Locking stifle. 6 year old cob

TrasaM

TrasaM

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Poor asbo cob has a problem with his stifles locking. It first came to light last summer after he'd had two weeks rest and we dealt with it by lots of lunging and trotting uphill. Due to the awful weather he's not been ridden as much. On Monday his left leg was really bad so his owner got the vet out to check him over.
Vet advised the same treatment that we'd done before and reassured us that he wasn't in pain. I've ridden him twice since then and he's not stepping through fully on the bad side and he does not seem comfortable in trot. We've had a long ride today, mostly walk and a few short trots on uphills, and he was getting irritable towards the end and just did not seem very happy.
I know that the vet said that it's not painful but that's not the impression I'm getting when I ride him.

Anyone else dealing with this and have any opinion or advice that might help.
Please nicely :)
 
The locking stifle itself isn't painful but he may have pulled something trying to compensate.

Once other issues are ruled out Id have him on some bute and work him quite hard to build back up whilst still comfortable. If he's still sore later then Id rethink.
 
Thank you both.
The day before it got really bad he'd had a trot through water and also a short canter. He'd not been cantered for a while before this as owner has been bucked off a few times and she's a bit wary of him. He wasn't lame when we got back but I'd wondered whether he'd pulled something too or whether it was too much for him. Also possible that the muddy field hasn't helped and that he pulled something zooming around. I've poked and pressed but not found any sensitive areas.
The farrier checked him over before we called the vet and he did seem really sensitive around the patella area and didn't like it being prodded. He was sceptical about the vets diagnoses actually. We've given him some bute and he had ome after today's outing.
 
I find my mare is uncomfotable when she has an episode of locking. She did once pull the muscles around her stifle playing in the field and she locked quite badly for a week or so after wards. If you're concerned that he's in pain then I would give some pain meds (obviously talk to the vet about it) and lightly work through it and get his muscles built up
 
My daughters eventer had a locking stifle at the end of last year due to little work ,weather etc and after consultig the vet we put her on a tub of Myoplast aong with the correct exercise this did the trick and built the muscle up would recommend.
 
My ID x had a problem with a locking stifle years ago it was recommended as well as the usual hill work & pole work... all in walk that i use a pessoa which i have to say sorted her & got her using herself much better.(although iam aware pessoa's dont suit all horses!)If at all worried do go back to your vet & have a chat.xx
 
I looked after a connieX with locking stifles, really impressive ones both sides - they would lock out behind her. All the advice I could find was - back off rather than lead forward when it locked and lots of work. As she got fitter, lost some weight and got stronger it faded and then stopped happening. I think you are probably doing the right things - only thing I can possibly add is perhaps look at diet if the Coblet is at all overwieght, less weight means less wear.
 
Thank you all for your replies and advice. He seems more comfortable this week and we've walked him out a few times and it's not been too bad. Just need this weather to improve so we can take him out to the field and do some uphill work.
He's quite thin at the moment due to lack of grazing and the YO scrimping on feed. However we do have to keep an eye on him as he can gain weight quite quickly.
 
Lack of grazing is what is causing it, up the hay but not the feed, too much feed also causes locking of stifles. How can YO not give eough food?
 
putasocinit said:
Lack of grazing is what is causing it, up the hay but not the feed, too much feed also causes locking of stifles. How can YO not give eough food?
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Thats interesting. Grazing was very poor and with the weather we've had it's now a mud bath so he doesn't go out much and prefers to stay in the shelter with his lady friend. He was on one feed daily up until recently and two lots of hay. As he's lost weight as has the other 5 horses he's been getting an extra feed for the past two weeks. All low sugar feeds. She's now giving extra hay as well. She kept insisting he was a fatty!He wasn't in fact. He's a cob and not meant to look like a TB and was in a lovely condition going into winter. The vet saw him last week and commented on him needing to gain some condition as well as some muscle. Think the hay is very poor this year as it was harvested very late because of the floods we've had here.
Rode him today and he's walking out a bit better but trot is not right yet. He normally has a nice head carriage in trot but he was raising his head today and sticking his nose out. I assume this is because he's not working fully from behind as he normally does. he was however in a much happier mood :)
 
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