Collapsing behind? Locking stifles

[Nuttyfilly]

I have a nearly 4 year old that I brought from the brink of existence two years ago. She was very very poor and her stifles were noticeably weak then but didn’t suffer any locking until her second year. It’s intermittent and doesn’t seem to bother her. She lives out 24/7 and has done all her life. She’s recently been broken and has been away for 8 weeks where they have had no issues with it. She seems totally well in herself and not lame however when I ride her downhill she sort of drops her hind leg and it only seems to happen going downhill? Could this be related to the locking stifle? I had the vet out last year and they said to just continue with her as normal plenty long reining and hillwork.

Just wondering if anyone had a similar issue with the dropping of the hind on hills when their horses suffered locking stifle issues.

She is cob x and about 15hh with plenty growing to do she is bum high

 

[Glitter's fun]

Hello, welcome to the forum.
Looks like you posted after a lot of us had gone to bed! Sorry you didn't get answers. Someone will see this now!

 

[nutjob]

I had a cob with a locking stifle but it's a few years ago now. I don't remember any issue with going downhill but I never noticed a problem riding him at all. It was only when he was standing still and then had to move off or pick his feet up. Getting him fitter helped a lot and it hardly happened when he was in work.

 

[SEL]

Downhill can definitely be an issue - do you find the quarters want to swing one way or another? Crab walking is a typical sign but in order to get stronger they need to be straight and not compensate with the easier joint. It's sometimes easier when they are still developing strength to in hand walk down any problematic hills.

Worth getting a physio / body worker out to check muscle development too. Bum high is when mine started to struggle more so I massively backed off everything until he'd levelled out. Rarely an issue now thankfully (6)

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I ll bet it’s due to immaturity and balance issues which will rectify over time.

 

[Nuttyfilly]

She just seems to drop on her weakest stifle when she first goes out for a hack but it does get better and less frequent the longer she is out so on way back it’s pretty non existent. I’m getting physio and vet out to rule out other things.

 

[Moosegoose20]

She just seems to drop on her weakest stifle when she first goes out for a hack but it does get better and less frequent the longer she is out so on way back it’s pretty non existent. I’m getting physio and vet out to rule out other things.

Hey, just wondered if you solved your stifle issue? My 7yr old warmblood also has the slight collapsing behind when going downhill. It doesn’t seem to bother him at all but I have noticed it sometimes looks like it twinges when he’s spinning on a tight circle in his stable. He had the physio last week who said that if she was being hyper critical he is very slightly uneven on that same leg but it would be less than a 1/10 lameness. I’m now obsessed with watching that leg trying to find some lameness. Physio told me just to keep working on strengthening his hind end and keep an eye on soundness but would be interesting to know if your vet/physio found anything! Thanks

 

[Nuttyfilly]

Sorry for late reply. She’s had back/teeth/vet/physio all sound. Its locking stifle and i just have to strengthen just as your physio has said. Yours too sounds like a locking stifle hers does exactly the same when in the stable. Im praying it goes away

 

[tristars]

Hard work, time, try some vit e daily

 

[Moosegoose20]

Sorry for late reply. She’s had back/teeth/vet/physio all sound. Its locking stifle and i just have to strengthen just as your physio has said. Yours too sounds like a locking stifle hers does exactly the same when in the stable. Im praying it goes away

Sorry just seen this! I’m pleased I’m not on my own, I’ve had back/teeth/physio checks and nothing else has been spotted. I’m still in two minds to get a lameness work up done with the vet but it doesn’t seem to be bothering him as much as it’s bothering me it certainly does sound like it is a very very slightly locking stifle. He’s schooling well and still happily jumping round Newcomers/1.15’s with no obvious lameness or pain so I think I’m going to just persevere with fitness and strengthening and see how we get on!