Anyone have any experience with this?

J_sarahd

J_sarahd

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 August 2017
Messages
1,639
Visit site
So pony has started refusing to canter left under saddle in the school (will canter out on a hack absolutely fine). Got the vet out today and she said he doesn’t appear to be lame. If she was being very picky, he was lame on the left hind for three steps after the flexion test - her words. We lunged him and she said there is noticeable difference in right canter and left canter.

He’s on Bute for two weeks and if it works, we are going to do some more investigative work. But does anyone have experience with this and can give me some indication as to what it may be?

Saddle has been checked recently but will get it checked again if the bute doesn’t work
 
I had something similar but not as clear (he didnt refuse to canter, was just a little reluctant). Equine massage therapist noticed a tightness in a hamstring and suggested getting the farrier to look at rear hoof balance. (Saddler agreed next day) One hoof had got a little long on the inside and unbalanced, causing him to put more strain through one hamstring and the opposite shoulder. Farrier has resolved it.

Like yours, it was only a subtle reluctance in the school where corners are tighter and he'd need to balance.
 
I’ve owned 2 over the years where horses with established/even canter lost one side.

The first was found to be due to quite a significant sacroiliac injury. Horse retired from competition.

The second was less serious, horse had been kicked on the hock a few weeks previous and the canter gradually deteriorated - not obviously lame, mildly positive in flexion, X-ray showed a teeny chip and remodelling - steroid, walked a month and good to go.
 
OrangeAndLemon said:
I had something similar but not as clear (he didnt refuse to canter, was just a little reluctant). Equine massage therapist noticed a tightness in a hamstring and suggested getting the farrier to look at rear hoof balance. (Saddler agreed next day) One hoof had got a little long on the inside and unbalanced, causing him to put more strain through one hamstring and the opposite shoulder. Farrier has resolved it.

Like yours, it was only a subtle reluctance in the school where corners are tighter and he'd need to balance.
Click to expand...

This is interesting because he is barefoot and his hind feet have always been uneven. He’s got the farrier on Friday and they’re fairly overdue so hopefully it’s just that
 
ihatework said:
I’ve owned 2 over the years where horses with established/even canter lost one side.

The first was found to be due to quite a significant sacroiliac injury. Horse retired from competition.

The second was less serious, horse had been kicked on the hock a few weeks previous and the canter gradually deteriorated - not obviously lame, mildly positive in flexion, X-ray showed a teeny chip and remodelling - steroid, walked a month and good to go.
Click to expand...

The one with the sacroiliac injury, I’m guessing they showed as lame?
 
I knew one who lost a canter, vet declared sound but the horse was awful on one rein, disunited, changing back and forward.

It stopped doing school work and just did hacking, but then got a treeless saddle and after 6 weeks the canter came back!

The old saddle had been changed several times, and it was not instant, but I do think it was a saddle issue.
 
ihatework said:
No. Felt awful to me under saddle but sound on flexion. The horse did have a stringhalt but that emerged pre-SI
Click to expand...

Thank you, I will keep this in mind as a possibility. Hopefully not though. I don’t know much about SI to be honest
 
Red-1 said:
I knew one who lost a canter, vet declared sound but the horse was awful on one rein, disunited, changing back and forward.

It stopped doing school work and just did hacking, but then got a treeless saddle and after 6 weeks the canter came back!

The old saddle had been changed several times, and it was not instant, but I do think it was a saddle issue.
Click to expand...

My pony will change front but never back. But I’m not sure if that’s greenness or issue.

I will go down the saddle route if the bute trial doesn’t work.

I’m worrying because it could be something big or it could be something tiny. Like it could be an SI or it could be his feet, you know?
 
SpringArising said:
I put my money on it being a muscle issue. Can you afford a month's worth of weekly physio/sports massage? I'd also not ride in that time and do lots of groundwork and stretches.
Click to expand...

I probably could, after payday this month which is in two weeks for me. My little brain is fried about what to do next, as there are so many possible reasons! I have two weeks worth of bute, so I may just carry on with that and see what happens and then take it from there?
 
ester said:
In what way are his hind feet uneven?
Click to expand...

Well, when I bought him, the inside was worn down a lot more than the outside. (Apparently old owners farrier didn’t think it was an issue....) my farrier has said that it is getting better, but he is still essentially walking on the insides of his feet.
 
I mostly ask because my own through out a flare on his resulting spavin side way before anyone would have likely diagnosed him. So they can definitely give hints of what might be going on.
 
ester said:
I mostly ask because my own through out a flare on his resulting spavin side way before anyone would have likely diagnosed him. So they can definitely give hints of what might be going on.
Click to expand...

I don’t think he has a flare but will definitely keep this in mind. I’m guessing this will be something that could be diagnosed if the bute works and we do some more investigative work. With your horse, how “career altering” was it?
 
It wasn't, interestingly I sent the vet a video of him on the lunge not looking comfortable and they all had a guess which leg look in the office. Vet agreed to come post physio after which he was essentially sound. He was managed with physio and boswellia for a couple of years had a joint injection at 24 which worked well. He doesn't flex lame on them anymore but his annular ligaments got the better of him instead.

Flare might not be the word, more supportive wonkiness!#

edit found a pic more easily than I thought!
10524719_10154568461760438_5270213453546028001_n.jpg
 
Ah, okay. I think I could cope with that. I will definitely keep that in mind for if the bute works, after which I will also get the physio out again. My biggest fear is that it’s going to be something career ending, because he’s only 6 and he has such potential.

Oh okay! That lines up a bit more with how his feet are!
 
Baring in mind, if the bute doesn't work it doesn't mean he isn't in pain.
We put both of mine on a bute trial, both of them made no difference but turned out both had issues.

My gelding couldn't canter left, wasn't lame and bute made no difference and he still didn't want to canter left, but when we trotted him up after 2 weeks ridden on bute he looked 1/10th lame and nerve block he went sound. It was his suspensory.

Fingers crossed its just a pulled muscle.
 
ForbiddenHorse said:
Baring in mind, if the bute doesn't work it doesn't mean he isn't in pain.
We put both of mine on a bute trial, both of them made no difference but turned out both had issues.

My gelding couldn't canter left, wasn't lame and bute made no difference and he still didn't want to canter left, but when we trotted him up after 2 weeks ridden on bute he looked 1/10th lame and nerve block he went sound. It was his suspensory.

Fingers crossed its just a pulled muscle.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I understand. What would be your suggestion if the bute doesn’t work? I’m basically so confused as to what to do whether or not the bute works!

Thank you. I’m hoping it is just a pulled muscle or something that he’s done being an idiot in the field whilst I was away
 
I'd want someone like Tom Beech out to make sure there was no structural issues. If there is he will find it. Then I'd expect to do all the other things, teeth, saddle etc and then bring back into work slowly and with the help of a decent sports massage therapist to keep him straight while he strengthens.

Uneven wear of feet tells you there is something going on higher up in almost all cases.
 
I was definitely going to do the other usual checks if he’s clear of structural issues. I’m just worried about missing something. For example, if it’s something like KS but we don’t look into that. I’m also worried about it being something career ending for him.

For now, I think I will carry on with the bute trial and focus on that. I have a terrible habit of overthinking everything.
 
Has your vet warned you that Bute trials are often ineffective for back and sacroiliac pain?

So just because it doesn't change anything, it doesn't mean that your horse's change in behaviour isn't being caused by pain.

I had my horse with kissing spines on four Bute a day to try to keep up his core strength with work leading up to his operation, but he was still uncomfortable.
 
ycbm said:
Has your vet warned you that Bute trials are often ineffective for back and sacroiliac pain?

So just because it doesn't change anything, it doesn't mean that your horse's change in behaviour isn't being caused by pain.

I had my horse with kissing spines on four Bute a day to try to keep up his core strength with work leading up to his operation, but he was still uncomfortable.
Click to expand...

Yeah I am aware of this. But if it works, then at least there’s a pinpoint.

In your opinion, what route would you go down? What would be your POA?
 
Take everything one step at a time - get your saddle done, get your sessions of physio/massage booked, stop riding in the interim and then see how he is in a month. I wouldn't bother with a Bute trial - I wouldn't have even bothered with the vet at this point. Put your money to better use for the time being and start right at the beginning on the assumption that it's musculature. Do the stretches and physio exercises I told you about in the other thread. Get his teeth done as well. Be granular about your tack - does your bridle fit properly? Is it too tight at the poll?

If that doesn't help, get your vet out and tell them you want X-rays of the spine and hocks done. If I ever suspect something I do them on a first visit rather than wasting money on the vet looking at the horse and telling me what I can already see.
 
I've had one of mine start to refuse to canter on one rein, declared sound by vet. 3 months later went 1/10th lame with collateral ligament injury due to poor balance in front foot. No issues now sound and healed. I'm convinced he was struggling with the canter due to the foot imbalances before it actually caused lameness so assessing where you are with foot balance would be good to tick off your list
 
whiteflower said:
I've had one of mine start to refuse to canter on one rein, declared sound by vet. 3 months later went 1/10th lame with collateral ligament injury due to poor balance in front foot. No issues now sound and healed. I'm convinced he was struggling with the canter due to the foot imbalances before it actually caused lameness so assessing where you are with foot balance would be good to tick off your list
Click to expand...

I am definitely going to get his feet looked at for imbalances as I do think this may have some connection to his issue, whether it’s muscular or structural
 
SpringArising said:
Take everything one step at a time - get your saddle done, get your sessions of physio/massage booked, stop riding in the interim and then see how he is in a month. I wouldn't bother with a Bute trial - I wouldn't have even bothered with the vet at this point. Put your money to better use for the time being and start right at the beginning on the assumption that it's musculature. Do the stretches and physio exercises I told you about in the other thread. Get his teeth done as well. Be granular about your tack - does your bridle fit properly? Is it too tight at the poll?

If that doesn't help, get your vet out and tell them you want X-rays of the spine and hocks done. If I ever suspect something I do them on a first visit rather than wasting money on the vet looking at the horse and telling me what I can already see.
Click to expand...

Okay thank you. In regards to his bridle, it absolutely shouldn’t be too tight. He wore it when he had a mane and was going forward and actually cantering (!!) and now he’s hogged so it should still fit.
 
J_sarahd said:
Yeah I am aware of this. But if it works, then at least there’s a pinpoint.

In your opinion, what route would you go down? What would be your POA?
Click to expand...

A horse that is getting worse, not improvng, where I can't see any reason why, I would get a vet to take a look or try a period of rest.

But I'm confident of saddle fitting. If I wasn't, I might start there instead. Basically I'd need to see the horse and rider (it could be you gone wonky?) to know what I'd do.

One of mine isn't perfect, but he's equal sided. And considering where he started from, and that he's on a continuous plane of improvement, I'm happy that he's in a good place.

But a horse which used to happily take canter in either direction and now won't, that isn't improved by rest, I'd be asking my vet if we should nerve block progressively up the back legs to the sacroiliac, and if nothing is found X ray the spine from the poll to the furthest back they can get. If that found nothing, I'd probably go for a scintigraph.

As a barefoot avocate, I'd also be questionning whether my farrier was trying to trim the horse symmetrical when it actually wants asymmetric feet to balance something going on higher up the legs.

Hope that helps, it's very difficult without seeing the horse.

.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top