advice please

[centralpark]

Hi there I wonder if anyone has experienced a problem similar to mine…

I am bringing my 10 year old gelding back into work after a long lay off. I got him out of racing where he had had a long history of problems relating to his back and his legs (pin fired and bar fired – but only found out he had problems in racing much later on). From very early on I wasn’t happy with him so I had my (excellent) Chiro look at him and we began treatment, she was coming every fortnight. Over winter I led him off my hunter to keep him interested and occasionally I would ride him around the farm in walk. I wouldn’t dream of getting on him now but back then because of his temperament I thought it was OK (he is one of those special horses who never complains and only says No when they genuinely are too broken to do something – he has never said no to me even though I took him hunting for a couple of hours when I got him). After 3 months she referred him to my vet because she wasn’t happy with the progress she was making. So he went to vet in feb and had x rays, bone scans etc. They could not find anything significant to explain quote “the most acute back pain we have ever seen at this clinic” un quote. The only thing they find was very minor arthritic changes in his hocks (but not spavin) so they injected them and sent him home. During all the time I had had him he had never been lame, he had a very peculiar action and was terribly sensitive along his back but had not been lame. His action was very high kneed, marching short steps in front with more straight legged stiff looking movement behind and not tracking up. So I slowly brought him back into work and all was going swimmingly until disaster struck and he went lame. It was almost as if his hocks had ceased up – he was very stiff and short behind. He went back to clinic and they re did all tests plus some others to try and determine the cause but drew a blank so he came home and went on a 10 day course of danilon and then came back into work again. I should also mention he has had 8 acupuncture treatments and 3 reiki treatments as well as seeing my chiro regularly. I have done about 8 weeks walking with him now, started by long reigning but changed to ride and lead because he kept stopping dead to eat and I decided it was prob not good for his back! His walk is SO improved, he is much looser, much freer and although I haven’t yet re-measured his stride length I know it will be much longer than the 30 inches it came in at 8 weeks ago. So all is well.. except I put him on the lunge in just his headcollar a few days ago to see him trot on a big circle (end of lunge line) and he is still noticeably stiff in trot – he looks like a cut and shut! Hurrying round on the front dragging his behind along. The vets want me to get on with things until (if) he goes lame again as they have no answers! Having come so far I really DO NOT want him to go lame again so I’m trying to think of a sensible action plan. Theoretically he should not be stiff as his hocks were injected and he is on NO BUTE (to help him work through minor muscle twinges etc while I try and teach him to use his body correctly). What I can’t decide is whether or not he looks funny because he hasn’t done any trot work yet so his muscles are all wrong or whether it is because of some sort of problem. Bearing in mind what the vets have said to me about getting on with things I thought I might introduce trot work in his ride and lead work and then put him back on lunge in 2 weeks to see if any improvement. I’m not using side reins, pessoas or anything like that. He has just had his 1st clean bill of health on his back from my chiro although his neck is very tight but vet did say curing one problem will cause others with him and it will take time to get him right. I don’t want to get on him until he is using himself correctly in all paces and I don’t want to lunge him because it is so strenuous so really with the problems I’ve been having on the long lines with his interminable greed ride and lead is my only option at the mo. Any ideas or tips/advice please anyone? I am so so sorry this is so long!!!x

 

[flyingfeet]

I don't think people appreciate how stiff horses get after a long lay off.

I would stop wasting money on alternative therapies and put time and graft into spending hours walking and then moving on (if you've done 8 weeks of walking, which I am assume is more than an hour a day then you can move up a gear to trot).

To trot properly on the lunge actually takes quite a lot of effort, and please don't be tempted to stick him in a pessoa etc to force an outline as his poor muscles won't take it.

My horse that has been turned out for over 5 years looked incredibly stiff, and although will improve as a session goes on he looks nothing like my elastic competition horses.

It is fair to say its easier to bring on a youngster than to get one of these back into a supple elastic state, so being harsh, you have to make a decision whether its worth it

I worked out my stiff boy was probably older than I thought (circa 20), and I put him back into retirement to sort out the babies, but I have that luxury.

 

[centralpark]

thanks.. as i already mentioned i dont want to use any pessoas etc what i really wanted to hear about was why he should still look all wrong in trot when he looks better in walk, he should no longer be stiff in his hocks and he should no longer be in pain either so i'm assuming you are agreeing with what i thought and his muscles are wrong which makes him move incorrectly? I'm not approaching his re hab in the same way i approach getting horses fit for hunting - maybe i should be? i think little and often is more sensible given his chronic problems. He goes out 6 days a week but never for longer than 45 mins. I wouldn't start any fitness work until he was happy (stronger and more balanced) in at least walk and trot, thank you for replying although I have to point out that neither I nor my vet sees his alternative treatments as a waste of money, the acupuncture in particular has made a huge difference to him. probably should have also mentioned he lives out 24/7. thank you x

 

[flyingfeet]

As he trots for longer on the lunge do you see any improvement as his muscles warm up? They often look dreadful to start with, but as they cannot do a rountine of stretches before exercise, they should start to loosen up with work.

Actually it wasn't the acupuncture worrying me so much as the chiro. I have seen so many people ripped off, to the point where I've seen people pay hundreds per week for treatments which were a horrible waste of money and these people were told their horses were in pain etc etc. All most needed to was improve their stability in the saddle and stop bashing the horses back - either way everyone has their own opinions and I am pro homeopathy, but anti back people!

You are probably worried to death that he is going to go lame again, but I would try the hunting (traditional?) type fittening routinues to bring him back. I do think hours of walking are very beneficial, and you need to get the muscles warm to be able to stretch. If you've seen improvement in the walk, then if you put more work it I would expect to see the same kind of results in trot and finally canter (bear in mind it can take weeks to get a level balanced canter!!!)

 

[CBAnglo]

Have they looked at the pelvic area?

One of mine has been diagnosed with aggravating a very old Sacroiliac injury and some of the symptons you are describing match his. What is he like on a trot up? And on flexion? They are not conclusive but can help to locate the problem area.

 

[centralpark]

CBAnglo - yes they have investigated his entire skeleton pretty exhaustively!

TBH I haven't tried him for longer than a few minutes on the lunge as he looked so uncomfortable and I was worried about damaging him! I think the best thing is to carry on with the ride and lead and build up the trot work but i think i just needed someone to agree with me as i'm terrified of doing the wrong thing!!!