Animals cannot communicate their pain to us easily and therefore it is up to us, as owners, to look out for signs of discomfort in them.
As a guide, owners should consider seeking treatment if their horse displays any of the following signs:
• Unlevel/uneven gait
• Stiffness and/or reluctance to bend on one rein
• Unexplained bucking/rearing/napping
• Inability/reluctance to strike off on or maintain a particular canter lead
• Disunited canter
• Cold backedness/discomfort when mounting
• Oversensitivity when grooming/rugging up
• Reluctance to work in an outline/engage the hindlimbs
• Uncharacteristic mood changes, eg grumpiness or lethargy
• Lameness where all other causes have been ruled out
• Uncharacteristic refusals/knocking of poles/rushing at jumps
• Jumping to one side
• 'Leaning' on one rein
• Reduced performance
• Head shaking/carrying to one side
• Lack of impulsion/reluctance to move off the leg
• Reluctance to stand square