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[HGE123]

So my horse is 8 but got started late so he has the mentality and experience of a 6 year old (what can you do lol). He is a beautifully breed jumper that a few months ago was jumping any height with ease. I started riding him about 3 years ago when he first started jumping. Since then we have gotten up to doing 1.15-1.20 at home and 1.10 at shows. We were at our peak in December (2020) and he was doing 1.10 at shows with ease.
I found out end of January (2021) that the tree on my saddle was twisted (A different horse I was riding fell and landed on it about 2 weeks prior).
In the 2 weeks of me not knowing the tree was twisted I continued to ride my horse in it. He started showing signs of back soreness and we saw rubbing where the back of the saddle sat.
I started using a different saddle which helped with the back soreness at the back of the saddle; but then the slide stopping to jumps started. He loves to jump and if he refuses a jump it’s because he’s young and spooky sometimes and starts stopping multiple strides out. This isn’t that, he slide stops on the last stride to the jump, in my opinion in fear that’s it’s going to hurt.
We had the vet come out and she believed it was his SI, so she injected it and when I started riding him again after that he felt great, BUT let me tell you that this is a hot horse and he loves to jump and if he has more than 3 days off (and he had a week!) he’s cray for like a week haha. So after the time off from the injection he was ready to go.
He was great for a couple of weeks and we got back up to 1.10-1.15 in lessons, then went to a show and he was good Friday, but slide stopped in the schooling ring Saturday and Sunday so I scratched both days.
Now we’re home and have had a couple lessons and he’s now slide stopping to 1 meter jumps when it isn’t the PERFECT distance, ESPECIALLY oxers.
And as for his flat work: he is very reluctant to trot right at first (not normal for him) and when we go to canter, the first couple times he’s very reluctant and he throws his head and it’s not smooth at all (also not like him). He especially does this transitioning into the left lead.
Once we pick up the canter a few times he seems to work out of whatever that is and is then pretty great on the flat.
But then we start jumping and he’s loving it until we get to a meter or more.. that’s when the slide stopping starts.
Let me reiterate that he was doing 1.15-1.20 with ease at home in December before these issues started.
I also feel that the slide stopping is making things worse...

SO! I deeply apologize for this novel.. lol. But I’m desperate for some insight or just some people to bounce ideas off of..
has anyone experienced something like this that could offer some advice?!
please help ?

 

[AmyMay]

Vet.

 

[Equi]

You dont actually mention that either saddle (or any saddle) has been fitted/assessed by a saddler? Or that the back soreness was treated bar the SI injections by physio etc. I agree you need the vet out again but the other things need looked at too.

 

[ycbm]

I can't imagine a situation where I would be advised, or take it into my own head, to jump a horse that had sacroiliac injections a week (that's how it reads?) before. SI strains, in my experience, need a long slow rehab in order not to recur.

I think you probably need the advice of a vet, possibly a different one from the one who did the injections.


ETA the saddle may have made the horse do a sliding stop, but SI strains are frequently caused by "sit down" incidents like sliding stops and are much more difficult to resolve than soreness from a saddle.
.

 

[Upthecreek]

You need to stop making your horse jump until you find out what is causing it to behave as it is and get it treated and do the rehab accordingly. If the horse was previously jumping any height with ease and usually loves to jump but is now doing sliding stops, whatever the vet did has not solved the problem. You also have issues on the flat. The horse is clearly still in pain.

 

[Bob notacob]

At around 1 metre /1.2 m , the ability of the rider to place the horse becomes important .Below that height a horse can get out of trouble. If they doubt that you ,(or they through pain ) might not get them to their take off point and be able to jump,they will stop. A good vet check and also "eyes on the ground watching you jump".

 

[Goldenstar]

Put the horse on walking exercise and book him in for a work up with a vet who specialises in performance work ups .

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

His 6 had a broken tree saddle put on his back and had a sore sacriliac! Give the poor horse a break and stop jumping him then get your vet back out, your lucky he hasn't dumped you on the floor he would have every right to.

 

[HGE123]

You dont actually mention that either saddle (or any saddle) has been fitted/assessed by a saddler? Or that the back soreness was treated bar the SI injections by physio etc. I agree you need the vet out again but the other things need looked at too.

we had him adjusted by a chiro, he’s had magna wave, he’s been looked at by the vet who injected his SI over a month ago.

 

[HGE123]

I can't imagine a situation where I would be advised, or take it into my own head, to jump a horse that had sacroiliac injections a week (that's how it reads?) before. SI strains, in my experience, need a long slow rehab in order not to recur.

I think you probably need the advice of a vet, possibly a different one from the one who did the injections.


ETA the saddle may have made the horse do a sliding stop, but SI strains are frequently caused by "sit down" incidents like sliding stops and are much more difficult to resolve than soreness from a saddle.
.

We didn’t jump him a week after his SI injection, we started hacking him at that time. If I made it sound like that I apologize, my times and dates are all messed up ?

 

[HGE123]

His 6 had a broken tree saddle put on his back and had a sore sacriliac! Give the poor horse a break and stop jumping him then get your vet back out, your lucky he hasn't dumped you on the floor he would have every right to.

His 6? The ill fit saddle caused the SI issues. And I understand I should have known the tree was twisted.. but I didn’t.. and I feel enough guilt for that, please give me a break and help with any helpful insight you have.

 

[AmyMay]

We didn’t jump him a week after his SI injection, we started hacking him at that time. If I made it sound like that I apologize, my times and dates are all messed up ?

In your shoes my most immediate plan would be to stop riding. Given he’s had his back medicated recently I think the biggest mistake you’ve made is to start jumping him again so quickly. From there I’d have a vet review, a saddle review (from a professional), and if all is clear start some gentle rehab work.

Horses don’t have to be jumped every day. Once a week is more than sufficient.

But personally, given what you’ve written (and after the aforementioned checks have been done) I would be concentrating on gentle fitness work for at least a month.

 

[Jellymoon]

Did the vet who did the SI injections do a full work up beforehand? Usually there will be hock and /or suspensory pain with SI issues which need to be treated first. I‘m not sure the saddle alone would cause all these problems.
is he insured?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

His 6? The ill fit saddle caused the SI issues. And I understand I should have known the tree was twisted.. but I didn’t.. and I feel enough guilt for that, please give me a break and help with any helpful insight you have.

I understand the saddle issue is an accident it's easily done but you need to stop riding him, take him to a proper equine hospital and do a lack of performance work up.

I am also not convinced the saddle has caused the whole issue, hence why a proper work up is where I would go next so nothing is missed.

 

[ycbm]

We didn’t jump him a week after his SI injection, we started hacking him at that time. If I made it sound like that I apologize, my times and dates are all messed up ?

So you jumped him less than a month after an SI injection? I'm afraid that still a very short time interval between diagnosing a sacroiliac strain rehabbing the horse, in my experience is more usually months, as the injury is one that is known to reoccur easily.

As others have said, you need to stop jumping this horse, ride him on straight lines not in a school, to keep his muscles up, only of he is not lame. And get a proper work up and rehabilitation plan, which will likely be months before any jumping is possible.

 

[ycbm]

His 6? The ill fit saddle caused the SI issues. And I understand I should have known the tree was twisted.. but I didn’t.. and I feel enough guilt for that, please give me a break and help with any helpful insight you have.

I've said already but I'll repeat it, a twisted saddle is unlikely to have been the cause of the SI injuries, if the horse was doing sliding stops as you have described. It's much more likely that the sliding stops caused the SI injury.
.

 

[HGE123]

In your shoes my most immediate plan would be to stop riding. Given he’s had his back medicated recently I think the biggest mistake you’ve made is to start jumping him again so quickly. From there I’d have a vet review, a saddle review (from a professional), and if all is clear start some gentle rehab work.

Horses don’t have to be jumped every day. Once a week is more than sufficient.

But personally, given what you’ve written (and after the aforementioned checks have been done) I would be concentrating on gentle fitness work for at least a month.

Thank you for the insight, and we def don’t jump him everyday, only 1-2 a week.

 

[HGE123]

I've said already but I'll repeat it, a twisted saddle is unlikely to have been the cause of the SI injuries, if the horse was doing sliding stops as you have described. It's much more likely that the sliding stops caused the SI injury.
.

We were thinking the tree contributed to his SI because he was hollowing out therefore not using his hind end correctly. It’s probably just 1 of many things that caused it. But the sliding stops definitely concern me injury wise. Vet comes on Thursday and he will not be jumped for awhile. It’s just so hard to find the source and were the sliding stops the chicken or the egg ??‍? I’m at a loss ?☹

 

[HGE123]

So you jumped him less than a month after an SI injection? I'm afraid that still a very short time interval between diagnosing a sacroiliac strain rehabbing the horse, in my experience is more usually months, as the injury is one that is known to reoccur easily.

As others have said, you need to stop jumping this horse, ride him on straight lines not in a school, to keep his muscles up, only of he is not lame. And get a proper work up and rehabilitation plan, which will likely be months before any jumping is possible.

I was told by our vet he only needed a week off after having it injected.... but I guess that’s wrong and riding him that soon could have made the injection pointless.. it’s so frustrating having “professionals” telling you to do and not do things that aren’t right.
thank you for the insight!

 

[HGE123]

I understand the saddle issue is an accident it's easily done but you need to stop riding him, take him to a proper equine hospital and do a lack of performance work up.

I am also not convinced the saddle has caused the whole issue, hence why a proper work up is where I would go next so nothing is missed.

I agree! The saddle is one of many things I believe. He is getting a full work up thursday and will not be ridden until then atleast. Praying she can give me some kind of answer.

 

[Equi]

Good luck, I hope you get to the bottom of it.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I agree! The saddle is one of many things I believe. He is getting a full work up thursday and will not be ridden until then atleast. Praying she can give me some kind of answer.

I hope you find the problem fingers crossed that he can be easily fixed

 

[ycbm]

We were thinking the tree contributed to his SI because he was hollowing out therefore not using his hind end correctly. It’s probably just 1 of many things that caused it. But the sliding stops definitely concern me injury wise. Vet comes on Thursday and he will not be jumped for awhile. It’s just so hard to find the source and were the sliding stops the chicken or the egg ??‍? I’m at a loss ?☹

This is my guess. Chicken - the saddle hurt. Chicken laid an egg - saddle caused some sliding stops. Eggs got broken - sliding stops caused SI strain.

Good luck with the reassessment. I hope it's with a different vet from the one who did SI injections without advising you as to rehab.
.

 

[doodle]

Another vote for a full work up which I realise you are doing. Robin can jump and very very rarely would refuse jumps. You could 100% trust him and he loved the job. New rider and he was stopping. Started off only at fillers then more and more “normal” jumps. I had vet out as I was concerned about hocks (he was also stiff to shoe) vet saw no issues. Jumping got worse and I decided it was a rider/horse clash. He used to love jumping and would jump anything in front of him.

fast forward and he went lame with hock issues about 10 months after we quit jumping him. I am sure that was the issue but being such an obliging chap and even with trotting up and on the lunge he looked sound but presume the actual jumping hurt.

he has now been treated. It would be interesting to see how he jumped now but I won’t ask him.

 

[HGE123]

This is my guess. Chicken - the saddle hurt. Chicken laid an egg - saddle caused some sliding stops. Eggs got broken - sliding stops caused SI strain.

Good luck with the reassessment. I hope it's with a different vet from the one who did SI injections without advising you as to rehab.
.

That would make sense!
And yes, it is! Hoping to get some better advice form this one ?

 

[HGE123]

Another vote for a full work up which I realise you are doing. Robin can jump and very very rarely would refuse jumps. You could 100% trust him and he loved the job. New rider and he was stopping. Started off only at fillers then more and more “normal” jumps. I had vet out as I was concerned about hocks (he was also stiff to shoe) vet saw no issues. Jumping got worse and I decided it was a rider/horse clash. He used to love jumping and would jump anything in front of him.

fast forward and he went lame with hock issues about 10 months after we quit jumping him. I am sure that was the issue but being such an obliging chap and even with trotting up and on the lunge he looked sound but presume the actual jumping hurt.

he has now been treated. It would be interesting to see how he jumped now but I won’t ask him.

My horse can be pretty stoic and loves to jump which is why I think he pushed through it until he couldn’t anymore ?, which seems to be anything over a meter. Fingers crossed I can get some answers from the vet on Thursday.

 

[doodle]

Robin is exactly the same. Too stoic for his own good. It wasn’t until things really bad that he said “I can’t”. He was competing 1.05 sj and being placed be90 and we knew fine he could jump, just for some reason he didn’t want to anymore. Then 10 months or so of hacking and very very light dressage meant he coped and he loved what he was doing. I feel very bad that we didn’t find the issue quicker but when vet tries very hard to find something and can’t you are kind of stuffed. I now wish we had got vet to watch him jump.

 

[HGE123]

Robin is exactly the same. Too stoic for his own good. It wasn’t until things really bad that he said “I can’t”. He was competing 1.05 sj and being placed be90 and we knew fine he could jump, just for some reason he didn’t want to anymore. Then 10 months or so of hacking and very very light dressage meant he coped and he loved what he was doing. I feel very bad that we didn’t find the issue quicker but when vet tries very hard to find something and can’t you are kind of stuffed. I now wish we had got vet to watch him jump.

It’s so deflating when you can feel something isn’t right but the vet nor your trainer can see what it is.

 

[Teaboy]

To be fair to Op I use a seriously good performance vet and have had SI’s treated through the years and being able to jump after a month isn’t unusual. Having said that as someone else has stated I would generally think the SI is secondary to something else, hocks maybe? So I’d be seeking another opinion. The saddle issue could well just be a coincidence.

 

[HGE123]

So a lot of articles say 5 days till normal exercise... what do we think about this? How can there be such a difference in what different vets recommend?