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Post by julieg on May 25, 2015 21:38:02 GMT
My pony has just started to go bridle lame - any advice would be great if anyone has any tips on how to conquer this. Everything been checked and nothing stands out as to why.
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darme
Full Member
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Post by darme on May 26, 2015 17:43:10 GMT
Stupid question , what is bridle lame ??
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Post by judyh on May 26, 2015 20:16:51 GMT
A horse is either lame or sound. Any sign of being unlevel means an unsound pony and needs to be investigated from the foot upwards. We had a horse who was slightly unlevel on one rein and reluctant to work between hand and leg. He had a broken pedal bone. Had we carried on he would never have recovered. I'm not suggesting this with your pony but giving you an example of a severe injury causing low level symptons.
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Post by robrocks on May 26, 2015 22:28:08 GMT
I do agree with other post but do you use a different bit at a show out of interest?
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on May 27, 2015 7:05:14 GMT
Surely if there was a physical problem it would always show up, but if only lame at shows there must be something else going on? Different tack a possibility, and I have written for dressage judges (which I'm not) who consider it a rider error.
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Post by julieg on May 27, 2015 19:42:09 GMT
I've is in a double bridle at shows and ridden in a snaffle at home. He has had his back, teeth checked and no heat or lameness. I do think it could be rider error when in his double
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Post by comanchediva on May 27, 2015 20:34:31 GMT
Silly question but what's he like at shows in his snaffle bridle?
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Post by robrocks on May 28, 2015 21:35:37 GMT
A double will have him engage more behind - if he has a subtle lameness brewing or difficulty engaging it would show up in the double. That was why I asked about which bit he was in at a show. As comanchiva said, try him in his usual bit at the next show.
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Post by robrocks on May 28, 2015 21:36:00 GMT
A double will have him engage more behind - if he has a subtle lameness brewing or difficulty engaging it would show up in the double. That was why I asked about which bit he was in at a show. As comanchiva said, try him in his usual bit at the next show.
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Post by Pepper on May 29, 2015 13:51:19 GMT
Surely if there was a physical problem it would always show up, but if only lame at shows there must be something else going on? Different tack a possibility, and I have written for dressage judges (which I'm not) who consider it a rider error. I agree
I have been through this with my hunter - bridle lame right rein at shows. Not helped I'm sure by the fact that I smashed my right ankle/leg and am full of metal - thus weak and a little twisted. If I don't ride him straight (have a very naughty habit of a shorter left rein!) when he is in his double, the bridle lameness is exacerbated
Interestingly, never bridle lame for the ride judge! Or in a dressage test in his lozenge. Oh, or if I ride without stirrups (because I stop collapsing down one side)
To cut a long story short we checked everything and had xrays, all clear - key area to check was hocks, the increased engagement perhaps the cause, but clear (in most cases yes a double SHOULD lead to better engagement but only if you riding correctly into that contact). At home he works in NS lozenge to Novice level, sound. First lesson pre-season in his double, bridle lame, my dressage trainer said it was crazy - not a hint all winter, must be missing something. SO we took his curb chain off. Sound. He now competes in a leather curb and not had a problem all season. We had a hint once, but if you'd stood behind us you could see I was cock-eyed, he wasn't straight and I was in need of a chiro apt myself!
So in answer to the question - bridle lameness is considered by most a myth and it is actually an early sign of a problem. But from my experience, rider error and straightness can also be the cause
Feel free to PM if you want to chat - my dressage trainer has given me lots of tips re: straightness and warm up exercises |
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Post by julieg on May 30, 2015 7:09:28 GMT
Thanks perky/robrocks - I definitely think it is as my daughter not riding him straight - he is only slightly lame as not going forward up into his bridle - this does not happen on the go round but just in his individual show which I know doesn't sound right - one judge said it was because he was not straight - lots to practice.
Will get my daughter checked out to as I'm sure she does sit to one side also.
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sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on May 30, 2015 8:16:34 GMT
Rereading this I realise I should have put "rider problem" instead of "rider error" above to cover the human physical side of things, especially as I have unlevel hips myself. I never had a bridle lame horse, but did have one who would halt square and then put her off-fore foreward and out - under my leading hip. julieg - I suggest you get the saddler to check the saddle as well. Once I discovered my hip problem I found that it had made the saddle unlevel too. Poor horse, no wonder she kept having trouble with her back!
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Post by Pepper on May 30, 2015 10:28:58 GMT
Very true to sarahp
I sit and ride heavier to one side and my saddle needs correcting regularly. The horses muscles also compensate so we have to work hard to keep him symmetrical in his development
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Post by Toaster on May 30, 2015 18:25:05 GMT
Pony standing in at night before shows when usually turned out? problem with travelling perhaps? different feed or calmers? anything else different apart from the bridle itself? (which could show up a problem as others have said)
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Post by sbloom on Jun 3, 2015 8:09:19 GMT
I presume you use the same saddle at shows? I had a customer recently remarking how, when we did the saddle check, how much better he was going than he normally did at home, and that he always went that well at shows. She was using another saddle at home! So it may not be enough to make them sore, but it can affect their way of going.
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Post by julieg on Jun 5, 2015 18:48:29 GMT
Sbloom we have just had saddle checked and he uses this at home with no problems.
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Post by sageandonionagain on Jun 10, 2015 20:31:10 GMT
Do you ride on a surface at home?
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Post by julieg on Jun 12, 2015 6:32:59 GMT
Do you ride on a surface at home? No We ride in field at home |
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Post by sageandonionagain on Jun 12, 2015 18:37:01 GMT
Process of elimination. Take pony elsewhere and ride on surface and in field, perhaps a clinic but not a show and ride in the snaffle bridle. If pony still shows up 'bridle lame' put another rider aboard, if pony still lame, then he is lame! If sound, try with double bridle and see if any difference. If pony turns lame with double, you have a problem with your bridle. If pony remains sound throughout, you have rider tension at shows.
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