Locking patella/stifle again (sorry)

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lyndsayberesford

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Since Basil has been rested while he is recovering from his virus (blood test confirmed last week) his patella/stifle is locking all the time. Mainly when he is in and around stable, or tied up outside his stable.

Is there anything i can do to help this?? I would like to just do some stretches with him if it helped or can a physio or some other professional help with this?

Spoke to the vet a few months ago as Basil had two weeks off work while i was on holiday and when i got back his stifle was locking all the time, and gradually when i brought him back into work it stopped doing it as often. The vet suggested that i increased his workload and concentrated on hill work, which i did, and obviously from that there were improvements. but now i am worried that during the winter when i cant ride as often, the stifle will lock up again more often

Obviously there has to be a link to when he isnt in work and his stifle locking more often, but he cant be worked at the moment. It got so bad last night that i decided to let him loose in the menage for a bit of a run round on his own, which he did, he exploded, and cantered round for about 5-10 minutes. So got the blood pumping and his muscles working and during that time he didnt lock up once. It never happens when he is ridden so that is obviously a plus as it would be pretty dangerous if it did.

Its just horrid to see him get "stuck" like he does :( but i cant "exercise" him yet
 
my old horse had a locking stifle and she was fine as long as she was worked regularly. The vets and physios all recommended work and this did reduce the regularity and severity of the locking.

This was a while ago so i don't know if there have been any advancements in advice or treatments since though.

Just keep the horse working (even if it is lunging if you are tight for time) and it'll help.
 
thanks for that, when he is healthy again he will be working 5-6 days a week when i can and as you say lunged to encourage the muscles/ligaments to work when i cant ride

i hope (fingers crossed) that it goes away as he gets older, vet said a lot grow out of it.

Its just hard when i shouldnt be exerting him while he has the virus! makes me want to cry when i see him stuck :(
 
I have a 'locker' and was advised minimum hard feed (youngster (3) at the time), full time turnout (he only locked first thing when coming out of his stable) but not to lunge as working on a circle could exacerbate the situation.

12 months later and he is absolutely fine now, so hopefully just a 'growing' thing :)

F

P.S. I don't believe it hurts them, just looks horrid!
 
Mine is 5 now, out in the field everyday from about 8am to 5pm, stable is big enough for him not to be cramped etc. He has hard feed (energy type mix) as he suffers from lack of energy.

I am hoping that it goes away soon! He was bad as a 2 - 3 year old with the locking, and then it went away when he was broken and started working and only this year has it made a return. As i say it rarely happens when he is working almost everyday, but if he happens to have a period of time off work then it happens all the time!

As long as i know he isnt in pain with it then i wont feel AS bad but i just wish there was something i could do now to stop it :(

Sorry for the friday whinge!
 
Could you not just walk him out in hand gently for a while a couple of times a day just to keep him moving? I personally don't think it would harm him under the circumstances, but hope he gets back to normal soon. They can be such a worry can't they :)

F
 
gentle exercise is the key.
i wouldnt let him out for a explosion 1st though as if it locks he could panic and do more damage.
id sedate him and lead him out .
ott excercise can cause it to lock. also i dont use joint supplement on horses with locing stifles as makes them worse,
hill work inc field on hill is best to get muscle back
rest makes worse as muscle wastes away.
 
Malaga has it,stop worrying it will probably go away when he gets older.Malaga only shows signs after a long trailler ride and with backing up excersizes it goes by the time I mount.
Blue had it years ago and just grew out of it,they may bet rhuematic problems later I've been told but the longer they're worked the longer they'll keep supple.Blue comming up to 20 and can buck andkickwith the best :)
 
i have one like this, i sewed a doubled piece of polar fabric into his nz rug over the quarters and down the sides and make sure he is warm at all times, especially in the night between 4-7 am, if its only the ligament, consult the vet, there is a product you paint on the ligament for one week a month, mine has been ok sice using this, it causes a mild irritation, i have in the past used a massage hand held machine on the big muscles, and a warming cream for athletes and aching joints which has helped.
 
My horse has locking stifles in both back legs (but much worse in 1) He's 18 and has had it all of the time I have owned him - 5 years.

Exrecise and lots of turnout is the key. My horse fractured his leg last year and had to be crossed tied for 3 months - so you can imagine how bad his back legs got after that, but a year on he is almost back to normal again and with lots of turnout his legs don't lock much at all.

I'll be bringing him in at night for the winter next week. He has a very big stable with 2 hay nets (1 at the front, one at the back) to encourage him to move around more at night. I also try and leave him out for as long as possible which helps.
 
joint supplements loosen joints.
a locking stifle needs muscle to help support joint not something to loosen it as it will enable joint to slip out easier
 
PI has this prob from time to time and a reduction in exercise is usually the key. 24/7 turnout will almost eliminate it in my experience and it was worth getting Paddy a nice big shelter so that this winter he has the benefit of being hayed up in the dry but can leave for a bimble around to keep him self warm and his muscles working. As others have said it's best not to lunge as it puts too much strain on the stifle , i'm not sure about supplements as i have paddy on equine america glucosamine with added MSM and he seems ok. He's 7 yrs and although they say some ' grow out of it ' i'm not sure if he will or not, although my chiropractor says that his muscle is much tighter now than before when he was stabled overnight . The op is a consideration as it will almost certainly stop it locking but this has to be weighed up against the possibility of not being able to lock the leg to sleep which is crucial when they get older, and can cause arthritis in later life.
 
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