Help please.

[doodle]

So things continue to go wrong. Robin ditched me for third time in 2 weeks. His spook spin move. I held on this time and walked home. I have no idea what is going on but some things are odd. He has had this week off after saddle fitter flagged a problem on Tuesday. Vet came and agreed he was very slightly lame on left hind. But didn’t think lameness was bad enough to cause issues with dumping me. Saddle fitter thinks saddle needs reflocked but nothing majorly wrong. He had this week with Danilon. Finished Danilon. Spent yesterday careering round his field being n idiot. So thought today I would do a very gentle walk down track and back up. Walked down track fine. However seemed to be carrying head a little low. Went in to bottom field planning to do small circle and head home. He dumped me in the mud. Coming home he was calm and quiet and no issues. Got in stable and lowered his head and seemed to sort of zone out, looked tired. He had done about 15mins of walk.

This reaction has me worried. Surely if it was a high jinx dump he would have been wired before and after.

Last week after dumping me I thought he needed more work. So he went in the school for 3 days and I worked him hard. He worked well but each time went back to stable and did this sort of faking asleep act. I thought he was tired as been working hard. Now I’m wondering if he has been in pain and was actually trying very hard to be good.

He is not a naughty horse but he is a reactive horse. There are just a couple of small niggles. Such as this holding neck low. But when schooled he was working well.

I will be ringing the vet again tomorrow. Any thoughts?

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Orthapaedic issue, considering head carriage? What breed is he? (Just reading about pssm)

 

[Sossigpoker]

The hind end lameness could well be causing pain higher up in the pelvis /lower back. In fact I'd be surprised if it didn't. Personally I wouldn't ride him until you've got to the bottom of the lameness. If this isn't typical behaviour for him , he is trying to tell you something.

 

[doodle]

I am worrying about arthritis of the neck. It wasn’t extreme but was there enough to notice. And was he just being generous when working in the school. He really was going well. And perhaps when vet was out and trotted up on tues he was able to hold neck as he wanted.

The lameness was really minor, vet had to try very hard to see it. Back was fine. He lost weight and topline 7 weeks ago and vet out then said he was soundest horse he has seen in a long time. Weight and topline regained but was that the start of the issue? Back checked and fine.

He is Warmblood (1/4!tb) and 13yo

 

[Sossigpoker]

I am worrying about arthritis of the neck. It wasn’t extreme but was there enough to notice. And was he just being generous when working in the school. He really was going well. And perhaps when vet was out and trotted up on tues he was able to hold neck as he wanted.

The lameness was really minor, vet had to try very hard to see it. Back was fine. He lost weight and topline 7 weeks ago and vet out then said he was soundest horse he has seen in a long time. Weight and topline regained but was that the start of the issue? Back checked and fine.

He is Warmblood (1/4!tb) and 13yo

I would get the neck x-rayed in that case, it doesn't cost a lot and might either reveal a problem or put your mind to rest.
Sudden loss of tooling could indicate skeletal issues like you suspect or could be ulcers. Ulcers are usually secondary to pain somewhere else though, although not always. He may well have arthritis somewhere due to his age but if that is the case, it's likely to be manageable with injections so not the end of the world.

Start with the neck xray ?

 

[doodle]

But the topline and weight came back quickly. He had full bloods and trot up etc and nothing found. Vet thought change of wether and coat growing in and he sees the same symptoms at same time each year. I upped feed and added linseed and he improved quickly. So either 7 weeks ago was the start of issues but nothing medical to be found or we can be sure he was sound 7 weeks ago.

 

[Ceriann]

You know your boy - trust your gut and get a full work up or start with the neck. You say he’s reactive so check this out as it will only niggle at you.

 

[ihatework]

I’d be inclined to get a good orthopaedic vet to look.
It sounds like how it went with my mare, she was always a sharp enough ride but not naughty and I never felt unsafe. But she got super reactive, spin/shoulder drop, I came off a couple of times and despite GP rider on her and watching from the ground no lameness obvious. But she was a write off, the real work horses seem to just get very stressed by pain and try not to show lame.

Not saying yours is a write off, but when they show significant and persistent behaviour changes there is a reason

 

[doodle]

That’s what worries me. He is actually a good boy so trying hard to behave. I don’t care if he is never ridden again I just don’t want him hurting. It is slightly complicated that they want me in hospital too but this is perfect excuse not to go.

I will ring vet tomorrow and see where to go from there.

 

[doodle]

Spoken to vet. I have since heard from yo that she has seen him a few time in the field head down looking dopey. Vet thinks something not adding up. He will come see him first on Thursday then if need be he can go there for neck xrays.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Just caught up with your thread K...I can’t offer any thoughts just wanted to let you know I’m sending “get well soon“ vibes to Robin.

 

[Polos Mum]

I agree with others, vet back I think. Maybe something was on the mend when the vet saw him and he tweaked it being an idiot in the field (hopefully something that simple). If he's kind and genuine he might be holding it in, holding it in, holding it in then boom can't take it any more, then a massive crash in adrenaline as the pressure is released and he goes back to sleepy mode.

IMHO horses have a wide range of pain thresholds. I've had one with an abscess that I was sure was a broken leg when he came in on three legs from the field one evening, and another with a huge abscess burst out of his coronet band after taking one or two off strides on a long hack the day before.

I guess like people, my daughter falls over and doesn't notice nasty scrapes (blood everywhere), my son almost brings a magnifying glass to show me his 'wounds' that are massively painful (but close to invisible to the naked eye) - he doesn't want anything - just has a massively low pain threshold.

 

[doodle]

I agree with others, vet back I think. Maybe something was on the mend when the vet saw him and he tweaked it being an idiot in the field (hopefully something that simple). If he's kind and genuine he might be holding it in, holding it in, holding it in then boom can't take it any more, then a massive crash in adrenaline as the pressure is released and he goes back to sleepy mode.

IMHO horses have a wide range of pain thresholds. I've had one with an abscess that I was sure was a broken leg when he came in on three legs from the field one evening, and another with a huge abscess burst out of his coronet band after taking one or two off strides on a long hack the day before.

I guess like people, my daughter falls over and doesn't notice nasty scrapes (blood everywhere), my son almost brings a magnifying glass to show me his 'wounds' that are massively painful (but close to invisible to the naked eye) - he doesn't want anything - just has a massively low pain threshold.

This is all my worries. Updated earlier. Vet is coming in thurs.

He just had a nice groom today and was all snuggly and sweet. He is not a naughty horse.

 

[Polos Mum]

This is all my worries. Updated earlier. Vet is coming in thurs.

He just had a nice groom today and was all snuggly and sweet. He is not a naughty horse.

Fingers crossed for you that it's something treatable / managable. You know him, don't be fobbed off.

 

[ester]

If he has looked like that in the field too I would query sleep deprivation being caused by something.

 

[doodle]

He sleeps flat out in stable every night.

 

[ester]

Maybe not then but worthy of mention with the info given.

 

[doodle]

Definitely

 

[Ceriann]

Hope all goes well Thursday and its something simple. I had the osteo vet out to mine last month - found the whole thing fascinating and i hopefully now have a plan to strengthen and maintain my mare where needed to avoid further issues.