henryhorn
Well-Known Member
As the heading says really, if so, what were the symptoms and any treatment?
Has anyone had a horse break a bone in it's neck?
- Thread starter henryhorn
- Start date
JACQSZOO
Well-Known Member
Did'nt one of Tia's break its neck? Or am I imagining it
henryhorn
Well-Known Member
That's who it was, thanks, off to pm her now.
vicijp
Well-Known Member
Yes.
He had a silly fall in a point to point, lay winded for about 30 mins. Got him home and he was in a lot of pain, could barely move. The next day he had a fist sized dip on the side of his neck. The vets prognosis was, he would either be ok, or get down and not get back up again - it would go one way or the other.
Had him on painkillers for weeks, finally went out in the field. Came sound not so long after, and brought him back into ridden work after 2 yrs with the aim to finding a home as a hack.
Was ok for a few weeks, then started to get sore again so PTS was the only option for us. I dare say he would have had a comfortable life as a companion, but we couldnt guarantee it for him.
He had a silly fall in a point to point, lay winded for about 30 mins. Got him home and he was in a lot of pain, could barely move. The next day he had a fist sized dip on the side of his neck. The vets prognosis was, he would either be ok, or get down and not get back up again - it would go one way or the other.
Had him on painkillers for weeks, finally went out in the field. Came sound not so long after, and brought him back into ridden work after 2 yrs with the aim to finding a home as a hack.
Was ok for a few weeks, then started to get sore again so PTS was the only option for us. I dare say he would have had a comfortable life as a companion, but we couldnt guarantee it for him.
druid
Well-Known Member
Yes, 4 weeks box rest on bute (2/3 sachets a day for 3 weeks reduced to 1 a day for 3 weeks). Then he was on field rest for a further 4 weeks before starting light ridden work. Slowly brought back up to hunting fitness, he now hunts as a hireling again.
He cocks his head all the time except after accupuncture when she's straight for maybe 3/4 days and as Vici'd horse had, he has a fist sized hollow just below his crest.
He did his falling into a ditch hunting.
He cocks his head all the time except after accupuncture when she's straight for maybe 3/4 days and as Vici'd horse had, he has a fist sized hollow just below his crest.
He did his falling into a ditch hunting.
Happy Horse
Well-Known Member
My old horse fell in the field and showed signs of ataxia. When he was xrayed, they identified a very small hairline fracture in one of his cervical vertebrae but it was calcified and old - I had no idea he had done this before his accident!
Halfstep
Well-Known Member
We had a horse in for schooling who was a chronic rearer. She was a nightmare horse who would throw herself over backwards for no apparent reason out of the blue, but could also go beautifully at times. After weeks of ground work we were getting nowhere with her so we advised the owners to have the horse physically checked out - thinking it was a back problem. It emerged that she had fractured a vertebrae in her neck. Turned out she had flipped over on the road before coming to us and had probably done it then. There was significant damage and the spinal cord was affected so she was retired and put in foal (she was nicely bred - by Cruising out of a Ballinvella mare and had perfect conformation). If the fracture had been picked up sooner she could have been rehabilitated sucessfully.
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Fairynuff
Well-Known Member
We had one come into the clinic with suspected back problems caused by a fall.The only symptoms were a reluctance to bend his neck and stiffness through his back. It was found to be a fracture in one of his cervical vertebrae and the treatment was to turn him out and let nature take her course. The fracture site was well protected by his neck muscles and would have been impossible to immobilize anyway. Hes now back to normal and is ridden and jumped as before (Im glad to say) He'll probably end up with a touch of arthritis in the future but for the moment hes like new
M.
Tia
Well-Known Member
Yes my ex-stallion broke his neck. Huge amount of pain, could barely walk, fell over lots and if you took his tail gently he would become unbalanced and fall over. He had a sticking out bit on one side of his neck and a dip on the other side and the prognosis was very very bleak.
He was on LA Penicillin, Banamine and cortisone injections for a number of months.
It happened over 2 years ago and he is only now starting to come right. He canters in the field now...that was unheard of up till a couple of months ago. He gently frolicks and has just yesterday started to play with other horses as a result of him being moved in with my big geldings. It was absolutely wonderful to watch!
Up till very very recently, he has never done anything more than walk in the field and it has always been a bit of a waddle rather than proper walking. Mechanically he was "fixed" about a year afterward the initial injury; I did loads of physio with him so I knew that he could do it, but psychologically it has been a huge and very long struggle for him to recover from this injury.
I keep my fingers crossed that finally this may be an end to the troubles and the signs are looking very promising. I don't think he will ever be perfect though; he will always walk strange and sway his head but hey he's still alive and is an absolute delight, so he will never be taxed in life.
He was on LA Penicillin, Banamine and cortisone injections for a number of months.
It happened over 2 years ago and he is only now starting to come right. He canters in the field now...that was unheard of up till a couple of months ago. He gently frolicks and has just yesterday started to play with other horses as a result of him being moved in with my big geldings. It was absolutely wonderful to watch!
Up till very very recently, he has never done anything more than walk in the field and it has always been a bit of a waddle rather than proper walking. Mechanically he was "fixed" about a year afterward the initial injury; I did loads of physio with him so I knew that he could do it, but psychologically it has been a huge and very long struggle for him to recover from this injury.
I keep my fingers crossed that finally this may be an end to the troubles and the signs are looking very promising. I don't think he will ever be perfect though; he will always walk strange and sway his head but hey he's still alive and is an absolute delight, so he will never be taxed in life.
Shantor1
Well-Known Member
Lovely to hear that you gave your horse a chance Tia. Glad to hear he's OK now.
Tia
Well-Known Member
He nearly wasn't given that chance; the first 5 vets to see him were going to destroy him because they thought he had WNV or tetanus or potomac or rabies or chronic liver damage.....actually they didn't have a clue. It was only after I gave him a stay of execution till the morning that I dragged in another vet from an hour away to come and give me a 6th opinion that the problem truly showed itself and was finally found. His opinion was to have him shot too....but was happy to persevere with me.
I really like my guy; he's special and he deserved a chance.
I really like my guy; he's special and he deserved a chance.
henryhorn
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone, just rootling round trying to find answers at the moment.. Will update later this week..
mariond
Well-Known Member
Yes my mare reared up when been taught to lead as a foal. We were in a stone barn with a deep straw bed but unfortunately she caught the back of her head on the wall. I can't remember the name of the bones that she fractured but it was more around the poll area(possibly the occipital) than the vertabrae down the neck. She also had tempary facial paralysis. She was put on a course of anti inflam's. We have never broken her in due to this but she is fine her only problem being that she has lost some of the upward movement of her head and thus grazes with her legs apart like a young foal. She is currently used as a companion but has been used a a broad mare but unfortunately lost twin foals which she managed to carry to full term. We failed to get her in foal last year but hope to get her in foal this year (final try! so wish me luck)