Horse suddenly dropped condition and got a leg "click" suggestions

Snowysadude

Snowysadude

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Hey two things, first thing is my new boy has suddenly dropped condition and was wondering what supplements/feed people would reccomend, i was going to try topline cubes? (hes currently stabled at night out during the day, worked 6 times a week and fed a scoop of mix and alfa twice a day with hay and haylage at all times whilst he is in, hes on part livery so they make sure he always has food in his stable).

Also his back leg, what sounds like his stifle has started to click in one leg - i had him vetted with xrays of all leg joints (had too many horses with problems not picked up on a 5 stage vetting!) and all was fine - could it just be air in the joint? its only heard in walk but it is getting really loud recently and he didnt have it when i bought him, it doesnt go away once he is worked in and only clicks when he has a rider on (as in not on the lunge or being turned out but every stride when someone is on his back - very strange) - he doesnt have a locking stifle and i am working on re building muscle up in the area to see if that supports it and makes it better - any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance - well done if you got to the end of this!!
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The only thing I could think of is that he has a sore back, aggravated by the weight of a rider which causes him to alter his gait with a rider on and hence produce the clicking noise under these circumstances..... if he has dropped condition does his saddle still fit well?

ETA- I have found Badminton Conditioning Nuggets very good for condition.
 
topline cubes and or a balancer. As for the clicking it maybe something and nothing but I would honestly get the vet as it sounds quite bad and especially as weight on his back is obviously a problem. Just checking are you sure its not the saddle making a noise? sorry silly question but has been known
 
Topline Cubes work well for a lot of horses and as your horse is already on a mix I presume he is not sensitive to cereals. If on Alfa A Original then swap to the higher calorie Alfa A Oil. I am assuming teeth have been checked and worming up to date.

The clicking could be various things - is the horse still perfectly sound and level?
 
Just had a saddle specially made for his shape by the only master saddler in the area as he is a sensitive horse so dont want a badly fitting saddle (expensive but worth it for his back etc) and its deff not that clicking :P! Am getting a saddler out in a couple of weeks in order to re fit the saddle after me owning it for 2 months (just the regular check up to make sure it still fits and flocking all settled well etc).

As for having his back done, i had it done 5 weeks ago and there was a minor problem but he cricked and cracked it and fixed it - i bought him back into work slowly and properly for the next week after that and he was fine since, this leg click is a newish thing only started in the last two weeks, actually since i had his teeth doing - i think i will get the vet out just for peice of mind too cause he has kicked up at his belly with the same leg that clicks a few times when reining back also which worries me - just asking on here cause my YO and head boy on my yard think i am mad and nothing is wrong with him (they think its air in the joint or cartalage rubbing which it better not be after all the x rays on the vetting) but i just can tell there is, hes not the same as he used to be if you know what i mean? You know when you just know your horse and you know something is wrong! Thanks for the replies
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My riend recently bought an ex-racer and his condition dropped, she was feeding him all sorts without effect. His hock ballooned up, initially suspected a fractured leg. Admitted into the vets and it turned out to be an old injury with a secondary infection in the joint, the Vets called it cellulitous. She DIDN'T get him vetted, but the Vet said even if she had a 5 stage done, it wouldn't have shown up. Since recovering from this, his weight has piled back on! Not suggesting this is wrong with your neddie, but it's a possibility. Perhaps worth a vet to cast their beady eye over him/her for you?
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Feeding wise, I like mine on a fibre based diet with a feed balancer. Usually the simpler the diet the better for the horses digestion, thus getting the benefits of all of the feed, and putting weight and condition on xx
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teeth done and all worming up to date
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The horse is still perfectly sound and level on both hard and soft surface, on the lunge and in a straight line - the click is so odd with it only being when he has weight on his back. Saddle fits well and had his back done just over a month ago. Hes only 8 so its not old age and x-rays on vetting will rule out arthritis or locking stifle
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as you also think he is not himself I would get the vet out as you say its peace of mind especially as you went to so much trouble with the vetting
 
hes a 17hh belgum warmblood (see profile pic) and i am about 12st atm (broken back and binge eating witout exercise meant weight gain :S! But am on a diet and working on a yard around uni time so loosing weight fast haha). Thing is clicking is really pronounced even with my sharer who cant be more than 8 stone and a girl sat on him yesterday who cant be more than 7 stone (shes quite petitie and very very slim). All of us are competant riders who carry our weight well when riding (basically no unbalanced novices are allowed near him) - it just seems so strange i cant put my finger on why and i have a fair amount of experience with horsey problems being completley horse obsessed and spending all my time around horses at various places including vet pracitices etc.... i will get the vet out then and see what they think - hope its not too serious i could really do without any problems atm
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My mares fetlock started clicking - vet and trainer put this down to us changing the way she is working so much. She too is a big girl (17.2) and at 10, has only started to do dressage in the past few months. It takes a long time for a big body to adjust to a new "frame" or way of working. Rule anything serious our with help of vet, and consider putting horse on joint supplements, and do what you can to help his body adjust to his work. (physio, massage etc) x
 
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