# Does going disunited always mean there's a problem



## soulfull (15 April 2013)

As title really
Just wondering if  a horse that has done say  a couple of months cantering which included getting over going disunited. Then had a 3 week lay off (cough and ulcers) and comes back going disunited even on the lunge
What I'm hoping is that it doesn't always mean there is a problem that some horses get over going disunited without having a future related problem


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## PolarSkye (15 April 2013)

Interested in the answer to this . . . 

P


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## be positive (15 April 2013)

I would be concerned if a horse was going disunited a fair amount of the time if he is otherwise balanced, lunging is not always a great guide if they tend to rush, get unbalanced or generally take the p** but if it is consistent both ridden and lunging I would want to be looking into the reasons. 
The ulcers could be pain related, a symptom of an underlying problem, it could be that the ulcers made cantering difficult and that once confident he longer hurts the disuniting will stop.
Have you had him checked by a physio, I assume a vet has seen him recently due to the ulcers and has ruled out anything obvious, you have not owned him for that long, is he due for a tweak to the saddle fit or possibly even a different one as he matures, it may be that he has muscled up and it needs adjusting.


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## Goldenstar (15 April 2013)

No not always, if say if a big weak young horse lands disunited jumping or disunites on corners as it falls out it just disappears with training and increased physical development.
But persitant cantering disunited and striking off disunited all the time  indicates something needs sorting it may be a training issue or a physical problem but you need to get to the bottom of it.


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## AdorableAlice (15 April 2013)

The HW maxi cob we bought last summer (6 and badly schooled) could not canter left under saddle and always went disunited if she managed to fall into canter at all.  We did have a number of moments thinking we had bought a lame horse.

I watched her at liberty, no problem and flying changes for fun.

We took her back to basics and finally realised her trot was the problem.  In her previous home she had been hurried into a flat out trot and then allowed to fall into canter.

Hours and hours of transitions in walk, halt, trot and getting the weight in the hind end finally produced the balance and power to ask for canter.  She had a light bulb moment and established canter on both reins.  She cannot keep it for more than one lap of the school but does not disunite anymore but is going to take a very long time to get her balanced enough to start a competitive career or even just be a nice ride.

If the OP's horse is weak/poorly started or young it probably is an education and balance problem.  If it's a problem emerging in an established horse, more likely a physical issue that needs delving into.


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## chestnut cob (15 April 2013)

Mine has a tendency to get disunited sometimes, only usually on the right rein and it's always if the trot-canter transition is rubbish (if the trot wasn't good enough) or/and he rushes.  He's pretty green and still thinks canter is THE most exciting thing that could EVER happen to him, so tends to want to bomb off which does sometimes result in him being disunited.  Or he leaps off into canter, takes off with both hind legs at the same time, bunny hops and gets disunited.  It came up in the 5 stage vetting and my vet said she felt it was simply a schooling issue.  Now he's done a bit more and is a little more established, it happens rarely and really only when he's being a bit silly and not listening properly.  When the transition into the canter is good (he's learning walk to canter now, which always gets a better trans and pace), he doesn't do it.  His canter generally is becoming more balanced now so if I feel him begin to get a bit unbalanced, he just needs rebalancing or a change down to trot.  If I don't do this then he sometimes panics a bit and disunites.  But I genuinely don't believe it's anything physical as the stronger and more established he becomes, and the more he learns/understands what is required, the less he's doing it.  FWIW he also struggled with canter on one particular rein far more than the other, and at one point could only get the correct strike off on that rein maybe 30% of the time (that's the rein he'll go disunited on).  Yesterday was our first schooling session with 100% correct canter strike off on both reins, and no disuniting/ panicking at all.  

So... in his case it is a schooling issue, but I did have the physio out to check him thoroughly and discussed it at length with my vet before I bought him.


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## Andiamo (15 April 2013)

Mine is always "united"...but a few months ago, he started going disunited in his transitions - from trot to canter and canter to trot on both reins - on the lunge and ridden. I tried jollying him up, thinking it was him trying it on, and although he did try and it improved a bit, it was obvious there was an issue, although he did not appear lame. Being disunited was completely out of character for him. 

So, I got the osteopath out, and after checking him over, said his pelvis was out of alignment. He then gave him an adjustment, and told me to give him a couple of days off. Treatment on the Wed evening. Thursday he was quite sore when I walked him in hand, Friday the same. Saturday - completely back to normal again, completely "united again", and no further issues since. 
The timing of the "disunited" behaviour fit it with hearing he'd been cast in his box a few days earlier...

Good luck anyway.


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## Tonks (15 April 2013)

Ummm.....tricky one and one that I am struggling with at the moment also.

I bought a very green, young and big ISH that had the most amazing trot but his canter was weak and he would disunite most of the time.

I'm not sure whether [at the moment] there is an issue - but his canter didn't really improve last year to which he had a couple of months off due to a sore back which vet/physio thought was saddle fitting problems due to asymmetry.

I have now had him back in work for the last 6-8 weeks but as he's big, not balanced and not straight in walk, trot or canter I have concentrated upon forward, straightness, strength and balance in walk and trot to include lateral work and 'small steps', so to speak. Just started canter work and I must say that today, he has come on leaps and bounds and stayed united but early days as they say.

So, the answer is maybe....maybe not. I think you have to take each individual case separately and work through list of symptoms to work out if perhaps it's an issue with soundness or perhaps an issue with straightness and asymmetry which may inhibit a united canter.


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## Equilibrium Ireland (15 April 2013)

No not always. Something my vets and chiro's laid my mind to rest on. Proper work and build up. Not going the gadet routine either. Also don't let them get panicky about it. Long story but my mare got worse because she feared rider's reaction. Again not for this board and too long. Yes he wasn't her rider for long. Anyway if they aren't strong enough on the lunge more building up. If they hold it great. When getting dis org, bring back. Same under saddle. My big long mare always picks up the lead but corners were her problem. Then she panicked. Long time to sort. Also canter in a straight line out in fields and hill work! 

Terri


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## soulfull (15 April 2013)

Bp.  Saddle and chiro done in last 10 days. Although after falling he is having chiro again Friday
I am too thinking along the lines of ulcer used to hurt when he cantered.  He then panicks making it worse.
Very interesting a few of you have also made the connection between going dis united and panicking
This has given me less cause for concern (for now anyway)
So thanks everyone


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## Equilibrium Ireland (16 April 2013)

I did have a variety of work ups on my mare. The last time my vet was here I told him to come and inject her SI joint. When he was palping her and doing all the lamness work ups he could not get her to react to anything pain wise. Him and my chiro were in agreeance on needing strength. Also this particular mare was on gastro gard as a 2 yo and has continued on a stomach buffer. She got herself into a variety of situations before she was ever under saddle and we just went ahead and treated for ulcers. You wouldn't believe the near death experiences I've dealt with with her! Once she started in work it gave her focus and life got much easier!

Terri


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## soulfull (16 April 2013)

Terri. She sounds like a right little character   Emil is always getting in scrapes. Not sure why cos he is very laid back. Must just be mischievous


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