It would be so easy to fix training issues that stem from physical problems if horses came with a play-by-play guide.
Hot in the box? Must be ulcers. Treat with GastroGard.
Head horse failing to pull? Hocks or stifles need treatment.
Heel horse quartering the stop? Hocks or stifles need treatment.
Horse bucking? Get a new saddle or pad.
Unfortunately, all four of these problems could have the same cause and treatment. Horses may have ulcers because their sore in the hocks or stifles because a bad saddle fit is causing them to not use their body properly.
“Everything in the body is intertwined,” says Dr. Joe Stricklin, a veterinarian and team roper from Greeley, Colorado. “It’s difficult to separate anything out and say this causes this, that causes that, or that’s how a horse is going to act when they have this.”
Since horses don’t come with a troubleshooting guide with clearly identified steps to a solution, here are some of the most common issues, their indicators and possible solutions.
• PAIN-RELATED PROBLEMS
There are a handful of factors that are common between head and heel horses as far as what to look for when they’re not quite working right.
“One of the biggest things is knowing when to be concerned,” says 2023 World
