Bridle lameness?

[jib1987]

I had a flatwork lesson on my horse this morning with a new instructor. When we were warming up, my horse was a bit stiff but worked through it and was fine for most of the lesson. However, when we changed from the right rein to the left, she became very stiff again to the point where she looked almost short in her left hind leg. A friend suggested bridle lameness but surely if it was this, it would ease off the more she worked? She is 7 years old and I have had her for a few months during which time I have been getting regular lessons in order to get her working properly as she has trouble working into a contact. She recently had her teeth done and the dentist found she had sharp edges which had cut her left cheek, however, this should have heeled by now. Does anybody haver any experience with this sort of problem and if so how did they overcome it? Thanks!

 

[measles]

I'm not sure that this is the response you'd hoped for but here goes..

I had a 5yo mare who was similar and who was tense, didn't want to stretch into a contact and who was what I would call unlevel at times. At first I thought the unlevelness was tension and had her saddle, teeth etc checked as you have done. I didn't think she could be lame and sore as she had had a 5 stage vetting a few months before and there had been no trauma in the interim.

My vet then came out and gave her a good look over, trotted her up etc and pronounced that she was sound and so I continued working her. Over the next month or so she worked well but was very occasionally unlevelish and then one day in canter she tried to kick my leg off, kicking out sideways and backwards.

I realised that she was trying to tell me something was up and got the vet out again and once again he said she was fine. I stood my ground and said I wasn't happy and he referred her to the local vet hospital for detailed lameness analysis and xrays. Turned out the poor girl had damaged suspensory ligaments on BOTH hind legs and also had arthritus in her hocks. We were devastated and now she is a very light hack and companion.

I don't for a minute think that your horse will have anything like ours did but I would give serious consideration to investigation of any lameness that persists, no matter how low level. Your horse may well be trying to tell you she's uncomfortable and if as I hope you do, you get the all clear then you can continue her work with a clear mind.

Good luck - do let us know how she is in due course

 

[Hullabaloo]

I would want to get this looked at further - until you have ruled out any problems you can't know its caused by bridle lameness.
My horse would occasionally look unlevel in the school but there was no pattern and no heat, swelling etc. It was suggested to me that it could be bridle lameness. However I got the vet and eventually we found our he has a sore back which he is now being treated for.
It may not be anything serious, but I think it is better to know what you're dealing with than to try and work through it and have the constant worry at the back of your mind.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

I would suggest you have her back checked, a reluctance to work into the contact, stiffness and short strides can all be a sign of back problems.

 

[Sal_E]

Sorry to also sound negative, but I consider ‘bridle lameness’ in the same category as ‘cold backed’ – i.e. it’s rather an all-encompassing term for an undiagnosed problem. I’m sure there are genuine cases of both out there that are really there name-sakes, but I believe in the majority of instances, further investigation does ultimately uncover a problem.

I think you need to get the vet to take a look – although you could try flexion tests & lunging on hard surface etc yourself if you have the expertise. Do note that vets don’t seem to be great with backs – I think it’s because they’re great at seeing mechanical lamenesses but not trained as a physio is to ‘feel’ discomfort in muscles. Therefore, if the horse isn’t crippled through the back the vet can miss it – in which case, you need a DECENT back person (can be like rocking horse poo).

In a nutshell, your horse is saying that something hurts, even if only for short bursts. The million dollar question is whether a bit of rest could solve it for you, whether you should work the horse harder to force it out, or whether extra work or total rest may do nothing & the horse could remain like that forever, never getting any better or any worse.

If it were me, I’d get the physio out immediately & sort out any problems there. Depending on what was found, I’d probably then give a couple of weeks off (turned out as much as poss) & bring back into work slowly. If the problem was still there, I’d then call the vet.

Hope you get it sorted – I know all about un-diagnosed lameness & you genuinely have my sympathy.

 

[kick_On]

Defo get back looked at. Then once sound, then go back to instructor and have a look at action of horse and how you ride??
BUT go to some who you trust and WHO will not beat you up about your ridding but instead help you under mechanics how you should be riding horse
eg making sure you ride long low at start of lesson, making sure you seat straight etc....

 

[jib1987]

Thanks for the advice everyone, she's now been checked over (by vet and farrier) and she's 100% sound including flexion tests. Also lunged her this afternoon on a hard surface and in the school and I didn't see any sign of lameness- she was tracking up nicely on both reins and everything. General opinion is that she was only stiff on that day due to being ridden pretty strenuously the night before. (she wasn't showing any signs of lameness then.) Will be keeping an eye on it for the time being just incase anything else appears. Thanks for the help!