4 yr old WB 'paddles' behind - any advice?

[eezeerider]

Hello,

Beginning to bring my horse back gradually into light work after 3 weeks of box rest due to him coming in from well and hilly field rather sore somewhere between pelvis and hock on left side. Physio lady advised box rest for three weeks with leg-stretch walking in-hand once a day, with visits from her at week-plus intervals, all of which he's had.

He's much improved and this week has been turned out in mornings and I'm just beginning to gently lunge on large circle, walk and trot. His quarters are not particularly well developed, but then he's only in light work and is only 4 yrs old.

Here's the thing - she says he's 'paddling' behind, and he's still showing to be slightly sore around sacroiliac area. I've had him 10 months and looking back at video clips of him in trot he 'paddled' slightly when I first got him and has always done so. Physio lady seems neutral about whether to involve vet (investigation/bone scan etc). She recommends a programme of gradual rehabilitation through exercise, whereas a friend of mine says I should go down the vet-bone-scan route. He's my first horse and I'm planning to keep him for ever, as a happy, healthy, un-stressed, classically schooled and well behaved best-friend horse.

Any thought, cautions, experience greatly appreciated!

 

[kezimac]

Not sure whether classed as paddling but my horse who had hock Spain's moved like had a wet nappy on - apparently classic sign of spavin(wish I had known!) so perhaps that - but if you keeping for life deco go the bone scan route I reckon

 

[be positive]

I would not have been happy to keep a horse on box rest for an undiagnosed problem unless the vet was involved, a physio cannot diagnose and in my view should not be putting a horse onto prolonged box rest without referring back to your vet.
There are also implications with your insurance, if you have him insured, they will try and get out of paying if you do not go through the correct procedures and later it proves there is an issue that needs further treatment.

I would get the vet involved now, it may be that the horse does just need more building up but if there is an underlying problem the sooner it is treated appropriately the better.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I would not have been happy to keep a horse on box rest for an undiagnosed problem unless the vet was involved, a physio cannot diagnose and in my view should not be putting a horse onto prolonged box rest without referring back to your vet.
There are also implications with your insurance, if you have him insured, they will try and get out of paying if you do not go through the correct procedures and later it proves there is an issue that needs further treatment.

I would get the vet involved now, it may be that the horse does just need more building up but if there is an underlying problem the sooner it is treated appropriately the better.

Absolutely agree with all of the above.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

physio can't diagnose anything legally-unless she is also a vet. she should have got OK from vet in order to work on him in first place and then referred him if she thought there was an underlying problem that required 3 weeks boxrest.

if in doubt, always get a lameness work up done.

 

[Nicnac]

I would not have been happy to keep a horse on box rest for an undiagnosed problem unless the vet was involved, a physio cannot diagnose and in my view should not be putting a horse onto prolonged box rest without referring back to your vet.
There are also implications with your insurance, if you have him insured, they will try and get out of paying if you do not go through the correct procedures and later it proves there is an issue that needs further treatment.

I would get the vet involved now, it may be that the horse does just need more building up but if there is an underlying problem the sooner it is treated appropriately the better.

^^^ sound advice

 

[cptrayes]

Do you mean he swings his feet out and round behind? If so this is also a classic sign of neurological problems and I would be investigating him as a potential wobbler.

I think you need to involve your vet.

 

[eezeerider]

Thanks for all your advice folks, I will definitely take heed to it all!

Not to defend the physio particularly but it was our steep hilly wet fields that were either extremely slippery or frozen solid during that time, which she voiced concerns about him doing further injury to himself if turned out in, and she knew he was going to be let out in the stable yard to stretch his legs every day for an hour and that I would walk him in-hand in the evenings. She said if it wasn't for the weather/field conditions she'd not be advising to keep him in.

That said I'm still worried that I shouldn't have followed her advice and kept him in for so long. He's turned out every day again now, and he's moving well on the lunge and when I trot him up. He's always been very straight behind, and still is - it's just in trot he has a very slight soggy pants look, but then he always has. Showing no signs of pain anywhere from hoof to stifle either side, and has never bucked when I ride him, and never grumpy or grumbling as if uncomfortable or in any pain.

If I do go down the bone scan route soon, for this slight 'soggy pants' symptom, will that invalidate any future claims I might need to make on his hind-quaters or his back etc? even if they're not related? Any knowledge/experience of this would be extremely grateful!

ps, if any one has a McTimmoney, Equine Physio/ Sports Massage/ Back Specialist they'd really recommend then please do let me know.

Can

 

[eezeerider]

Do you mean he swings his feet out and round behind? If so this is also a classic sign of neurological problems and I would be investigating him as a potential wobbler.

I think you need to involve your vet.

Thanks for the heads-up, but no his feet don't swing out and round behind. It's more that he pushes off the ground behind ever so slightly wider in trot than he does in walk. It's difficult to explain, and it may just be his way of going, but I will bear the wobbler thing in mind when I speak to the vet. Thanks again!

 

[irishdraft]

Some horses do just move like this, i have a 5 year old who does this abit, as your horse is only 4 and assuming not musculed up properly I wouldnt worry to much, if there are no other signs of pain or lameness etc just keep working sensibly and building up the horse but if there are any other issues always speak to your vet. I had a horse that had the most horrendous wide behind canter but was the soundest, best hedge hopping hunter I have ever had, so i dont rush to the vet for these things.