Signs of muscular pain
Muscular pain can result in a number of changes in the horse’s performance and behaviour:
- Tactile defensiveness.
- Change in disposition, eating or sleeping habits.
- Reluctance to move forward, refusing jumps or dropping poles, unable to back-up.
- Not tracking up, working with quarters in or out, unable to execute lateral work, changing canter leads behind, not striking off in correct canter lead.
- Unable to work up or down inclines or hills.
- Bucking, tail switching, ears back, wrinkled nose, stressed eyes.