Low head carriage

pistolpete

pistolpete

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 July 2009
Messages
5,693
Visit site
Will answer any questions but long story short 22 year old horse no major health issues some unsurprising arthritis in lower limbs.
He’s just this week started carrying his head much lower than normal. He seems happy enough grazing using a hay net etc. recently had his teeth done. He’s a cheerful boy. Neck arthritis?
 
I've one with diagnosed neck arthritis via MRI, symptoms were the opposite. Upright tight neck, refused to take neck down and out, lift her wither or back. Couldn't/wouldn't track up.

Without being looked at I think you could guess at anything causing his problem. Pinching saddle, sore hocks making him weight his front end etc. The only thing for certain is it will be expensive finding out !
 
AdorableAlice said:
I've one with diagnosed neck arthritis via MRI, symptoms were the opposite. Upright tight neck, refused to take neck down and out, lift her wither or back. Couldn't/wouldn't track up.

Without being looked at I think you could guess at anything causing his problem. Pinching saddle, sore hocks making him weight his front end etc. The only thing for certain is it will be expensive finding out !
Click to expand...
Thank you yes that makes sense and yes investigations are always expensive. He’s just had a load of investigations for some skin infections.
 
One of mine has a stiff neck. He doesn't have visible bony changes (yet) but did have joint effusions in 3 joints which can be seen on ultrasound. He was treated with pentosan and 2 joints look normal now and the worst is improved. He's had another injection recently and I will have it rechecked in a couple of months and if still a problem go for a steriod injection in that one. I did used to see him in the field with his head carried unusually low which was a bit odd looking especially in trot. The affected joints were closer to the base of the neck near the withers. The physio identified a problem as he'd lost the range of movement he used to have and we worked on regular stretching to improve his flexibility but it didn't really help. Ridden, his head position was fixed and he was reluctant to stretch down.
 
This was one of the many concerning things Fuzzball did. He carried his neck unusually low (like nose on the ground low) the vast majority of the time and if he did raise it then it had to be in one fast movement. He couldn’t raise or lower in a slow, deliberate way if that makes sense?

The orange one also changed head carriage to preferring a lower head carriage as a precursor to his back & neck issues.

In short I’ve had 2 horses with back & neck problems with preference for unusually low head carriage even when not under saddle & observed in turnout
 
Boulty said:
This was one of the many concerning things Fuzzball did. He carried his neck unusually low (like nose on the ground low) the vast majority of the time and if he did raise it then it had to be in one fast movement. He couldn’t raise or lower in a slow, deliberate way if that makes sense?

The orange one also changed head carriage to preferring a lower head carriage as a precursor to his back & neck issues.

In short I’ve had 2 horses with back & neck problems with preference for unusually low head carriage even when not under saddle & observed in turnout
Click to expand...
Thanks @Boulty I hope he has just got some transient stiffness.
 
I knew a horse who had changes in the neck. With him, the head was up or down: it was transitioning between the two that was the issue.

Once he'd been out grazing, it took him a while to be able to lift his head for the hay net, and vice-versa.

Sadly, it did not end well for him 😢
 
Sudden onset not long after a dental, this might be connected?

As a matter of routine my 2 retired neds gets their 6 monthly chiro vet checks a couple of weeks after their 6 monthly dental floatings. They are both sedated for the floating with their heads resting on a chin rest, and although it’s great for the teeth there is potential to strain their TMJ/poll areas of they stand awkwardly.

Tbf even my wonky mare has been far better in her poll/TMJ/back ever since the proper dental vet took over and sorted out long standing shocking dental imbalances and other issues, inc extracting incisors.
 
Last edited:
Mine does this. Tbf he naturally seems to carry his head fairly low despite being a TB but he especially does this as he tries to use his head and neck for balance. He has quite bad arthritis in the hocks (and actually found arthritis in the neck quite a few years ago but vet doesn't think this to be a huge deal) so I suspect it is also to take the weight. That said he also has issues engaging the core but think that is partially driven by him being preoccupied about his hocks (and had an EPM episode years ago and we suspect some neuro passage damage)
 
Red-1 said:
I knew a horse who had changes in the neck. With him, the head was up or down: it was transitioning between the two that was the issue.

Once he'd been out grazing, it took him a while to be able to lift his head for the hay net, and vice-versa.

Sadly, it did not end well for him 😢
Click to expand...
Mine was the same as this.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Sudden onset not long after a dental, this might be connected?
Click to expand...
This exactly. It's not unusual. Physio/chiro would be my first call.

Does your dentist use a dental halter? If so, insist that instead you let your horse's head rest on your shoulder next time. Make sure that he's given enough breaks during the treatment and allowed to close his mouth and hang his head down for a while.
 
Possibly but also he could have arthritis in multiple joints if he is anything like my boy. He has just had a course of four osteopen injections and I've notiiced a huge difference. Vet said he didn't think I'd notice much of a difference but I wanted to give it a try and I'm glad he did. He also has one danilon per day just as maintenance although I'd question whether he might only need 1/2 a satchet now in the summer but we will see. He will have one Osteopen injection top up every three months, the course of four is the loading dose and I'm told you just need one as a top up but if you go longer than six months you have to restart the course. He is out 24/7 except in really bad weather and is loving it.. and is ridden out on short hacks twice per week. Initially I thought probably we'd only be walking but after a few weeks he seems to gave got bored and is now showing me he is capable of short trots and more than happy to take me for them - no leg from me! If you can afford to give it a try I'd definitely recommend it. The initial loading course is quite expensive but it's not too bad for the top ups.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top