Horse throwing people off - advice pls

[l0008a]

Needing advice for a jumper tossing riders when asked to use herself while cantering to the right.
The horse has had X-rays, ultrasound, full body bone scan, gut checked, ovaries looked at, hoof angles are great, and is currently on hormones. No significant vet findings. Vet has tried injecting SI, back, hocks, stifles, and pasterns. She is 100% sound.
From a rider/trainer perspective, the horse is well muscled and moves well. Only concern is the horse shaking her back when the saddle and saddle pad are being placed. Saddle fit is great. Saddles and pads have been changed and behavior has remained. The horse displays discomfort on the lunge cantering to the right as well, swishing tail and occasionally bucking. She is less balanced going to the right.
Can’t quite figure out what is going on. I’m betting it’s a pain issue due to it being very specific timing in terms of gait and direction. Unfortunately she has injured several people. The general suggestion has been to send her to a cowboy or get rid of her, but I’d like to figure out the root of the problem and get back to competing.

Edit: Her perfected “move” is to jump into the air, slam down on her front end, then spin to the left.

[paintedpennypony]

I am really interested to hear other’s takes on this. Would turning her out for 6 to 12mo be an option? Maybe there is something being missed that Dr. Green could heal, plus the mental reset of time off to help her settle before this pain behavior becomes learned behavior

[Scribbler]

When it’s this specific it has to be pain, and sending her out to be “cowboyed” into working through the pain is highly unethical.

I too think a year on pasture is the only real treatment option left.

[luvmyhackney]

Something isn’t right. Have you had a good, I mean really good chiro and body worker look at her?

I’d look at sore SI and/or back, possibly nerve pain somewhere.

[l0008a]

She had several months off and continued the behavior unfortunately. I’d be very interested to look into nerve pain. My hunch is it’s her back.

[paw]

Time off may not be the right option. How is she at the walk? The trot? Lateral movements at walk and trot?

It quite well could be something physical, but correct stretching and strengthening might be in order. It’s important to make sure that the work at the walk and trot is good and balanced.

A body worker (chiro or massage professional) might be able to help, too.

[AnastasiaBeaverhousen]

It appears that the neck has not been checked.
What’s her breeding. TB? WB?
What’s her age?
She might have issues with C6 or C7
Could also be arthritic changes.

[starsandsun]

I think it’s clear she is telling you she is in significant pain, and I applaud you for seeking answers that don’t involve a cowboy.

What can she do? Can she lunge to the right without tack? Is she comfortable doing that? Has she had neck xrays? Did the bone scan show anything?

Is she overweight?

[FjordBCRF]

@AnastasiaBeaverhousen

It appears that the neck has not been checked.
What’s her breeding. TB? WB?
What’s her age?
She might have issues with C6 or C7
Could also be arthritic changes.

Im curious about neck diagnostics too. And what all was x-rayed?

[bingbingbing]

(post withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 24 hours unless flagged)

[CBoylen]

What happens if you start blocking from bottom to top and try everything on the right lead? I assume you’ve done that? I would also try a Robaxin trial or Bute trial or both.

[Jo]

What X-rays were done? Thinking specifically spine (kissing) and the C6/7.

Also, I have a mare who will totally throw a fit if a perfectly fitted saddle is not to her liking… As asked, how is she without the saddle? Or with a different saddle?

[Equibrit]

If you have a University Vet School close by that does nuclear scintigraphy, it could help you pinpoint the source/s of inflammation.

[Annie10]

Find a sports medicine vet. You don’t say where you are but Dr Marilyn Maler is in Ocala and she’s amazing

[Paint_Party]

My guess is it’s some sort of nerve pain, as if something pinches in her neck (possibly spine) and causes a sharp, electrical type pain when she is asked to bend to the right, when cantering to the right. The fact that after exploding she spins to the left sounds like she’s attempting to self-correct the movement (bending right) that’s eliciting the pain.

I think your only hope is to take her to a major vet clinic or university setting where they can do something beyond xrays and scans. Perhaps thermographic imaging? That will find inflammation and altered blood flow in the neck.

[hillary_again]

How long has this been going on?

[endlessclimb]

Per the first post, horse has already had full body nuke scan.

Id be xraying neck. Id imagine this is a nerve twinge that only hits when shes asked to bend a certain way with a rider up.

[Marla_000]

OP says it happens on lunge with no rider up.

[endlessclimb]

I should have been more clear. The more violent reaction is exacerbated by the rider’s weight. The physical aspect of it is present at all times, but the airborne launch/prop/spin is from the weight of the rider.

It’s clear to me this is physical. Trying to find it is the infuriating part, when OP has already done a lot. I’d be looking for set bone spurs that could be interfering when on a right bend - I say set because if they were active they should have lit up on the bone scan. Her immediate spin back to the left shows that “right hurts”.

[Paint_Party]

@endlessclimb

Her immediate spin back to the left shows that “right hurts”.

Exactly this. Very telltale.