My Horse Reared Yesterday!

[Alexa&Tess]

I took Tess for a walk through the woods on Sunday and she was being really well behaved (she can normally be a bit wary of going through deep mud and she trys to climb through the trees) until we turn to go down hill.  The footing was fine, it wasnt slippery but she started shaking her head around and pulled the reins through my hands, then went back to the top of the hill. So i regained control and turned her to go back dow the hill, she took about 3 steps then shook her head leapt in the are and then did a sort of half rear and went back to the top of the hill.

At this point I got off, I thought it was better to be off and unhurt than fall off and then be hurt.  I tried to lead her down the hill and she tossed her head around again.  Then three other riders came round the corner and she was normal while they where there.  they rode passed us and then she bounced up and down then reared right up on her back legs and i had to let go of the reins (she did look stunning though). she cantered off towards the other horse but then when they tried to catch her she went back along the path the way we had came towards the rode. Luckily a tree had falled down across the path ni she stopped instead of jumping it. then she turned back and cantered doth the path straight at me. I stood in the middle of the path and she stopped when she got to me.

I led her back to the yard and she was perfectly normal as if nothing had happened.  It was very very strange.  I led her through the woods today in my be-nice halter and she was ok. she was a bit apprehensive about on the road on the way to the woods and on the down hill bit she started shaking her head so i made her circle around me and she stopped.

I dont know what to do; my saddle is fine, I got a fhoenix a few months ago. She is having the physio next week because i though she looked a bit tight accross her loins, do you think that could be it? she is riding six so i though maybe she has teeth coming through as well but if her mouth hurt i though she would object to the be nice as this applies pressure around her muzzle.

I know i need to get back on but i cant take her into the sand school at the moment because of her feet, i think i will lead her through the woods again tomorrrow mornign.

[Claire]

there may well have been something scary down there that she wasn't having that you couldn't see/hear/smell/intuit.

i recall many years ago i was riding queenie inthe arena and she took to doing u-tunrs when half way down the long side in going to a particular end of it.

we thought she was just taking the  p*** until the following february when, during some major rain, the end of the arena she didnt' like collapsed into an old coal seam underneath!

she knew what we didn't.......

once it was mended, she was fine ....

[BornToRide]

Could she have Ovarian issues? Something was bugging her physically it seems.  

[shoveltrash]

there may well have been something scary down there that she wasn't having that you couldn't see/hear/smell/intuit.

ditto this!  

i would recommend handwalking her, working with her on the ground in your be-nice halter in that same area and see how she reacts.  once she's relaxed in-hand, THEN you can try it mounted.  i'm a firm believer in fixing things like that from the ground (to avoid ending up on the ground!  :P ).
good luck    

[Alexa&Tess]

I lead her through the woods yesterday mornign. I must have looked a sight with my high viz, hat, gloves and schooling whip but i though it was better to be prepared.  She was a bit apprehensive on the road on the way there but seemed to settle a bit later on.  

In the place where she had her funny five she was a bit enervous and she tossed her head around but i asked her to circle around me then carried on down the slope.  we did this twice and then she was ok.  she is calmer in more open areas but thats understandable.  

There are a few different paths through the woods so i'm going to try and go a different way each day, I have to do it before work though full time jobs can be so inconvienient.

Aleax