Horse holding tail to one side

Birker2020

Birker2020

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 October 2008
Messages
23,597
Visit site
My friend is looking for a horse (aren't we all) - fortunately what she is after is completely different from me so we are not turning up at the same viewings :p:D

She went to see a smart 15.3hh WB gelding at the weekend and he was holding his tail to the right when he moved, she showed me the video and its not intermittent, its constant. I've always thought of that as a red flag, having had a previous horse with wobblers, I understand that this can indicate some kind of spinal cord compression.

Has anyone else come across this? I've advised her to get it vetted and she's put a deposit down and I think she is going ahead on Friday with the vetting. It will be interesting to see what the vets report says.
 
Last edited:
Yes, I knew one and used to school/ride him.

We didn't know what the issue was for years.

Then the old owner turned up one day, and told us that the horse broke his neck as a youngster (proved by X ray) by rearing p when tied to bars (rope went to the top of the bar, tightened, then when the horse came down he 'swung' himself, apparently), and held his tail to one side ever since.

That was a worry, but TBH, the horse was OK generally day to day.
 
One of mine does this sometimes, she has mild arthritis in the neck, we assume that is the cause. Physio sorts it out, it doesn't seem to cause any issues but will presumably get worse. Would I buy one with it? Probably not, especially at the silly money horses are fetching at the moment.
 
I was reading the other week about end spine issues and one symptom in some of tail being held to the side. It could be minor and painless so horse is ridden, or painful/arthritic so horse best unridden.

My mare has done this ever since ive owned her. I noticed it while in foal/ after she foaled - (thought it was a pregnancy thing) - she was a broodmare before being with me. She’s unridden, and its not constantly she holds it to the side. Just sometimes. I think its also associated with gastric/colicy symptoms issues too. She’s older now and a bit stiffer on her back end. I dont know if she had an accident while younger.

I wondered if it’s behavioural at one point - but don’t think so. Its not a learnt behaviour either as her best friend gelding picks up her mannerisms but hasnt ever held his tail that way.

Hopefully the vetting will reveal the cause for this horse. It might be wise for friend to specify this symptom to vet and ask for super focus on neck/spine/hip movement.
 
I have one that held her tail slightly to one side for her whole ridden career and it was never explained, but it did also never cause a problem. So if the horse was perfect in other ways and vetted OK i would not necessarily see it as a red flag . My horse's whole history is known from 2yo.
 
I rode one from 6YO to Inter I who always held his tail over to the right. The owner had him since a foal and hadn’t had any big injuries with him so it would’ve had to have happened when he was pretty newly born if so. Never an issue. It was his feet in front that caused him problem in the end!
 
I think its more problematic if the tail is also flacid and that can be a big indicator of spinal problems.

Thanks for your stories, most appreciated.
 
One of mine started holding his tail to the side and didn’t want it brushed so I got the physio out to him and he was really tight behind the saddle as the gullet he was in was to big. Physio workup, saddle reflocked with a smaller gullet bar and he’s not done it since.
 
I viewed a lovely chestnut 4 years ago. My trainer who came with me pointed out he held his tail to one side all the time. This along with a few other things put me off. Unfortunately he is now retired so perhaps it was a red flag.
 
Sometimes it can be something and sometimes it can be nothing. First thing that jumps to my mind is mild wobblers/some sort of neuro issue (or a past neuro issue and the tail to one side is a result of a previous attack but won't bother the horse any further) or out of alignment somewhere.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top