Advice needed!

[LaurenDobson]

So I have a 6year old tb gelding out of racing. He never ran due to tendon injury but I won't go on about him! We jump upto 90cm unaffiliated and I've been having problems for the last few weeks! He started getting very sensitive when asking him to do anything and was very tense and unsettled. I put a bitless bridle on thinking it was his teeth as every time I got hold of him when jumping he was rushing off with his head in the air. This didn't solve it so I got someone to look at his back. We found his pelvis was out and his poll and back very tight. This was nearly 2 weeks ago when he was looked at and at first he seemed to be more settled and relaxed when hacking out. I did some schooling and he was a bit rushed in canter but I put this down to him thinking it would hurt.
I have just jumped him tonight and he was just at bad as before, landing and running on leaping about, rushing and been very up tight. He even ducked out and dropped me off his shoulder
I'd love any advice from you all as I'm beginning to think all my hard work with him is going down the drain!

Thanks

 

[Bestdogdash]

In my experience, your horse is showing symptoms of a kissing spine. Is he difficult to keep condition on, and hard to get a top line ? Does he flinch a a little when he gets tacked up or groomed along his back ? If so it would be worth getting an X-ray to confirm or dismiss before you do anything else.

Hope this helps

 

[LaurenDobson]

That does make sense, he gets grumpy when I go to put his saddle on (he's generally grumpy so have never thought about it!) although he's always in good condition with a good top line. But worth getting him checked! Thank you, much appreciated!!

 

[philamena]

I would strongly suspect ulcers. Hugely prevalent, esp in ex racers, a typical cause of tense behaviour, especially when jumping or doing fast work - which is often interpreted as excitement or naughtiness. Plus ulcers very often co-exist with mucscular pain: the ulcers often cause muscular pain because of the horse holds itself against the discomfort and puts certain muscles into hypertonicity / spasm... and then the discomfort from the muscle pain causes stress which kicks off more ulcers - a vicious circle... They very often have soreness around the poll and an asymmetrical pelvis... Don't be fooled by a healthy, well covered horse: mine was the picture of health apart from certain behaviours, including tension while jumping...

There are videos on youtube /Dr Kerry Ridgeway's website which show where to palpate the horse's accupressure points to check for ulcers - that's worth a look. And if you do a search you will get literally gazillions of threads on here with more info on the vast range of symptoms etc...

ETA grumpiness when saddling or about to saddle is an absolutely classic symptom.

 

[be positive]

The problem with just getting someone out to look at the back is that unless you know why there are problems any treatment may be just treating the result not the cause. The physio will have helped but it is what you do to improve the muscles afterwards that makes the real difference and only 2 weeks on the chances are if there were problems in the pelvic area they will still be there just not so bad following treatment.
My physio always comes back about 2 weeks after the first treatment, firstly to make sure they have responded as expected, secondly to make sure I am working them correctly to strengthen the problem areas, if yours has not been for a follow up how do you know whether the horse has responded, most need a second treatment to fine tune things but rarely need a third.

I would either get a qualified physio to come out or get the vet who should have given permission to treat in the first place, if the treatment was done without vets permission I would not let that practitioner back on the yard.

 

[philamena]

The problem with just getting someone out to look at the back is that unless you know why there are problems any treatment may be just treating the result not the cause. The physio will have helped but it is what you do to improve the muscles afterwards that makes the real difference and only 2 weeks on the chances are if there were problems in the pelvic area they will still be there just not so bad following treatment.
My physio always comes back about 2 weeks after the first treatment, firstly to make sure they have responded as expected, secondly to make sure I am working them correctly to strengthen the problem areas, if yours has not been for a follow up how do you know whether the horse has responded, most need a second treatment to fine tune things but rarely need a third.

I would either get a qualified physio to come out or get the vet who should have given permission to treat in the first place, if the treatment was done without vets permission I would not let that practitioner back on the yard.

Also agree with this: you can often get symptoms treated but if the horse isn't working correctly because of another issue, or has a natural asymmetry / developed asymmetry then you can quite quickly recreate patterns of tension etc once you restart work. It can take a long time to peel back the layers to find the actual root of a problem...

 

[mik]

try the vet

 

[LaurenDobson]

Thanks everyone.
The physio was planning on coming back to him next week so I have called her and she is coming Monday.
I am also going to get his saddle checked as he has had the same saddle for the last 2 years and has changed shape and size a lot.
Thanks

 

[BeckyD]

Vet would be my first port of call - tends to save money in the long run Hope it turns out to be nothing.