Just not quite right. Where do I start?

KatieDM

KatieDM

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So, I think it’s time to have the vet out to have a closer look at my boy. I’m with Hirds over in West Yorkshire and they’ve a good reputation. I’ve luckily not needed any vet input outside of routine things like vaccs - and an abscess once.

These are very ‘bitty’ notes, apologies. It’s just a case of me trying to think of all the signs that are giving me this gut feeling. We are insured.
  • American Saddlebred sire x Welsh Cob dam
  • 6 in June, 15.1hh ish, 500kg ish
  • Owned since Oct 2024, I rode him 6 months prior to buying - just hacking as he was very young
  • Seems girthy when grooming / saddling
  • Hesitant to be bridled (ongoing since I’ve known him)
  • Can be riggy/mounts and shows interest when mares in season and presenting themselves
  • Seems fidgety/anxious
  • Can struggle to stand for farrier but this has improved
  • Shod fronts only, never had backs
  • Was constantly overreaching/pulling shoes which led to us going barefoot, but really chipped his hooves so had to put shoes back on
  • Not great proprioception - can step on himself and trip occasionally. Has seemed to improve
  • Was apparently cart broken at 2 and did not have the best start - going through sales and ended up at a dealers who I rode for. I couldn’t not buy him because I dreaded to think where’d he’d end up
  • Swingy gait, hind end seems weak
  • Holds tail to side - more obvious when ridden - always done this
  • Very swishy tail when ridden
  • Just looks off, especially in walk
  • Struggles on right rein more
  • Canter is disunited - better on straight line
  • Tends to rush when ridden - lots of half halts, slowing the trot down etc
  • Will randomly nap and break into canter when schooling, runs off with me and gets very strong
  • High head carriage
  • Been working on getting him to drop his head, improve contact, engage his hindquarters and lots of “long and low” when schooling
  • Spooky episodes hacking - running off with me. Not quite bolting but almost
  • Recent new Henry James bridle, fits well, trying different bits - was in a baby snaffle, now trying a lozenge universal, hated comfy barrel hanging cheek
  • Hasn’t done much outside of hacking and minimal schooling. In Light work - December off - wanted to start stepping up now and build up his topline/hind
  • Saddle last fitted Sep - up 2 widths since April
  • Chiro Sep - tight lumbar
  • Teeth Oct - wolf teeth - see chart
  • Sheath cleaned professionally Jan, all good
  • Droppings very normal
  • Low worm count Nov - not yet done yard winter wormer
  • Adlib hay when stabled, never runs out overnight. Haybar and ‘emergency’ haynet
  • Turned out in small herd of 7, sometimes 12-14 hours over winter, 24/7 summer
  • Low sugar/starch feed (Pure ‘Working’) ( 1x Stubbs scoop breakfast & 1 x dinner), plus a little bit of BHF Cooked linseed and Graze-on grass nuts
  • Only supplements are Rigcalm and Feedmark Rosehips

Where do I start?! 😩 We are low level/leisure. I enjoy schooling and have an instructor to help bring him on, which is the plan now he’s turning 6… but don’t want to push him until I’ve had things checked. We mainly hack, pop the occasional log/jump, which he’s very enthusiastic about. Aiming for fun/farm/beach rides.
 

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Quite a few of those issues would potentiallypoint to KS and/or SI pain for me.

As a starting point, I’d probably go all in with a work-up, x-ray the back & neck, scope for ulcers and also scan the hind suspensories.

Hope it’s positive news and you get some answers 🙏
 
A few of those things point to potential ulcery behaviour and thus ridden discomfort behaviour too. It would be useful to rule that out.
What’s his poop consistency like? Nice firm separate balls or more loose? The tail to 1 side is something I’ve noticed in both of mine with feed change and slight gut change, then looser poop change, that then normalises. But chronic gut issues could give more sloppy joined-up balls of poop and persistent held tail to one side.

Tail to one side has been mentioned a lot on here over time, also including more serious skeletal/neuro issues, but it’s something I noticed in mine with periodic brief gut change/poop texture change. Even for just 1 day. Theyre at home with me so I get to observe them constantly.

As suggested, it would be a good idea to give the list to your vet too, helps them have a full picture and helps you not to forget to mention things.
 
Nari said:
I'd start by ringing the vet to arrange a visit and discuss all the things you've listed with them, it may be useful to send them a copy of the list before the visit too.
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This, but I’d suggest taking him straight in for a ‘loss of performance’ workup rather than getting a vet out in the first instance, it saves money in the long term. If those vets don’t have a horsepital then take him to one that does. More kit in clinic and they can take their time. I expect you can demonstrate him under saddle too if he’s worse ridden.

Insurance wise, if nothing clinical is found then you may not get your vet bill covered. Be prepared though that he might have a few issues all contributing to this.

Good luck.
 
Firstly lucky you to have Hirds on your doorstep . They have an excellent reputation .
In your shoes I’d do as TP says , and whizz him over to the vets for a performance review .
Make sure you have £1k ready , as I’ve had a few of these types of reviews and it always end up around that figure !
I would insist on back X-rays too .
How does he stand when relaxed ? Is he camped under at all ?
 
Being half saddlebred he is naturally going to have a high head carriage, that is how they are. But could stem from early breaking-in, was he broken as a saddlebred with all the tack and long reining?
 
Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply. It’s helped me gather my thoughts. He is having his vaccinations early Feb so I’m going to talk to the vet then and go from there. Gives me a couple of weeks to straighten all my information out, too.

Like some of you, my thoughts are going to back/pelvis.

Also, re: his droppings - they’re perfect, textbook haha. We’re DIY on a small yard and he’s in overnight so I get a good look at them. 🤣
 
Orangehorse said:
Being half saddlebred he is naturally going to have a high head carriage, that is how they are. But could stem from early breaking-in, was he broken as a saddlebred with all the tack and long reining?
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True re: high head! I actually have no knowledge as to how he was backed etc. I met/started riding him after the fact.
 
In the loss of performance exam, I'd be inclined to ask for a basic neurological assessment especially with what you say about the weak hind end/poor proprioception etc. Depending on the outcome, I'd possibly look to x-ray the neck
 
Hello all. I just wanted to report back, as you all kindly took the time to offer your advice.

He went in for his work-up on 25th Feb. Vet was quite concerned with how weak he is behind and did basic neurological tests, alongside the lunging and trotting up. She then moved to Xray and nerve blocks and found arthritic changes in his left hock and stifle especially. Neck and back looking good. I also had him gastroscoped, as my instinct was saying ulcers. I was right. He also had the one wolf tooth removed, which was positioned where a ‘blind’ one would usually be.

She described it as juvenile arthritis - he is rising 6. We opted to treat the hock and stifle with PRP injections. He has started weekly injections of Omeprazole (vet coming to yard), with Sucralfate in feeds.

Vet has recommended 4 weeks of groundwork with poles and long lining, before 4 weeks of hacking only, then back to be rescoped and see how he is lameness and weakness-wise. I have a vet physio coming on 12th March. I’m going to start today with some walking in the school. He has basically been out of work since December.

An aside to all this - traveling him was absolutely awful. Reluctant to load, reared up before we left our yard with legs over the breast bar, ended up with cuts all over his face from pulling back, trembling and completely dripping with sweat. Coming home a few days later, he was much the same, even with injected sedation, but that did mean he loaded quietly (eventually…). He was wet through and shaken up when we got home. He was literally shaking. I feel like this is going to become an issue and not sure how best to work with him on it. He’s had very minimal traveling experience but this seems such an extreme reaction. I drive very carefully, my trailer is a brand new 2025 Cheval Touring Country. He was loaded on the right, of course. Once the trailer is moving he settles - physically anyway. It’s obviously not good for him mentally!

Anyway, just an update. I’m tearing my hair out a bit with worry 😔
 
KatieDM said:
Hello all. I just wanted to report back, as you all kindly took the time to offer your advice.

He went in for his work-up on 25th Feb. Vet was quite concerned with how weak he is behind and did basic neurological tests, alongside the lunging and trotting up. She then moved to Xray and nerve blocks and found arthritic changes in his left hock and stifle especially. Neck and back looking good. I also had him gastroscoped, as my instinct was saying ulcers. I was right. He also had the one wolf tooth removed, which was positioned where a ‘blind’ one would usually be.

She described it as juvenile arthritis - he is rising 6. We opted to treat the hock and stifle with PRP injections. He has started weekly injections of Omeprazole (vet coming to yard), with Sucralfate in feeds.

Vet has recommended 4 weeks of groundwork with poles and long lining, before 4 weeks of hacking only, then back to be rescoped and see how he is lameness and weakness-wise. I have a vet physio coming on 12th March. I’m going to start today with some walking in the school. He has basically been out of work since December.

An aside to all this - traveling him was absolutely awful. Reluctant to load, reared up before we left our yard with legs over the breast bar, ended up with cuts all over his face from pulling back, trembling and completely dripping with sweat. Coming home a few days later, he was much the same, even with injected sedation, but that did mean he loaded quietly (eventually…). He was wet through and shaken up when we got home. He was literally shaking. I feel like this is going to become an issue and not sure how best to work with him on it. He’s had very minimal traveling experience but this seems such an extreme reaction. I drive very carefully, my trailer is a brand new 2025 Cheval Touring Country. He was loaded on the right, of course. Once the trailer is moving he settles - physically anyway. It’s obviously not good for him mentally!

Anyway, just an update. I’m tearing my hair out a bit with worry 😔
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Well done for listening to your horse.
WRT to the travelling, I have found that hock pain really bothers them when they travel, so I help them by giving them the full width of the trailer and giving them a good loading dose of bute the day before and morning of travel. Hopefully you will get the pain sorted through the other treatments longer term.
 
AS per @TheMule I'd leave any work on travelling until you've got him healthy again, it's hard work for them if they're compromised anywhere.
Well done on getting him looked at and it sounds like you have a good plan to get him comfy again. There's a lot of options out there for arthritis so whilst I hope the PRP works for you, if it doesn't there are other options.
 
Yes the travelling issue may well be from pain standing and holding himself in the trailer, it’s physically much harder than we give them credit for. Definitely try without the partition and see if he’s happier but wait till you’ve sorted his physical issues before tackling that x
 
Thanks guys! Appreciate everybody’s input massively.

RE: the traveling - we definitely have quite enough to be working on with building him back up, so won’t be focusing on that right now. The only problem is that we do need to go back to the vets in 8 weeks. Really upsetting seeing him in that state, poor lad.
 
As above, you need the full width breast bars and give him the whole trailer to stand in so he can get comfortable while standing and travelling. I wouldn't travel him again without these. Good luck with him.
 
foxy1 said:
As above, you need the full width breast bars and give him the whole trailer to stand in so he can get comfortable while standing and travelling. I wouldn't travel him again without these. Good luck with him.
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I’m glad people are suggesting this because it had crossed my mind too - I’d actually looked on the Cheval website to see how much one was. Only £108 which seems reasonable. Would I then cross tie?

ETA: Obviously I’d need one for the back, too!
 
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KatieDM said:
I’m glad people are suggesting this because it had crossed my mind too - I’d actually looked on the Cheval website to see how much one was. Only £108 which seems reasonable. Would I then cross tie?

ETA: Obviously I’d need one for the back, too!
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I have a Cheval too and keep debating getting the full breast bars for our pony with hock arthritis, she travels fine though so I think she's ok with the partition...but i may make life easier for her if I did.
 
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