confirmedponyaddict
Well-Known Member
Where to begin? I actually posted a thread on here months back entitled 'Very worried' or something similar. Turns out I was right to be. My horse had a holiday between xmas and new year of this year, brought her back into work, did a few bits and bobs with her (low level jumping) and she didn't feel great, kept throwing poles out with her front feet and not making a great shape over her fences so got her saddle checked and it was pinching her shoulders so changed saddle. Then thought I would get the chiropractor/physio out to check no lasting damage from the saddle and she noticed that my horse asymmetrical behind. Her right hip appears lower than her left and on walking and trotting up there was a noticeable drop to that side as well. Slight undertracking on her right hind and moving that leg awkwardly. At this point I felt like the worst person in the world because this had obviously been going on a while and I didn't feel it, or see it, but as no one but me rides her I don't really get a chance to watch her. Chiro was pretty sure (and vet backed this up) that the asymmetry was from muscle wastage, not her pelvis being wonky.
Vet came and did a full lameness work up- nerve blocked from the foot up to the stifle, x rayed and ultrasounded her hock and stifle- all clear. Vet said rest her for 6 weeks then think about giving steroid injections in the SI joint as some of her symptoms indicated this. I should mention at this point she is not insured and I can't afford a bone scan so we were diagnosing by process of elimination at this point. 6 weeks of rest in the field achieved nothing so she had the injections on the 10th of May.
I was told to build her up slowly with lots of walk work to start and gradually introduce hills, trotting and then canter. I long reined her to build topline as well. I think she has improved slightly, especially under saddle, feels straight and willing to go forward when I ride her. Seven weeks on, the vet came out today, he thought there was a 20% improvement in the lameness but was hoping to see 50% to show that the steroid injections had worked. His opinion after ruling everything else out is that the lameness must be as a result of a fall in the field and pelvic fracture and that I should box rest her for 2-3 months.
I have a few issues with this 1) she will HATE box rest or being confined and I'm worried about her throwing herself around the stable or getting cast and hurting herself further. 2) if this happened 6 months ago won't the fracture have started to heal anyway? Vet says no not at all if she's been allowed to moved on it but I'm concerned that perhaps the healing process has started but she's healed wonky. 3) if there is SOME improvement in her lameness was I doing the right thing anyway by building her back up and the vet is hoping for too much too soon.
I'm going to ask for a second opinion (not sure who from yet, I'm so sceptical about vets) but I thought I would pick the brains of you lot on here. Can you box rest for an old injury or would it be pointless and distressing for her?
Lastly, background on the horse- she's a 15.2hh ISH of unknown breeding (I suspect a fair amount of ID) 7yrs old, I bought her as a 4 yr old and we did three BE80s last season with some good results. She does prat about in the field so I would not be surprised if she had fallen but I am surprised she wasn't more dramatically lame at the time.
Well done if you got all the way to the end!
Vet came and did a full lameness work up- nerve blocked from the foot up to the stifle, x rayed and ultrasounded her hock and stifle- all clear. Vet said rest her for 6 weeks then think about giving steroid injections in the SI joint as some of her symptoms indicated this. I should mention at this point she is not insured and I can't afford a bone scan so we were diagnosing by process of elimination at this point. 6 weeks of rest in the field achieved nothing so she had the injections on the 10th of May.
I was told to build her up slowly with lots of walk work to start and gradually introduce hills, trotting and then canter. I long reined her to build topline as well. I think she has improved slightly, especially under saddle, feels straight and willing to go forward when I ride her. Seven weeks on, the vet came out today, he thought there was a 20% improvement in the lameness but was hoping to see 50% to show that the steroid injections had worked. His opinion after ruling everything else out is that the lameness must be as a result of a fall in the field and pelvic fracture and that I should box rest her for 2-3 months.
I have a few issues with this 1) she will HATE box rest or being confined and I'm worried about her throwing herself around the stable or getting cast and hurting herself further. 2) if this happened 6 months ago won't the fracture have started to heal anyway? Vet says no not at all if she's been allowed to moved on it but I'm concerned that perhaps the healing process has started but she's healed wonky. 3) if there is SOME improvement in her lameness was I doing the right thing anyway by building her back up and the vet is hoping for too much too soon.
I'm going to ask for a second opinion (not sure who from yet, I'm so sceptical about vets) but I thought I would pick the brains of you lot on here. Can you box rest for an old injury or would it be pointless and distressing for her?
Lastly, background on the horse- she's a 15.2hh ISH of unknown breeding (I suspect a fair amount of ID) 7yrs old, I bought her as a 4 yr old and we did three BE80s last season with some good results. She does prat about in the field so I would not be surprised if she had fallen but I am surprised she wasn't more dramatically lame at the time.
Well done if you got all the way to the end!
