I'm looking for some help or suggestions with a horse that doesn't want to go down mountain trails . A little back ground on the horse in question . He is a 5 year old gelding that I have owned for 2 years . He has all ways been great at trail riding with the only exception being that he wants to snatch a bit of grass while walking . I knew that he had been getting away with that when I bought him , and I figured I would work on that bad habit . He is faithfully ridden once a week for a good long ride , sometimes I can sneak in two days of riding . He has always went down steep hills with no problem .

  Back to the problem at hand . Over the last two months this horse has been nothing but a problem when it comes to going down hills . He just stops at the top of the hill , and I have too spur him the whole way down the hill . Also in the last couple of months he refuses to walk on the trail going down any hill , unless I'm applying constant pressure . He doesn't act like he is sore , and short of the down hills he walks out all day .

   One other thing that may or may not have any thing to do with this . In the last month this horse has bucked two different times which in the two years I have had him he has never acted like that . One bucking episode was a couple hours in to a ride , and looking back on it there was nothing that spooked him or could explain why he bucked so hard .  The last bucking scene was the other day after saddling and just starting the ride . He rode out fine after the little scene . I have checked all my tack , and I walk him around a little bit before any ride .

   Sorry about all the information , but I just wanted to give a little history in case some one has similar experience . I really like this horse , but some thing has to change in regards to the fighting him at every down hill section . Any help , comments , suggestions would help .     Thank you

saddle fit?  Next stop, have vet check him out;  then try an equine chiropractor......What has changed over the last 2 years....has he gained/lost weight,  improved muscle mass/tone....any of these can affect saddle fit (I know, duh!)   Feet?  Teeth?  Ears?  Any eye problems?  Feeding schedule change?  Hope you find out what's bothering your fella...best of luck

Rose - you read my mind!  I think the horse may be in need of a chiropractor or massage therapist.  Sounds like something is out of whack.

RIDE ON!

I concur with other posts -It could be saddle fit. I trained in and performed sports massage therapy on horses for several years and yours sounds like a classic case. And I also agree that consulting a massage therapist or an equine chiropractor would be a good idea.

The first thing I look for when a horse suddenly has a change in behavior is pain which is often caused by ill-fitting equipment.

Good Luck!

Hey - It' all about horses - I had a similar experience.   We had a 2 yo TWH in show training.  She did great with ground work...smart and willing, but when they began to ride her, she would begin to limp.  They rested her for two weeks and tried again.  Same thing.  I brought her home and worked on her (I am certified in equine massage) and after a few sessions I told my hubby whatever was wrong with her was not muscular.  We took her to a specialist in TN and found out that she had a fractured femur bone!!  Dr. said it was an old injury and had healed but not perfectly.  He said she would never be sound to ride but could carry a foal with no problems.  She is now four and, as I type, I am watching her and her first foal frolic in the field.  Like your horse, she must have injurred it sometime as a yearling and we never even knew it happened.

Sorry to hijack the post but that is the first time I have heard of anyone else having a horse with an unknown broken bone like ours.

RIDE ON!

I've seen three different chiropractors work on horses and none of them used any kind of medication, local or otherwise. I have seen two of them use accupuncture.

But perhaps it depends on the type of alignment or adjustment necessary.