My horse started backing up and standing weird..?

Question

Yesterday I was going to ride my horse bareback (like i've been doing for about a week because he has girth sores and i didn't want the girth to rub and hes been doing fine), but he started backing up really fast dragging his front legs. So I got off and led him around. He wasn't limping or anything so I lead him over some cross rails and he trotted over them completely fine. I took him back to the mounting block and leaned on his back putting all my weight on him and he didn't move, but when I actually got on, he started backing up again. I let him loose in the arena to make sure he wasn't trying to lay down or anything, and he trotted and cantered like normal. I got the stable hand to come see if she knew why he was doing is and she couldn't tell either. She picked up all his feet and rubbed his back and everything and he didn't seem sore. He's never done this before.

I'm going to go try to ride him again today to see if he'll let me this time.I'll post what he does when i get back

Answer 1

well normally when a horse stands weird it means that he has colic or a stomach issue. when he backs up it could mean that he is testing u or his back was hurting. check his back see if it is hurting. run ur fingers along the outside of his spine from his withers to his tail. if he flinches or twitches he is haveing back pains. take ur finger and run it along the little dip in his back and again is he flinches or twitches he is in pain. dont run ur finger really fast or really hard just smooth and with a little pressure. not much but just enough for him to feel it if something is hurting

GOOD LUCK!

Answer 2

Um that's weird - when my horse did that last year he was shaking and blinking as well and we called the vet out - she said it was a low glucose fit but the fact that your horse trotted over the poles ok doesn't sound right. Could be that sitting on him bareback is pressing on a nerve in his back. If it happens next time I would phone the vet and see what they think.

Answer 3

heya

as you say you have checked your horses back and it seems to be fine. this suggests that if it is not colic the problem may be in his/her hooves. both navicular and laminitis  cause the horse to lean back to try and take the weight off their hooves. (this is in extreme cases yours is probably fine)As your horse was fine being lead suggests this is unlikely as they tend to be unsound also when walking unaided. was their any lameness at all when leading? could  he/she have had an accident when turned out? my horse recently attempted a back flip and although he is able to canter gallop, buck with his friends in the field, as soon as someone gets on him he stiffens up as his muscles are still very achey. is this possible?

Answer 4

When they stand like that, taking the weight off both front feet, it usually means founder.  Check for heat in his feet, and bounding pulses in his legs.  If he has them, don't ride him, he hurts.

Treatment is usually straightforward, but get the vet out to check and to tell you what to do.

The backing up could be something entirely different, or could be related.  Get the vet out.

Answer 5

These photos show extreme cases of founder.  On the onset of founder the stance will not be so pronounced, but as you can see, the horses try to shift their weight to keep it off of their front feet.

http://www.naturalhorseworld.com/Photos3...

http://www.naturalhorseworld.com/Photos3...

If your horse is standing strange, with his trying to keep his weight off of his front feet you should have your vet examine him.  This is a classic sign of founder in a horse.  They try to keep their weight off of the front feet.

Hope it isn't founder, but if it is TIME is crucial for helping the horse, if it goes untreated for to long the horse would be chronically lame.

Don't mean to jump to a conclusion, and I certainly hope I am in correct, but you should consider the reason the horse is keeping its weight off of its front feet.

Answer 6

it could be founder, in the early stages the horses will adopt the "mule stance". if you start feeling a lot of heat in his hooves i would call the vet out. he might be ok when you aren't on him but when you sit on him there is more pressure on his feet.

Answer 7

Hmmmm. It does kind of sound like the extra weight as you get on is causing pain in his feet.

Did you check for heat in his hooves and for a strong digital pulse?  

If none, and he seems sound otherwise,  I'd try a couple of things.  Do everything as you normally do, in terms of handling.  You stand at his head with a halter and leadrope on him, and have someone a little lighter than you hop on, gently. Is the reaction the same?

Next, put his saddle on (I know he has a girth sore, but you won't be riding, just experimenting).  For safety you can have someone on his head if you want.  You get on.  The saddle disperses the weight over a wider surface area than your bum, believe it or not.  Don't know if you're using a western saddle of English tack, but Western is generally more comfortable for horses with mild back soreness.  Does he do the same thing with a saddle on his back?

It does sound like a pain response.  Do let us know what happens today.