Posted 2005-11-08 5:12 PM (#32817) Subject: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Regular
Posts: 68 Location: Flagstaff, AZ
A neighbor bought a TWH, 12 yrs old for easy pleasure riding. Says he stumbles a lot and that a "knowledgable horse lady" told her his chest muscles were "worn out" from too much showing. Personally I haven't heard of hopelessly worn out muscles because it seems to me that if you slowly conditioned muscles they could work well. Any thoughts on this?
Posted 2005-11-08 5:24 PM (#32818 - in reply to #32817) Subject: RE: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 565 Location: Michigan
My thoughts:
"knowledgeable horse lady'? Aren't there at least two of those within any group of horse people? They drive me nuts!!!
Stumbling in this horse could be a list of reasons and if it is threatening to the horse and rider, then a veterinarian should be brought into the picture for a full evaluation of the horse.
Could be neurological, arthritis, shoeing/hoof problems/, vision problems in the horse, the list goes on.
Posted 2005-11-08 5:36 PM (#32819 - in reply to #32817) Subject: RE: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Regular
Posts: 68 Location: Flagstaff, AZ
I hear ya....
I suggested she do some simple ground work with him to re condition him, and get the right farrier. He had a good vet check. Really is a neat horse, great personality. She could be over reacting too, all horses stumble sometimes on the trails. But worn out muscles seems just silly.
Posted 2005-11-08 6:41 PM (#32822 - in reply to #32817) Subject: RE: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Elite Veteran
Posts: 644 Location: Odenville, Alabama
Worn out chest muscles?? THATS a new one!! Alot of show horses don't know HOW to walk on the various terrain that a trail offers. If the vet checked him out clean, then I'd get a good farrier working on those feet. But SLOW, EASY trail miles will be the most beneficial for him.
Posted 2005-11-08 6:42 PM (#32823 - in reply to #32817) Subject: RE: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Member
Posts: 18
Location: Southeast Texas
We can just about tell the minute one of our horses feet get too long b/c he goes to stumbling. Get him shod and he immediately quits!! Not saying that's your horses problem, but will be nice if it is......
Posted 2005-11-08 6:53 PM (#32825 - in reply to #32817) Subject: RE: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
I find horses that have spent most of their time in show rings and pastures, don't know how to pick their feet up. They just are not used to stepping over rocks, tree limbs, holes and all the other stuff that we find on a mountain trail. They may be distracted by a horse following nose-to-tail behind them. I know my gelding starts looking over his shoulder and not paying attention to where he puts his feet if another horse crowds his butt.
I brought a 4 year old MFT gelding home from Missouri. He had supposedly had a lot of trail miles in the Mark Twain National forest. First ride in the Uinta Wilderness of Utah and realized he didn't know how to deal with rough terrain. This is one of the reasons I pony my yearlings on many rides inthe mountains each summer. Teaching them to pay attention to where they place there feet.
Posted 2005-11-08 9:39 PM (#32833 - in reply to #32817) Subject: RE: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
Seeing as the horse is gaited...I really don't think picked up it's feet would be a problem, in fact maybe not flicking them about like they are on fire would be closer to the truth.
I'm betting one of two things:
Horse was abused due to practices in the showing side of TWH, commonly called soring back in the day. Either bones were harmed or maybe they drilled screws into hoof structures to get "the big lick." Now that he had to become a "pleasure horse" (due to congress stepping in on the behalf of the horses being abused and horses like that becoming illegal to show) he got nerved and can't feel his feet, so he isn't in pain 24/7. (Only vet's can tell for sure)
Or, Maybe he still has "long" feet (possibly mis-shapen)from showing and either he still has 6-8 inches of hoof, or he literally does not know how to control his new lighter feet, with light or no shoes. (Only farriers can tell for sure)
I've listened to tons of bull, even gotten some on my boots but never had someone tell me a horse's chest muscles were worn out!
Posted 2005-11-08 10:36 PM (#32835 - in reply to #32817) Subject: RE: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Veteran
Posts: 127 Location: PA
I agree with Huntseat...although I thought the term was "scoring" ? Also the nerving is a good possibility. At any rate get a good farrier in to work with his feet and see what he can tell you. It may take a few weeks or months before he gets the feel of having "trail" feet instead of "show" feet. Worn out chest muscles? Please......
Posted 2005-11-09 7:46 AM (#32839 - in reply to #32817) Subject: RE: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 565 Location: Michigan
No it is called "soring", although some of the trainers and judges might call it "scoring" if they win, and this still goes on today.
It is a sad state to say the least in the TWH show world. Things may be getting better as far as more DQ judges being used and catching the idiots who do this sort of practice. I personally find the "big lick" unappealing and disheartening.
Hope this horse gets better on the trail as TWHs are wonderful to trail ride on.
Posted 2005-11-09 3:34 PM (#32852 - in reply to #32817) Subject: RE: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Regular
Posts: 81
I'd like to meet the "knowledgeable" horse person that said the stumbling is from worn out chest muscles. That goes to the top of the stupid list.
All great advice. Knowing some of the horse's history would sure help. If he's registered and the Owner knows someone with access to IPEDS, you could find out if he was shown and who the trainers were.
Also the phrase "stumbling a lot" is by whose definition. Does he stumble at liberty in the pasture? Going down the road? Going down a tractor lane? Going over logs and rocks? How about longing? If it stumbles during longing, more on one side than the other?
Also, will the horse keep its gait or break into a trot. As an example, my three yo's sacrum and Atas bones were out. He couldn't hold his gait to save his life. The chiropractor worked on him, and he's now a gaitin' fool.
Along with a good vet and a good farrier looking at the horse, I might also suggest a visit from an equine chiropractor.
Recovery from certain equine diseases may have left the horse with something wrong to make him stumble.
As someone else has commented, the possibilities are endless. It might be best to determine just how much and under what conditions the horse really does stumble.
If the horse's history isn't able to be traced, the lady is essentially starting from zero trying to figure this out. Hopefully it's the most simple of things -- that would be the horse needs a good farrier.
Posted 2005-11-09 4:18 PM (#32854 - in reply to #32817) Subject: RE: A question about chest muscles and stumbling
Member
Posts: 28 Location: Montana
My boss had a Tennessee Walker that went just fine for years, he changed saddles to one that pinches the shoulders and his horse started tripping. The saddle kept the horses legs from moving freely. Once he switched back to his old saddle and move it back behing the shoulders, the horse was fine. I agree it could be alot of things, including a bad rider.
A question about chest muscles and stumbling
