# horse suddenly stops & won't go forward when riding



## aquariusw (Jun 16, 2014)

I'm riding 11 years old mare and we are having some problems right now. Usually she is really "let's go" type of horse who is more difficult to ask to slow down than to move. But for the last week and a half when I've been riding her, she stops suddenly and doesn't want to move. For example when I'm trotting her, she just slows down, puts her ears back, just wont listen to my leg aids and stops. I can do what I want (push, kick with my heels, use a whip) nothing works. She just stands there for a while and then slowly at some point she begins to move and walk/trot again. I get it it's normal for her to stop and wait for a pee or something and sometimes she does that but this is different and she has began to do it really often (like 3-4 times while i'm riding) so i think it's not about that she wants to "go to the toilet". Do you have any idea what could be wrong and how can i fix this?

She can be perfectly fine at one point - relaxed, trotting nicely, responds to my leg aids etc but then just at one point she decides to stop and block everything out. I'm a bit worried. Could there be something wrong with her hooves, teeth, back..? I don't know. Of course I will have a vet to come and check her if she keeps doing this but I just decided to ask here If you have any idea what could it be..


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## crazeepony (Dec 8, 2013)

More info is needed to have others answer this. How long have you been riding her? Is she your horse or is someone else riding her?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Whatever the cause, she's refusing to listen to you. If you do a lot of arena work, she could be sick of it. If your saddle isn't a fairly good fit, she may not tolerate the discomfort. If you're out on the trails, she thinks she's gone far enough away from the security of the barn.


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## aquariusw (Jun 16, 2014)

crazeepony said:


> More info is needed to have others answer this. How long have you been riding her? Is she your horse or is someone else riding her?


I'm not the owner but I have been riding her for about 6 years in total. But not everyday-she is more like a hobby horse who is ridden few times a week or even less, it depends. For the last couple of months also a girl from other barn has been riding her. I have only seen her riding once so I don't really know how good or bad rider she is. The owner just wanted someone to ride the horse as well because of the lack of time I have had for those past months, so yeah. But now I have more time and have began to ride the horse more often again and I see this problem.


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## aquariusw (Jun 16, 2014)

Saddlebag said:


> Whatever the cause, she's refusing to listen to you. If you do a lot of arena work, she could be sick of it. If your saddle isn't a fairly good fit, she may not tolerate the discomfort. If you're out on the trails, she thinks she's gone far enough away from the security of the barn.


 I don't think she is sick or the arena work because I really don't ride her that often and don't do any crazy or routine trainings. We have a grass paddock where we ride (+sometimes we go on the trails, there you can tell the difference between going away from barn and coming back so I know what you mean and there it is understandable that she stops and looks at something that is new and a bit scary for her). I can't exclude the saddle problem but shouldn't she show it more then that it's uncomfortable or painful for her? I mean not move at all, be tense all the time etc? because really, at one point she is so good and then at another, just refuses to listen to me.


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## TXhorseman (May 29, 2014)

If she is not stopping at any particular spot, your description seems to indicate a physical problem of some kind. It might be a urinary or bowel problem. Are there any other symptoms indicating that either of these might be the problem?


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## faiza425 (Dec 21, 2012)

I knew a horse that did this, and it turned out he had a ton of crystals in his urine. Might want to have her see a vet. If you've been riding her even on and off for six years and she is just starting to do this, I would think there's some sort of discomfort or pain issue.


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## crazeepony (Dec 8, 2013)

I would discuss it with the owner. If She is doing it with the other rider as well, etc or just with you? That may clarify these issues as behavioral vs. health. Maybe the other person has been teaching her something weird or trying to teach her something and she is confused. There is a lot of variables that you have no control over in this situation unless everyone involved is added to the equation.


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## nessie (Nov 29, 2014)

I would wager a guess something physical is going on. When its something the horse has been good about doing in the past for you then it likely is pain somewhere. Refusal to move forward is definitely a sign of discomfort somewhere. My horse has done this to me a couple of times (and he's very lazy). i made the mistake of holding his past stubbornness against him and took awhile to get it looked into. Now I dont make that mistake again. First time he started slamming the breaks we determined he had hock arthritis and got him injected and it went away. Second time he pulled the same stuff, he had lost enough weight to where the saddle was too wide and putting pressure on his withers. A third time he started to move slowly and blood work was pulled and he ended up having anemia, and was too lethargic to work. Most recently he started not being able to pick up his left lead. I gave it two rides then had the saddle fitter out and since he put on some weight it was getting a bit small and we removed some padding from his shims and now he goes well for me again.

Thats just a long-winded way of saying, listen to your horse something physically is probably wrong, and don't discount the saddle I would probably start there.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

always assume pain, look for the obvious. however, I used to ride a horse that was ridden by 3, then 4 people regularly. at a certain point, she rebelled. we could NOT get her down the driveway. she said, NO MORE RIDERS. when the owner went back to 2, she was ok.


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## sabine64 (Mar 20, 2015)

I had a horse who did this as well. Its extremely hard to deal with- I feel your pain!
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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

From what you say I think it is either pain, or has something to do with the other rider.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

When my horse did this, it turned out he had ulcers. You should consider having the horse checked out by a vet.


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## TamandNickP (Mar 14, 2015)

Maybe the other person doesn't know how to ride very well and has been causing this horse discomfort (maybe in the mouth) so she's hesitant to go.


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## Janet Cherry (Jul 13, 2009)

Could it be 'tying up' or azoturia? That is muscular pain in hind legs caused by some kind of acid build up - athletic horses get it when exercised hard and then let to rest. Sometimes it is so painful that a normally energetic and forward going horse will stop and stand rooted to the ground, unwiling to move at all. You will feel the muscles of the hindquarters are rigid and the horse may shake or sweat.


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