ponyparty
Well-Known Member
Sorry, it’s a long one... Trying to give some background (have probably missed loads out!)
My horse was diagnosed grade 1 (mild) KS last May. I spent the summer and autumn lunging him in an Equi Ami religiously on vet advice - I was also pregnant and suffering all sorts of horrible related ailments, so it was a struggle, but I did it.
Come October I was so big and uncomfortable I had to stop and get the yard groom to lunge him for me a couple of times per week (all I could afford) to try and keep him ticking over. Vet reexamined in October and said his back was better and he was ready to start ridden work again (he also has hock arthritis which he had steroid injections and cartrophen for). Obviously I wasn’t going to be able to start ridden work at that time! I had a c section early Nov so was out of action for a few weeks after too.
I am still not riding as need to lose another stone and get my core and some fitness back before I would even consider putting my weight on his poor back. But I had got a pro rider to get on him a couple of times, and had a new saddle (K&M, very adjustable with prolite pads) fitted a few weeks ago.
Pro rider was due to ride today, I couldn’t get there in time so the yard staff tacked up for me - apparently he dipped his back when she put the saddle on him (I wouldn’t have got on/would have stopped her if I’d been there and seen this).
I checked his back, palpated along the spine, he’s clearly very sore again.
He did get cast yesterday but only for a few mins and he was calm and wriggled himself free.
I clipped him the day before but that shouldn’t make a difference, the sensitive part of his spine is where I have left a saddle patch of hair. It may have made him want to roll more and possibly caused him to roll so much he got cast. He also tried to roll loads in the school with rider on, then rolled when she turned him out on hard standing pen after, I did wonder if his back might be sore from rolling on that surface.
It’s got to be the kissing spines ðŸ˜
Got vet coming out Friday - insurance claim has run out for his KS. Best case scenario he can have steroid injections (I can afford that) and try to rehab him through groundwork again - but better and properly this time (groundwork lessons with a trainer, raised poles, carrot stretches etc.) - not just round and round in an Equi Ami! Which frankly I have noticed no improvement in his way of going in!
I can’t afford surgery and he’s not a horse that will retire easily; I’ll have to make some tough decisions if I can’t get him right. Devastated. I thought I’d be riding him again in another month or two.
Pointless self-pitying post really. Any ideas on anything else I can do to help him very welcome 😓
Got to see what the vet says on Friday I guess. Got a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, not helped by someone telling me they have never seen a kissing spines horse come right ðŸ˜
**Edited so the bit about rolling makes sense, sorry!**
My horse was diagnosed grade 1 (mild) KS last May. I spent the summer and autumn lunging him in an Equi Ami religiously on vet advice - I was also pregnant and suffering all sorts of horrible related ailments, so it was a struggle, but I did it.
Come October I was so big and uncomfortable I had to stop and get the yard groom to lunge him for me a couple of times per week (all I could afford) to try and keep him ticking over. Vet reexamined in October and said his back was better and he was ready to start ridden work again (he also has hock arthritis which he had steroid injections and cartrophen for). Obviously I wasn’t going to be able to start ridden work at that time! I had a c section early Nov so was out of action for a few weeks after too.
I am still not riding as need to lose another stone and get my core and some fitness back before I would even consider putting my weight on his poor back. But I had got a pro rider to get on him a couple of times, and had a new saddle (K&M, very adjustable with prolite pads) fitted a few weeks ago.
Pro rider was due to ride today, I couldn’t get there in time so the yard staff tacked up for me - apparently he dipped his back when she put the saddle on him (I wouldn’t have got on/would have stopped her if I’d been there and seen this).
I checked his back, palpated along the spine, he’s clearly very sore again.
He did get cast yesterday but only for a few mins and he was calm and wriggled himself free.
I clipped him the day before but that shouldn’t make a difference, the sensitive part of his spine is where I have left a saddle patch of hair. It may have made him want to roll more and possibly caused him to roll so much he got cast. He also tried to roll loads in the school with rider on, then rolled when she turned him out on hard standing pen after, I did wonder if his back might be sore from rolling on that surface.
It’s got to be the kissing spines ðŸ˜
Got vet coming out Friday - insurance claim has run out for his KS. Best case scenario he can have steroid injections (I can afford that) and try to rehab him through groundwork again - but better and properly this time (groundwork lessons with a trainer, raised poles, carrot stretches etc.) - not just round and round in an Equi Ami! Which frankly I have noticed no improvement in his way of going in!
I can’t afford surgery and he’s not a horse that will retire easily; I’ll have to make some tough decisions if I can’t get him right. Devastated. I thought I’d be riding him again in another month or two.
Pointless self-pitying post really. Any ideas on anything else I can do to help him very welcome 😓
Got to see what the vet says on Friday I guess. Got a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, not helped by someone telling me they have never seen a kissing spines horse come right ðŸ˜
**Edited so the bit about rolling makes sense, sorry!**
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