Hind limb unlevelness

[showqa]

I'm so disappointed and worried. My 7 year old is basically unlevel, left hind, revealing itself particularly in canter when he seems uncomfortable in his back end generally as a result.

Fact is, this has been a recurrent problem in the 2.5 years that I've had him, and the vets/ chiros/RI's have always said that it's down to lack of muscular development, immaturity, imbalance due to front end developing way ahead of rear end. And yes, there have been periods when he's been sound again and working well, so much so that we were working on collection before the snow stopped our training programme.

Just been hacking him recently as he had an abscess ( !!! ) and what with the snow, he was off work for a long time, so gradually builidng him up again. First session back with the RI today and within no time, but he simply was not sound. She now thinks that it is more sinister and needs thorough vet examination.

I have a couple of problems with this A/ I've lost faith in the vets and B/ He won't load and so I just know that he'll need to go to a clinic for MRI's and the like.

Please, can anyone offer any advice? I know that I do have to get a vet in, but can someone recommend (I'm in North Wales) and perhaps outline what I can expect? Thanks.

 

[classicalfan]

Don't bother with the vet. They'll rub their hands together and wander how many tests they can get away with before admitting that they don't know what's causing it. Equine physios etc vary hugely (my husband is one and I met a right load of charlatans before meeting him)

Strongly recommend you find a physio trained by Narelle Stubbs, she is the Australian Olympic team's physio and is about the best there is. However, don't know whether she is still in the UK but she runs a degree course and her students are very good.

 

[showqa]

Any idea how I could track one down Classicalfan?

 

[alsiola]

Don't bother with the vet. ... admitting that they don't know what's causing it.

That's the best thing about vets - when they don't know what's causing something they admit it, rather than spouting a load of codswallop about...

lack of muscular development, immaturity, imbalance due to front end developing way ahead of rear end.

 

[HKJ]

Hi,

Poor you, it's horrid to have a reacurring lameness.
My horse also had 'lack of muscle' on his hind legs, his showed up in his trot and it looked like he was 'skipping' in front.

I turned him away for 6 months and then did 4 months in walk, starting for 20 mins on the flat, and building him up to walking out up and down hills for an 1 and a half hack over the time.

I then slowly introduced the trot - on the flat first and gradually building up to trot.

We are now almost 8 months down the line and he is doing school work in an outline, a little bit of low jumping, short lunge sessions ect.

He still occationally skips for a couple of strides at the beginning if he has not walked for about 15mins first, but is sound as a bell.

I would def suggest to get a physio to look him over, but for me, it was the time and patience that worked.
He is 9 this year, and because of his hind leg weakness, has been on and off work since he was 5 years old.

My fingers are crossed that this year we shall finally make it out !!!

Good luck with your horse.

 

[ImogenBurrows]

That's the best thing about vets - when they don't know what's causing something they admit it, rather than spouting a load of codswallop about...

On behalf of vets - Thank you

To the OP:

If you have lost faith in your local vet, you could politely ask for a referral to Leahurst on the basis that you can struggle with ONE journey to a clinic that should be able to give you answers rather than ship from pillar to post for various tests/equipment??

FWIW I believe there are many great physio and other paraprofessionals working out there, however, we are always at our best when working to a specific diagnosis if possible. I would recommend maybe you get a good pysio to see the horse alongside the vets exam - we do compliment each other you know...not an either or!!

HTH and good luck.
Imogen

 

[showqa]

HKJ - was there a diagnosis as such or literally did they say it was just lack of muscle? Do you mind me asking what breed he is? My horse is Spanish and they apparently do mature later than most, and he's also big boned - further exacerbating that I'm sure. He does have weak gaskins too.

Imogen, I do apologise - I didn't mean to insult your profession. It's just that as an owner you can feel so very vulnerable (emotionally and of course financially), and right now I just don't feel great about my vets and I'm wondering which way to turn. I only wish I could get him on the lorry (which I have) to Leahurst. In fact, I have someone coming tomorrow to help me get him over that phobia. As you can see, not having a great time of it of late!!

 

[brucea]

Hey - it will get resolved, you may just need a second opinion.

We have 4 vets at the practice we use - and they are all good at different things - for example one is great on lameness and one is brilliant on wound care and stitching - If I ever got myself cut up really badly, it's her I'd want to put me back together!!!! You just have to ask for the right one.

My ISH had similar issues - his canter wasn't really good until he was 8 - I think they just take a long time to grow up into themselves and mature. It's awesome now.

He had imbalance on his hind end too - he had one side quite nice and well muscled, and the other side just sort of fell away on a flatter plane. We then found he had spavins and that was causing all sorts of unevenness, and secondary pain in the back and pelvis.

Lots of hacking, straight lines, work over hills and slopes to encourage building the back end. Eventually he had a back end to be proud of and all the unevenness was gone.

We took him out of shoes to let his feet grow as he needed them to support the column above, and that helped emormously - his hinds are not what you'd describe as beautiful, but they function very well indeed for him.

Maybe get saddle checked too - it may be too long - may not be, but it's something easy enough to eliminate.

 

[HKJ]

HKJ - was there a diagnosis as such or literally did they say it was just lack of muscle? Do you mind me asking what breed he is? My horse is Spanish and they apparently do mature later than most, and he's also big boned - further exacerbating that I'm sure. He does have weak gaskins too.

Hi,

He is a Trakhener X BW/TB. He now stands at 16.2hh, and only just finished maturing last year (aged 8). He is a middle weight hunter/riding horse type.

They said it was lack of muscle, nothing more. Between his hind legs of all places! His near side hind leg was worse than the other, though when you stood behind him, his quarters look level. The 'skip' came out on the off side fore leg.

It was really frustrating having him sound one minute, unsound the next, a week off, sound again, then a hack, a jump and we are skipping again, and so on.....
This was going on and off since he was 5/6 years old.

My vet asked me if we had given him ample time off to recover. So he had 6 months off. A friend of mine who practises Equine Craniosacral therapy, also came out and did a few sessions with him. He gave me a few homoepathic potions to help with healing muscles, tendons ect.

He is on MSM and Glucosamine (spelling?!) - he is still on this.

As for a 'diagnostic' - a vet can't 'see' what was wrong. It would have meant he could have rung up a few thousand pounds worth of vets bills, and I was not prepared to go that route.

If the time off had failed, he would have become a very 'posh' happy hacker on light work

Lucky for me, it worked!!

 

[showqa]

Really interesting and makes me feel a bit more optimistic I must say. Sounds so similar to my fella - I too have been wondering whether he's going to end up being a very posh hack. He'll stay with me regardless, but I couldn't say that I wouldn't be disappointed. Thank you.

 

[Andalucian]

Can I suggest that in view of the recurrance and the abscess you start from the bottom up. If the foot balance is wrong, then no amount of manipulation will stay in place. Make sure this is right before taking any further steps in diagnosis or treatment.

 

[emmachiro]

If he's had feet problems which will lead to a lot of compensation due to the pain which abscesses can cause, it will be the first thing to un-do all the good the chiro has done. Second that with snow and ice, possilble trauma from that (slipping etc), old weaknesses and compensation patterns will rear their ugly head.

Go back to square one. Make sure feet sorted, saddle is correct and get the chiro back in. And start with baby steps on the exercise front, be patient! Time is a healer!

 

[HKJ]

I agree with both Andalucian and emmachiro.
I had my boys feet, and tack ect checked out, but all was well in tose area's. So thats when we looked higher up.

Time is a great healer. Don't rush it.

Good luck!!!

 

[showqa]

Good points. I suppose I've assumed that the abcess has healed and that's that, sort of thing. I wouldn't be so stressed if it was the first sign of a problem, but when every so often we seem to be confronting it again it does seem as though there's something else that we're just not getting to the bottom of. Thanks.

 

[K27]

Just to say good luck with your horse- my horse was very similar to yours when he was 8 and he was moving tightly in his back so i got my vet straight out,flexion test- xrayed his hocks- and it is mild spavin, which although it's degenerative and won't get better we are able to manage it.

Good luck and if you aren't happy with your vet def get a referral to a good vet experienced in lameness and performance issues.