What The Heck Was This Training Session About???

horses-n-greyhoundz · 09-11-2007, 09:16 PM

In a nutshell....I have backed my 2 1/2 year old gelding (River) now around four times. Each time has been a fairly pleasant success. Anyhow, I have had to lay off of him for a few days due to a very minor barbed wire injury. So, today I decided to resume.

When I brought him into the round pen today, I did not notice anything out of the ordinary. After saddling, I began to ground flex him like I have a million times. He normally flexes, completely, without complaint.

Today, however, he would not give AT ALL. I noticed that he was closing his eyes while I was trying to do so. After doing both sides, fairly unsuccessfully, he finally flexed a bit and then LAY DOWN!!!???

I felt this was so out of the ordinary that I unsaddled him after he stood up. For some reason I wanted to see if I could feel fever of any sort and stuck my index finger in the corner of his mouth (which he does not like WHAT SO EVER ) and he let me...again....unusual for him. He did seem a bit warm, but I really do not know.

So, any opinions out there? He did have this slight injury a few days ago, but the healing of it looks great. I am perplexed. Something was not right.

dcandace · 09-11-2007, 09:20 PM

I think I'd call a vet to be sure. Usually if you think things are off 9 out of 10...they are. Good Luck and hope your boy's ok.

KitKat · 09-12-2007, 08:21 AM

Did you take his temp? If he seemed a bit warm, that would be the first thing I would do. There could be some sort of infection settling in or something. I would get the vet out if any of his vitals are off.

If it is nothing medical, then he was just probably having a 2 year old day. Sometimes if they get confused or just don't feel like it that day, they can get silly and stubborn and try to pull different strings, see what gets them out of work. At 2, horses can be a lot like young kids, no attention span at all, one day they like their broccoli, the next they hate it.....

ricoman · 09-12-2007, 07:55 PM

maybe the barbwire thing was not quite to minor. If he didn't want to flex he may have fallen or twisted something that made his neck or back hurt, not to mention an infection. Vet call time, for sure.

Jess6092 · 09-13-2007, 01:15 PM

How is he doing today? Did you figure out what was wrong?? Update please!

horses-n-greyhoundz · 09-14-2007, 10:33 AM

Well....I am going to have to go with it being a two year old tantrum this time! Both yesterday and today, he was back to his wonderful self. He flexed and rode beautifully for me.I even rode him down the road to where my house is, and even rode him back bareback.

It's funny to me. With River being my first horse to train on my own, I had heard about these so called two year old tantrums, but he has ALWAYS been so good and willing to do anything I've ever asked of him, I had NO idea what was going on.

**divinemisselle** · 09-14-2007, 10:40 AM

For a first horse, you're doing a fantastic job with him! You really are!

I would still monitor him for any related infections, even if the injury seemed minor, just to be safe.

But likely, and hopefully, he was just being a booger!

I'm having a pic jones over here....I'd like to see that gorgeous boy again!

DoBeSassy · 09-14-2007, 10:53 AM

Ah the terrible 2s. I would also reccomend keeping an eye on him. But if all seem back to normal, chalk it up to a tantrum

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09-11-2007, 09:16 PM
horses-n-greyhoundz Long Yearling Join Date: May 2005 Location: North Central Arkansas Posts: 1,121	What The Heck Was This Training Session About??? In a nutshell....I have backed my 2 1/2 year old gelding (River) now around four times. Each time has been a fairly pleasant success. Anyhow, I have had to lay off of him for a few days due to a very minor barbed wire injury. So, today I decided to resume. When I brought him into the round pen today, I did not notice anything out of the ordinary. After saddling, I began to ground flex him like I have a million times. He normally flexes, completely, without complaint. Today, however, he would not give AT ALL. I noticed that he was closing his eyes while I was trying to do so. After doing both sides, fairly unsuccessfully, he finally flexed a bit and then LAY DOWN!!!??? I felt this was so out of the ordinary that I unsaddled him after he stood up. For some reason I wanted to see if I could feel fever of any sort and stuck my index finger in the corner of his mouth (which he does not like WHAT SO EVER ) and he let me...again....unusual for him. He did seem a bit warm, but I really do not know. So, any opinions out there? He did have this slight injury a few days ago, but the healing of it looks great. I am perplexed. Something was not right. __________________ If you can't be a good example -- then you'll just have to be a horrible warning. My house is where I live, but I'm at home in the saddle.

09-11-2007, 09:20 PM
dcandace Weanling Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hart County, KY Posts: 488	I think I'd call a vet to be sure. Usually if you think things are off 9 out of 10...they are. Good Luck and hope your boy's ok.

09-12-2007, 08:21 AM
KitKat Long Yearling Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Okotoks, AB Posts: 1,186	Did you take his temp? If he seemed a bit warm, that would be the first thing I would do. There could be some sort of infection settling in or something. I would get the vet out if any of his vitals are off. If it is nothing medical, then he was just probably having a 2 year old day. Sometimes if they get confused or just don't feel like it that day, they can get silly and stubborn and try to pull different strings, see what gets them out of work. At 2, horses can be a lot like young kids, no attention span at all, one day they like their broccoli, the next they hate it.....

09-12-2007, 07:55 PM
ricoman Weanling Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 440	maybe the barbwire thing was not quite to minor. If he didn't want to flex he may have fallen or twisted something that made his neck or back hurt, not to mention an infection. Vet call time, for sure. __________________ Resistance is Futile

09-13-2007, 01:15 PM
Jess6092 Long Yearling Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,048	How is he doing today? Did you figure out what was wrong?? Update please!

09-14-2007, 10:33 AM
horses-n-greyhoundz Long Yearling Join Date: May 2005 Location: North Central Arkansas Posts: 1,121	Well....I am going to have to go with it being a two year old tantrum this time! Both yesterday and today, he was back to his wonderful self. He flexed and rode beautifully for me.I even rode him down the road to where my house is, and even rode him back bareback. It's funny to me. With River being my first horse to train on my own, I had heard about these so called two year old tantrums, but he has ALWAYS been so good and willing to do anything I've ever asked of him, I had NO idea what was going on. __________________ If you can't be a good example -- then you'll just have to be a horrible warning. My house is where I live, but I'm at home in the saddle.

09-14-2007, 10:40 AM
divinemisselle Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,657	For a first horse, you're doing a fantastic job with him! You really are! I would still monitor him for any related infections, even if the injury seemed minor, just to be safe. But likely, and hopefully, he was just being a booger! I'm having a pic jones over here....I'd like to see that gorgeous boy again! __________________ . If Everything Seems to Be Going Right... You Have Obviously Overlooked Something. ~Steven Wright

09-14-2007, 10:53 AM
DoBeSassy Kid Safe Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 5,195	Ah the terrible 2s. I would also reccomend keeping an eye on him. But if all seem back to normal, chalk it up to a tantrum __________________ There is none so blind as she who will not see