Can’t wait for an update from this week! Hope it went swimmingly. I actually just talked to my trainer last night and my bucket list item is a possibility if it fits into the rest of the schedule 
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Well gang, I have good news, and I have bad news.
The bad news – I scratched from every single class I had entered with Poe. He got the grounds and schooled like a champ but, later that afternoon, was kind of back sore. I scheduled him for some PEMF and was optimistic, we gave him the following day, Wednesday, off. He’d had limited turn out after an onslaught of Texas rain but I figured some PEMF, stretchy lunging, and hand walking would help. I even drove down a day early on Wednesday to be on hand to help!
Thursday rolled around, and I was nervous. He got a good stretchy lunge to warm up his back and the pro hopped on and Poe was essentially unridable. Every bad habit he’s ever had reared it’s ugly head. No steering? Check. No brakes? Check. Not listening? Check. I asked the pro to dismount and we went straight to the vet onsite, who happens to be part of our normal vet’s “ecosystem” so had all his records on hand.
$1100 and I walked away with an exceptionally sound horse who had a very sore back, treated with a round of shockwave therapy, and a middling case of fungal dermatitis. The vet agreed with my theory about limited turnout and back pain, and agreed we should get the saddle fitter out following the show. She was optimistic he’d be ready to ride the following day, Friday, which would be our last spate of classes in the Low Adults.
Friday morning, I (a naturally cynical person!) came with a smile on my face and ready to embrace the day. His back palpated with no soreness, he still got a nice warm up lunge, he seemed chill as a cucumber. Trainer got on and we essentially faced a repeat. The trainer couldn’t get him to turn right such that even with an opening rein he was still moving left and happy to walk into and nearly over the rail. The warm up ring was packed and she didn’t feel comfortable schooling him further in such a high pressure environment.
Even once she dismounted, his back was fine. I’m assuming he was acting out in anticipation of pain, but the problem boils down to the fact that his brain essentially turned off. He was no longer a willing partner but rather belligerently acting out in response to every request.
Candidly, at this point, I have no idea what to do with him. I have worked so hard and I am just so frustrated – it feels like all the progress we’ve made has reverted and if it were just pain, that would be understandable. But it’s his attitude. He doesn’t do it all the time but when he’s decided he’s done, he simply shuts down. My personal horse goals don’t revolved purely around showing, of course, but I’d like a willing partner with which to approach those goals and that’s the hang up.
My instructor, who specializes in Thoroughbreds, has kindly broached that perhaps it’s time to part ways with Poe. That perhaps he’s not the best fit for the future because she can’t guarantee we can work through his attitude and his “throw everything but the kitchen sink” tantrums. At this point, I can’t help but feel she’s right.
I have done so much to do best by this horse and I feel like I’m giving 70% and he’s not even giving me 30. I just don’t know what to do.
The only good news of the weekend? A kind barnmate offered me her fancy warmblood import, one that I could never in a million years afford, to ride in a flat class. Out of 27, we placed 8th. I’ve never been happier to snag a ribbon. She’s also floated maybe leasing her fancy horse if I need a mount. Certainly food for thought.
I’ve cried a lot this weekend, I feel guilty and disappointed and, frankly, heartbroken. I’m open to thoughts and feedback but just right now want a glass of wine and maybe another good cry.
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Oh, I am so sorry your week didn’t go as hoped! (Also if my update request rushed you. I was just excited). I totally know where you are with a horse that just “doesn’t want to play”. It is so frustrating. I’m glad you have good friends around you and wish you clarity & peace as you sort things out. Please keep us posted.
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That 
is for hugs!
I can so relate to everything you wrote. It took me four years to finally throw in the towel with my mare. It was not unsoundness, but reactiveness; it felt like I was working at 110% all the time and progressing in tiny-tiny incremental steps, and any new thing could set her off.
It’s so damn hard, especially when you are dancing around at the bottom of the sport because of what you can afford to spend on a purchase. All I can say is, don’t feel like you have to keep trying to figure this guy out, and make sure you give yourself some self-care as you wrestle with the decision of what to do next.
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Well said!
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Nothing more to add here, but just to say I’ve been in your shoes before and I empathsize. I was in a different discipline with a different breed, but my guy’s temperamental/trust issues kept changing my plans. I stuck with him for 3 years and while he made great improvement, it was at a snail’s pace. I spent as much time crying as smiling and my trainer finally said what I was thinking. This sport is too expensive and time consuming to spend so much of it frustrated and upset. It was time to move on. The decision was hard and a long time coming, but once made, I felt a weight was off my shoulders. Take care, OP 
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That really sucks OP, I’m sorry your week didn’t go to plan. I also have an OTTB that hasn’t been progressing the way I’d hoped so I totally commiserate. The non-linear progress and backsliding can be frustrating enough, and then throw in some medical problems to make everything even murkier and it’s enough to make you crazy.
I think if you trust your trainer and she says it’s time, then it’s probably time. She’ll know better than any internet strangers what’s realistic in your situation. And if you’re not having fun or just not meshing with a particular horse there’s no obligation to keep forcing it. Moving a horse along to a good home that’s a better fit can be the kindest thing for both of you. Sometimes the chemistry or the timing are just off for a particular pair and no amount of determination will make it work.
That said, I think it would also be reasonable to take a break for a few days, let the aftermath of this show blow over, and then reassess with a clearer head. Playing devil’s advocate a bit here, but you have been making progress overall and the back pain likely had a big impact on your horse’s attitude at this show. I do think taking a horse that was very back sore on Thursday and expecting him to show on Friday was probably not setting either of you up for success. But again, if both your trainer and your gut are telling you this partnership has run it’s course then that’s probably where you should be heading.
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That’s a bummer! I will say that’s horses sometimes though. It can feel like 1 step forward and 2 steps back. Especially with younger or greener horses. They’re living beings, so sometimes an issue crops up at a competition and you have to sit that one out and reassess. If this has been a strong trend, then I’d consider that the horse may need something different (lifestyle, job, treatment, etc.).
Is he the dark horse in the photos? If so, I can see a few things I’d want to improve. I know that he’s standing on a hill at an angle, but his topline and back could use some strengthening/filling out. If I were invested in this horse I’d take things back to ground work for a bit and focus on posture and strength.
If he has KS, that’s even more important. His back and core need to be strong. His feet need to be in balance (idk if they are or not, just throwing it out there). If I were expecting this work out of a KS horse, I’d be putting in a bit more from a strength and posture perspective perhaps. I’m not sure how much you’ve done already, or how much you want to do, but that’d just be my train of thought if I wanted to pursue things with this horse.
Also, are you giving him Ulcer/GastroGuard when he’s traveling and competing? I do think some physical things are at play here. I do agree with dmveventer about letting things blow over a bit and also that expecting him to be able to show when he showed up with back pain, might’ve been a recipe for an unsuccessful outing.
Either way, it’s up to you to decide which direction you want to go in. It sounds like it was a negative experience for you both, and I wish you all the best in figuring out how to proceed from here.
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Ugh, OP, I’m so sorry. I’ve been following along silently, having my own OTTB issues (and one with KS to boot). There’s green horse bad days, and there’s “demonstrably backsore and absolutely shut down” bad days. One you can work with, one is far more difficult.
On one hand, I agree that maybe a saddle fitting and some very targeted topline and core work are in order. The dark horse pic isn’t good for judging details, but I’d definitely say he’s a candidate for some PT based on that and his behavior.
On the other hand, I really think your trainer is right - it may be time to consider moving him along. In my experience, these horses tend to be intolerant of loss of turnout and movement… I’ve known a few that simply cannot show overnight as they need to be turned out to stay comfortable. One I know CAN do it, but the owner is handwalking that horse almost constantly to keep everything loose. The horse is basically a dog on a leash during the day, and the owner is up very late and very early hand grazing and walking. It’s just not a routine that works for most hunter show barn routines (they event).
I would not give up a great barn family and doing what I love (showing hunters, in your case) to keep trying to make it work with this horse. BTDT, wish I’d made a different choice and moved the horse to a home that was already doing what he needed.
Whatever you do, OP, remember that this is supposed to be fun. And it is okay if “fun” includes the occasional week at a horse show, and requires a horse that can do the job. Hugs for you, and for your pony.
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Everyone is totally right! 
I’m not looking to make any decisions today or next week. I want to give him some down time, evaluate his back and behavior at home and give myself some space from the show, too. Nothing good comes of snap decisions.
Poe, the dark horse, gets regular bodywork and totally agree with the top line — we’ve been working on it. He also absolutely gets ulcergard during show weeks! I do feel relatively confident in saying I’ve done as much as I can in setting him up for success and although things happen (horses!) it’s mostly how he mentally shuts down that is most frustrating.
Friday, there was no expectation to show on my or my trainers end; we couldn’t even get him to quietly walk around the warm up ring.
I’m excited to get him home and see how he feels. I think getting back into a normal routine will make me feel better about making any sort of decision.
Frankly, he just might not want to be a show pony — and that’s ok! We just have to figure out what’s best for us both moving forward.
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That sounds like a good plan and a good mindset to have. He’s lucky to have you as his owner.
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I agree with him having additional physical issues. I also think of a couple horses that always seemed to be “nqr” or were hard to handle at times that when moved on to different careers became good citizens.
I do always worry about horses that get moved on. Hopefully he doesn’t have an unknown health problem and he can do well in his next home (if you do decide to throw in the towel).
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Totally! The vet did a pretty thorough exam Thursday and seemed to feel he was “just” back sore. We’ll see what some time away from the show grounds gets us; it isn’t fair to judge him on a window of pain.
Likewise, I believe my trainer’s (and the pro who rides her with) fear is that that mental shutdown, where he’s so turned off he’ll literally run into another horse or into a rail, might be too much for an ammy like me to handle.
Thankfully, between my TB-specialized trainer and my personal network, we have lots of people who’d be willing to give him a soft place to land should that be the solution we come to. This includes the rehoming org he came from who can help give him some time off riding and focus on turnout and ground work to build that top line or help me find a place for him where he can try life in dressage or even western to see if perhaps that is his calling.
If you read my series of posts here I think you can be pretty confident in my love for this horse and determination to do right by him, even if I am not the answer.
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Think you have a great attitude about this and things will work out as they should.
Am really sorry this happened at a show that was your dream to show at but there will be other opportunities whether with this one or another. You have learned a ton and gained the respect of your trainer and others that will serve you well if you chose to move on after finding him an alternative home. Might open some doors to a new prospect.
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Me too! I think you are being very thoughtful and conscientious. It sounds like you have a great, supportive, educated team behind you. It’s a tough decision to make. I hope the additional time will help you with your decision. And I admire your transparency. Conversations on these forums don’t always go in the most positive direction, as we all have different life circumstances and our beliefs regarding horse ownership don’t always align. It sounds like you have a good plan and I look forward to hearing about your future, no matter what it holds.
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Sounds like you have a great support system and trainer who are certainly more informed on the situation so feel free to ignore the following, but something that popped in my mind when reading about your recent experience with him: was this the first time he stayed overnight at a show, and is it possible he was buddy/barn sour?
I had an awesome older TB who was the definition of BTDT, well traveled, etc. but when he would stay overnight at shows he had a tendency to become very attached to his barn mates. Your description of your horse going sideways and almost over the rail made me think of this as I once recall being in big schooling ring with no fence that was within view of the temporary stabling, and traveling sideways all the way out of the ring and back to the tents. He didn’t necessarily present in a typically barn sour way (screaming, etc.), would just refuse to move forward and throw himself sideways. I honestly don’t know that we ever “fixed” the problem other than schooling him with his buddies, but since we usually just did day shows it wasn’t the end of the world. I have a young TB right now who does the same type of behavior when he gets buddy sour - for him I generally just “ignore” the behavior as much as possible and drove him forward - but it would definitely be tough in a show environment.
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From me, too. 
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He’s actually not buddy/barn sour at all! And this was his second time at these particular grounds, too. I really do think we just experienced the perfect storm with backpain and I’m hopeful some good turn out and a saddle fitting will take care of most, if not all, the behavior I witnessed.
There’s another show at these grounds the first weekend in May. If (and this all depends on him) he seems to have settled back to “normal” and is feeling good, I may take him. This show will be much quieter, as it’s not Pin Oak, but would give him a second chance at that venue.
I’m optimistic; I love the snot out of this horse and feel like he really was having a bad week. We’ll see where time takes us!
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Sounds like a great opportunity and we will all be rooting for you!
Also just want to say that I have been following your thread for a while as a fellow 30 year old adult ammy victim (
) of a 6 year old OTTB and you are definitely not alone in any of this. I had a good laugh yesterday as I was messing with my guy and our conversation went:
“You are the best boy in the whole wor……ARE YOU %@$&%# KIDDING ME???”
And then I thought - yup, that pretty much sums up life with a young horse.
It is very obvious how much you love him. Even if you decide to move on, you should feel nothing but proud of how far you have brought him along and you have certainly done everything in your power to set him up for success - there is absolutely no shame in admitting that he might not be the right fit for you at this point in time and finding him a situation that is a better fit.
And, if you do decide to stick it out with him, I am sure you will continue to figure out what does and doesn’t work for him. I have been lucky enough to be around some incredible TBs but all the best ones seem to have their own quirks and figuring those out can take time…funny story about my old BTDT TB who I showed as a junior - the first few times we showed him, he would be great at first and slowly become worse and worse as the day went on to where he would eventually just be a wreck. I don’t remember how exactly we figured this out, but eventually we realized that he would only pee on shavings (and he drank ALOT). As soon as we started scheduling him “bathroom” breaks back to the trailer throughout the show day, he was a different horse 
.
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My OTTB has been off the track since August ‘24, so not very long at all, and he turned 5 last month. He has been very chill and is enjoying life at a slower pace. So far our biggest obstacle has been turning, but he just tries scraping me off on the wall rather then running into it… that was our winter project, but only to the right, and is all but solved now. Very early on he was rather baulky, especially in company, and he would simply plant his feet and refuse to move. A tap with the whip behind my leg got him moving again, and with no dramatics.
Here is a video from our last lesson of a little canter.
IMG_7934
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