My mare can't lift her tail up!

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Shandi.4.eva

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Hi ,
I'm currently looking after a 14hh 10yr old mare, she was mounted in the field about 8 months ago and since then she has lost all her muscles and can't lift her tail up. I only started working with her last week because the owners daughter had lost interest and the lady bringing her in was struggling because she is so insecure. At the moment she looks like a charity case (the owners aren't negligent, just unsure of what to do because the vets haven't come up with anything) I have been walking her out leading for 20 minutes a day to build muscle, but her tail is a nightmare! She cannot move it on her own, and as you can imagine it ends up VERY messy!
I'm only 14, so have been getting different advice off adults who try to 'help'. The pony is a real sweetheart, so any advice to help her would be brilliant!:)
 
It does sound like it could be a neurological problem (the tail is paralysed). It's good that she's seen a Vet, but possibly a second Vet needs to come and look at her. As she's not your pony, can you ask the owner to get a second opinion on the tail damage? Otherwise it's just a case of trying to keep her pretty clean. Would you be allowed to plait the tail (just the bottom, not the hair on the dock) and fold it up/put it in a tail bag, or possibly cut it short (with the owner's permission)?
 
Can she walk a very small circle - you stand still and she circles while you hold a normal length lead rope in the middle - without kicking herself or stumbling, and does she cross her hind legs over when she circles?

If she can't do that, she needs a vet, because that would mean that she has a serious issue somewhere in her spine.
 
I have to say I'd be pretty worried about a horse that couldn't move its tail. Bearing in mind it's the end of the spine, it could be indicative of a problem that needs sorting pretty sharpish. I think you're right to push for another opinion, perhaps from an osteopath rather than a vet. Or another vet...! Good luck :)
 
Thank you for the advice, I may have worded it wrong, it's not that her tail is locked in a place and she can't move it, the tail moves fine if someone lifts/turn it, but it's all 'floppy' and she cannot move it alone... It's as though all the muscle in her rear end has gone, as it also takes her up to 25 minutes to have a no 2 ...
 
Shandi.4.eva said:
Thank you for the advice, I may have worded it wrong, it's not that her tail is locked in a place and she can't move it, the tail moves fine if someone lifts/turn it, but it's all 'floppy' and she cannot move it alone... It's as though all the muscle in her rear end has gone, as it also takes her up to 25 minutes to have a no 2 ...
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Hiya - no I got that, you worded it fine. I'd be worried if she couldn't move it, didn't think it was locked in place. She should be able to lift it, hold it to one side, flick it etc at will... Sounds like there's something pretty uncomfortable going on... Good luck, know it's tricky when it's not your horse and you want to influence what an owner's doing...
 
The owners have told us that the mare has been in for scans and x-rays on her sacral region, but nothing came up, vets encouraged regular exercise to build her muscle up. They don't know of its neurological, this took me by surprise, I thought if there was a chance t was, something should ave been done by now...
 
Shandi.4.eva said:
The owners have told us that the mare has been in for scans and x-rays on her sacral region, but nothing came up, vets encouraged regular exercise to build her muscle up. They don't know of its neurological, this took me by surprise, I thought if there was a chance t was, something should ave been done by now...
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I would be wanting a second opinion.
 
Shandi.4.eva said:
Thank you for the advice, I may have worded it wrong, it's not that her tail is locked in a place and she can't move it, the tail moves fine if someone lifts/turn it, but it's all 'floppy' and she cannot move it alone... It's as though all the muscle in her rear end has gone, as it also takes her up to 25 minutes to have a no 2 ...
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If this is true then the poor thing clearly needs to see a decent equine specialist vet.
 
Could be skeletal problems, Could be neurological... It also could be soft tissue damage.

You mentioned she was mounted in the field... By another horse?

She may have injured her tail or the area around it. The Tail levator, Lateral flexor and depressor muscles, the lateral sacrosciatic liagment and the coccygeal muscle all could contribute to issused in her hind quarters.
 
Shandi.4.eva said:
Thank you for the advice, I may have worded it wrong, it's not that her tail is locked in a place and she can't move it, the tail moves fine if someone lifts/turn it, but it's all 'floppy' and she cannot move it alone... It's as though all the muscle in her rear end has gone, as it also takes her up to 25 minutes to have a no 2 ...
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I think this horse has a serious neurological problem and as a welfare issue needs a specialist equine vet. Do not work her, and most certainly do not even think of riding her until that has happened.
 
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I too think there is something serious going on here and the fact that it is taking her 25 minutes to pooh could also point to some serious internal damange. You say she was mounted in the field and I think this is very likely to have caused damage to her. If the poor pony is in pain she will lose weight as well.

Please don't ride her or work here in any way and please tactfully suggest to her owners that a second opinion is sought. No matter how "poor" a horse gets, it shouldn't lose the ability to move its tail.
 
This happened to my friends pony mare when she went off to be backed.
She never got to the bottom of what had happened but the vet said likely nerve damage in the back. There was some residual tenderness. The mare's posture was slightly humped and her gait changed. She lost muscle bulk in her quarters most noticeable at the base of the tail.
She was turned away for several months and slowly regained movement back.
She is now back to normal and in light ridden work ( ?2 years later).
 
Actually thinking about it, it was probably about 18 months before she was re- started and she had been lifting her tail again for some time.

This was by a very experienced lady who did an awful lot of ground exs with her for a long time before anyone got on.

I really wouldnt be tempted to do any ridden work! With no signs of recovery at 8 months it sounds like this pony has more significant damage than this mare had I'm afraid.
 
Poor pony, the vets can't have left it like that, if they don't know what's wrong they should endeavour to find out as this sounds like a serious problem :-(

Maybe a physio/osteo/chiro would be able to shed some more light on what might be causing it, without manipulating it too much obviously.

So you say it can be moved if someone moves it for her as if paralysed, does she appear to be in discomfort when you go near the area or does it seem like she can't feel it?
 
Don't want to scare you too much, but I lost my mare a couple of years ago to a neurological problem called Cauda Equina Syndrome and she couldn't lift her tail and has huge problems pooing. She was taken to Oakham as a referral and despite the best of car it was the kindest thing to do to PTS. XX
 
I would plait her tail. We did this with the mare that was due to foal at my yard. Plait like you would for a show and then continue down in a three strand plait to the bottom, fold up and secure with a band (make sure it's not arounf the tail bone but just underneath it.)
 
Toraylac said:
Don't want to scare you too much, but I lost my mare a couple of years ago to a neurological problem called Cauda Equina Syndrome and she couldn't lift her tail and has huge problems pooing. She was taken to Oakham as a referral and despite the best of car it was the kindest thing to do to PTS. XX
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Been reading up on the syndrome and the 'symptoms' pretty much describe her... Will be getting the vet out within the next two days (when I can get the owners up there too!:()
 
Hi all, spoken to the owner, she said 'thank you for caring, she is under the vets at the moment, will speak in the week about her'. As far as I'm aware the only vets help she Is on is a build up powder added to her feed. I don't know what else to do, obviously as its not my horse if the owner says she's not getting the vet out I can't do anything about it. I'm just going to have to try to make her as comfy as possible, thanks for all the advice it really did help! :(
 
so sorry to hear about your problem you really doing your best does the owner know she can be prosecuted for with holding vet treatment from a sick horse From what I make out it does nt sound like some thing that can be fixed with build up powder I don t know if the owner has much experience but if pony is getting worse don t struggle on get an adult to have a word and failing them getting vet out call on RSPCA they will come and give the owner some advice I really feel for you as you are very concerned and have ponies best interest at heart
 
shergar said:
so sorry to hear about your problem you really doing your best does the owner know she can be prosecuted for with holding vet treatment from a sick horse From what I make out it does nt sound like some thing that can be fixed with build up powder I don t know if the owner has much experience but if pony is getting worse don t struggle on get an adult to have a word and failing them getting vet out call on RSPCA they will come and give the owner some advice I really feel for you as you are very concerned and have ponies best interest at heart
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Thanks, the owners are in no way shape of form negligent, they love the little pony, they are just going off what the vet told them to do. Their vet may be right , and these build up powder things may have more to them than they seem... Spoke to the owner agin, and she's been doing research too :D
 
Good news :D the owners been doing research and came across information on Cauda Equina Syndrome , and the vet is coming on on Wednesday ! :)
She said she wants us too be there too :)
The pony lifted her tail up yesterday! Couldn't believe it, not getting my hopes to high yet but fingers crossed!
Thanks for everyone who gave advice, all sorted now :)
 
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