Neck pain in young horse

[Jericho]

Can anyone give me advice on neck xrays please? The scenario is we have a rising 6 year old Connie whose flat work is coming on lovely but he has a tendency to come BTV and be rather stiff on one side and sometimes strong and will fix his jaw. He is built like a Spanish horse - very chunky in the neck and a little powerhouse. He is very willing and tries his heart out but along with riding instructor we are trying to help the above issues to help him become more soft and flexible (along with all the usual pole work, long and low work, lunging etc)

my concerns have arisen because he had his first physio session last week and absolutely hated it (he is quite wary of new people and not one for being prodded and poked generally eg clipping he finds incredibly annoying but will tolerate it). Physio said he was very tight in neck particularly on one side and sore in back although that improved vastly with some work. She said we should get vet to look at him. I found his reaction to it quite strange and later when I went to replicate what she did, he showed no reaction. He had also had quite a full on lesson the day before so wondered if he was sore from that anyway (bit like we would be after a hard workout)

I also had instructor ride him and although she commented on the over bending and stiffness, all things that could be worked on, there wasn’t any signs the he was in significant pain just that it was hard work but that she would feel it would be worthwhile getting his neck xrayed to rule any issues out (she has had a horrible experience with neck issues with a previous horse) now the seed of doubt has been sown.

He is therefore booked in to the vets for neck xrays - what can I expect? How many would they do? What questions should I ask? part of me thinks I am overthinking it and looking for trouble. Vet has agreed to X-ray but could feel they were angling for a full work up which I don’t think I want. I just to make sure nothing is going on in his neck like arthritis. Any advice on this would be gratefully received !

 

[Birker2020]

They will take between 3 - 5 images to show all the neck bones from the atlas to C7.

My experience of neck x-rays in 2004 showed false readings and it was only when my horse had some high contrast, high quality x-rays at a hospital that a true image and diagnosis was made. From a diagnosis of 'there's nothing wrong with his neck' using a portable machine to a couple of weeks later 'sorry but this horse needs to be pts' at Liverpool Philip Leverhulme.

There have been people on this forum that say that the x-ray machines are completely different now and are able to penetrate thick muscles but this article written two months ago says not.

Veterinarians need high-energy X rays, which portable machines cannot deliver, to view parts of the neck, back, and abdomen and thicker, deeper areas of the body, she says. The horse typically needs to go to a clinic or hospital for these. https://thehorse.com/185111/a-guide-to-equine-diagnostic-imaging/

So given that article and my experience, if it were me, I'd be going to a horspital for a stronger machine and more accurate results.

 

[Melody Grey]

IME, yes these could potentially be issues attributed to the neck, but could stem from elsewhere.

Obvious though it sounds, have you had dentist and saddle fitter recently? Tried carrot stretches etc to work on flexibility? I’d want to rule simpler stuff out before looking further?

I can see why a generalised lameness work up might be an idea? My current horse has suspensory and SI issues but went through a one-sided, bracing his neck/ difficulty bending kind of phase- we’d have been barking up the wrong tree looking at his neck.... but that’s easy to say now we know!

 

[Tihamandturkey]

Is he shod?

My ISH mare recently became very sore & tight in her neck due to uneven front feet as a result of being shod twice by a stand in farrier when ours was on long term sick leave.

Physio and carrot stretches helped a bit but thankfully our regular amazing farrier is back now & the difference is unbelievable.

 

[IrishMilo]

Sounds like he's built as my Connie was. He had a really short, thick neck and was really thick through the throat. He found it very difficult to bend to the right - some days I felt like I was riding a plank of wood. I had neck and back X rays done which were fine - he turned out to have hock spavin.