A soundness question....!warning! Long.

[Festive_Felicitations]

Beau has been off real work since late May, becasue he has not been 'quite right'.
Just to set the scene, he has a permanent problem/weakness in his near hind , we persume due to an accident when young. (It has caused trouble in the past, but as we bought him for 500quid out of a field, not broken or vetted we can't complain.)

Any way 3rd week of May....he went really stiff (head up & neck locked, refused to flex when ridden), and if you asked him to trot out up hill he kept trying to break stride into a canter and would not lengthen.

We figured he had pulled a muscle of some sort messing around in the field, and watching him on the lunge/ trotting up the road, it appered to be his off-shoulder so we gave him a week off walking out in hand. As he seemed better started a bit of light hacking. Any way back into work after 3 weeks (now last week of June) shoulder seemed fine, he feels a bit stiff behind when you set off but loosens up. Gradually increased his work (interupted by torrentail rain and a mild bout of Tying-up) till this week he is quite happy to canter around and jump 1m.

BUT he is still not quite right, he still seems stiff at the back when you set off, tries to break stride trotting up hill and is clicking really loudly in his hip (near hind). It is quite cold here which I dont think is helping. he doesnt flinch if you run you hands down his back or poke him anywhere. Normally rest gets us through his muscle issues but this is taking a very long time considering he was never 'lame' just not quite right...

Any way the point to all this is:
Has anyone ever had a similar sounding problem? And what did you do?
Has anyone ever had a horse with a clicking hip/joint, if so what did it mean?
Do you think we should have the vet/ chiropracter/ massage lady out, if so why?

Large piece of brandy-chocholate cake for getting this far! Thanks!!

 

[Chavhorse]

When we started the training of my now 4 year old we found that he could not bend at all when ridden in fact he would often bend his head to the outside when being asked to hollow round. He was even doing this when free schooling on the left rein.

We also noticed he had a weakness in the hip (manifiestd by not really being happy during the mounting process and not seeming able to bring his hind legs through to track properly. It was like riding a horse with no engine he had no impulsion from the back at all.

My trainer has an excellent holistic vet practice that she uses and she suggested letting them look at him....now I will admit I was never one for miscellanous back people but was happier that the Vet managed the entire process and had trained vets that had studied Chrio accupuncture etc.

We found that Vardi had a locked 1st Vertebre and also muscle damage in his off side hip we also think due to a hooning around incident as a youngster. The vet gave accupuncture and manipulated the muscles in his hip and after a couple of days of being sore he started to improve dramatically to the extent that the last time he was ridden he was achieving a good flex in walk and more impulsion.

I know a lot of people do not like the "alternative route" and Will be the first to admit I needed to be converted....but was happily surprised at the results.

I would though recommend trying to find a vet practice that incorporates the "alternative treatments" rather than bringing in random people if at all possible so that treatment is kept consistant and one person is in over all control of it.

 

[MrsMozart]

Vet. He's not right.