# My horse has just stopped jumping? Any advise??



## Lorian (6 May 2008)

My horse has just turned 18 years old and he is an arab but recently he has just stopped jumping? 

The last few years he has been great at jumping and we have been doing 2'9 xc and sj and he loved it.  I went to a xc clinic on 19th April and to start with he was brill but then we jumped a massive 2'9 - 3' roll top and he took off on a long stride and any jump after that he was reluctant and stopped but I got him to jump them in the end, unfortunatley then he went to jump another smaller roll top, went to take off but put his legs on the jump and i fell off. I got back on and jumped it tho.
Anyway, since this he has jumped in the school at home but he wont jump anywhere else. I took him xc schooling again and he jumped a few but not others and the height didnt matter, he'd jump some big ones but then not other small ones. I went SJ yesterday and he jumped a few but not others, even on a perfect stride he would stop.  Hes not a naughty horse normally, its wierd he jumps some but not others and its not like him?  Also he has been hesitant about loading?
He is on glucosamine but not cortaflex.  Do you think a visit from the vet might be a good idea to get him checked out for arthritus, bone spavins etc?  He trips occassionally and always stands resting the same hind leg, even if it means he stands on 2 legs when he lifts the diagonal front one. (if that makes sense)
The leg he always rests also has a throughpin on his hock (pic below shows how he stands)

Sorry for long post but I wanted to give all info so you guys could suggest or advise what you would do? 
	
	
		
		
	


	





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## saskia295 (6 May 2008)

First things first (which we will ALL say/think)......

Check back, saddle and teeth if you haven't already. It may well be a pain issue. He might have pulled something for example. 

I'd get that done first (and not jump) before you rule anything else out. It might be a confidence issue but I'd get the fundamentals checked first before doing anything further.


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## NewHeights_SJ (6 May 2008)

Have you had is back checked? sounds like he may of injured himself. Getting the vet may help, but unless he is lame or has any obvious issues i would get a referal to have him seen to by a chiropractor or physio.


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## Amymay (6 May 2008)

Sounds like a real loss of confidence.....


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## ladyt25 (6 May 2008)

My horse started stopping several years ago and he NEVER stopped before. I was so shocked by it as he's normally very honest and genuine. We got a physio out and they discovered he had actually injured his back (probably being an arse in the field most likely!) but he had some treatment and was soon back to his old self. So, definitely get that checked.

I would get your vet out to do the usual checks though first - ie arthritic changes etc (no point getting a physio if the probelm is the hocks). I had an old pony who had bone spavin and he did still jump but I had to realise his limits and he could not do higher than about 2'9" and nothing with too big a spread.

If the vet rules out or confirms if he is suffering from arthritis then obviously take their advice but i would maybe call a physio too as, if suffering from bone spavin they will over compensate and have a 'twisting' type way of going and this can cause them to become sore in their back anyway and it's a vicious circle.

It doesn't sound overly serious as he's not refusing point blank but it does sound like he's getting some sort of discomfort somewhere (mine with the back injury jumped ok in the warm up but the minute he got in the arena he wouldn't go over the first fence)


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## oofadoofa (6 May 2008)

my older horse had a mishap xc a few years ago and he had put his back out.  I got the chiropractor out and gave him a couple of months off.  It took him a while to get his confidence back but he is fine again now.  It sounds as though your horse may have over-exerted himself.


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## GoJo (6 May 2008)

first of all- beautiful horse- so pretty. 
secondly, would agree with all the above- my horse did the same- also an arab- 17 years old and started refusing jumps and generally not looking happy in the arena. Turned out he's strained his suspensory ligament which was diagnosed via nerveblocks etc and they also found slightl arthritic changes in his hocks.
He's pretty much fully recovered now but no more jumping or cirlce work as this will make it much worse.


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## lastresort (6 May 2008)

have had this and shortly after she twisted her fetlock so they think she was building up to it.

Id say pain and get him looked over. If he is fine good so then you need to think its confidence, id definately get him looked at before you put it down to confidence&gt; I did this and then had 4 month off. When if id have listened to my instincts rather than advice she could have not been as bad??


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## Flame_ (6 May 2008)

IME there's usually a physical problem, its finding it thats the nightmare. As others have said start with teeth, back and tack checks. If they don't show anything up get the vets to start investigating. It could be anything - hocks feet, back, etc.... Might be worth riding him on bute for a couple of weeks if you want to be more sure its pain related as oppose to purely loss of confidence. Good luck getting it sorted.


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## Lorian (6 May 2008)

Thanks for all the replies guys, they have been really useful.  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 I had his teeth done a few weeks ago and his tack is all ok so I think I will get the vet out.  Id rather the vet give him a full MOT and check him and then I can be sure im not doing any more harm by jumping him or making anything worse.  
Its out of character so I think its pain releated as he is an honest willing horse normally.
I might ask the vet for some bute anyway and as suggested try maybe taking him back to xc to do some schooling (just gentle schooling) while he is on it and see if there is a difference.  (well thats if I can get him to eat the bute as he doesnt eat it if its in his dinner. lol)


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## Lorian (6 May 2008)

Thank you, yours are also very pretty too (I have to confess he doesnt normally look that clean, its only because I had competed at showng that day, hehe)
I am definately going to get his back checked too now.


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## Ziggy_ (7 May 2008)

Is it a particular type of jump he stops at? eg. spreads? if he took off on a long stride xc and pulled something stretching over the jump he may be trying to save himself to avoid pain.

He sounds like a really honest horse who's trying please despite something hurting him. let us know how the vet check goes.


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## Lorian (13 May 2008)

Yeah that could be a possibility.  Its wierd tho as hes not consistant.  When I went SJ I tried the 2'3 class and he stopped at the first cross pole but then jumped the second upright first time but then stopped at the next upright.  When I got eliminated I jumped the biggest spread on the way out and he done it fine.  For some reason I have this feeling that its a bone spavin in his hock, does anyone know if suddenly stopping at jumps is a sign of a bone spavin?

Vet is booked for Friday afternoon so we shall see what they say.....


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## Parkranger (13 May 2008)

I'd get his hocks checked - Ty is very hit and miss at jumping depending on how stiff his back end is - when he's feeling supple he'll clear 3'6" as if it's nothing.

He sounds like an honest boy though - my money would be on his hocks though at his age x


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