Horse shaking back legs when picked up?

[spotty_pony]

I am a bit worried about my boy and am looking for some advice.

This past week I have noticed that when I pick his back feet up to pick them out he has started shaking them - it looks bit like a muscle spasm but I'm not sure. He also picks them up higher than usual when he does this. I also noticed that on the first day he did this, he was sweating slightly on the insides of his hind legs - although he hasn't sweated again like this since.

The only change that I can think of directly before is that it started the day after we went Cubbing. I have checked his legs and can't find any signs of injury and he is sound and is hacking out as usual most days. He is worse before he is ridden as he has usually been stood in for a few hours before I ride him, although he still shakes them after exercise, but not as much. Is this a sign it could be stiffness related? He is slightly arthritic in his hocks

Does anyone have any advice/similar experiences? He doesn't seem to be in any pain, I'm just concerned as I haven't really experienced anything like this before!

Any advice much appreciated.

 

[Magicmillbrook]

Sounds a bit like shivers

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horsecare/1370/41582.html

 

[Mongoose11]

Does sound like Shivers and it can present suddenly

 

[Umbongo]

Agree having known a couple of horses that suffered from shivers it does sound like it to me too

 

[spotty_pony]

It does sound a bit like that, yes. He has always been fairly difficult to shoe behind and when you hold his tail he tries to clamp it down and 'wag' it from side to side. It's interesting that it says stress/excitement can bring it on as it happened after cubbing (which he loves) and so was very excited. Will have to keep an eye on him and see how he goes. Am devastated to read it can eventually lead to the horse having to stop jumping as we loved our hunting and jumping.

 

[The wife]

Ah, sorry to hear that.

He does sound exactly like my fella. His back legs shiver when you pick them up. However, Shivering isn't the be all and end all I'm pleased to say that My lovely boy has it and is living a completely normal life, I just can't get back shoes on him and I have never had his back feet trimmed. I can just about pick them up long enough to pick them out but that's it. Regular road work keeps them a sensible length.

As for jumping, he is more than capable of jumping 1m10+, did gymkhana games-tight turns etc, x-country schooled, I trained him to P2P last season and up until this season he hunted with me too (change of circumstances) and is treated exactly the same as the other horses. I never went down the road of feeding high oil, low sugar or whatever it is diets. ESPM diet perhaps? I did research into it and decided it wouldn't suit him (or me more to the point). He has never had a days lameness behind but does need a couple of weeks to adapt after his holidays when he comes back into work... He looks stiff and pottery for a few days which progressively gets better the fitter he gets to the point of nobody ever noticing his problem and he lifts his leg up like he's stretching it when out in the field. In fact he's so normal that the lovely lady who now has him on loan never even knew he had a problem until I told her after she'd tried him several times.

I did lateral work with him daily as part of his warm up or when hacking to keep his muscles strong and supple behind and encourage him to 'step under' more for me and he ended up being the most flexible little horse I have ever sat on. The only problem I had was going around corners at speed, however I do believe this is more to do with a lack of back shoes and grip rather than a weakness.

I have read that it can be progressive but not in all cases and is easily managed IMHO. Best of luck with him.

 

[spotty_pony]

Thank you, it was so lovely to read about your horse. He sounds like a cracking little horse! And it's really given me hope for my boy now. Thanks

 

[CBFan]

It does sound like shivers but it's not the end of the world and there is lots you can do to help them.

My boy is seen by an equine osteopath as and when he needs it. roughly every 6 months. He has benefitted from leg stretches after work too as they can suffer from muscle tightness as a result... I always warm him up and cool him down thoroughly and have invested in an equilibrium massage pad too.

Also look into feeding. I have mine on a balanced minerals diet and I have noticed a significant improvement in his shivers. Maybe to do with the Vitamin E and Selenium balance being right, but I'm also sure the addition of Micronised Linseed has helped no end too. It's very rich in Omega oils so perhaps that's why...

At the end of the day, all it means is that you have to be a little more patient with them and understand that their reluctance to pick up feet and hold them still is not naughtiness...

May be worth a chat with your vet - not that theres a lot they can do. Just keep an eye on him and check the progression. It may never develop any further than it has.

 

[The wife]

Thank you, it was so lovely to read about your horse. He sounds like a cracking little horse! And it's really given me hope for my boy now. Thanks

No problem at all! Anything I can help with I'll try I'm no expert on it but i've researched alot about it and tried a lot of things with him, some worked, others didn't (for either of us!) and spoke to alot of vets and the farrier. Re shoeing and trimming, I have heard of people teaching their horses to rest a hind leg on the toe, allowing te farrier to do what they could.

He really is a cracking little thing! I bought him with the problem, owner wasn't exactly forthcoming with information but I knew he had a problem there and my farrier backed this up! I've now Heartbreakingly put him out on loan and he's bringing joy to his new mum too! During finding stuff out about it, it's amazing how many mis-conceptions people have about shivers. I'm sure there are bad beyond help cases but with good management it's a doddle compared to tendons!

And as CBFAN said, sometimes they need leg stretches but again depends on the individual

 

[Queenbee]

Another vote for shivers here, and another person who knows of horses with shivers living a normal life and competing.

 

[Tr0uble]

I'd be looking at shivers, azoturia, epsm and string halt.

None are curable but you CAN help with the right diet and management.

 

[spotty_pony]

Thanks everybody. He is still shaking his hind legs when I pick his feet out - and it's a week tomorrow since he first started doing it. Will he always do this now? Interestingly, he didn't do it today after exercise. Although now I am aware it is possibly Shivers I did pick his feet up very carefully and kept them low to the ground.

 

[Mongoose11]

Have you not had the vet out? I would suggest you need to and get a diagnosis. Shivers can be really unpredictable and horses can become dangerous under saddle. I don't want to err on the side of negative BUT a diagnosis is needed so that you can move forward positively!

 

[spotty_pony]

No I haven't as he isn't lame and is completely normal apart from the leg shaking when I pick his feet out. Might be worth getting a professional opinion - although if it is Shivers, I'm not sure there's much a Vet can do!

 

[Mongoose11]

I understand. Just thought it would be worth getting a judgement about what kind of degree you are dealing with and where to go with it? Best of luck, I met an 18.2 with shivers recently who is an ex Lee Pearson horse - some days he can be ridden and other days he rears and his back end is unreliable. He is happy and doing a job on the days that he can

 

[CBFan]

Thanks everybody. He is still shaking his hind legs when I pick his feet out - and it's a week tomorrow since he first started doing it. Will he always do this now? Interestingly, he didn't do it today after exercise. Although now I am aware it is possibly Shivers I did pick his feet up very carefully and kept them low to the ground.

Yes, it is quite likely he will always do it, and it may get worse or it may not and yes it is quite normal for them to find it easier to pick his feet up after exercise - once his muscles are warmed up - this is a perfect opportunity to do some stretching exercises with him - worth getting someone to show you how. May be worth a chat with your vet if and when he's next out but otherwise I wouldn't fret.

 

[Sporthorse123]

Hi, I have a shiverer and I thought it was the end of the world when I found out. He is on a sugar free, high oil diet and he hasn't got any worse over the years that I have had him. He is out competing at showjumping 1m + and you wouldn't know he was any different to other horses. I would try not to worry and, yes if a vet is coming out anyway it might be best to have a check but no need to call a vet out for this alone. There is loads of info on the web about shivers and EPSM but nobody really knows for sure what causes it so there is no cure (which is what my vet told me).
Just go out and enjoy him as you did before.

 

[mariacooper]

Hi,
Please don't worry to much, I doesn't sound as if your boy is too worried about his back legs. I started to ride a very dear friends lovely 7 year old warmblood who has shiverer's in her front legs (quite rare!) she was feeling very sorry for herself and was quite depressed so much so that she had lost all off her condition. Her owner was really unsure what to do as she had been brought as an all round hunter, hack etc. Well to cut a long story short in 2 years a horse who new absolutely nothing has qualified for National Winter Dressage championships at elementary and won her first medium test last weekend. She has gone from Novice to Medium in less than 12 months which is quite an achievement for any horse. She gains 8's for extended and medium trot. Trying to pick up her front legs is fun - you have to feel all they way down from her armpit to fetlock, then she will lift her leg but will shiver. She isn't shod at all.

good luck - my trainer had a shiverer that went to Grand Prix so don't loose hope.

 

[The wife]

That's a lovely story. So pleased whe wasn't given up on

 

[Waltzing Matilda]

Sounds like my mare. I suspect shiversand have spoken to vet but as no other symptoms they not bothered. I have and her 5.5 yrs now and still the.same - she is now 18. She doesnt do it every time but If she does I just let go of her foot. She outs it down and we start again and she s fine. If I hold on it makes things worse! X