coughing horse ...

[jlbackcountry]

I got up on Razz, today, just to ride him around for a bit. I got on him and he stood still [ some of my training has gotten through, eh? ] while I mounted. I did this bareback because I'm having minor difficulties with the saddle. Anyway, I turned him and we were walking out to the back of the pasture and he put his head down and coughed - he did this twice. See - he's done this once before. A couple of weeks ago, if I remember right, two days after he bucked me off. He tried to buck me off today - I tried to turn him AWAY from the fence [ it's electric ] but he hit it, anyway, and tried the buck me off. I stayed on, turned him and said, "Now, quit it!" And, amazingly enough, he stopped. But yeah, I'm a little worried about the coughing thing. He's on free choice hay - it's a round bale placed inside his pen and I think some of the hay dust possibly got in his nose, but he didn't start doing it until about three weeks ago. Should I have the vet come out and check him? I think he needs his back adjusted, too, because he's really heavy in my hands. He's not pulling against me, but he just leans on the reins. He's really tight to the left, as well, but to the right he's a lot easier. Is this because I taught him to neck rein? I don't think so, but I'm curious.

[rivervu2]

Round bales can be dusty and cause some respiratory problems in horses. If his coughing persists you may want to get some baled hay to see if he improves.

He does seem to have the symptoms of a sore back so a chiro adjustment may be needed. Most horses, like humans, have one side that they favor so it's important to exercise them in both directions, doing a lot of circles, serpentines, etc. When I first get on my horse I ride him very forward on a loose rein, asking him to really reach under himself with his hind feet. I do this for 10 minutes at both walk and trot before I take contact and put him to work. This really stretches the back muscles and loosens him up, just as you would before a workout. I have found it to be the best way to keep his back healthy.

[jlbackcountry]

I've had him on square bales and he's fine with it. No coughing whatsoever - it's a little dusty when I throw it in there, but he's not able to stick his nose in the middle of the bale and eat. He's a goober.

When I think back to it - it wasn't until AFTER he got that sore on his back [ I was told it looks like a saddle burn .. ? ] that he started acting crazy under saddle. I know why he bucked yesterday - he hit the fence. I've been teaching him to stretch his neck and I'm thinking that when the vet comes out - I'll have him possibly check his back out. I think it's more or less the saddle pad rubbed him wrong. I'm going to sell the saddle or trading it off.

The only reason I put the saddle back up on his back was because I thought it had healed over - I was wrong. I'll have the vet come out [ he needs to have his teeth floated, anyway ] and check see if he has any ideas as to what's causing it. I'm trying to trade my saddle off. LOL