Constantly putting weight on one side

[Annagain]

Does anyone have any experience of a horse who is constantly putting all his weight on one side?

We've been having one or two issues with Charlie lifting his right feet. The front can be tricky as he puts all his weight on it as soon as you go to lift it but once you have it, it's fine. The back is another story, he just won't lift it and if you get it up he's desperate to get it back down. He was fine when he first arrived 18 months ago but it's got increasingly worse (possibly linked to doing more?) The vet has checked him but can't find anything and he's had 4 different body workers over the 18 months. The most recent was after we had a lesson where he was bucking which isn't like him (any more, we had a few baby bucks when we first started in the school but nothing for a year and these were different and proper bucks) and he's found his lumbar area is tight but he thinks it's a fairly acute, recent thing so doesn't account for this ongoing behaviour. He's evenly muscled and pretty 'level'.

I therefore got a ground work trainer to try to help us. Despite working on lifting all four legs, he's improving with the other three (lefts were always fine but have got even better) but can't entertain the back right. It really feels like he thinks he can't rather than just not wanting to. She says a horse waving a leg around, to avoid lifting it or having it held is quite common but a horse just refusing to lift it at all is quite rare.

She's noticed (I always noticed he was very heavy to lift his legs but not really what he was doing in between) that no matter where or how he stands he's always putting all his weight on his right hand side. We've been working on encouraging him to take weight on the left, at least when we ask so that when we try to lift it he's in a position to be able to and, while he's improving slightly, he will always go back to weighting the right, even if his legs aren't in a position where he'd normally take the weight. I've started observing him more and he's constantly on the right on the yard. Even standing completely square, he'll have his weight on the right. I've tried to observe in the field, although it's sometimes hard to tell from a bit of a distance as he'll stand with legs looking like he's weighting the left but we know from closer observation that he's still weighting the right when his legs are 'wrong' for that. All I can say is in the field, if he rests a back leg, it's the left one.

I've been convinced this is something physical for a while but nothing physical has been found (yet). I've been focused on him not wanting to lift the right but is it more that he doesn't want to stand on the left? Is it possible it's just a habit? I'm just not sure where to go next with this. Any thoughts?

 

[TheMule]

With your vets permission, I'd try a reasonably high dose of bute for a few days and see if his response changes

 

[Annagain]

With your vets permission, I'd try a reasonably high dose of bute for a few days and see if his response changes

I should have said we tried him on bute (2 a day) for a week before the farrier's last visit and it made no difference to the leg lifting, although we weren't focused on the weight bearing at the time to notice if it changed that.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

You mention 4 different body workers, was any of them a qualified chiropractic vet?
I ask, as the one I use was the only one to locate an issue, he then had long dialogue with my (esteemed) vet. CV is a specialist, esteemed vet is bloody good but not a specialist in that field.
I know when the issue is arising again as I have trouble getting the off hind up, but (touching wood etc) we haven't had this for nearly 6 months now, CV still making 3 monthly visits to keep things right and he was v chuffed when he last came a month ago. He still keeps EV in the loop when he has visited.

Hope you get to the bottom of it all x

 

[Annagain]

You mention 4 different body workers, was any of them a qualified chiropractic vet?
I ask, as the one I use was the only one to locate an issue, he then had long dialogue with my (esteemed) vet. CV is a specialist, esteemed vet is bloody good but not a specialist in that field.
I know when the issue is arising again as I have trouble getting the off hind up, but (touching wood etc) we haven't had this for nearly 6 months now, CV still making 3 monthly visits to keep things right and he was v chuffed when he last came a month ago. He still keeps EV in the loop when he has visited.

Hope you get to the bottom of it all x

No, the latest one is an Osteopath recommended by my vet (and who is in conversation with my vet). The other three were a physio who specialises in horses and riders and treats me too (and who dealt with a poll issue that hasn't recurred), a Mctimoney practitioner (also one of our instructors who thought she noticed him stepping slightly short on that back right) and an ordinary chiro I didn't really rate, hence going down different routes.

Could I ask what your horse's issue is? I know it won't necessarily be the same thing but I'm clutching at any straw I can find at the moment!

 

[ihatework]

I’m presuming you have had a basic ortho vet work up? Flexions, trotting straight/circle, hard/soft?

 

[Annagain]

I’m presuming you have had a basic ortho vet work up? Flexions, trotting straight/circle, hard/soft?

Yes all perfect, apart from couldn't lift back right leg to flexion test - not wouldn't hold it in flexion, he just refused to lift it full stop and got quite upset the more the vet tried. Vet is convinced it's learned behaviour.

 

[ihatework]

Yes all perfect, apart from couldn't lift back right leg to flexion test - not wouldn't hold it in flexion, he just refused to lift it full stop and got quite upset the more the vet tried. Vet is convinced it's learned behaviour.

Interesting.
Has he been like this from the beginning or has the evolved over time?

ETA I just reread post ?

 

[Annagain]

I really don't think it's learned behaviour. He's a very amenable horse - he's very 'busy' in the mouth when I'm around (see my previous post - he removed a part of my coffee flask yesterday that I didn't even know was removable - the mould behind it was grim!) but other than that you can do anything to him. If it's learned behaviour I don't understand why it's just this one thing and just this one leg and why he's not even prepared to negotiate with not just me but the ground work trainer too. There has to be a reason for it.

 

[ihatework]

I’m not convinced a horse of that age, who presumably hasn’t had a bad experience with you just plants a leg due to a behaviour issue. Yes it’s not uncommon in young unbalanced horses but he should have gone past that stage now.

So he is wanting to shift all his weight to his right. Presumably to take weight off the left? It makes little sense to completely load your right side if that’s the side that hurts. Yet lameness exam showed no left issue?
He moves freely on the right under examination?

Very weird.

It does sound more physical that mental to me, but you never know - they can just get a bee in their bonnet.

First thing I’d do is box him to vets and get him hitched up to a lameness monitor - it picks up subtle things that human eye can miss, especially in multi limb issues.

I’d possibly also ask for a neuro check.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

No, the latest one is an Osteopath recommended by my vet (and who is in conversation with my vet). The other three were a physio who specialises in horses and riders and treats me too (and who dealt with a poll issue that hasn't recurred), a Mctimoney practitioner (also one of our instructors who thought she noticed him stepping slightly short on that back right) and an ordinary chiro I didn't really rate, hence going down different routes.

Could I ask what your horse's issue is? I know it won't necessarily be the same thing but I'm clutching at any straw I can find at the moment!

Sent you a more detailed PM x
A good number of hind issues can stem from the neck and upper skeletal system.

 

[Annagain]

I’m not convinced a horse of that age, who presumably hasn’t had a bad experience with you just plants a leg due to a behaviour issue. Yes it’s not uncommon in young unbalanced horses but he should have gone past that stage now.

So he is wanting to shift all his weight to his right. Presumably to take weight off the left? It makes little sense to completely load your right side if that’s the side that hurts. Yet lameness exam showed no left issue?
He moves freely on the right under examination?

Very weird.

It does sound more physical that mental to me, but you never know - they can just get a bee in their bonnet.

First thing I’d do is box him to vets and get him hitched up to a lameness monitor - it picks up subtle things that human eye can miss, especially in multi limb issues.

I’d possibly also ask for a neuro check.

A couple of instructors have said he steps very slightly shorter on his right hind but, while we've had it at the back of our minds that it could be something, we're also aware I get a bit hooky with my right hand so it could be that I'm not allowing it forward. It was noticeably worse when we had the bucking issue. He's still being treated for that so were not going in the school at the moment so no idea if it's better as it was only in the school.

I'm not even sure we have a lameness monitor anywhere nearby. I'll ask.

 

[Birker2020]

My horse is pushing off less with his offside hind leg which was noticeable a few months ago. I've been doing long reining with him on physio advice with lots of transitions from halt to walk in an effort to make him push off from the leg more along with raised trot poles and general strengthening exercises.

 

[shortstuff99]

Having problems/ not wanting to lift legs can be a sign of PSSM. Might be worth looking that up.

 

[Annagain]

Having problems/ not wanting to lift legs can be a sign of PSSM. Might be worth looking that up.

Yes, it's one of the things I've considered, along with hind gut ulcers, shivers and other neuro conditions. I've scared myself silly over many things to be honest!

He's always lovely and soft in all his muscles though (other than some tightness this last time through the lumbar region which is thought to be acute and not part of this longer term issue) so I'm not convinced. It's handy to have all ideas thrown at me though. Keep 'em coming!

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'll echo TFF's suggestion to get a good chiro vet in on this one.

I see that you've also just mentioned hind gut ulcers - reluctance to use the right hind correctly is a symptom. Maybe a Succeed trial?

PSSM is a possibility, too.

 

[bouncing_ball]

How about trying with a thin foam block / pad under the hind foot he’s not happy to pick up! Something a few inches thick like a Yoga block / Surefoot pad just to see if helps.

can he do raised walk poles and side step over poles?

 

[bouncing_ball]

I'll echo TFF's suggestion to get a good chiro vet in on this one.

I see that you've also just mentioned hind gut ulcers - reluctance to use the right hind correctly is a symptom. Maybe a Succeed trial?

PSSM is a possible, too.

or a Saracens Equishure trial might be better than a succeed trial? IME Equishure is the better known hind gut cure / trial

 

[sbloom]

Just as a starter, try taking photos from each side, there's a chance it's an extreme postural issue, but it at least gives you more info - unfortunately my website is down for rebuilding so I can't share my blog post but here are the key photos from it, showing a significant right ribcage rotation. Not a diagnosis of course, but another set of clues.

 

[TPO]

Loading the right side generally indicates a left side issue. But the fact that he passed a work up and flexions on left side is confusing.

Even more confusing is that trainers think he's stepped short on right side. So that doesn't tie in with how he's presenting or what vet did/didn't see.

Is he insured? I think in your shoes I'd want him in to a good vet hospital for a full work up. Obviously with a discussion with the vet prior so you're not throwing unnecessary kitchen sinks at him.

Possibly also worth contacting someone like Tom Beech or Rob Jackson?

 

[Tiddlypom]

My vet recommended Succeed.

The mare did respond very well to it. For the full hind gut health check the Equibiome test is well worth doing, but it's about £150 and the results take 8-10 weeks to come back.

ETA That's just lobbing hind gut issues in as a possibility. I'd go down the chiro vet route first, if there's one in the OP's area.

 

[flying_high]

My vet recommended Succeed.

The mare did respond very well to it. For the full hind gut health check the Equibiome test is well worth doing, but it's about £150 and the results take 8-10 weeks to come back.

ETA That's just lobbing hind gut issues in as a possibility.

Other vets including Tom Beech recommend Equishure.

Does your vet recommend the Equibiome test? (Not yet come across many vet that do recommend it)

 

[The Xmas Furry]

B passed flexions and and work up......
As I said to OP via PM, the final diagnosis was neck C5 and C6. Once this was alleviated, plus the 2 other points arising from neck (sacroiliac and tmj) the hind on opposite side to neck location was then working v well.
Hence advice from muggins here was to get specialist opinion and diagnosis before going further.

OP wishing you all the best x

 

[flying_high]

B passed flexions and and work up......
As I said to OP via PM, the final diagnosis was neck C5 and C6. Once this was alleviated, plus the 2 other points arising from neck (sacroiliac and tmj) the hind on opposite side to neck location was then working v well.
Hence advice from muggins here was to get specialist opinion and diagnosis before going further.

OP wishing you all the best x

Who did you find to give the expert diagnosis? (I have been disappointed a number of times in the outcomes of vet hospital referrals).

 

[Tiddlypom]

Does your vet recommend the Equibiome test? (Not yet come across many vet that do recommend it)

Both my regular vet and my chiro vet recommend the Equibiome test in certain cases. Neither has mentioned Equishure.

My chiro vet has suggested getting the Equibiome test done on about 16 of her patients, and only one failed to improve. Most of the others improved dramatically.

The results showed that my mare's gut biome was waay out. She has responded incredibly well to the suggested fairly simple dietary changes. She is off the Succeed, which was only a sticking plaster.

She was at the point of being pts as being so miserable before this. The Succeed had stopped being as effective for her.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Who did you find to give the expert diagnosis? (I have been disappointed a number of times in the outcomes of vet hospital referrals).

A registered vet who wont thank me for posting his name up, sorry x
He left a good general equine practice where he was 'the' chiro specialist 2 years ago, and has been working solo ever since purely doing chiro work.

 

[Annagain]

Loading the right side generally indicates a left side issue. But the fact that he passed a work up and flexions on left side is confusing.

Even more confusing is that trainers think he's stepped short on right side. So that doesn't tie in with how he's presenting or what vet did/didn't see.

Is he insured? I think in your shoes I'd want him in to a good vet hospital for a full work up. Obviously with a discussion with the vet prior so you're not throwing unnecessary kitchen sinks at him.

Possibly also worth contacting someone like Tom Beech or Rob Jackson?

He's a total enigma! He's also a perfect weight (never changes), his diet is 99.9999% grass (and ad-lib haylage in winter). He has a tiny handful of Saracen Re-leve and Fast Fibre to stop him trashing his bed (he gets very angry if he doesn't get a bucket when he comes in!) Other than this back leg he's a very chilled horse - and even with the back leg he doesn't really get angry unless people continue to push beyond what he thinks is reasonable. Most of the time he just ignores you and carries on eating / fiddling with his leadrope / chewing my hoodie strings / throwing anything he can reach etc. Droppings are good and consistent although he can poo for Britain if he's a bit stressed - even just doing something new in the school can set him off. He is quite sensitive to me and my state of mind - if I'm a bit nervous about something he can get jumpy but that's understandable. He's happy in the field and gets on well with all his field mates. He's happily mid-pack in a very settled herd.

The only other thing that's possibly a factor is he's grown 3" in the 18 months I've had him so I wonder if he's always been a bit out of whack and crooked. He's finally levelled off in the last couple of weeks so I'm hoping he's done and he'll now work out where he is.

He's not insured but I self insure so have a fund.

Photos of him exactly a year apart (August) to show how he's grown - and how bum high he was - withers have now caught up. I'll try to get another in the same stance tonight.

 

[sbloom]

His SI area and just behind looks a bit suspect, his pelvis is slightly steeply angled and he has a dip behind the sacrum, between the superficial gluteus and the semitendinosus (which I had to look up, my memory isn't so good for learning this stuff). Again, just clues, but I'd say there are, if nothing else, at least postural issues.

http://theequusally.blogspot.com/2012/05/horse-anatomy.html

Gillian Tabor is very well regarded on this stuff and has a free group starting on FB - Equine Posture Challenge, worth a look and I would still suggest taking photos, we ALL need to get better at truly observing our horse, and weekly or fortnightly photos like this are invaluable when we see them every day.

Whereabouts are you?

 

[Annagain]

His SI area and just behind looks a bit suspect, his pelvis is slightly steeply angled and he has a dip behind the sacrum, between the superficial gluteus and the semitendinosus (which I had to look up, my memory isn't so good for learning this stuff). Again, just clues, but I'd say there are, if nothing else, at least postural issues.

http://theequusally.blogspot.com/2012/05/horse-anatomy.html

Gillian Tabor is very well regarded on this stuff and has a free group starting on FB - Equine Posture Challenge, worth a look and I would still suggest taking photos, we ALL need to get better at truly observing our horse, and weekly or fortnightly photos like this are invaluable when we see them every day.

Whereabouts are you?

South Wales.

 

[Birker2020]

His SI area and just behind looks a bit suspect, his pelvis is slightly steeply angled and he has a dip behind the sacrum, between the superficial gluteus

Same sort of conformation as my horse, been rehabbed for last 3 months with acute SI inflammation following accident pulling back on lead rope, not putting weight on off hind, not pushing off from off hind, but fine to pick out all four feet. We suspect he already had an SI issue when I bought him judging by weakness behind. This photo Aug 2021, looks different now.
this is a recent photo