Terrible Trot

[WarriorPatriot]

I have a QH that doesn't know how to run (seriously, our trainer even agreed). By that I mean, he can move, he doesn't use his gaits right. When he trots, he has a lot of knee action going on. His hooves almost go up and touch his belly and he plods back down on his front feet hard. Yesterday we had a girl come up that wanted to ride some horses. I really watched him move while she was trotting on him. Now, his trot, it's impossible to stay seated. You're bouncing all over the place. You can't even post him it's so bad. He has no idea how to extend, even when he's not under saddle. He's real rough on his feet and joints. We had him shod because his hooves were cracking, and he's our main riding horse. Farrier said it would help him a lot, but it's not doing that much good because of how he trots. His lope, you might just fly out. He can't carry that right either. He looks like he puts all his effort into his front end. When he was born, he was a sickly thing and needed to be on stall rest a long time. His musles atrophied a bit and he's always had slight problems with really doing faster gaits. He just tends to pull his muscle in his left back leg since it was the worst, but the vet say's he's got to be ridden and worked it. I'm getting him some splint boots to help his legs and see if he needs actually padded boots. I try to lunge him and have him extend and he will only do it for a few seconds. We don't have a round pen or I'd try him in that.


What can I do for him?

 

[HAY MAKER]

Work your horse slowly without a rider,if he has muscle problems,give him a chance to develope some muscle,if you have another horse you can ride,trail him behind you,until he can canter/lope/gallop,that dont work be satisfied walking him or sell him......................good luck

PS I shoe a few horses,your horse sure might be ready for another opinion,if he were mine believe I would have someone that can do corrective shoeing look at him.

 

[cford]

get a farrier that can shoe him to his correct angles, meaning angle of sholders, withers etc. Also, lunge him alot to get his muscle built up, but slow slow slow until he gets his leads correct and is good slow then speed up. I would also ride him up hill alot, once you get his muscles built up. This is an old gaited horse trick that helps their gait and getting them back on their rear end a touch more. If you say your horse appears to be on his front end alot, it will likely help. Also I would do alot of roll backs along a fence with him. Likely most important will be to get him soft, make him bend and flex side to side and at the poll. That will allow for collection which will lead to much better gaits. It will take time, and more that time it will be patients but keep trying it will come. Good luck

 

[peg4x4]

How old is this horse? Might he need some age on him?

 

[hayray]

When I have a horse like that in training I do alot of halter lunging until that horse at least has some semblence of self carriage and balance without the riders weight interferring. Rarely will the rider be able to correct this better on a green horse then letting the horse figure it out first with some consistency using ground work. Putting shoes may accentuate the arc of travel depending on how the shoes are set and the weight, but I doubt what you are describing would be changed much from type of shoes so your reason for the farrier work makes sense. Your description sounds like from a horse heavy on the forehand and out of balance. Once a horse learns more to use the back better balance is enhanced.