Little Cob Still Not Right - Any Suggestions?

MrsMozart

MrsMozart

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LC is now seven, we've owned him for three and a half years. In that time he's never been sick nor sorry. A bit pig headed and had his moments, but always healthy.

Three months ago he was off. Short story is: he tied up. Why we don't know. Field rest didn't work, so six weeks box rest. Brought him back into work to the letter of the vet (which allowed for how he was doing).

A week of working, bearing in mind he was up to fifteen minutes canter and forty minutes trot at the time 'work' started, and he is off behind.

It's very hard to describe. He was squaring off his off-hind. Stiff, walking like a constipated cow, not keen on trotting. Two Bute once a day.

I lunged him on Saturday to watch his movement. In walk, tracked up fine. At the trot, on the left rein he tracked up half up the hoof print, but slightly to the right. On the right rein he tracked up straight.

He's not keen to move on, and often stands in the field when normally he'd be off pootling about. Generally lethargic.

Vet has been involved all along. There is no sign of pain. Flexion tests all good. Muscles as they should be. We're feeding Saracens Shape Up (because it has natural Selenium and Vit E), salt, electrolytes. We're now at the stage of working him for a week in the school as part of the diagnostic process. D1 says he is moving off the leg reasonably well, but does not feel right - no more information than that (I haven't seen D1 since Monday morning).

I have the back man (physio) on stand by.

Saddler was out a month ago. Physio saw him a month ago. Dentist was about three months ago. Farrier was last Monday (he's barefoot and has brilliant feet).

So, any suggestions anyone? Lethargic. Back end moves like a constipated cow. He used to move like that, long ago, before he learnt to balance.
 
Sorry to hear hes not right. A gelding on our yard was "off" for some time and it was concluded that he had had a virus and it took him a long time to get over it. Vet took bloods at regular intervals and his cells, not sure which ones, were not normal. He did come right but it took 2-3 months from memory.

Hope you get to the bottom of it.
 
Was going to suggest what Izziwizz said, perhaps a virus. might make him a bit off behind just coz he is feeling low.(?) sorry to hear he is no great. poor LC! :( Could he have fallen in the field and just pulled something in back/pelvis?? might be worth a look just in case.


Its not laminitis is it? just a thought!!
 
As mentioned above - has the vet taken bloods and tested for a virus?

A friend's pony was a bit "off" last year, usual checks didn't find anything, but bloods showed a viral infection, and it took several months of rest, and regular blood tests, before the pony was back to normal.

Hope you can find the source of LC's problem quickly.
 
Sounds like a job for a chiropractor. It sounds like he isn't happy in his pelvis at all and a chiropractor is perfectly qualified for this kind of thing. Do you have a good one in your area?

It may or may not work, but at least that will be another thing ruled out.
 
I had a while like that with my not so little cob. It turned out to be a virus. The vet said that he had been called to several horses all showing the same range of symptoms all of whom had hunted with the same pack on the same day - as we had.

It can take up to 6 months to get over. We're about at the 6 month point ourselves and only now beginning to show improvement. Why it affects thier movement behind I have no idea - but that is certainly what happened to us. I had heard that some of the others had also tied up although that wasn't a factor for us.

Might be worth asking the vet about.
 
Many thanks all :)

I'll call the physio and the chiropractor and the muscle lady.

I'll talk to the vet about blood tests for virus (wonder why she hasn't mooted that one). Hope all poorly neds are now well/on their way to being well :).
 
My cob was off this time last year. Never worked out what it was, but gave him 10 days complete paddock rest with forage only and got out the chiro who found some pain but not enough to explain his offness. After 10 days we were going to take bloods but he seemed okay and slowly started being himself again, so vet thought maybe something he'd eaten or a virus. Apparently they're quite common at this time of year.
 
Who do you have to do your horse's backs? I had Anna Hindley out to Lil and was very impressed with her. A completely different approach to other chiros I'd used and very thorough. Lil is back in full work now despite being barely able to trot a week ago.

Might just be worth a fresh pair of eyes looking at him to see if she sees something different.
 
Talk to a chap called Roger Hatch from Trinity Consultants.

One of my Arab mares had a similar thing. I believed it started with a virus that went undiagnosed. The mare was doing an endurance ride over Exmoor (The Golden Horse Shoe) She did not totally tie up but was stiff.

Roger sent me a couple of things and she is now 100% and training well for my next major ride.

Rogers number is 01243551766

Well well worth a phone call
 
Sounds like she has either pull a muscle maybe in the quarters, may have brusing which is so difficult to detect. As for tying up there are so many reasons for this like too much grain and insufficient exercise or like my lad he tied up 3 times last year awful experience and was diagnosed with PSSM. Now he is not allowed any foods which contain sugar, no grains etc, stripped grazed with soaked hay for 12 hrs overnight and worked minimum of 5 times a week, its been 1yr and no episodes of tying up. He recieves unmollased sugar beet laced with a scoop benevit vits and a good scoop of salts. I remember whilst we were trying to diagnose the PSSM the vet intially thought it was virus induced. Good luck
 
Thank you all :)

F - I'll put it to the vet.

D2 - he was in steady work, nothing drastic, built up nicely over time. Out 24/7. Only on Alpha A to get vits (if I remember rightly, it's all becoming a blur!).

Update: D1 has ridden him for twenty mins every day (as per vet's instructions). He's moving off the leg and seems quite bright now, in comparison to earlier in the week. She says he felt 'wrong' behind at the start of the week, but she is feeling an improvement each day. Bad timing but she is away from today 'till Sunday. I'll lunge him Saturday and Sunday, to keep the movement going and so I can compare to how he looked last Saturday. I'll speak to the vet this afternoon and put the suggestions forward.

Thank you again :)
 
Sprout said:
As mentioned above - has the vet taken bloods and tested for a virus?

A friend's pony was a bit "off" last year, usual checks didn't find anything, but bloods showed a viral infection, and it took several months of rest, and regular blood tests, before the pony was back to normal.

Hope you can find the source of LC's problem quickly.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I was going to ask, I had the same problem with Charlie last year, took weeks and weeks to get him 'right'.

Hope things improve for you soon Mrs M.
 
Been reading this thread with interest as my 5 yo cob had very similar symptoms late April.
While he rcovered within 5 days he wasn't *right* ... He was winning dressage and doing well but not his cheerful self until many many weeks later. Only recently is he fully right again, so seems like this can take a lone time!

Hope your guy continues to improve!
 
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