Horse throwing people off - advice pls

[risuenaVT]

Did you have bloodwork done to check for Lyme and EPM, etc? I assume so, because I personally consider that to be part of a basic work up, but just in case…

My guy never got to the point of throwing people off, but he did get to the point of balking and threatening to buck when asked to canter left. If we were going left and I asked for a counter canter, he was fine. He was fine walking and trotting, he was fine cantering right. It was just cantering that one direction.

He had lyme disease. Even after treating the lyme, it took us a while to get his left lead canter back (partially because I’d learned bad habits), but we got there eventually.

Absolutely no guarantee this is your issue, but just in case it has not been explored, I’d check for Lyme.

[CHT]

Have you tried Gabapentin (for nerve pain)?

Is she in private or group turn out?

Have you thought about taking a year and doing something completely different like trails or liberty work? Have you ever tried ponying her and see if she acts that way (without the weight of the rider or the constant turn of a circle?)

[l0008a]

Vet comes tomorrow and I’m going to ask for this to be done!

[l0008a]

I have not but that’s another good option.

[fivestrideline]

Gabapentin really helps my KS horse. My money is on spinal issues for your horse - that one spot may be bothering her more than you’d think. And you may have neck and rib involvement. Our understanding of KS and similar issues right now is that they cause “zingers” of pain - everything is fine until they tweak it just right and then it’s like getting hit with a cattle prod right to the spinal cord. Excruciating. And the horse likely doesn’t understand WHY or how exactly to avoid it, unlike an abscess or something localized they can limp off.

Unfortunately, painful KS or neck type stuff may not show up on a bone scan if it isn’t inflamed but rather pinching the cord. A myelogram (probably spelled that wrong, it’s early) might be clarifying if they can trigger the response.

Just a word of caution: your horse is already dangerous. Not malicious, but dangerous. If this is neuro or spinal, it tends to suddenly get much worse one day. Even if you retire her, please do so where someone will see and handle her daily - someone with enough of an eye to notice if she’s coming in with a few scrapes from falling in turnout or is becoming clumsy.

[skip99]

I’d throw out there trying misoprostol to rule out hind gut issues. Anecdotally I have noticed and heard from others that the right side is more impacted by hind gut issues. My own mare’s right lead disappeared (she was trying to be polite by simply saying nope, most of the time) and came back after a couple of days treating the hind gut. Given the long term previcoxx it might be worth a shot.