Cold Backed

[CharlieB_87]

Hi,

My mare has been having on and off problems with her back for the past year now and has had several different back people out to her, each with a different opinion, each finding something different wrong with her. The latest has suggested that she a typical cold-backed horse. However, as she is rising 9 this year and has shown no symptoms up until relatively recently (within the year) i'm a little hesitant to fully believe that she is cold-backed as i would of thought she would have shown signs before now if she were.

Just a little query to see if anybody has had much dealings with cold-backed horses and whether or not they're aware of how the problem tends to develop/occur?

Thanks in advance,
Charlie Xx

 

[louise1967]

When I bought my horse she was cold backed, Getting on wouldn't stand still, being tacked up very fidgetty, hated the girth being done up, but once out riding fine. It did get progressively worse over 3 yrs to the point where she was almost collapsing when I was getting on, that was when I got the vet out and he insisted on an x-ray which diagnosed kissing spine. She was 12 yrs old at the time, he said he can be brought on by general wear and tear and by being in foal as there is extra strain on the back, she had had two foals before I had her. Her kissing spine has been corrected now.

 

[JLav]

I would definately get your horse checked over by a good equine vet. It definately sounds as if there's a problem so that should be your first port of call. If nothing specific is found and it's just some sort of soft tissue problem then the vet should be able to recommend a good physio/chiro or whatever is needed to help you.

I'm not a great believer in 'cold backs' and if this is something that was not usual for your horse in the past then it is worth getting to the bottom of it.

 

[Sal_E]

Totally agree with JLav - I think 'cold backed' is one of those over-used alll-encompassing terms that people often throw around without actually getting to the bottom of the problem. It sounds as if your horse needs further investigative work done, via the vet. It may be that x-rays or bone scan is needed...

Hope you get it sorted.

 

[dunthing]

My daughter has a gorgeous 17yr old ex P2P gelding who was said to be cold backed but it turned out that he had some bad falls and damaged his back. He had various treatments including massage, manipulation and a horse whisperer! Shes had him for five years with no problems at all.

 

[MagicMelon]

My horse was cold backed for the past 3 years and came to me like this. He would arch his back something awful when I got on and 3 times if something spooked him when he was doing this, he did take off and bronc me off!

We had 2 back people check him and they found nothing. They were also very unhelpful and said "cold backed horses dont exsist, its all in your head".... right.....

I learnt to live with it, tried the usual lungeing before I got on etc. But last year I put him on NAF Superflex, for no other reason that just as maintenence for his joints. After about 2/3 months he began to be normal when I got on. Ever since he has not been cold backed at all. Very very odd. I asked the vet if the supplement could have helped, she said it could possibly have helped with the stuff between his spine but probably only if he'd had some sort of injury.

Either way, this is the only thing I changed and he has been fine every since so I will keep him on the Superflex forever now!

 

[CharlieB_87]

Thanks for all the help.

I'm in a bit of a difficult situation as she is currently out on loan. She's due to have a McTimoney person come out to her at the end of this week. If there is still no improvement i am considering videoing her movement and sending it to the equine analysists to see if they can pick up on anything .

 

[chunklovescooks]

one word VET

 

[darksecret99]

A horse I rode was "cold backed", I lunged every time before I rode, else he would go from 16hh down to about 14.2hh when you got on!!! He was like that from the start though and still like that at 20yo, despite back treatments, tack checks, all sorts of back pads etc etc... Fine after 10mins on the lunge though! He was just super sensitive and needed the muscles warmed up before you got on...

But i doubt that would just start all of a sudden, sounds like she may be sore somewhere...

 

[kevH]

When were her teeth last checked?