Adverse reaction of rider

[AimeeYoung19972]

Hi,

I have been bringing a horse back into work after having two years off with injury.

Ridden horse 4 x and yesterday i managed to get on the horse, the horse did rush slightly after initially getting on, then haulted. I got someone to try and lead the horse out, but it reared and flipped over! Luckily we are both ok. The horse did this last year, but we found out the saddle did not fit so put it down to that, we are using a different saddle this time which fits.

Has any body experienced this, and what were the findings when consulting a vet? The horse doesn't show any signs of pain along the back, but was known to have very very mild kissing spine a couple of years ago that were injected with steroids at the time to slow down the progression. Prior to injury 2 x years ago the horse was great to get on and off and never behaved like this so it must be a pain response, but they are not insured for their back anymore!

 

[webble]

Could be many things, you need a vet really and personally I wouldn't get on again until you had worked out the issue. It could be ulcers, pain memory, KS returning, muscle pain etc etc

 

[AimeeYoung19972]

The horse had a chiro out a couple of weeks ago and had quite heavy treatment with no fuss at all so i dont think it could be muscle pain. It also had ulcers March this year and was treated unless they have come back, but horse makes minimal fuss over girth and has always been a tad girthy even when in full ridden work prior to injury. Could be the KS but I haven't heard of horses with KS give such an adverse reaction. The horse couldn't do rehab for KS as only a hacking horse now anyway due to prev injury

 

[Tiddlypom]

Vet.

 

[AmyMay]

I haven't heard of horses with KS give such an adverse reaction

Really? I’m surprised.

Either way, it’s a vet job.

 

[Widgeon]

KS / back problems are a funny thing, my last horse had some sort of issue along these lines and it wasn't at all noticeable to the physio, or obvious to the vet. But based on his behaviour and his physical responses to being ridden (without going into detail) there was clearly *something* wrong with his back. He didn't have a well established ridden career (he'd been started late) so he was just retired rather than doing extensive investigations. But my point is, just because something appears "mild" or the horse only responds to some stimuli (a rider) and not others (having his back prodded), it doesn't mean the horse can cope.

Horses with KS can react shockingly badly - I really wouldn't ride him again if he's rearing up like that. Have a quick Google and there's bound to be lots of YouTube videos from professionals illustrating the kind of response a horse subsequently diagnosed with KS can give.

As webble says above, your horse's problem it could be lots of things, but a) you need to find what it is and sort it, and b) until you can do that, he's clearly not safe to ride. He's probably not doing it just to be difficult - don't get hurt, get the vet out.

 

[AimeeYoung19972]

To confirm horse won't be ridden again - the horse isn't suitable for more than hacking so won't be doing KS rehab anyway. I was just curious!

 

[ycbm]

Could be the KS but I haven't heard of horses with KS give such an adverse reaction.

Really? Where have you been hiding? Mine did this.

 

[Widgeon]

the horse isn't suitable for more than hacking so won't be doing KS rehab anyway.

This is a genuine question (as I've said, we didn't rehab my horse for a ridden career, he just went off as a companion) but surely much of the KS rehab can be done hacking? Surely hacking is better for a physically compromised horse than working on a surface?

 

[Bellaboo18]

Poor horse has kissing spine and ulcers (which will have returned as the cause of them hasn't been treated) and you're wondering why they don't want you to sit on their back? ?

 

[Widgeon]

Poor horse has kissing spine and ulcers (which will have returned as the cause of them hasn't been treated) and you're wondering why they don't want you to sit on their back? ?

Oh come on, don't let this turn into a witch hunt, it sounds like the OP has been told by others that the horse is ok (FWIW I think that's nonsense but sometimes it's hard to know who to trust), I'm pretty sure this is a problem of lack of experience of the problem rather than deliberate cruelty. OP has already said that she won't be riding the horse any more. She's come here for information, let's try to give her that rather than bullying her away.

 

[Bellaboo18]

Oh come on, don't let this turn into a witch hunt, it sounds like the OP has been told by others that the horse is ok (FWIW I think that's nonsense but sometimes it's hard to know who to trust), I'm pretty sure this is a problem of lack of experience of the problem rather than deliberate cruelty. OP has already said that she won't be riding the horse any more. She's come here for information, let's try to give her that rather than bullying her away.

I'm not bullying anyone. I've put it simply, I hope OP understands to save the horse from any additional pain.

 

[sbloom]

I would want to be sure the horse is comfortable without a rider before deciding not to rehab, either way, some focused groundwork is likely to help whether you go a vet route or not (often this ignores the root cause, so often posture, and fixed the symptom only).

 

[AimeeYoung19972]

Thanks for the responses. The horse has been seen by a vet and chiro in the last 3 months and has said she would benefit from light ridden work - she will never ever be a competition horse again and I was bringing her back into work for her sanity so she could enjoy life as a hacking horse. I have another one, so to put it frank I don't need to ride her I was trying to get her to a state where she could go out round the block / fields. She is a very level headed horse and when she had KS two years ago she showed no sign of pain, I understand this could have advanced and this could be causing it, but the horse is no longer insured for the back/spine or pelvis and has had around £10,000 worth of treatment in the last couple of years. I don't have the finances or do I want to put her through more treatment (likely MRI / bone scan) to discover that she isn't rideable anyway. The horse won't be ridden and is quite happy as a lawnmower, I was just curious to see if anybody else had this sort of adverse reaction before (considering I had ridden her four times before this and she was fine).

 

[SEL]

Depending on what's going on in the back you can sometimes get nerve pain and that can cause a very sharp reaction. I have femoral nerve issues relating to an old back injury and when it flares up it flippin hurts and I know people with sciatic nerve issues say the same. Obviously I can speak to my GP and physio and describe my symptoms but horses can't. I know what it's like to have spent ££££ on a horse that doesn't "fix" and mine is happily lawn mowing too

 

[Birker2020]

The horse had a chiro out a couple of weeks ago and had quite heavy treatment with no fuss at all so i dont think it could be muscle pain. It also had ulcers March this year and was treated unless they have come back, but horse makes minimal fuss over girth and has always been a tad girthy even when in full ridden work prior to injury. Could be the KS but I haven't heard of horses with KS give such an adverse reaction. The horse couldn't do rehab for KS as only a hacking horse now anyway due to prev injury

Mine was very girthy. That was the only symptom he had of ulcers but I got him scoped anyway as he'd already been treated for KS (medicated spine) after having xrays so didn't think it was that.

He didn't have ulcers but doing up the girth obviously caused back pain.

 

[AmyMay]

Thanks for the responses. The horse has been seen by a vet and chiro in the last 3 months and has said she would benefit from light ridden work - she will never ever be a competition horse again and I was bringing her back into work for her sanity so she could enjoy life as a hacking horse. I have another one, so to put it frank I don't need to ride her I was trying to get her to a state where she could go out round the block / fields. She is a very level headed horse and when she had KS two years ago she showed no sign of pain, I understand this could have advanced and this could be causing it, but the horse is no longer insured for the back/spine or pelvis and has had around £10,000 worth of treatment in the last couple of years. I don't have the finances or do I want to put her through more treatment (likely MRI / bone scan) to discover that she isn't rideable anyway. The horse won't be ridden and is quite happy as a lawnmower, I was just curious to see if anybody else had this sort of adverse reaction before (considering I had ridden her four times before this and she was fine).

All fair enough. If she’s happy pottering around in the field, I’d be doing exactly the same. KS is rarely (if ever) cured. So can absolutely appreciate not wishing to rehab.

 

[Birker2020]

All fair enough. If she’s happy pottering around in the field, I’d be doing exactly the same. KS is rarely (if ever) cured. So can absolutely appreciate not wishing to rehab.

I'm not sure that is totally accurate is it? I know of loads that have been rehabbed both after surgery and without.

 

[sbloom]

It's not cured fully, no, but it can so often be managed very well if rehabbed correctly, then prehabbed at all times (eye to posture and correct movement patterns) and rehabbed again if the horse has time off for any reason. In many ways this is how we should be "doing" our horses anyway.

 

[Bojangles321]

Long story short, bought my horse and had a couple of nasty falls because of bucking. Thought it was my poor riding and getting to grips with a new horse. Sought help of instructor who thought it was a pain response. Ended up diagnosed with KS in 9 places (passed a 5 stage vetting, no concerns raised over his back), plus grade 2-3 ulcers. His symptoms got progressively worse, super girthy (would arch his back UP) and then the severe bronking started. Even after the KS op and rehab he was still showing a pain response so was retired as a field ornament. His reactions were very extreme before his op, yet initially vet wasn’t convinced KS or ulcers were responsible.

FWIW I think you’re doing the right thing, if horse will be happy and pain free in the field let it be.