'the vets' mean that practice who practices chiropady.. and even they don't claim to be manipulating bones...


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## claracanter (27 April 2016)

When my boy stopped wanting to go downhill...it was a symptom of bone spavin.


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