Could this be kissing spines??(long)

[toomanyhorses26]

I got my ex racer just over a year ago who sailed through a five stage vetting and has generlly been very accident prone since but that is another story altogether!!! About a month ago I went to mount like normal off a block and his legs went from underneath hm and we both ended up on the deck. I trotted him and he seemed fine so got back and started to school him. He felt fine in walk but when we moved up into trot he felt very stilted and was holding his head at a strange angle so obviuosly got off and led him back to the yard. Over the next couple to days his gait got very stiff and he seemed reluctant to walk on so called the vet out. On the morning the vet arrived I bought him in from the field and he had a sore spot on his coronet band which was oozing slightly. The vet saw him trot up and thought the spt was probably a small abcess and may have caused him to walk in a odd manner to compensate. She then looked at his back and as she ran her hands down his back he flinched away like I have never seen a horse do and he almost ended up on the floor again. So he was given 10 days of pain killers,cold hsing and a referral to a physio. Physio came out and did her first exam with a few little areas showing up like his pectoral muscles one is more pronounced than the other and the muscles that run down to the back of his hind legs the same. But when she asked to see him trot on a small circle he just couldn't do it no matter how hard he tried(bless him such an honest boy ). She then said immediately to contact my vet again as she thought it wasn't a physio issue as such and there was something underlying. So vets came up again back still sore but abcess now appears to be healed so she did flexion tests on both back legs and thought he was very slightly lame behind on both legs. So he has another week of bute with another visit in ten days time. Also a raised area has appeared (but comes down and up from day to day) just behind where the saddle ends and also today I watched him try and roll in the field and he just couldn't get down to do it. He has also changed in temprment and got quite nevery and edgy. Saddle was fitted brand new to him at the end of april ,teeth done around the same time. No real ridden issues apart from can pop in the odd tiny buck, can rear when asked to go out hacking on his own but is a saint when with others but is high headed when ridden and finds it hard to work in any sort of outline.Sorry for it being so long but as you will have read there is a bit of history to this - any advice much appreciated

 

[VLHIEASTON]

My TB is exactly the same i'm afraid, bucks, no outline, dipping cold back,lame in all.. etc etc. and he was diagnosed as a 6 yr old with KS... he is now 19.. you won't know until he has xrays..
If you like me didn't have blood tests done as part of the vetting ( not in 5 stage !) then unfortunatly the owner cud have given it anything like bute , ACP or even stronger at the time of vetting and you trying him..
You live n learn in life, but i hope yours hasn't.
Mines an ex racer too.

 

[toomanyhorses26]

I had blood tests taken and I don't think he was given anything as this is a recent development but think it might explain things such as he was a rubbish racehorse but he did jump pretty successfully with the trainer at discolevel showjumping. I just really wanted to hear others expireinces as a friend of mine horses had ks and was an absolute looney so there was no doubt about that there was something going on but with my boy it's just v subtle differences i have noticed with him and als it might explain the lack of progress with our schooling.

 

[Llwyncwn]

Im so sorry you are having problems with your ned. Thin skinned flat footed TB's, dont you just luv 'em

I have just been reading a thread here in vets by Nairi and, if you read KVS' last reply, that says it all for me. IMO I would ask for a referral or get yourself a good equine vet.

We have a few vets here on the forum. If I was in your position, I would PM Dressage Babe, her OH is a vet. She has loads of experience of lameness and I have found her very informative and helpful.

Best of luck.
Hx

 

[toomanyhorses26]

Thanks for the replies so far my vets have been pretty good and through and there has been talk of referrals already to a larger practice as my current vet feel that there maybe a need to nerve block his back which she would rather have done at a practice with the facilities to follow up on the day if needed such as my vets don't have anywhere to ride where as our local large practice does etc so hopefully will get to the bottom of this . thanks again xxx

 

[BethH]

Horse sounds very uncomfortable, what is strange is the almost overnight change in behaviour (am talking about the ending up on the floor bit when you mounted a mth ago), it would more make me think he had slipped over in the field and wrenched himself although I accept I am no vet.

I have a fair bit of experience with KS as mine has/had the problem and a lot of the behaviour sounds similar, but my horse gradually deteriarated, probably because I am not a brilliant rider and was unable to work him correctly enough for long enough. When I 1st had him, it was a massive fight to get him to cope with being ridden, I think he then strengthened and was able to support a rider but when he started to be worked less (when I was pregnant) he lost a lot of muscle tone and then the problems started again when I started to ride regularly he just couldn't cope.

For the kind of extreme behaviour you are noticing I would get him referred and tested as your vet recommends, that way if there is something it can be hopefully sorted, or it may confirm there is nothing wrong, either way you win as you can decide the way forward. It may even be something simple like a trapped nerve - you never know! I was a coward for too long as I was scared of what could be wrong so it took 2yrs to diagnose my horse and many battles of wills, I wish I had saved myself the anguish and persued the investigation when it was 1st suggested to me!

Good luck let us know how he gets on.

 

[toomanyhorses26]

We now have a date with the vet on Monday so might finally get to the bottom of it. From what I understand ks is a gradual problem rather than something immediate but could this have been an underlying issue for some years and this falling over incident is the straw that broke the camels back so to speak!!! My thinking is that he was a big 2 year old at 16.2hh, pretty useless racehorse (spent most of it over jumps) so the poor performance is there and now has to deal with my weight rather than the skiny minnies that rode him when he was training and racing on't know if I am barking up the wrong tree here ??

 

[BethH]

Absolutely, yopu have a fair point. It is thought that quite a high percentage of horses have KS, but some can cope, some can't, for some they don't have pain, what can happen though is that the horse genetically has KS (Like mine!) but then a trauma to the area can be the trigger for the start of problems & back deterioration, it could be something simple like a fall in the field.

They injected anaesthetic in to Ryan's back to numb the area and he moved like I have never seen him move before or since! You will soon be able to tell, I really couldn't say if your ned has KS but I definitely think that there is something going on that is hurting him, I think it is brilliant news that he is going to be investigated and hopefully sorted out, have all my fingers crossed for you that it gets resolved, please keep us updated and good luck

 

[toomanyhorses26]

Had a visit from the vet today as vet decided he wanted to see him ridden,lunged etc. Vet couldn't understand why the physio had lunged him on such a tight circle as most big horses would look unlevel on this . Teh questioned why his surgery was recommending her - small arguement followed plus a big can of worms has been opened I think

Saw him lunged in the sand school and then passed him over to me to ride eekk not been on board for nearly six weeks . Last time I was on was when he fell over so cue me feeling more than slightly apphensive

but to my suprise as good as gold. The vet then said that he thought he was slightly off in three legs

not lame as such but his strides are slightly shorter. He has recomended a joint supplement, lots of lunging and schooling and for me to go on a diet. He said that for want I want to do (hacking,local showswtc) he would be fine and he would be more concerned if he was a dressage horse etc. Personally I thought this was a bit off and I thought if a horse was lame or unlevel it should be treated the same whatever it's job may be. Don't know what other people think of this - obviously glad that there doesn't seem to anything serious but still feel that there might be something unresolved.