Back, Teeth or Tack? Answer....

[itsmyparty]

None of the above - hocks!

I posted a while back asking if anyone could shed light on naughty grey boy's problem. He was very reluctant to go forward in trot on the left rein. He was crabbing up and shaking his head in canter too. All on the left rein. No problems hacking in straight lines in any pace.
not lame on a trot up.

Well, I got the dentist out - nothing.
Got the saddler out - fatty has gone up nearly 2 saddle sizes but this has been adjusted and it's still happening.
Got the physio out and he was very sore over the right quarters (we're getting nearer now....). But, after treatment and straight lines for 2 weeks it's still happening.

So - called the vet out and he did flexion test and saw him on the lunge. He thinks it's arthritis in his hocks - causing a knock on effect in his back. He's in the vets tomorrow for a full work-up, nerve blocks etc.

I'm praying it's mild and we can treat it

 

[K27]

Good luck with your boy- yep definitely! sore hocks can cause loads of compensatory probs like sore back and chewing on or leaning on the bit, lack of straightness as they are not going forwards etc- know how you feel as mine has mild spavin too which is totally manageable with cortisone injections (although it won't get better as degenerative and they rarely fuse on their own i was advised)

At least know you know what it is you can get it treated!

 

[soulfull]

lots of luck with finding a good treatment. I think arthritis is such an individual thing and different treatments work for different horses

 

[squiz22]

None of the above - hocks!

I posted a while back asking if anyone could shed light on naughty grey boy's problem. He was very reluctant to go forward in trot on the left rein. He was crabbing up and shaking his head in canter too. All on the left rein. No problems hacking in straight lines in any pace.
not lame on a trot up.

Well, I got the dentist out - nothing.
Got the saddler out - fatty has gone up nearly 2 saddle sizes but this has been adjusted and it's still happening.
Got the physio out and he was very sore over the right quarters (we're getting nearer now....). But, after treatment and straight lines for 2 weeks it's still happening.

So - called the vet out and he did flexion test and saw him on the lunge. He thinks it's arthritis in his hocks - causing a knock on effect in his back. He's in the vets tomorrow for a full work-up, nerve blocks etc.

I'm praying it's mild and we can treat it

Hi its my party.. do you remember you wrote on my post about mine who had a similar issue? I had the one 'reluctance to go forward in trot'

It sounds like you have also gone through the same process of elimination that I did. Mine went into the clinic last week for a full work up with blocks etc. We both hand a hunch about his stifle so blocked it first and we were right. Xrays and ultra sounds showed nothing at all but he found slight fluid. Vet reckoned the stress out in his stable may have triggered but he also had growing pains.. soo he came back on monday and injected cortisone into the joint. He had two days box rest and now i am walking him for a week, then trotting and then if ok bringing him back into work. He's also on this super dooper joint supplement that costs a bomb.. smells good to eat though!

It was really interesting going into the clinic for the day and seeing what they did. I am sure you'll get some really good answers and then you can focus on getting him better. It may be that they too inject his hock to give him support. I have a friend who's horse has arthritic hocks and has them injected and he is fine but shes conscious of it and manages so don't stress too much.

Best of luck and keep us posted on what happens x

 

[Orangehorse]

Glad you found out what was wrong - but it does show why the vet is the first person to be called if your horse has a problem. Still teeth and saddle are things that need looking at anyway, so horse should be 100% after vet treatment.