Warning: this post is mostly me trying to organize my thoughts about how to best solve the mystery of Kwik's crow hopping before I make myself crazy!
I've been scouring COTH and various other forums looking for possible causes of Kwik's trot-canter crow hopping. Obviously back pain from a saddle that doesn't fit seemed to be the first thing to address. After my fitter OK'd the fit of both saddles (Step 1), I was comfortable ruling that out. My vet says crow hopping can be related to soreness in the hocks or stifles so I attempted to address this next with a lameness evaluation, hock injections, Pentosan, and back shoes (Step 2). While Kwik feels great at the trot and he's quite comfortable on the trails now, he's still crow hopping during the trot-canter transition on the longe line. I haven't tried asking under saddle for obvious reasons. Girth pain was another term I saw frequently in relation to crow hopping/bucking at the trot-canter transition. Kwik has been somewhat girthy of late, and I'm starting to wonder if he has something going on that may be causing him pain in that department. It seems like a multi-faceted approach is necessary to address girth pain: chiropractic adjustment, experimenting with different girths, and work on the longe that encourages stretching of the topline muscles, etc.
So now I'm on to Step 3. My vet is scheduled to come out to adjust him tomorrow. I'm nervous- I realllllly hope we can get to the bottom of this because I'm starting to worry we'll never figure out what's going on...
This sounds familiar! Arch crow hops in the trot/canter transition, but it's primarily on the right lead under saddle. And if he breaks and I ask again, he doesn't normally hop at the second transition.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed improvement with a new (cushier) saddle, my BOT pad, and consistent asking. Because I'm in the saddle, I can't let him get away with it and he has to pick up the canter.
Good luck!
Hi Beka! I didn't know you were in GA! Do you know Stacey over at The Jumping Percheron?
DeleteI follow her blog, but don't know her personally. I think her city is a few hours away from mine.
DeleteHope the adjustment works! I'll be interested to hear about the results.
ReplyDeleteThat's really frustrating. I hope you figure it out soon!
ReplyDeleteMy experience with the Chiro for Houston has been amazing. Houston displayed similar behavior when he had a rib out and the adjustment pretty much immediately solved his problems. Hope you get to the bottom of it. Times like these it would be great if they could talk!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking he may have a rib out! I really hope it's an easy fix!
DeleteThey can also have issues with their sternum being out of alignment and I know that makes them really resistant - understandable!
DeleteMy guy William was the same, was not the saddle, was not the rib out...turns out he just learnt that every time he did that I would stop and get off to check him or put him away thinking he was in pain. No, he was just being a dick....I started smacking him a few times and riding him through it and now it is %90 gone. Hopefully it's an easy fix but keep in mind could just be cheekyness too.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right. He's figured out that when he acts like an ass in the arena, we do less arena work and more relaxing trail rides. Might be time to cowgirl up...
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