Horse snatching at reins

A

Aniseed

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 March 2009
Messages
475
Location
Gloucestershire
Visit site
I have a 15hh 18 year old Welsh mare who has not been right since November last year. Despite numerous veterinary treatments and visits from other professionals I still have no idea what is wrong with her. If anyone has experienced something similar or has any advice I would be hugely grateful as I don't know what to do next.

She started moving strangely last year, not lame just uneven behind and reluctant to go forward. Since then she has developed the following symptoms: she became girthy when tacking up and paws the ground, started rearing when I mounted her, snatching down on the reins and wanting to work constantly with her nose on the ground, she has scraped the wooden stable wall with her teeth and she banks all her bedding up at the back of the stable and stands with her bottom leaning against the wall.

So far the treatment she has had is:
Physio - absolutely nothing wrong. She suggested gastric ulcers
Vet scoped her - only found one tiny ulcer not consistent with the change in behavior. Also checked teeth and no problem.
Saddler - checked saddle and had no concerns. I have also tried riding bareback and her behavior is the same
Back to vets for a lameness workup and x-rays of back and neck - found slight impingement of the spinal processes so treated for kissing spine with steroid injections. No improvement. Also x-rayed hocks and stifles and no issues there.
Back to the vets again - lameness work up and she seemed slightly un-coordinated which may suggest a neurological problem. Scanned the neck and there was indication of some arthritis in the joints. She had further steroid injections in the neck. Still no improvement.
Course of bute - we are now just over a week in on two bute a day and she is still yanking down with her head all the time and reluctant to move forward.

I have had this horse for 14 years and am fairly certain she is not just taking the mickey. I have tried changing her bit and riding in a bitless bridle which didn't help.

In herself she is bright and looking really good. I am keeping her ticking over just hacking but really want to get to the bottom of this. It is so frustrating!!!
 
It sounds as if she is in constant low grade pain even if the bute makes little or no difference it does not rule out pain as the causse as it will not work on everything, have her ovaries been scanned during the many vet checks? if not I would want to do this to rule out something going on there as I suspect bute will have no effect on helping ease that.
Otherwise it may be that her neck and back are still uncomfortable and that she may require some intensive physio and rehab to allow her to realise it is not going to hurt although having had physio before that found nothing wrong would make me think that the back and neck are not the primary cause of her discomfort and that the vets have not yet found the root cause, a good physio may now find something that was not obvious before so worth the cost of a visit.
 
I agree with bp... I think you need to consider some time out.

Look up Visconte Simon Cocozza for KS... he's done amazing work on many horses.
 
Could it be SI? Doesn't really show up on xrays, needs a bone scan.

Feel like I'm seeing the signs everywhere since mine was diagnosed but the reluctance to move forward, unevenness behind, and desire to stretch head down whilst looking entirely happy in themself rings pretty close!
 
Thank you for all the replies. She hasn't had her ovaries checked so I will ask the vet about this. Our next step is to give her six months off, but I'm convinced it won't make any difference.

smja what is SI? I can't think what it would be an abbreviation of!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top