Reluctance downhill when ridden

[Jimbo]

Hi, just wondering if anyone is able to shine any light or maybe have had similar experience. I have a 10yr old Connie, since i have had him he is always reluctant going downhill's when anyone is onboard, he takes it very slow even just a slight downhill, he is fine in the field with no rider. It is worse on roads. He does also tend to trip. He has fallen twice on the road in walk, which is very scary. He is lazy, and doesn't pick his feet up properly. He has been checked by farrier, saddler, physio and vet but couldn't find anything wrong. He is such a lovely boy, easy to do in all ways apart from his lack of wanting to go forward. Can anyone help?

[mandmgirl0164]

Did your Vet xray his feet?

[brindlerainbow]

I would say get his back, feet and hocks checked. My TB mare started to be reluctant going downhill so I got the vet out and she had a very slight hind leg lameness which wasn't really noticeable but she had a hock problem.

[YeeeHaaaa!!!!]

I had a similar problem with a horse, she was fine then all of a sudden very reluctant to walk down hills, started rearing on the road and reluctant to school without throwing herself around. She turned out to have a rotated pelvis. You could poss get him checked by an Equine McTimoney Chiropracter?

[sbloom]

The most common reasons are heel pain or the saddle moving forwards and jamming the scapula, or even just the fit not being quite right at the front. Check to see if it might be moving.

[belfa]

My horse had been doing this for 18months or so but I figured it was because he was lazy and unfit. A routine equine physio appointment suggested he was lame behind and xrays then confirmed advanced bone spavin.

[kilopappa]

Hi - my friend had a connie with exactly the same symptoms, she had everything checked, people generally thought he was just clumsy/lazy. She persevered and Eventually he was diagnosed with bone cysts on his back legs. There are some hereditary issues with feet too, around wall separation sydrome. I've know a few connies now and they rarely have good feet, I fed farriers formula to mine to improve them. Good Luck.

[robrocks]

My four year old did this last year but after a change of saddle, 3 shiatsu sessions and his endless bum high growth spurts it stopped.

[foxylady]

I would get the vet to have a look could be hind suspensory damage reluctance to go downhill is definitely a symptom .

[gillwales]

It could be any of the above, however it could also be from experience. How old was he when you got him? He may have had a fall or painful slip when going downhill, ponies do not forget, esp if it has caused pain. It does sound to be somewhere in the back / pelvis area if it only happens when being ridden. One way you might improve matters is to lunge him on a slope, then you can watch his action in a controlled way. Does he ever pace? If so he may have a condition, the name of which escapes me at the moment, where there is a restriction of the spinal column. Good luck and do lets us know how things progress