That's not ~excatly~ what Cyn does, she doesn't stop when it happens. When it happens to Cyn, she might be going along and just takes a sortof hitchy step, where if you were watching her you might say "what was that?" but then she walks on normal. She doesn't stop. If she's standing when it happens, like when the farrier backed her into it, she'll just stand with this sortof stiff dead leg, sometimes at an odd angle and she seems content to just stand there like that if you didn't want her to move again. If you walk her forward from that, she'll take one hitchy step and keep going normal.
After reading this post, I WENT to google some more. It may be Rusty did the hitchty step, and I mistook it for stepping on rocks. The articles I read said in cases of a few hitchty steps it's mild stifle problem. When they go to hopping on one leg like Rusty it's a bit worse, but could still be from a lack of conditioning or bad confirmation. I don't think his confirmation is bad, he may be a tiny bit straight in his back legs, but I think since the problem is just now (I think) showing up, it's more due to the lack of conditioning. I was just doing to much circleing and tight circles even tho I was n't doin it fast and hard or for long periods. Harley doesn't have any problems, but I'm not going to work him in the arena anymore till I Do a few weeks of hills to strenghten him up too.
I get so frustrated. I see so many people drag horses out of the pasture after being off all winter, do all kinds of hard riding, and events and don't have problems....so why do I when I try to be careful about stuff like that...(I think I'm on the pity wagon:)
Becky