# how good does my boy move?



## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

I got some awesome motion photos of Sonny when I was lunging him and when my best friend was riding him. Also got some good videos. 
I can do critiquing if the horse is standing still and whatnot, but know absolutely NOTHING when it comes to how a horse moves haha. Was hoping someone might be able to let me know how Sonny does when he's actually moving haha.

Walk:
http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/...ot/?action=view&current=JessSonnyCocoa094.flv

Trot:
http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/...ot/?action=view&current=JessSonnyCocoa095.flv
http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/...ot/?action=view&current=JessSonnyCocoa096.flv
http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/...ot/?action=view&current=JessSonnyCocoa097.flv

Canter: 
http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/...ot/?action=view&current=JessSonnyCocoa098.flv


Pictures:


















































































Thanks in advance!


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

I won't give a critique BUT I think I think you really need to push your horse forward when trotting (thats the only video I had time to watch). Your horse will track up and will make it easier for everyone to post their opinion
Cheers


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

I would like to see him with more of a headset.


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

i agree. he has very little impulsion in the trot so its hard to say much about it. 

i did notice though that he seemed to be stepping short on his inside front leg. dont know if it was anything or not but i did notice it.

he seems to move ok but it would be way easier to tell if he had some impulsion and head set


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

that was my friend riding him....I will try to get videos of myself riding him when he has a good heat set.

Jazzy, what do you mean by stepping short?


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Downhill


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

.Delete. said:


> Downhill


he does move downhill? When I watch him I can't see it...where are you seeing this Delete?


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

also if this makes any difference, the arena is padded with dirt like material...and not all of it is on one level...there are some parts that are higher and lower than the rest


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

In almost all your pictures he is moving downhill. He looks like he has a very rough stride to him. tho i can't view videos. I can only see pictures. He is built downhill tho.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

.Delete. said:


> In almost all your pictures he is moving downhill. He looks like he has a very rough stride to him. tho i can't view videos. I can only see pictures. He is built downhill tho.


his strides aren't that rough really. Would it be better if I put the videos on youtube? could you view them then?
He does look downhill in the pictures...and definately in the first, but when I watch him while lunging or someone else riding him he doesn't appear to be. It might just be that I'm not catching it though


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii121/Sonnywhimpsgunshot/Sonny2-4-08023.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii121/Sonnywhimpsgunshot/Sonny007.jpg

Both pictures he has his head up so you can see if he's really built downhill or not.

Correct me if I'm wrong...downhill is meaning the hindquarters is higher than the withers. 
In those pictures, to me, Sonny may be a little downhill, but not much at all. No horse is going to be perfectly even


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

Trot: Like everyone said, he needs to get to work at this gait! She's riding him in English tack, so he shouldn't move in a jog! lol  More impulsion does not mean faster--we don't want him looking choppy. He needs to lengthen his stride, and work more off his hind end. In all of his videos he is not moving downhill, but his head is up and his back is hollow... which doesn't create a very pretty picture.
Canter: He seems to just be running away. His hind leg does come underneath his body nicely, but he's not very collected. He doesn't seem out of control... but it doesn't look very IN control, either.

His movement is alright... He's not going to make a spectacular dressage horse, because he doesn't have a lot of lift, extension, or impulsion, hehe. I think he could do hunter classes, but you'll have decide if you want to do breed hunter (He's a QH, right?) or USEF hunter... the head sets are different for each, as is the style of movement. He doesn't have a lot of knee-action (good for hunters in either style), but he'll have to learn to work off your leg... at the canter, it looks like your friend is only giving him rein-cues and he seems to be a little crooked.
All in all, he's a cute mover--not the best, but not bad by any means.
Good luck!


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## im4dressage (Mar 11, 2008)

I like his canter, but he seems to be coming up "Short Strided" on his left hind leg


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

what i mean by stepping short is he seems to be pulling up in that leg like he has some pain there or something


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

jazzyrider said:


> what i mean by stepping short is he seems to be pulling up in that leg like he has some pain there or something


hmmm....which videos did you see that in? I know he has a scar on his pastern on that leg, but the vet examined that leg really well and she said it was fine...but maybe she missed something


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

mayfieldk said:


> Trot: Like everyone said, he needs to get to work at this gait! She's riding him in English tack, so he shouldn't move in a jog! lol  More impulsion does not mean faster--we don't want him looking choppy. He needs to lengthen his stride, and work more off his hind end. In all of his videos he is not moving downhill, but his head is up and his back is hollow... which doesn't create a very pretty picture.
> Canter: He seems to just be running away. His hind leg does come underneath his body nicely, but he's not very collected. He doesn't seem out of control... but it doesn't look very IN control, either.
> 
> His movement is alright... He's not going to make a spectacular dressage horse, because he doesn't have a lot of lift, extension, or impulsion, hehe. I think he could do hunter classes, but you'll have decide if you want to do breed hunter (He's a qh, right?) or USEF hunter... the head sets are different for each, as is the style of movement. He doesn't have a lot of knee-action (good for hunters in either style), but he'll have to learn to work off your leg... at the canter, it looks like your friend is only giving him rein-cues and he seems to be a little crooked.
> ...


he was originally a western pleasure horse, so that's the gait he learned, and that's the gait my friend asked. I'll get some videos of him collected and possibly better. I have yet to be able to master collection in a canter with him, due to we are still working on it in a trot, but we're getting there.

Sadly, before I bought him, he was a strict trail horse. And his previous owner had a "as long as you go the pace I want you to go and the direction I tell you to go in, you can do whatever you want with your head". So I had a hard time getting him to collect and keeping it.

Nope, he's not a QH...he's actually a Paint...but he does have the QH build.

He does know leg cues and is actually REALLY sensitive about them. My friend owns a 20 year old arabb cross that really only responds to rein-cues...so that's all she really does.


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

i just looked back at the videos again and i can notice it in each one. its not really bad but there does seem to be a little favouring going on especially in the front. it may not be his leg it could be his shoulder, his back or any number of things causing that. 

from the new pics he does seem a teeny bit downhill but he also has a fat round belly and little topline at the moment. the downhillness would be much less noticeable once he has gained a good topline.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

jazzyrider said:


> i just looked back at the videos again and i can notice it in each one. its not really bad but there does seem to be a little favouring going on especially in the front. it may not be his leg it could be his shoulder, his back or any number of things causing that.
> 
> from the new pics he does seem a teeny bit downhill but he also has a fat round belly and little topline at the moment. the downhillness would be much less noticeable once he has gained a good topline.


hmmm...still not seeing it, but I'll continue to look. Is it just something you see that his leg is doing? or is he showing signs of lameness?


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

i wouldnt say totally lame but i would say more like discomfort but hey, maybe its my old eyes (lol im only 29 but that feels old today ). when we first got jarred he was stepping only a little short on his inside so we got a chiro out and he had some stuff out of place in his back which was putting pressure on his shoulder which was stopping him from stretching forward with his front legs properly.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

jazzyrider said:


> i wouldnt say totally lame but i would say more like discomfort but hey, maybe its my old eyes (lol im only 29 but that feels old today ). when we first got jarred he was stepping only a little short on his inside so we got a chiro out and he had some stuff out of place in his back which was putting pressure on his shoulder which was stopping him from stretching forward with his front legs properly.


he doesn't seem to be in any discomfot when we lunge or groom. He is the type of horse that if anything is bothering him he'll let me know. I'll get some videos of my lunging him. 

Here, jazzy, look at these two videos. These were taken before I bought him. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoV7p6ivRVE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrXDA5hnTXo&feature=related


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

could it be from a poorly fitted saddly, jazzy? My trainer said the saddle fit, but not sure exactly how well she actually knows about saddle fitting...she says she knows alot though. I mean, to me it fits, but I could be wrong.


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

i dont know hey lol he seems to move different now than in the vid from before you got him. he is also coming onto the bit nicer than he is now. 

i dont know what to say. you know your horse best  its just the way he seems to me. maybe someone else might have some better insight or can see something i cant 

p.s. even still, hes pretty cute


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

jazzyrider said:


> i dont know hey lol he seems to move different now than in the vid from before you got him. he is also coming onto the bit nicer than he is now.
> 
> i dont know what to say. you know your horse best  its just the way he seems to me. maybe someone else might have some better insight or can see something i cant
> 
> p.s. even still, hes pretty cute


well part of it is, he has major trust issues. He was gelded late, so I'm thinking that his first owner abused him. He flintchs even if I come close to him with a crop or lunge whip. 

Also for some strange reason, it took him a long time for him to allow me to pick his feet without a fight. He used to refuse to pick up his feet, and if I did get them up he'd try to kick me in the head. But once he got used to me, he lets me....but no one else...besides the farrier...he loves the farrier haha.

Also, all in all, he does perform better for me. He's a "one person" horse. He'll still obey someone else, but he always turns and looks at me "mom are you still there?". It's quite adorable. He'll follow me and come to me...but no one else haha. 

What I'll do is, I'll ride him first with that saddle on, and get videos...then with a different saddle on...and then bareback. It might just be the saddle. I know when I first rode him in an English (before I bought him) they used lots of saddle pads...an English and a Western one).

I doubt there's anything wrong with that leg, for the vet did a great job at looking him over...and if she saw anything funny or felt something funny she'd let us know. She's a brutally honest person...I had a vet exam on a mare that I fell in love with, and she was brutally honest with me...by the time the exam was over I was in tears...both due to her remarks, and the horse not passing. 
The vets comment on Sonny was "he's 10 times the horse the mare was". And for her, that's a rare comment haha.

He is a cutie and a lover boy. He's my baby, and I won't trade him for the world.

Part of it also could be the footing in the arena. It's soft and having a big foot (a Gypsy Vanner...his nickname is Big Foot haha) riding in the arena and leaving big foot prints probably doesn't hurt.

In the one video of me riding Sonny in part of it...was he doing better? I know when I rode him, he wasn't collected, and when the lady who was selling him (not the owner...the owner's agent) was riding him, she had him collected.

I'll be at the barn on Thursday all day long (fun!!!!!!!!!!!!) so I'll get lots of videos then. For the bareback video though, just to give you a warning now, he'll be sweaty (due to I want him to be tired when I get on him with no saddle). I've never rode him bareback, nor do I like riding bareback..but I think that that will tell if it's a saddle problem or not


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

thats why i said it may be his back or something that is causing it 

videos of everything would be good. that way its easier to narrow down where any problems may be coming from


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

jazzyrider said:


> thats why i said it may be his back or something that is causing it
> 
> videos of everything would be good. that way its easier to narrow down where any problems may be coming from


if anything I think it's from the saddle....I always watch carefully when I lunge to make sure he isn't limping and I don't lunge with a saddle on. 
I know lately they've put more rocks on the pathway up to the indoor arena...so he's gotten more rocks in his hooves. Of course I clean them out before and afterwards....and I try to get all of them, but I might have missed one that day. I'll make sure I clean his hooves at least twice before I ride him to make sure it isn't that.

Also, I know this isn't the proper place, but is it normal for part of the frog to kinda get loose and peel off...it's still attached, but you can tell that it's hanging there. I'll be putting bell boots on also, due to when he's mad at me he does kick himself ( :roll: ) and maybe that will help also.

Well I'm off to bed...I'll be on tomorrow morning.


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

SonnyWimps said:


> jazzyrider said:
> 
> 
> > thats why i said it may be his back or something that is causing it
> ...


yeah its not even a limp im seeing...more just stiffness 

with regards to the frog, my horses did that when their feet were wet for forever when we had heaps of rain a couple of months ago. i asked the farrier when he came out and he said it would be fine once their feet dried up. after a couple of weeks of no rain they are looking tonnes better. as long as there is nothing else going on that might be causing it then i wouldnt worry too much


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

jazzyrider said:


> yeah its not even a limp im seeing...more just stiffness
> 
> with regards to the frog, my horses did that when their feet were wet for forever when we had heaps of rain a couple of months ago. i asked the farrier when he came out and he said it would be fine once their feet dried up. after a couple of weeks of no rain they are looking tonnes better. as long as there is nothing else going on that might be causing it then i wouldnt worry too much


well the stiffness might be due to I haven't been able to come up as often as I used to to see him and ride him. Sadly  
Before I ride tomorrow to get the videos, I'll do some leg stretching and other stuff. Also the farrier is coming so he'll have new feet...which might be good or bad...I don't know if he's sensitive after the farrier or not...don't think he will be though


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## Delregans Way (Sep 11, 2007)

Yes I would have to agree, he short steps and doesn't come through (ie. Back hind doesn't compare to the front legs when trotting).
He is stiff, and does seem alittle unbalanced at times.
I don't really think its related because you haven't rode him, i think its more because he is a 'tight' moving horse. 

But he is a little cutie!!


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## im4dressage (Mar 11, 2008)

I see it in all three trot videos, #1,#2 you can see it when you just pass the door. and alot more in #3 during sitting trot


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## Delregans Way (Sep 11, 2007)

Yeh I agree, good pointing out!!


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

sadly no one was riding with me so I couldn't get any videos of my riding Sonny...but I did get a couple of him being lunged. I'll get videos of my riding Sonny on Saturday because I'll have someone to film it.

I took over 400 pictures today so give me like 30 minutes for them to all load to the computer, then maybe an hour to get them all on the comp


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/.../?action=view&current=FirstDayofSpring001.flv
^^Free lunging

Here's one video
I do have another one, but my computer hates me today so it's not letting me upload the other one. Will try again tomorrow.


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## MysticRealm (Feb 28, 2008)

I see short stepping with the right front in the first 2 trot videos the most. I would say it looks like lameness.
No offense but he looks alot better in the riding videos from before you got him. I wouldn't have said they were the same horse.
No offense again but just cause a horse (or a dog or anything) is flinchy doesn't mean it was abused. I have people come to my dog grooming shop all the time saying 'oh my dog is scared to be groomed, his first groomer must have abused him' But that's rarely the case. Don't shout abuse unless you have some facts. Pet peeve of mine sorry.
It is a cute horse tho, hope you have a great time with her


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

I don't see how he is moving downhill. Is that possible to run on a straight surface and be downhill? :lol:  I do see sort of halfstepping as well...


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

MysticRealm said:


> I see short stepping with the right front in the first 2 trot videos the most. I would say it looks like lameness.
> No offense but he looks alot better in the riding videos from before you got him. I wouldn't have said they were the same horse.
> No offense again but just cause a horse (or a dog or anything) is flinchy doesn't mean it was abused. I have people come to my dog grooming shop all the time saying 'oh my dog is scared to be groomed, his first groomer must have abused him' But that's rarely the case. Don't shout abuse unless you have some facts. Pet peeve of mine sorry.
> It is a cute horse tho, hope you have a great time with her


he's definately not lame now...and he didn't appear to be that day when i recorded the videos. I always lunge him before hand to make sure he's not lame, and also to see how his attitude will be that day.

Well one difference to him back then, to now, was that there was a professional riding him...professionals can make ANY horse look good.

Yes flintching isn't always a result of abuse, but there's other stuff that he's done that gave me that idea. He was gelded at 7 years old, and I have no contact what-so-ever with the first owner so heaven knows what type of a man he was.


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## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

> I have no contact what-so-ever with the first owner so heaven knows what type of a man he was.


I've only contacted Vega's first owner once, to ask her if Vega was tested for hypp. She didn't seem the least bit concerned about it, nor did she seem concerned that her horse was now living in NJ(she was originally from Wisconsin i believe). I had sent her recent photos and haven't heard back from her since. Some people i guess just don't care where their horses are now or what's going on with them. I wouldn't just to conclusions with his first owner.

Blu-i used to ride a pony that would canter down hill, even on a flat straight surface, so i'm guessing it is possible. But i think a horse could also appear downhill when moving if they are heavy on the forehand.

Sonny-is there a way that you can lunge him in a round pen, or have him on a lunge line? You might be able to see if he's short stepping because you'll be able to control his gaits a bit more. Unless he is voice command trained. See if you can get him to trot instead of just cantering around.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't any sort of lameness or stiffness more prevalent in the trot than at the walk and trot? Isn't that why when the vets to lameness exams they make the horse trot, instead of walking or cantering?


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

appylover31803 said:


> > I have no contact what-so-ever with the first owner so heaven knows what type of a man he was.
> 
> 
> I've only contacted Vega's first owner once, to ask her if Vega was tested for hypp. She didn't seem the least bit concerned about it, nor did she seem concerned that her horse was now living in NJ(she was originally from Wisconsin i believe). I had sent her recent photos and haven't heard back from her since. Some people i guess just don't care where their horses are now or what's going on with them. I wouldn't just to conclusions with his first owner.
> ...


The roundpen is all icky at the moment with mud, and rocks...I'll need to clean it out before I use it. I can lunge him on a line...but it's having someone there to film. I will try to do that tomorrow when I go up as long as I have someone to film.

Did he appear short stepped in that lunging video.

And yes, horses who are lame will usually show it in a trot...but I do know a horse that, when he gets lame, he shows it at both a walk and trot...so it really depends. The horse that also shows it at a walk as navicular also so that might explain why he limps during a walk. It will be more prevalent at the trot, than the walk and canter...at least that's what I've always been told from vets. 

The only reason I free lunge him is because he enjoys it so much better and he still does "usually" go in circles around me. But I will put a lunge line on him and do it that way


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

He does seem short strided.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

Harlee rides horses said:


> He does seem short strided.


I'm still pretty unsure of what exactly "short strided" means. I know it's kinda like stiffness, but I'm not seeing it. Is it having to due with how his knees bend and such?

I know he never really bent his knees too much, but the vet said that was due to being out of shape...hardly any muscles...and not being ridden frequently enough.
She also said that with constant work, muscle building, and stuff he'll learn to lift his legs up more.

I'll put some ground poles all around the arena and have him walk over them constantly...that will teach him to pick up his feet.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

also what can I do to make him not so short strided....or is that just "him" (meaning no way of fixing it). I'll do lots of stretching with him, and walk/trot him over really low cross rails, ground poles,....what other stuff works him to keep his legs up high?


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

It seems to be lameness.
Short strided means his strides arent as long as they should be, as if he's taking short strides because it hurts to do anything other than that.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

Harlee rides horses said:


> It seems to be lameness.
> Short strided means his strides arent as long as they should be, as if he's taking short strides because it hurts to do anything other than that.


he doesn't appear to me to be limping...nor in any pain. He's let me know if something was hurting him. He's a big baby, and he spazzes if something hurts him or scares him.
Does it appear to be the same in all the videos? Or mainly in the lunging? During the lunging one, it was right after his feet were trimmed....so he could have been a little sore because of that.


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

short strided - instead of reaching his front legs forward when he trots he seems to 'hit a wall' mid stride which causes a short stride. 

IMO i think you should a vet take a look at him and if they say he is moving fine i would get another opinion because there is definitely something amiss there. 

i just wanted to add to that although some people dont like others calling abuse with no "evidence", you know your horse better than any of us and im sure you wouldnt think that had happened unless you had good reason to


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

so you think it's something we should get a vet into? 
We did a pre-purchase exam and the vet said he was great...no problems other than sensitive soles. 

What could be causing it? Any guesses? or what in general would cause that sort of thing to happen?

Also, is it in both front legs or just in one (if one which one)? Is it in the back legs also?

How could it have happened just after I bought him? Everyone said that he didn't do it in the two youtube videos that was taken before I purcahsed him...he wasn't drugged during the pre-purchase because he was sure spooking alot and was really energetic, and I doubt they were buting him up.

Still, I get more videos to see. Might be having an off day(s). I sure have off days alot, so I'm sure horses can have them also. I know for sure that the lunging video was an off day for him.


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## im4dressage (Mar 11, 2008)

another way to tell that a horse is "Short Strided" is, watch his steps as he trots, his hind leg is supposed to land where his front leg took off. if you watch "His" right side, he is doing just that, but "His" left side comes up short of where his front leg took off (short strided) just really look closely, once you know what it looks like, you can't miss it. I know that I can see it almost every lame horse, but my mom on the other hand can't see anything. that's why I ask an owner to lunge their horse for me to see their gaits before we waste time under saddle. my older horse is a little short strided on circles, but she has hock, and stifle problems. but your guy is doing it when he is on a straight line. and yes you can see it on the last video after he is done cantering when he is trotting. sorry :-(


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

im4dressage said:


> another way to tell that a horse is "Short Strided" is, watch his steps as he trots, his hind leg is supposed to land where his front leg took off. if you watch "His" right side, he is doing just that, but "His" left side comes up short of where his front leg took off (short strided) just really look closely, once you know what it looks like, you can't miss it. I know that I can see it almost every lame horse, but my mom on the other hand can't see anything. that's why I ask an owner to lunge their horse for me to see their gaits before we waste time under saddle. my older horse is a little short strided on circles, but she has hock, and stifle problems. but your guy is doing it when he is on a straight line. and yes you can see it on the last video after he is done cantering when he is trotting. sorry :-(


so is it his back left or front left that is the problem?


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## im4dressage (Mar 11, 2008)

I think it is his back left, did the vet do a flexion test during the pre purchase? I would ask him to check his stifle and hock...you don't have to do ex rays right away, just have him feel them and do some stretches to get an idea of where it is coming from. hope this helps!


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

im4dressage said:


> I think it is his back left, did the vet do a flexion test during the pre purchase? I would ask him to check his stifle and hock...you don't have to do ex rays right away, just have him feel them and do some stretches to get an idea of where it is coming from. hope this helps!


I made the vet to the flexation tests twice on the back due to the last horse I had her do a pre-purcahse on had bad back legs...so I wanted to make sure...just as a precaution. The vet said his legs were 100% sound. The vet I use is great, so I doubt she really missed anything....but she's only human so she could have.
I did not have x-rays on him due to money...I'm on part-time pay so I don't have alot of money....just enough to pay for board, farrier, worming medicine, and $100 or two to go in a "just in case" fund.
His muscles in his back leg does seem really tight...I think it might just be to tight muscles. I'll do some massages (I think I spelled that wrong haha), stretching, and extra long warm ups. I'll work on uphill stuff if weather is good (will ride him in a pasture that is uphill....or will make him trot uphill while I run besides him).


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

I do see now what you mean....thanks for the great explination!!!
I also think it's the back leg, now that I can see what he's doing


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## im4dressage (Mar 11, 2008)

glad I could help, maybe now you can judge when he is feeling better and hopefully it is just sore/tight muscles. it really could be anything.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

im4dressage said:


> glad I could help, maybe now you can judge when he is feeling better and hopefully it is just sore/tight muscles. it really could be anything.


I think it's just from sore muscles. I was doing some jumping with him the previous day...nothing high...but was doing maybe 1-2 foot cross rails with him...was working on my position and my balance (I'm hoping to compete in a local show under hunter jumper...not with Sonny...but before I can go, I needed to work some on jumping position).
If he was sore...it was mainly because of that. He's not a jumping horse...nor do I plan on doing jumping with him for competitions. 

I was reading on a different forum that "sometimes they overreach with their hind feet, (clip the back of their front feet and cause cuts and sores) for one reason or the other and they will compensate by shortening their back stride so they don't hurt themselves and it becomes choppy". 
He does occasionally hit himself in the back...and usually with his left feet...I'm going to try putting bell boots on. If what that lady said above, then it's because of that. Usually he only overreaches then he's fed up with me or when I ask for him to collect himself haha.


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

SonnyWimps said:


> so you think it's something we should get a vet into?
> We did a pre-purchase exam and the vet said he was great...no problems other than sensitive soles.
> 
> What could be causing it? Any guesses? or what in general would cause that sort of thing to happen?
> ...


Maybe its a reaction from his sensitive soles, since the vet said he had sensitive soles than that may be why his strides are not as long as average strides. I would say it shouldn't affect riding too much, as long as your not doing incredibly hard riding or anything harder than easy trails and pleasure.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

Harlee rides horses said:


> Maybe its a reaction from his sensitive soles, since the vet said he had sensitive soles than that may be why his strides are not as long as average strides. I would say it shouldn't affect riding too much, as long as your not doing incredibly hard riding or anything harder than easy trails and pleasure.


It might be...but the farrier said he didn't appear to have sensitivity at all...and he also said that any horse, even only 100% sound can show sensitivity for the hoof testers...it depends on how hard they use it.

I lunged him on a line, and got videos...I'll upload them tomorrow due to I'm totally tired. He did appear to short step a little bit...but occasionally he wouldn't


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

okay wasn't as tired as I thought so here are the videos. Ignore the talking haha. 
http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/...um continue/?action=view&current=CIMG1520.flv
http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/...um continue/?action=view&current=CIMG1522.flv

Did not get any videos of me riding him...was way too dark by the time Sonny was all warmed up, and ready.
Did canter a bit on him...well I guess it was more of a gallop or something cause he sure had energy!! :shock: scared the crap out of me :wink:


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