@4horses - It was actually beautiful (dare I say almost perfect!) weather for riding, but an absolute possibility. I would still be shocked if it caused a 3 hour episode, but maybe it was a combination of everything… once again, I wish we could speak horse or they could speak human. My friends (other) mare is the same way… hates bugs! She will drive the whole heard back up to the barn if she gets annoyed in the pasture and if they’re bad on the trail she’ll march off like a freight train! What have I heard others call that… “delivering the mail”?
@Fjordboycharlie - Yes! I love hearing that you have 60/70 friend and she is riding her 30 year old! That is so amazing and I so hope that is me some day. I’ve only met a few Fjords, but they seem to have such docile personalities and I’m glad you’re finding this conversation insightful! 
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also @HighOctaine
It was a talk by Melissa Ribley DVM and was called Extending the Longevity of Your Horse’s Career. I don’t know if there’s any info still available for it? Maybe something on the AERC’s education page. Slightly off topic, but with so many rides cancelled, AERC has been hosting a lot of cool webinars if you are a member.
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@tabula rashah - I did not find anything, but I did not do a very thorough search. Thank you for passing that info along!
the old man is 22. The young lady is 3.5, and growing. I ride her maybe twice a week, and pony her once. I dont want to over face her, physically or mentally.
every horse is different though. She will be in slightly more serious work this winter. The old man is all but retired.
to the OP: I suppose a lot depends on your terrain and speed. I disagree that horses can stay fit with one 3 hour ride a week. People cant stay fit with one workout a week with the rest loafing. The concept is true for any athlete.
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Was it a choice to retire your 22yr old or was he showing signs of wear and tear? My 20 year old doesn’t act his age, is an easy keeper, always gets complimented at his checkups, and usually out walks the groups we ride with. I figured we had at least 5 more years of good riding with the understanding that more maintenance would be required considering his age, but didn’t think his age alone was a cause for retirement.
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Weekend warriors are very common out in my neck of the woods. People think nothing of letting the horse sit until that big group trail ride comes around and then they do a marathon day ride or multi day ride. One thing is different than you in that none of them ride an arab. I think that in itself has kept them basically injury free for many, many years.
It may be very beneficial to your horse to " find the time" to even work him for 30 minutes several days a week. It will keep him more fit in mind and body so that when you do a longer ride it isn’t so taxing on him. Most any horse I have owned does better with consistent handling/ riding and as they get older it takes longer to get them fit and keep them that way.
Whatever the answer is , the fact that it took 4 miles of walking with him being completely insane says maybe something in his routine needs to change.
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Some horses exercise themselves more in pasture than others do, if he’s a hot Arabian turned out with a herd that moves around…it’s not like he has a desk job, right?
Do you have any large predators in the area that he might have smelled?
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I haven’t read the whole thread, but I also have an Arab with a good mind and a tendency to tell me with his behavior when something hurts, before anyone could see it as a lameness. My money is on some sort of little soft tissue something that was doing ok until you stopped, and was more uncomfortable than he could stand after you got going again. It could even be a stone bruise, instead of soft tissue, but I bet it’s going to be soft tissue.
With my horse, the silly behavior goes away and he’s back to his normal self after the pain is gone. I’ve had those walks home with him dancing circles around me for a long, long way - not fun! This is also the horse who was really rotten for hand walking after one of his injuries, and I was told I could ride him a little instead. He was miserable under saddle, too, so I gave him more time off. Back to work a second time and he never put a single foot wrong. They tell us what they want us to know if we can find a way to hear it!
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@candyappy - I hope I am not giving the wrong impression… he gets ridden every weekend whether there is a trail ride or not, but correct, no other work during the week. I don’t know where I would find time is the hard part. I have the kiddo every week day and don’t get home until 6pm as it is. Her Father’s work schedule doesn’t allow for him to do any pick ups and boarding in the city where I work would be twice (or more) what I pay now. No family in the area, either. Not trying to make excuses, but the schedule is what it is. When he had a different job I used to get out on Wednesday’s, but that’s just not the case with this one. I have asked the friend I keep him with, but she barely has time to work her two horses let alone mine. And you are right, maybe that weekend schedule doesn’t work anymore…
@Gamma - He is naturally on the fitter side and always has been, nor has our weekend schedule ever been an issue (that he has expressed to me) before, but I understand where people’s comments are coming from. I know more work would always be better for him. No large predators in the area, nor were any of the other horses worked up.
@betsyk - There have been a lot of good suggestions on here as to what it could be and I’m grateful for everyone who has put in their two cents. The vet is scheduled for teeth, exam, and hopefully a scope and I am also thinking I will look to get a chiro out as well. He has been perfectly fine since we got home last Saturday night. I went out on Sunday and he wasn’t sore to me poking, prodding, or stretching. Was his sweet, nosy, normal self. I swear you’d never know he had lost his mind which is so hard because then he makes me question my sanity!! Thankfully I had a friend there. Lol. How old is your Arab now? Is he your first? He is my first (to ride or to own) and he is unique, but that’s what made me fall in love with him. I can wiggle a finger, point, shift weight and he’ll know exactly what I’m asking him to do. I can ask him to do ridiculous tasks and he will give me 100% and he’s always, always down for an adventure! I pull out the halter and he’s right there putting it on for me… he’d rather be with me and doing something when the other horses turn their butts or play hard to catch.
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I agree with posts who say it sounds like a pain response. I had a gelding who started bolting out of the blue. It was totally unpredictable - in other words, we couldn’t identify any kind of stimulus that would set him off. He would also sometimes do it on a lunge line, or suddenly and sharply pull back when being led. We discovered he had arthritis in his spine and neck. He was getting ‘tweaked’ all the time and his response to it made him dangerous to himself and others.
It’s definitely not an ‘Arab thing.’ I strongly encourage you to get x-rays of his neck and spine. You may have to go further than that and get bone scans. Scoping for ulcers is also an excellent idea, as others have said. Good luck!
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An item to add to the Vet’s Once Over: In-depth eye exam. Sometimes there’s an eyeball issue that’s so small, we humans can’t see it but it affects the horse greatly. Jingles for your horse and hope you get some answers!
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Well, I could ride him more, and up until a really weird recent blood draw I was. He actually goes better with a little more work than he gets now, but the blood work showed he was basically pumping sludge (looked like a spleen dump?). Once I get another draw to confirm or deny there’s an issue, will decide if he comes out of retirement back into light work or not.
There’s no way he can ride like he was 10 years old though.
A horse walking around a pasture and a horse carrying a rider through terrain are entirely different things. I tend to take it slow for a lot of things, fitness is one of them.
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I’m impressed you walked the whole 7 miles back. That’s a slog, especially with a horse running circles around you.
Two years ago I took my horse to a great ride. Two hour drive. My horse warmed up fine, then started to feel discombobulated about 2 miles in. Started getting very upset and almost frantic. Turned back, hand walked him to my trailer. He was most definitely in pain. Treated him for Lyme and had his SI joints injected. Felt fine until I took him to another ride. Again warmed up fine, felt terrible almost immediately after. Became frantic – lunging and hopping up and down. Walked him to the trailer.
My horse was 21 when this happened (OTTB). I decided then that he was only going to be a candidate for light hacking and that I wouldn’t drive more than half an hour away so that it wouldn’t be such a big deal.
I stopped throwing money at the problem because while some things helped for a while, it never totally fixed him. He’s very happy going on hacks and being turned out in a big field. I think an all over vet exam is a good idea. It sounds like a pain response. If they can find what’s happening, you can treat it. Unfortunately in my case, they never totally ID’d it.
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@MorganGal13 - Thank you for posting your experience. Not that I ever want to hear other horses are in pain, but it really does help me feel a lot better that other people have experienced “out of the blue” behavior from their horses. I will be going out bright and early tomorrow morning and am eager to see if he behaves normal or not. What did you decide to do once you found out he was getting “tweaked” all the time?
@ChocoMare - My vet normally does, but I already told her I want her to look at everything; every nook and cranny! Appreciate the input and well wishes.
@endlessclimb - Like sludge! How scary to see if it was unexpected! Fingers crossed for the next draw.
@Bogie - Ha! yes, a slog indeed… but, what was I to do? Certainly couldn’t ride him back, couldn’t leave him there (although I can’t say I wasn’t tempted a time or two!)… so… we slogged. And slogged. And slogged. Lol. To be fair to him, he was only running circles for 4 miles. I’m sorry to hear they were never able to pin point the cause of pain for your gelding. It’s hard when they can’t say and we can’t find out, but if he is doing well and happy that sounds like the best case scenario. Cheers to many more years with the seniors!
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I have my horses at home and didn’t ride except for “randomly” when my kids were little and home with me, so I completely understand and was not meaning to make you feel bad.
I don’t see you making excuses , there are only so many hours in a day and job and family needs come first. Hopefully this was a random issue for your horse . My mare had an issue like this once and never again , so it is possible.
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I wish I had a magic conditioning bullet! It sounds like you are very much doing the right thing getting the vet out, and I hope your vet finds a source of pain or discomfort you can address!
I don’t know if there’s an answer for those who have to be weekend warriors, it’s just like endlessclimb and others said, there are indicators in your situation that there may be a pain issue going on, and perhaps the approach to riding may no longer suit your horse as he ages. Or maybe the vet will find something that will allow him to go back to your style/schedule of riding. As for me, I probably wouldn’t do multi day rides on the weekend with no conditioning through the week, but that’s just me. (I know I wouldn’t survive it, in any case! lol)
Many best wishes and jingles for you and your horse.
@candyappy - I did not take it that, but I appreciate the reassurance. It did make me reminisce when it was easier, though. He’s my Dude and we fought hard for our relationship and I miss having more time! Fingers crossed and hoping and praying it was random or something fixable! If not… well, he’s still my Dude anyway.
@Rallycairn - Thank you! This brings back a question I had asked earlier in the thread… I had been riding my horse every weekend (either at home, but mostly out on trails) consistently since May. My friend rode her horse maybe twice a month, but worked her for 30 minutes 5 days a week for 2 weeks (only at home). Her horse is 18 and overweight (we call her Fatty Abby) and mine is 20 and lean/“fit”. In this case, which horse is truly more conditioned? Obviously, neither are ideal scenarios, but I am honestly very curious what is considered to be the better approach: [LIST=1]
The half hour every day is better not just physically but mentally.
I chose my signature because it is the secret to horse training. Study the figures and understand what they mean.
It is better to ride 5 minutes a day than it is to ride 35 minutes on a Sunday.
I can give 2 anecdotes on horses who taught me this was true.
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I find completely the opposite. I can’t imagine the point in tacking up for 5 mins, that’s not even enough time to get your horse’s muscles warmed up
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