Older mare with a funny gait---- should i run her? HELP!?

Question

I have a 21 year old mare, and shes in good shape and is still a pretty good barrel horse, just for local shows and county fair, but in the past year she's developed a funny gait in back--- i think it's her right hip. she is on senior feed and a joint supplement, applying linament b4 a show seems to help too.

it doesnt seem to bother her and doesnt slow her down but do you think i should keep taking her to barrel shows?

I'm not running her that hard and she still seems to enjoy it, but shes been such a good horse i dont want to ruin her.

for now i think ill take her and just keep i easy and be careful, but id love to hear your advice! is there anything else i could do to help her?

Answer 1

i would have a vet look at her and maybe even do a flex test.  she might have athiritis in her hip and then you will be able to treat it so that she doesnt have the odd movement or pain.  and i wouldnt be so sure that it doesnt bother her... sometimes your horse can hurt and you wont even know.....so with that said i would get her looked at by a vet and i would take it easy on the barrels.. i dont even know that i would do barrels, maybe something a little more gentle until its looked at and you know for sure..

Answer 2

One of our horses developed a weird gait where he would kind of twist his back legs as he walked, giving a really weird sensation from his back, since his butt was swinging back and forth and twisting around and such...

Anyways, due to arthritis, he had lost a lot of muscle tone in his back legs. So the farrier put one stud in the back outside of each rear shoe so he couldn't twist, and now he's toning up again.

So have your vet come out and check it out, it could be arthritis kicking in or maybe she needs to be adjusted along her spine. I wouldn't run her until the vet comes out and clears her.

Answer 3

I think that the occasional hard run would be good for her as long as you dont do it everytime. Give her days off and monitor her condition after the harder runs and see if she seems in pain or favoring one of her legs. For the most part take it easy with her, but every horse loves to run really fast every once in a while. :)

Answer 4

I would talk to your vet and farrier. The vet to see what is wrong and how to fix it. The farrier might have some trimming/shoeing idea to help her (even though it is her hip)

Answer 5

I think it's time to hit the trails and go to easy shows every once in a great while!

Answer 6

A chiropracter and maybe some 'Cetyl-M'.(Clinton Anderson advertises it)  My niece got some for her mare and her own mom!  The mare's better and her mother says she hasn't felt that good in years!

It's a bit pricey but probably worth it.

Answer 7

Sorry - i'm going to say if your 21 year old mare has issues in her hind end - just because she doesn't show lameness to the vet - doesn't mean there is nothing wrong!  I have a 23 year old gelding that is a finished barrel and pole horse - You'd never know he was sore in the hocks - loves to run and wont refuse to do it - HOWEVER - age alone tells me he's likely going to have some issues - so we took him to a UNIVERSITY and got xrays so we knew if we were hurting him or not - guess what! He's got HORRIBLE arthritis in both hocks - now we inject every 6 months so he can continue his career - but at least we know he's being maintained and not hurting.

My opinion - You asked - dont run her till you have a thorough lameness  exam done - including xrays.  You'll find more then you thought - and might even be told not to run her any longer... Keep in mind - sometimes its up high (something xrays wont show) something a good chiro can fix!

Answer 8

if the vet says shes ok then just go for it, if anything seems to start bothering her ease off a little but it doesnt seem like your running her real hard so i say keep at it.

have fun!!

oh also have a chiropractor come out for her because she might have messed up her alignment and she could have a trapped muscle. i know a horse chiropractor might seem wierd but i have to have one come out every couple years because my horse falls out of alignment easy.

Answer 9

dont run her, just do a nicee trott. if you run her to much if she develiping a weired gate. it can mess up her holee walking.

Answer 10

You can still run her just try to reverse the pateren which you run her ,it will take the stress of the hip and give it a chance to heal,I have run barrle horse for a very long time from doc bar breed to Leo

Answer 11

With her aging, she might need a good "chiropractor".  Ask your farrier also about any issues that might be going on with her feet.  You might consider letting her "retire" also from the barrels.  Good luck with her...the older ones are the best!:)