Locking stifle - any advice?

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Clare85

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I've had the vet up this morning to extract Esme's wolf teeth. They were stubborn, it took well over an hour. She was well sedated and was standing in a bit of a dodgy position at one point. Sedation has now worn off, went to turn her out and her right stifle has locked up. I've reversed her to try and unlock it, which has been successful but then it locks up again within 3 or 4 strides :(

I don't want to keep walking her as don't want to do any damage. I'm waiting for the vet to come back, but I wondered if anyone might have some advice?
 
Best thing for it is turnout and exercise. My mare now lives out and it no longer locks but may slip if she's speeding downhill on a hack. She shouldn't do any damage, but could pull a muscle trying to unlock it. I'd back her up so it unlocks then chuck her out in the field.
 
Thanks ElliePippa, I've put her out in her paddock. Decided not to have the vet back out as there isn't anything she can do ATM - she already gave her an anti-inflammatory for the teeth, so she can't have another. Hoping it's sorted itself out by the time I go up again in a couple of hours. Poor girl :(
 
How old is she? One of my Shagya brood mares locked her stifle at aged 4, the vet put it back in place, it has never happened again. I have been told that Arabians are more prone to this. D/K if that is true.
 
My pony had this, he is 4 this month. Vet said it is very common in young horses following a growth spurt. Best cure exercise & turn out. He said it would really only become an issue if it started to happen regularly.
 
Rollin said:
How old is she? One of my Shagya brood mares locked her stifle at aged 4, the vet put it back in place, it has never happened again. I have been told that Arabians are more prone to this. D/K if that is true.
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Camilla's Aunty Em said:
My pony had this, he is 4 this month. Vet said it is very common in young horses following a growth spurt. Best cure exercise & turn out. He said it would really only become an issue if it started to happen regularly.
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Thanks both, funnily enough she is 4. Hopefully she will have walked it off later. I've not dealt with a locked stifle before, it looks horrendous! :(
 
My horse has locking stifles, only really noticeable in the stable and if going to pick out hooves. It has not affected his ridden performance at all and has gone double clear at be100, going be novice, hunted and everything else inbetween!

My advice would be lots of hill work to strengthen up the horse but, definitely not the be all of end all ☺
 
Yes, I had never seen it before "in the flesh". Vet commented that is was not unusual for them to get emergency calls to a horse with a suspected broken leg, only to arrive to find a youngster with a lock up.
I thought my pony had taken a tumble in the field & really hurt himself!
 
I've got a pony - she's 20 now, but we bought her as a 4yr old with a locking stifle problem following an injury that required box rest.She needs regular turnout and exercise, but has competed in all disciplines (jumping up to 1m+) hunted, done games and all sorts. She's out on loan hacking and schooling now. Keep a pony with this moving as much as possible and most will outgrow it.
 
Thanks for the responses :)

Just got back to the field and Esme's stifle is still locking. Spoke to the vet and she advised to keep her in overnight so she's not moving around and make inflammation worse. She said she'll come to put a heel wedge on tomorrow if she's still locked up in the morning????
 
Clare85 said:
Thanks for the responses :)

Just got back to the field and Esme's stifle is still locking. Spoke to the vet and she advised to keep her in overnight so she's not moving around and make inflammation worse. She said she'll come to put a heel wedge on tomorrow if she's still locked up in the morning????
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Mine had this as a 3 year old. Vet gave Bute for a few days and he was turned out as much as possible.
Think I'd be asking for a different vet to have a look.
 
Obviously you trust your Vet, and they know your horse - however we had a pony in to break with a locking stifle and the more exercise it got the better it got.

If it were me and she was quiet in the field I think I would keep her out, hope it sorts itself.
 
Mines got it on both sides. Keeping him in a stable is the worst possibly thing I can do to him. It's not caused by inflammation usually, it's just a tendon that slips to the wrong place because it's a little too long.
 
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