Advice on Horse with Sore back/rearer (vet thought it was hocks...)??

[SammyJ81]

Hi,
I bought a 9 year old showjumping gelding a year ago, stupidly didn't have him vetted as I fell in love with him. Got him home and he was very stiff when he came out of the box so walked him around a bit and he was fine. He seemed a little bit green as was frightened when I rode him in the school at night and did a few mini rears.

I had to have a saddle fitted to him, and that all seemed fine. He was kept on a livery yard and was out in the field with two other horses one day, when we think a shoot went through the field they were in as they all went through the gate and ran up to the yard. One of the horses was consequently on box rest for a minimum of 6 months due to injuries. My horse must have bumped his point of hip as there was fur missing there. from then on he seemed to go down hill, I had the vet out to check him as he had a weepy eye and she said that he was one-tenth lame and his hocks were filled.

So he went to the vet to have x-rays and nerve blocks to see what was wrong, and they couldn't find anything, but advised 2 weeks box rest and then walking roadwork after that to gradually bring him back into work.

After all that, I was in the school riding one day, had been for 25 mins trotting and walking in serpentines and circles, asked him to canter and reared up and bucked util I was off. I tried to stay on as long as possible, but never had a rearer before and he broke my nose!

Had a physio to him who seemed to think after her too visits that he was getting better but still sore, had a different saddler look at the saddle and he said it didn't fit (after 3 months)!

So now as I had to go overseas for a year he has been turned away.

Has anyone had a similar problem or know what may be wrong with him??

(Sorry its sooooo long!!)

 

[Alibear]

OK no idea as don't really know the horse but from how he's acting the mentioning off stiffness and him being a lot worse after box rest with the poss mention of hock/back problems I'm thinking EPSM.

That's pretty much a wild guess but it's what flashed through my mind, is he a warmblood?

 

[SammyJ81]

Yes he's a warmblood type I think, he didn't come with papers, I called the previous owner and she said they didn't have any problems with him at all.

I don't know what EPSM is, I'm affraid!

 

[Alibear]

It's similarish to tying-up/ azotoria and means that the horses muscles produce abnormal amounts of enzymes. Treatment is usually to switch to a low startch low sugar diet and feed oil. lots of oil. The amount of oil required to feed means a selenium suppliment is also necessary.

Is he the sort that looks muscley even when he's not fit? That's often another sign off it. As it short choppy ness behind in canter and bunny hopping. (using both back legs together)

IF you go here http://www.ruralheritage.com/

and type in EPSM as a keyword and seach it will tell you lots about it as the vet (american) on there seems to be the most knowledgable person on it.

You also have to factor in grass content changes throughout the year with this.

I may well be 110% wrong it's just a guess from what you've posted.

 

[SammyJ81]

He does look muscley when he's unfit and he was bunny hopping in canter, it was horrible.
Thank you so much for that, I will look that all up and see if the changes make any difference.

Thanks!

 

[mrussell]

Is he ok to long rein or lunge? Have you had a second opinion on your saddle?

I had low grade tying up - affected my boy in a similar way - I added Vit E to his diet and switched to a EPSM style regime (ie high oil).

Good Luck - trial and error is the key!

 

[SammyJ81]

He's better on the long rein, but bad on the lunge (rushes a lot).

I had a second opinion on the saddle, the saddler said he was down on one side. Its hard to say if his body changed in three months or the first saddler was just bad.

He looks at the saddle funny, so maybe it hurts him. I'm tempted to get a new one, but you have to ride them to have them fitted and I'm not sure I'll be able to. I was thinking of starting at square one again, as when I tried to get on him, his back went up staright away.

How was your boy after you changed the diet??

 

[tigers_eye]

I'm not sure if it's completely relevant, but seeing the title made me think of a horse my mum took on many years ago. He reared, but his hocks weren't strong enough to take his weight. After he injured his rider falling over backwards he came to my mum, who refused to get on him (this was before physios/back men/chiros etc). She lunged him everyday for a couple of months, working him really hard and jumping on the lunge a lot to strenghthe him up. I guess in retrospect this is only something you would do once you had sorted the root cause. Good luck with him.

 

[samp]

I am sorry to her of all the problems, I imagine it maybe a pain response. There is a lady I sent my horse to - did massage, rehabilitation etc and the vets said he'd never jump again and he went on to win lots. So maybe contact her? She is called Chris Caden-Parker