If a normally game, non-gaited horse begins showing signs of reluctance to trot, but instead paces or breaks into the canter, a call to the vet may be in order, Dr. Bruce Connally of Wyoming Equine in Berthoud, Colorado, tells EQUUS magazine.
A horse suddenly is unwilling to go forward or one that has a significant gait change (like refusing to trot, but being willing to pace) is trying to tell his rider that something is amiss. Loping or gaiting instead of trotting can be ways in which horses seek to minimize pain.
If the horse is older, arthritis may be to blame. Other possibilities include foot pain, neurologic pain like equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) or pain in the back or pelvis. The outcome, including the possibility of continued riding, is dependent on the veterinarian's findings.
Read more at EQUUS magazine.
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