Horse not tracking up at trot?

[dontskipthecafe]

I have noticed while lunging my horse recently that she has not been tracking up at the trot as much as usual.

She easily tracks up at the walk. Her canter looks pretty good in most opinions, except for occasionally switching her leads behind (vet is fairly certain that this is a lack of muscle, not an injury, and his assessment has been supported by the distinct reduction in this tendency as she gets fitter).

The issue seems to be better when I lunge her in a chambon (yes, I have a real one now, and am no longer using a neck stretcher), and worse when she is ridden. It also resolves almost entirely when I lunge while holding a whip instead of a camera, so it’s possible that she simply does not feel like it unless encouraged.

I know a fair number of OTTBs have the “sewing needle” trot under saddle early on, but I’m wondering what I can do to make striding out easier for her, or if this sounds like an issue of pain. Her vet said that her right stifle may be mildly arthritic, but this particular problem seems equilateral. He also said that her SI damage is extremely minimal for an OTTB and is probably not a factor here.

[merrygoround]

The fact that her trot improves in a rig that keeps her head and neck lowered, is the reason she tracks up at the trot, with improvement also from being more forewarn with a whip.

When under saddle she is being constrained by the reins which are not allowing her head and neck to go down and out. She is therefore hollow and not tracking up. The rider must learn to give her more freedom of the head and neck,and ride her from the seat. This will improve her striding out.

Some help from an instructor should do it.

[dontskipthecafe]

[QUOTE=merrygoround;8121109]
When under saddle she is being constrained by the reins which are not allowing her head and neck to go down and out. She is therefore hollow and not tracking up. The rider must learn to give her more freedom of the head and neck,and ride her from the seat. This will improve her striding out.[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately, she holds her head high even if I’m holding the reins by the buckle I have an instructor, and the horse stretches down and strides out best under saddle when there is a constant but not tight contact from me.

[merrygoround]

That is because the instructor is capable of riding her forward, into a sympathetic hand. Just moving the legs is not necessarily forward.

[dontskipthecafe]

[QUOTE=merrygoround;8121158]
That is because the instructor is capable of riding her forward, into a sympathetic hand. Just moving the legs is not necessarily forward.[/QUOTE]

Clarification: the above statement referred to me riding my horse. Once she relaxes (which she needs time to do with the instructor, too), she goes similarly well for me.

[tbchick84]

Are her toes too long? Is her breakover point correct? My OTTB was practically a jackhammer behind at the trot when he was fresh off the track. Fast forward a few years and a much removed from bad farrier work, he consistently scores 8’s in his trot work. It was all how his feet were trimmed.

[Simkie]

Swapping leads behind consistently in the canter fairly screams SI issues for me.

SI issues could also explain the trot work.

I would want more investigation before calling it a muscling and training problem.

[DJohn]

If you hold your reins on the buckle and her head shoots up, she is either not balanced and/or fit enough to hold the trot you are looking for. I would suggest lots of forward motion when you ride/lunge. Encourage that swing in the step.

I don’t think you really need all of the fancy training tools. When you ride her, ask her to stride out at the trot but don’t worry about the head/neck for now. That comes last. Once she is comfortable, the head will fix itself. My TBx started out with a beautiful natural trot, but U/S he would do the “sewing machine” trot. I would keep my contact consistent and push him into the trot with my legs. Sometimes, just a loose rein and a big trot makes them feel more comfortable with themselves.

It is also odd that she swaps hind leads, but that could be a combo of lack of fitness/balance.

Good luck with her, and don’t worry too much if she is new to this whole thing. She will come around with time!

[SuckerForHorses]

[QUOTE=Simkie;8122031]
Swapping leads behind consistently in the canter fairly screams SI issues for me.

SI issues could also explain the trot work.

I would want more investigation before calling it a muscling and training problem.[/QUOTE]

And check hocks.

[dontskipthecafe]

Update: Almost everything instantly fixed itself when I got MDC stirrups and changed her bridle. She hated my Micklem, which has now been sold. I feel a tad stupid for not realizing how much she disliked it. She also lowers her head and moves out more with a normal bridle on the lunge line.

But it seems that the tendency to not track up under saddle was a combination of that and my knee-pain-related tension and subsequently compromised balance.