Kissing Spines, Arthritis, or Other?

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xStephx

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Hi all, just after any possible similar experiences or suggestions.

My 20yr old tb has started kicking out violently when ridden. He has always had issues with tight muscles through his back, particularly in the lumbar region but this has been managed and he's always been eager to please under saddle (plus he still thinks he's 5!). He can be cold backed, in winter especially, so as it got a little colder this year and i got on him and he hunched his back or kicked out once or twice I just assumed he was feeling the cold and started getting on with his exercise sheet on. This seemed to put this problem to bed. However a few weeks later he started kicking out after he spooked in the school, I rode through this and just thought he was being twitchy about my leg touching him. He then started kicking out pretty much every time I rode but only when I asked him to start working over his back.

I had his backed checked, nothing sinister found and nothing that I don't already know about. His back was actually about the best I had seen it for a long time so the kicking out was really confusing me. I had his saddle checked on Tuesday, which was fine, rode for the saddler and was fine in walk until he put his head down to scratch his nose and when I walked him on he started kicking out. We lunged him got back on, still the same, we tried a prolite pad, still the same, he actually went into canter, had a buck, kick, came back to trot and walk and was still kicking out.

Today I had the vet, checked saddle, fine, checked back, tight in areas I know about, he suggested maybe kissing spines and I was thinking possible arthritis. He has given me a course of danilon to try and to ride him after about 4 days of having this to see if this makes a difference. I then have to give him a call back and take it from there.

I was just wondering if anyone had any similar experiences and what it might be? He is 20 next month and thinks he is 5. It would be a shame not to be able to ride him anymore and I would like to get to the bottom of the cause for both our sakes. But I do not want to bute him up just so I can ride him as seems selfish (I also have another to ride), or is it actually better to keep him moving on bute and ride him. I don't want to do anything too extensive with him with treatment as he doesn't cope well, I know from past experience.

Any ideas appreciated! :)
 
i realise this was posted a little while ago but i thought i should reply anyway, i hope you see it! my horse had very similar symptoms - i assumed being a little cold backed after being fully clipped, but she got gradually worse, and took longer to work through the tense/kicking out phase at the start of schooling sessions.
anyway to cut a long story short, tried box rest, danilon, time off, blood tests and none the wiser. she's sound on lunge, even with tack on, but as soon as rider on board she is now practically incapable of moving forward without bucking or kicking out - really really uncomfortable. She's at the RVC currently, awaiting bone scan to see whats going on... i will let you know the result!!
 
Sounds interesting let me know how you get on. I just posted about suspensory ligaments as Fred was at the vets yesterday and after xray and nerve block of the back was still awful. He had a neurectomy on both hind suspensory ligaments about 8/9 years ago. He was bilaterally lame and worse in left hind and yesterday I was told exactly the same thing. Only 1/10th lame so not really visible to anyone not trained. I am now thinking he is feeling the pain in these ligaments again which means there is probably not a lot vets can do. My only option is a bone scan but at 20 and no insurance to probably be told its not treatable I can't do it. He's been through so much before I won't do it again to him as he doesn't cope well. But I'd be interested to hear what the outcome is for you.
 
Oh I'm sorry to hear that.

Mine came back from the vet college today. She showed diffusion around sacroiliac joint on bone scan and then responded v positively to blocking of sacroiliac so vet confident that's the problem. He said it's hugely over-diagnosed but in this case he's fairly confident it is actually the cause of her pain. No problem with suspensories or hocks or anywhere else - he managed to scan more or less everything!
She's had steroid injections, now just fingers crossed and bring her back into work slowly.
 
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