Dislocated patella and locking stifles :(

Coo

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Hello there, my young 2 year old colt got frightened in the field the other week and to my horror I found him dragging his hind offside leg out to one side one day, the vet came and looked pretty horrified too but told me it was a dislocated patella and gave me some anti inflam for 5 days, as he was waking it popped back in and though for the next few days it would lock up it gradually got better and I've not seen it lock up at all in the last week, vet came two weeks ago and because he still looked stiff gave me another 15 sachets of anti inflam, two a day for five days and one a day after this, his stifles both look click when he walks if you watch from behind, as he walks away they look like they both are jolting or clicking - it doesn't seem to cause him any pain, and they aren't getting locked just clicking, vets suggested hill walks, which I will start doing as part of his field is hilly (though taped off as not great fencing on the borders) he's very green and only just let me get a headcollar on him and start leading him but its enough to walk him up and down the hill at least, is this the only thing I can do? I understand this is common in younger male horses and often they grow out of it? How else can I strengthen up his back end to hope that this is something he grows out of? Worried putting him on a lunge line would only put more stress on young joints? X
 
I would make sure he is receiving a full ration of a good balancer containing organic selenium. Blue Chip or Dengie Alfa-A balancer would be my suggestions as both have a good level of organic selenium in them.

Lack of selenium (common in a lot of UK grass/hay) can cause muscle problems, which can then cause problems with the rest of the musculoskeletal system. Beth Valentine, and American vet, talks about how this can be linked to locking stifles.

I'm sure there can be other causes, but it's worth at least making sure you have covered this base.

Sarah
 
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