Bit of a head scratcher! Thoughts welcome

[AmyMay]

He is booked in to go to a specialist clinic

Good luck. Tell us how you get on.

 

[paddy555]

sent it to the slaughterhouse obviously because I’m such a terrible owner for listening to the professionals I’ve used.

He is booked in to go to a specialist clinic

I'm glad he is going to a specialist clinic.

I dont understand your first para. You came on here and asked people's thoughts, they gave up their time to reply and then you make that comment.

 

[Bellaboo18]

while in *theory* I don’t disagree but when they find things like mild OA or “potential for kissing spine” and there is potentially a secondary issue such as ulcers or PSSM or wobblers like stated above that gets missed because vets found something and some vets will stop once they’ve found something - and if the explosions still occur - I’m up the proverbial because I’m lucky to have walked away with only one broken bone.

I think I actually do get what you mean *but* by no means would it stop me getting a vet. Explosive behaviour comes from pain. Physios are good to a point but dont have xray vision.

Vets can only treat what they find but I would push for the whole picture.
So, for example, if kissing spines were found on xray, I'd want to do further investigations to find what else was going on/what this was secondary to. So maybe bone scan, further xrays, scope etc etc. I'd want to know exactly what I was dealing with before I solved one problem to find it was secondary to another problem. I'd be led by my vets but would push to know exactly what was going on in the whole horse.

IME vets treat what they find and can focus on one problem rather than looking at the whole horse.

 

[shergar]

Hi Apollo storm , the weird curcumduction of the hind leg is something I have seen before ,on the same side the hip is raised and forward ,one was a sec b ,second a warm blood , and third a welsh sec d that had scans x rays ect at the Leahurst equine hospital they could not give a diagnosis ,but had used up £4,700 of insurance ,the horse was sent home on field rest for 3 months that made no difference ,told to work him still no different ,the owner then decided to have the horse put down ,I asked her not to ,and sent her to our vet ,he was treated with the remainder of the insurance and sent home sound ,and went on to compete in dressage . All three the pony and two horses had a stifle problem ,that was corrected by manipulation . Where about are you based .?

 

[ApolloStorm]

Hi Apollo storm , the weird curcumduction of the hind leg is something I have seen before ,on the same side the hip is raised and forward ,one was a sec b ,second a warm blood , and third a welsh sec d that had scans x rays ect at the Leahurst equine hospital they could not give a diagnosis ,but had used up £4,700 of insurance ,the horse was sent home on field rest for 3 months that made no difference ,told to work him still no different ,the owner then decided to have the horse put down ,I asked her not to ,and sent her to our vet ,he was treated with the remainder of the insurance and sent home sound ,and went on to compete in dressage . All three the pony and two horses had a stifle problem ,that was corrected by manipulation . Where about are you based .?

He circumducts his left hind- but vet physio found his right hip was higher and forwards. Can I ask if they had any other symptoms? like the explosiveness? And what was the diagnosis?

 

[HeyMich]

He is booked in to go to a specialist clinic

I'm very glad to read that. Good luck and I hope they find the root of the problem - because there definitely is a problem from what you've said, horses don't just 'explode' repeatedly like that for fun. Your horse is telling you loud and clear that he's in pain/discomfort, and it is your duty as his owner to help him out. All the best at the vets, and keep us updated please.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

sent it to the slaughterhouse obviously because I’m such a terrible owner for listening to the professionals I’ve used.

Perhaps you need to choose your professionals more carefully. I am afraid I wouldn't be happy with a physio who told me that the horse, *which is still not right*, doesn't need to see a vet.


I hope the specialist clinic can give you some answers.

 

[Upthecreek]

This thread highlights perfectly why you should be very careful which professionals you choose and the pitfalls of following advice which is outside of their remit to give. With the list of physical issues and explosive behaviour you described in your first post I struggle to understand why you did anything other than book him into an equine hospital for a full work up at that point. I am shocked the physio didn’t recommend this. You are insured so veterinary treatment would be covered whereas you have been paying the physio out of your own pocket. There is no point paying for insurance and not using it when the need arises.

It’s a serious situation, which has had dangerous consequences for you because you have had multiple injuries as a result of riding a horse who is in pain. It is not a situation to waste time with physios and saddlers when the horse clearly has chronic physical problems which need investigation, diagnosis and treatment before anyone attempts to ride it again.

 

[ApolloStorm]

As an update and for anyone searching in the future.
Horse spent the day in horsepital today, full set of clear back and leg x rays, nerve blocks made no difference. No lameness found. No PSSM, no wobblers, vet doesn’t think ulcers, but is open to omeprazole trial after below treatment
Horse has been diagnosed with Fibrotic myelopathy in the left hamstring which caused his strange gait and has been given some bute to help reduce inflammation in muscle. While some further ground work can be done, vet wants a revisit in 3 weeks to check progress then may inject with steroids if little improvement otherwise will have green light to start him back ridden. Vet also said it isn’t a common condition and he presents abnormally and is going to liaise with my physio