MeganMarie
Active Member
Hi everyone,
apologies in advance for this being a long one.
About 5/6 months ago, my boy started bucking uncontrollably in canter, then trot, then walk, to the point he was unrideable. We think a bit of this behaviour was down to the management he was receiving at the yard, and was having very limited turnout which probably exaggerated the behaviour.
He had suspensory and sacroiliac nerve blocks - no real improvement there, or not enough for the vet to say, "yes, that's the problems". Hock x-rays, suspensory x-rays & spine x-rays all showed nothing. Vet referred him to Newmarket Equine Hospital. He was bi-laterally lame when lunged on both soft and hard surfaces, and slightly when trotted in a straight line. He had a bone scan, which showed some slight inflammation on the ligaments on the spine and some mild inflammation in the hocks. But no kissing spine, nothing flagged up in the SI region. They nerve blocked the hocks, which made him sound. They medicated them and sent him on his way, with 6 weeks lunging walk/trot, long and low, help him to strengthen his back.
After 6 weeks, I got back on - no difference, infact was probably even more unrideable. The vet put this down to psychological issues. Flash forward a few weeks, I wanted him scoped for ulcers. Very mild glandular ones were found - but vet didn't think they were severe enough to be causing these symptoms.
We moved him to a professional schooling yard, to see if it is purely psychological. He's now rideable, walk/trot and canter under saddle and hacks out at walk and trot. But he still seems uncomfortable at the canter under saddle (albiet no where near as worse as he was) and they seem to think that the canter would have completely improved by now if it was purely mental.
In the canter undersaddle, occasionally does bunny hop strides, occasionally goes disunited behind, does mini bucks, struggles most on the right rein (and is often more sore on the right side when the physio comes), always has been reluctant to take a contact/work on the bit, finds it hard to put on muscle, struggles being shod behind (e.g. standing on one hind leg for long periods of time etc. he also struggles to travel, loads absolutely fine, but travels appallingly). Palpates sore over lower back and SI region and is very tight in that area. He's sound on the lunge and looks really well in all 3 paces. He's had a new saddle fitted, which hasn't really made a difference.
Everyones at a bit of a loss really, vet came out again, and decided to medicate the hocks again to rule out that its definitely not those - as we know they were causing low-grade pain at one point. If there is no improvement in the next 2 weeks, hes going to inject the SI joint - despite it never flagging up in any tests/scans.
Does it sound like SI problems? What were your horses symptoms? He's turning into a complete mystery He has regular physio, in fact she was the one who mentioned getting the vet out.
Sorry for this being sooooo long. Thanks in advance
apologies in advance for this being a long one.
About 5/6 months ago, my boy started bucking uncontrollably in canter, then trot, then walk, to the point he was unrideable. We think a bit of this behaviour was down to the management he was receiving at the yard, and was having very limited turnout which probably exaggerated the behaviour.
He had suspensory and sacroiliac nerve blocks - no real improvement there, or not enough for the vet to say, "yes, that's the problems". Hock x-rays, suspensory x-rays & spine x-rays all showed nothing. Vet referred him to Newmarket Equine Hospital. He was bi-laterally lame when lunged on both soft and hard surfaces, and slightly when trotted in a straight line. He had a bone scan, which showed some slight inflammation on the ligaments on the spine and some mild inflammation in the hocks. But no kissing spine, nothing flagged up in the SI region. They nerve blocked the hocks, which made him sound. They medicated them and sent him on his way, with 6 weeks lunging walk/trot, long and low, help him to strengthen his back.
After 6 weeks, I got back on - no difference, infact was probably even more unrideable. The vet put this down to psychological issues. Flash forward a few weeks, I wanted him scoped for ulcers. Very mild glandular ones were found - but vet didn't think they were severe enough to be causing these symptoms.
We moved him to a professional schooling yard, to see if it is purely psychological. He's now rideable, walk/trot and canter under saddle and hacks out at walk and trot. But he still seems uncomfortable at the canter under saddle (albiet no where near as worse as he was) and they seem to think that the canter would have completely improved by now if it was purely mental.
In the canter undersaddle, occasionally does bunny hop strides, occasionally goes disunited behind, does mini bucks, struggles most on the right rein (and is often more sore on the right side when the physio comes), always has been reluctant to take a contact/work on the bit, finds it hard to put on muscle, struggles being shod behind (e.g. standing on one hind leg for long periods of time etc. he also struggles to travel, loads absolutely fine, but travels appallingly). Palpates sore over lower back and SI region and is very tight in that area. He's sound on the lunge and looks really well in all 3 paces. He's had a new saddle fitted, which hasn't really made a difference.
Everyones at a bit of a loss really, vet came out again, and decided to medicate the hocks again to rule out that its definitely not those - as we know they were causing low-grade pain at one point. If there is no improvement in the next 2 weeks, hes going to inject the SI joint - despite it never flagging up in any tests/scans.
Does it sound like SI problems? What were your horses symptoms? He's turning into a complete mystery He has regular physio, in fact she was the one who mentioned getting the vet out.
Sorry for this being sooooo long. Thanks in advance