Have a question reguarding my 4 year old gelding

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ibquackers20

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I bought a 4 year old gelding that has been trained to drive,but I noticed the other day that when he walks it looks like he has something stuck up his butt - kind of like a person who has hemroids. He poops and pees and eats and drinks great so I know that is not the problem. My other 3 horses do not walk that way - is it normal ? Does every horse has its own way of walking - I see him trotting and running with no troubles at all and he looks great, he only does this when walking ? any ideas or people who's mini does this as well
 
Probably just the way he walks. I have a few of them that walk like that.
 
Does he waddle? It may be his stifles or he may be sore somewhere.

I would have the vet look at him first but as far as exercise goes work him slow!!!

I would work him slow, 20min a day gradually increase the workload but not over 20mins.

Lots of groundwork and drive him every other day.

Do not lunge him this will make it worse. Lots of straight lines, hill work etc.

Again have the vet look at him but if it does turn out to be muscle or stifles just take your time.

I am sure you will hear lots of great ideas from other posts.
 
Does he waddle? no it is not a waddle, rather hard to explain - kind of like he has something stuck in his butt /lol

I know the owners and have bought 2 other minis from her, she would not sell me a mini with troubles but I think it may just be his way of walking, he trots really nice with tail flagged and runs with the wind. I have sent the owner an email and will see what she says, hope it is just the way he walks.
 
Do you have a picture of him looking like somethings up his butt?? l've never heard or seen that but l don't get out much so would be curious. l have seen horses walk with there butts under them but for them it was bad conformation plus the tail set was low but it didn't look as bad if they were at a faster clip.
 
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Sometimes horses that have been conditioned and worked on a treadmill too much without incorporating other activity and exercise will have that look but I have no idea if that is the case with him. If not and he is sound and healthy then it is probably just his way of walking. The other thought I had is maybe he needs to be adjusted by a chiropractor. Our driving and jumping horses get adjusted at least a couple of times a year and if one is sore or his back was bothering him he does walk differently after being adjusted.
 
I was just emailed by his past owner and she said that she noticed it after he has filled himself on grazing. So if this is the case then I will cut him back a bit on grass maybe and feed him more hay and see if there is a differance. But she has assured me that he is fine and it is just his way.Tried to get a photo but since I a new to him I figured it would be easy, NOT of all the times walking up to him and having him walk away having a camera in hand he comes to me. So I did not want to send him away, but did not want to waste having my camera so here is a photo of all my minis - 4 YEAR OLD GELDING Justin the one that walks funny in front heading to the barn, 2 YEAR OLD GELDING Prince next , 2 YEAR OLD GELDING C.J on the left then 1 1/2 YEAR OLD Bella my only filly on the right of C.J picking up the rear.

All4ofmyminis.jpg
 
I have a gelding who walks just as you say yours does. Recently at a CDE, the vet and ground jury determined that he had a neurological problem and were concerned that he might not be able to participate. It made no difference to them that he had always walked just that way and that he has participated in CDE's for most of his driving career, passing the vet check every single time. They watched him carefully in the dressage and again at his vet check after a 5 kilometer marathon, where he threw in a big "I'm feeling great!!!" buck. It helped that he was the best cones time of all horses. At another CDE, he finished second and at a third he had the best overall dressage score at training level of all horses, big or small. The horse is built short in the back and walks wide behind, therefore avoiding stepping on his own front feet. It seems a little more evident if he is late in a foot trimming. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the horse; it is an individual way of going based on the individual's conformation
 
some call this "wide in the back" "post legged" "camped out". If you stand in front of the horse his back legs are probably outside of his front legs.

If you look at your horse from the side my bet is his legs instead of making a nice straight line off the rump go out behind him. Its a conformation fault. Sometimes young horses do it during a growth spurt or when they need some weight and muscle (some junk in the trunk) Most of the time though its poor conformation. Some also say they look like they are wearing a diaper.

heres what camped out looks like from the side

campedout.jpg


heres what a good conformed hind end looks like to compare

goodhind.jpg
 
here are 3 photos of my 4 year old gelding, I did not clip his head the last owner did before I brought him home.Sorry if photos are a bit large,do not know how to resize them yet.

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0545a.jpg


000_0541.jpg
 
I have a gelding who walks just as you say yours does. Recently at a CDE, the vet and ground jury determined that he had a neurological problem and were concerned that he might not be able to participate. It made no difference to them that he had always walked just that way and that he has participated in CDE's for most of his driving career, passing the vet check every single time. They watched him carefully in the dressage and again at his vet check after a 5 kilometer marathon, where he threw in a big "I'm feeling great!!!" buck. It helped that he was the best cones time of all horses. At another CDE, he finished second and at a third he had the best overall dressage score at training level of all horses, big or small. The horse is built short in the back and walks wide behind, therefore avoiding stepping on his own front feet. It seems a little more evident if he is late in a foot trimming. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the horse; it is an individual way of going based on the individual's conformation
Same with my gelding. Looks like he's carrying a load in his britches! He's always been that way, but I don't care because I don't show and he's just my loveable driving horse and companion. Poor conformation?...not sure...he comes from good breeding stock: his sire is a world and national champion driving horse and his dam is a Rowdy daughter.
 
Does he hollow his back when he moves? That goes along with what Kay said about camping out behind - harder for them to round and collect if the hind end doesn't come up under them. Depending on the degree, and how hard he has to work for a living :bgrin he may well do just fine. If that's his problem, it is a conformation fault but it's a matter of degree and may or may not ever be an issue.

Cute little guy at any rate.
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Jan
 
I have a gelding that walks wide. He is a driving horse and does well in any show we go to, usual take 1st or 2

my trainer (Darin Southwick a well know trainer) told me it made a better driving horse. So I wouldn't worry about it. Alice
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