Horse back problem - where to go next

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amandaparry1994

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So, me and many others on my yard have come on the conclusion that my horse is not safe anymore. He's bolted past horses and gone hell for leather away from them. He spooks at basically nothing, and has decked me quite seriously twice in a few months. I'm at a bit of a loss here, I've owned him 8 months and everything started deteriorating about 4 months ago. We're thinking it maybe a back problem and I want to know where to go from here, I've got a physio coming to look at him and just want to know if anyone else has had a horse go from not maliciously trying to kill you to what they were before?
If we can't fix it, then it's early retirement... he's only 13 and has scope to burn!

Thanks
 
I put it down to new environment, he's had back work done since then, new saddle the lot. I haven't just ignored it? I just wanted to ask if people simply retired their horses of went down the x ray and vet route.
 
amandaparry1994 said:
As far as I'm aware it was more like massaging and see if he was stiff. She well reputed and wouldn't act in such a way.
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Anyone who treats your horse should consult with your vet and personally I wouldn't use someone who didn't. You need a good team around you who work together - my vet, physio and farrier all work together when there is a problem and you need that communication/ relationship.
 
chestnut cob said:
Anyone who treats your horse should consult with your vet and personally I wouldn't use someone who didn't. You need a good team around you who work together - my vet, physio and farrier all work together when there is a problem and you need that communication/ relationship.
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Thank you, my farrier and vet do work together very well - my vet is booked in for just after Christmas, hoping that even though he's been out of work for about a month won't be too much of a problem. Hopefully my vet will have a good physio on their books too!
 
Your horse is telling you that there is a serious problem with this type of behaviour. Any sudden change like this should always be fully investigated sooner rather than later. I hope your poor horse gets sorted very soon. :-(
 
It wasn't sudden, but I suppose I really did put it down to change of environment and getting fitter. I genuinely feel like an awful owner and will do everything to get him fixed!
 
amandaparry1994 said:
I put it down to new environment, he's had back work done since then, new saddle the lot. I haven't just ignored it? I just wanted to ask if people simply retired their horses of went down the x ray and vet route.
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Why would anyone retire their horse without even having the vet let alone diagnostics? IMO it wouldn't be fair to anyway if the horse is potentially in pain
 
What makes you think it is a back problem?

A new saddle, even if you've had it fitted properly doesn't always help, there have been loads of threads on here about poorly fitted saddles that have been fitted by professionals.

Is he spooky without a saddle?
 
get a full work up. Its your choice to retire the horse or not, no-one on a forum can tell you. It depends on what your financial situation is like really and how much you are willing to spend.

I had one and i set a fixed amount of money i could spend to fix him, and when it ran out he was retired for a while and then pts. My best horse also developed back issues at one stage and the local vet hospital did a complete scan, found and treated the issues and he has been (touch wood) fine ever since. It was a teaching hospital so the cost was minimal and he got great treatment as it was difficult issue to find. So theres a few options. A back person/phsyio is usually no use when a horse has got to that level of what sounds like pain. You need to get a deeper investigation. But get a vet from a proper equine practice, not just a local small practice.
 
LD&S said:
What makes you think it is a back problem?

A new saddle, even if you've had it fitted properly doesn't always help, there have been loads of threads on here about poorly fitted saddles that have been fitted by professionals.

Is he spooky without a saddle?
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He's not spooky without saddle - its the first thing I tested. It's a sue Carson saddle that's made to measure, I feel they're pretty good saddles!

I went through other avenues before the vet because sometimes obviously it is a tack issue.

I'm just hoping people can see why I thought it might not be a pain thing, or why it might have been under saddle pain.

All I did was go off of what my old yard manager thought and what a 'professional' thought
- I presumed he was quite knowledgeable. Obviously have now changed my mind.
 
get the saddle doublechecked. theres literally hundreds of posts her about people getting saddles professionally fitted and someone else spots an issue. I'd rule that out before i spent money on vets. If a back person doesn't feel pain in the area, is he fine to ride bareback for example?
 
it could be a number of factors coming to a head - if he moved yard he could unsettled, not sleeping right, stressed, coping with new herd, saddle might be a bit sore, change in feed/turnout, you might be nervier since the fall - it could have built up and he's just telling you he can't handle it all. Has feed or turnout routine changed much as well? Is he getting enough turnout to burn stress or is he getting more feed and less work?

Are his issues only under saddle?
 
I agree, I'd do the obvious and slightly easier/cheaper checks first, back, saddle, teeth and physio. If no improvement then vet for a full work up. I am def one for finding out what the issue is, and it does sound like there is one here, then you can make an informed decision on what to do. It may involve x Rays and possibly a bone scan. Use a specialist equine vet. Hope you get to the bottom of it.
 
Back problems are not always caused by saddles!

Unfortunately OP it might look like a back problem, the physio may always find problems along the back but they can quite often start from somewhere else and it is the horses posture trying to take load off one or more of the limbs for example that is causing the back to become sore and tight. If you sort the original problem out the back issue may resolve quite quickly.

So I agree with the others - I would be doing an overall investigation and not just focussing on the back
 
I get sick of hearing this .
Four months of issues then the owner calls in someone who legally cannot give an opinion .
OP of course most people don't retire horse without treating the horse with the respect it deserves and finding out what's wrong .
You sound very inexperianced is there any one on the ground who can advise you ?
 
As most people have said, you really need to get a good 'lameness' vet to come and look at your lad. What you don't want is for your horses behaviour to become 'habit' - when it could actually be an 'intermittent' pain issue - as you mentioned that your horses behaviour is random.

Please get a really good vet to give your horse a full work over... I would even go as far as X-Rays, scans and actually take him for a full on lameness assessment for peace of mind. It is really a good idea to check that there are no ligament / sacroiliac / kissing spin / or other changes going on... then if you get the all clear... I would concentrate on working him in straight lines, keep out of the school... build up his top line, and core muscles over his back.... before bringing him back into normal work.

You need to give him the benefit of the doubt... horses react for a reason... but what you don't want is a habit forming issue - where you tense up / get off, which then makes the horse nervous and play up even more.

I really wish you all the very best - as it can be frightening - but remember, there is always a reason why these animals play up... sometimes its can be as simple as excitable energy and being over fed for the work they are doing (I've learnt this one - but also had the vet perform the full works and even went to a horse clinic for one of mine !

Thankyou for sharing, and keep us posted !!!!!!!
 
I've had 18 months of problems with my horse and unfortunately you often need to rule one thing out at a time. The physio worked closely with the vet which was why we were able to rule out saddle fit (although there was a problem with the saddle, it wasn't causing the bucking and spooking). X-rays have shown arthritis in her hock joints but it is only once we are able to medicate those - she needs to lose weight first - will we know for certain that its the hocks causing the riding issues or something else.

In the meantime I've decided to start 2017 with some lessons as well. I know I'm creaky and not particularly level any longer so might as well check I'm part of the solution and not the problem!

I would agree with everyone above saying get the vet out. Mine knows I have the physio to my mare and asked to see the reports - that did help the vets with their workup too.
 
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Is this the same horse you were looking to buy a cheapy saddle for as the tree was broken on your current saddle?

If so I'd hazard a guess the saddle may have caused pressure points which are causing him discomfort.

As it's been going on for several months I would be inclined to get a vet out to do a full work up for peace of mind.
 
FestiveFuzz said:
Is this the same horse you were looking to buy a cheapy saddle for as the tree was broken on your current saddle?

If so I'd hazard a guess the saddle may have caused pressure points which are causing him discomfort.


As it's been going on for several months I would be inclined to get a vet out to do a full work up for peace of mind.
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This is a different horse, I've had several horses before and always managed to solve my the problems - he simply stumped me - full work up is now booked upon reading all of this.

I hope I haven't given the impression that I know nothing. I am pulling at straws and wanted to explore all avenues before full work up.
 
Thank you all for your input. His full work up is booked and I trust my vet completely. If nothing comes up on the work up, he's going back to basics - long reining, re evaluating feed, etc and after that? I'll talk with y my vet once more and discuss my options.
 
You're doing the right thing OP. Having gone through something similar I would say if it's not obvious what the problem is then get the vet sooner rather later.
 
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