my horse holds his tail to the right

[axe1312]

hiya, since the day we got my horse, hes always held his tail to one side. the vet didnt mention it and he passed a vetting. but the saddler and physio pointed it out. is this a sign that he is weaker on one side? if so which side? he has weak hindlegs, also not picked up on the vetting, but the physio and us are working on them. the saddler said that his right side of the body is lower, i dont really know what this means. he finds the right rein more difficult and falls in, but has some days that its fine. ???

 

[Barton Bounty]

It does show signs of weakness but that could be anywhere from back, pelvis etc

 

[Tiddlypom]

Holding the tail consistently to one side is usually a sign of discomfort. SI issues are IME one potential cause.

This is the 14yo horse that a previous owner has said needs regular physio checks?

Saddler says he is lower on the right - are the point of his hips level when you view him from behind when he is standing square?

 

[axe1312]

It does show signs of weakness but that could be anywhere from back, pelvis etc

he has a weak/sore back. would it be more on one side? i want to try and build up his muscle, he has physio every 3 months, he gets 2-3 massages a week, we do raised poles once a week, we do lateral work 1-2 times a week, he gets lunged every 2 weeks, he gets turnout all day, we do carrot stretches, and we do in hand work over poles etc, we also hack out once a week. can i also ask, he is on chaff for light work, he works 5 days a week, sometimes 6. is it worth changing the chaff, i was told not to as he looks fine in his condition

 

[axe1312]

Holding the tail consistently to one side is usually a sign of discomfort. SI issues are IME one potential cause.

This is the 14yo horse that a previous owner has said needs regular physio checks?

Saddler says he is lower on the right - are the point of his hips level when you view him from behind when he is standing square?

yes it is the same horse, and was never told about the physio until now. our physio said 6 months is fine, but 3 months for now. his hips look pretty level, the saddler was talking about is wither/shoulder/front of back area

 

[AmyMay]

What is the thinking behind the kind of work you’re giving him?

 

[axe1312]

What is the thinking behind the kind of work you’re giving him?

im hoping to strengthen his hind legs and back. alot of the exercises came from the physio or my instructer

 

[AmyMay]

im hoping to strengthen his hind legs and back. alot of the exercises came from the physio or my instructer

Ok. So essentially you’re riding him once or twice a week and other times working in hand. (I’m not sure what benefit sparodic lunging is).

Work strengthens- but obviously it has to be the right work. Your previous post mentioned his inability to bend on a particular rein, but if he’s not in any meaningful, consistent work you will never obtain suppleness or strength.

However, from your few posts on here I would want a vet to assess whether the horse actually should be in work, and then have a professionally drawn up strategic plan put in place if he is cleared as fit to work.

 

[axe1312]

Ok. So essentially you’re riding him once or twice a week and other times working in hand. (I’m not sure what benefit sparodic lunging is).

Work strengthens- but obviously it has to be the right work. Your previous post mentioned his inability to bend on a particular rein, but if he’s not in any meaningful, consistent work you will never obtain suppleness or strength.

However, from your few posts on here I would want a vet to assess whether the horse actually should be in work, and then have a professionally drawn up strategic plan put in place if he is cleared as fit to work.

he has been cleared for work. i ride 5 times a week, once a week inhand or lunging, and one day off. in the 5 days he works, he gets 1 hack, 1 lesson, 1 lateral, 1 polework, and 1 jumping. i do raised poles both ridden, lunged and inhand. his over bend, and refusing to bend is getting better

 

[AmyMay]

he has been cleared for work. i ride 5 times a week, once a week inhand or lunging, and one day off. in the 5 days he works, he gets 1 hack, 1 lesson, 1 lateral, 1 polework, and 1 jumping. i do raised poles both ridden, lunged and inhand. his over bend, and refusing to bend is getting better

Ah, ok I misread your post.

So your vet has seen him recently and is happy for the horse to be worked? Is this with or without medication?

 

[Birker2020]

I tried out a horse who held his tail to one side, he also placed one of his hind legs midline. My physio said she'd come with me to a second viewing. He went lame before I had chance to do that.

I believe it can be a sign of hind limb lameness and also point to a neurological issue

 

[Zoeypxo]

Friends horse does to the right this eventually showed up lame RH.

Work up with a vet found severe arthritic changes to the hocks. Treated with steroid then arthramid and now sound. Although happy hacking only really now.

Some horses just do hold tails to one side but often times its showing an injury weakness or lameness. With the other things you mention i do wonder if horse is quite right behind.
Does your saddle slip to one side by any chance ?

 

[maya2008]

One of ours holds his tail to one side when he’s tired. He has a history of locking stifles and his left hind, being the one that locked, is weaker. So when he’s tired he pushes less with that leg, twisting his pelvis and causing his tail to rotate also.

I would want to know exactly what the issue is - some things would get better with work, some worse.

 

[Red-1]

I worked with one who did this. Later found he'd broken his neck as a youngster, confirmed by our vet via X ray. There was a mended vertebrae. Apparently he'd held his tail to one side since that day. Caused by tying to a vertical rail in an American barn system: he reared up, the rope tightened at the top, when he landed the rope stayed tight and he was hung/swung.

It never affected him, worked hard for his life and was beautiful to ride/school/jump.

His heart failed in the end.

 

[poiuytrewq]

My horses weakness is near hind and he carry’s his tail to the right (looking at him from behind)

 

[TheMule]

My horse is currently lame right hind and carrying tail to the left- his is SI/ lumbar spine soreness after an incident in the field

 

[TheHairyOne]

Hock arthritis and an SI strain for mine who did this. Id want a lameness workup (especially given the ridden symptoms) to try and identify and treat why - will make all the rehab work far more effective if you do find something.

 

[splashgirl45]

If your horse looks well and has enough energy there is no need to increase feed especially as it’s summer and he will be getting grass. He is in light work so doesn’t need extra, you need to feed according to their condition and too many horses these days are overweight and people have got used to seeing too much condition.. if you are worried about his weight post a pic on here side on for comments

 

[Bobthecob15]

I'm pretty sure I read that tail to one side can also be a sign of ulcers/hind gut disease, has this been checked too?

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I tried out a horse who held his tail to one side, he also placed one of his hind legs midline. My physio said she'd come with me to a second viewing. He went lame before I had chance to do that.

I believe it can be a sign of hind limb lameness and also point to a neurological issue

I viewed a horse who held to tail to one side. I didn't buy because of it. Horse was only in work for a few months after I viewed and is now retired.

 

[TheOldTrout]

Mine holds her tail to the left when she has a rug on. Straight when she's unrugged.

 

[dapple_grey]

I think the difference would be if he's done it all his life, or only just started doing it. My youngster started holding his tail to the side and it was the first sign that things were going wrong. Found out he had a very sublte RH Lameness. My vet said 90% of horses who do it (when they've never done it before) will have hindlimb issues. The two go hand in hand.

 

[JGC]

Yes, mine in the avatar has been doing this with very subtle lameness (I think she was already lame on one hack I went on and I didn't feel it and then saw it on the lunge). I thought it was a SI and back issues, but she's been diagnosed with a hole in her RH suspensory.

 

[sbloom]

There isn't really a weak or strong side for a horse, they move in diagonals and have complex movement patterns beyond that, occasionally a horse will never carry it's tail straight again but I'd talk in more detail to the physio about what's going on and if he/she thinks it's not correctable, why. Usually it's a sign of an asymmetry, a rotation of the spine (tail held to the right may indicate the spine is rotated to the left, ie spinal processes to the left). Fixing spinal ("axial") rotation is a really good way to tackle overall straightness and asymmetric movement patterns, we tend to ignore it and simply ask the horse to not work in their own compensations which they use to protect themselves.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Back pain is caused by either saddle issues, skeletal issues (e.g kissing spine) or hind limb lameness. The tail carriage suggests one sided discomfort which usually indicates the hind limb on that side. The resulting back pain will be a secondary issue. Given the horse's age I'd strongly suspect arthritis of some kind or an injury.
I wouldn't pay for more physio now and get the vet involved instead.

 

[Birker2020]

I think the difference would be if he's done it all his life, or only just started doing it. My youngster started holding his tail to the side and it was the first sign that things were going wrong. Found out he had a very sublte RH Lameness. My vet said 90% of horses who do it (when they've never done it before) will have hindlimb issues. The two go hand in hand.

That tied in with what my physio said about the first horse I viewed and his abnormal gait behind.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

My husbands horse has always carried his tail slightly right, we've had him 18 months. It wasn't mentioned at the vetting or subsequently by other vets, trainer, saddler or physio despite me thinking it could be something. Others said they all knew other horses who did it and it was a quirk. I guess if it had suddenly happened it would have been different. Horse is now lame left hind suspensory. Will definitely look out for it in any potential other horse of ours. Will be interesting to see if he comes back from injury, whether he will carry it straight.

 

[sbloom]

My husbands horse has always carried his tail slightly right, we've had him 18 months. It wasn't mentioned at the vetting or subsequently by other vets, trainer, saddler or physio despite me thinking it could be something. Others said they all knew other horses who did it and it was a quirk. I guess if it had suddenly happened it would have been different. Horse is now lame left hind suspensory. Will definitely look out for it in any potential other horse of ours. Will be interesting to see if he comes back from injury, whether he will carry it straight.

There is a chance that both the tail position and the left suspensory have the same root cause. https://encompassequinesolutions.com/the-impact-of-unbalanced-riding/ (not trying to specifically blame unbalanced riders, much more nuanced than that, looking at training completely differently to the accepted modern, and to an extent classical, methods) and a lot of info on these "way of going" issues on Equitopia Center.

Very few vets and not even that many bodyworkers look at movement patterns and dysfunction.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

There is a chance that both the tail position and the left suspensory have the same root cause. https://encompassequinesolutions.com/the-impact-of-unbalanced-riding/ (not trying to specifically blame unbalanced riders, much more nuanced than that, looking at training completely differently to the accepted modern, and to an extent classical, methods) and a lot of info on these "way of going" issues on Equitopia Center.

Very few vets and not even that many bodyworkers look at movement patterns and dysfunction.

Have you used this method? The website doesn't give much away but looks interesting

 

[sbloom]

Have you used this method? The website doesn't give much away but looks interesting

I work alongside these methods (and have worked a little with Sarah of EES herself, she was a test rider at a big demo I was involved with last week), using the principles for horse and rider in saddle fitting. I'm NOT a coach but her approach makes so much sense from a scientific perspective, actually paying attention to the effect of physical forces on the horse rather than notions that pre-date our understanding of these forces.