Nodding horse

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Martino

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Hi,
New here but I am having trouble dealing with an issue with my horse nodding for a few months now.

It's a strange one really but my horse only nods on the right rein in the arena especially when I have him collected. (On a dressage sheet it tells me un level steps). On the left rein he is completely sound.
 
Martino said:
Hi,
New here but I am having trouble dealing with an issue with my horse nodding for a few months now.

It's a strange one really but my horse only nods on the right rein in the arena especially when I have him collected. (On a dressage sheet it tells me un level steps). On the left rein he is completely sound.
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Get a vet out, they will be best placed to help you. Especially if it's been going on a few months. Don't ride until you have had the poor horse look at. Good luck
 
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If you mean nodding the head up and down as he moves, then it's often a sign of front limb lameness.

The horse will have his head lowest when placing weight on the sound front leg, and will then have his head highest when placing weight on the lame front leg. It's his way of trying to keep as much weight off the lame leg as he can.

So definitely worth having the vet out to check what's going on.

Hope he's soon much better.

Sarah
 
He has been on Bute and still nods while on it so I am unsure about pain, I am planning to get a Physio to check his muscles after New year, also I am going to give him a lunge and see if he still does it.

Thanks for the quick responses.
 
Martino said:
He has been on Bute and still nods while on it so I am unsure about pain, I am planning to get a Physio to check his muscles after New year, also I am going to give him a lunge and see if he still does it.

Thanks for the quick responses.
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If the pain is bad enough, the bute won't make him sound but will just mean he hurts less. As an example, my horse went lame at the weekend, is currently on 4 bute a day and still very obviously lame. Has a vet already seen him to prescribe the bute? Who suggested you put him on it?
 
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Vet for a work up. Why stab in te dark at something like this when you need somebody with a trained eye? Bute is as one of the other posters said only going to mildly lessen the pain if he is sore enough. Continuing to ride or lunge without getting things checked could result in a sour uncomfortable horse unwilling to work even when fixed!
 
Full work up with nerve blocks.
Suspensory injuries in front can sometimes come out like this - sound on one rein on lunge and occasional nod on other rein.
It can be amazing to see how a horse can compensate on occasions even with major damage done.
OP, good luck but please get a good vet out for a full work up.
 
scheherazade said:
If the pain is bad enough, the bute won't make him sound but will just mean he hurts less. As an example, my horse went lame at the weekend, is currently on 4 bute a day and still very obviously lame. Has a vet already seen him to prescribe the bute? Who suggested you put him on it?
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He was on (give by vet) bute and antibiotics for an unrelated infection and has come off 2 weeks worth of light walking and trotting.
 
The Xmas Furry said:
Full work up with nerve blocks.
Suspensory injuries in front can sometimes come out like this - sound on one rein on lunge and occasional nod on other rein.
It can be amazing to see how a horse can compensate on occasions even with major damage done.
OP, good luck but please get a good vet out for a full work up.
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This is exactly how Star's suspensory damage came to light. She was saound on soft going, nodded slightly on firm.
Lots of nodding just after having her feet trimmed, getting sounder after 2 weeks. She rebalanced her feet to alleviate the pain.
 
Sorry if I have missed this but was horse diagnosed lame by vet? Or was this treatment completely unrelated and you've now started getting these comments in the dressage arena and have put horse back on bute? Is he lame when trotted up, is he lame in the lunge or head nodding? If not it could be a bridle lameness (head nodding) due to the contact. If vets give him all clear, physio might be worthwhile in case he struggles on one rein due to stiffness or muscular issue, get them to see you riding and lunging (if vets have cleared any actual lameness). Otherwise might be a case of getting a good instructor so sort out bridle lameness.
 
Skipadeedooda said:
Sorry if I have missed this but was horse diagnosed lame by vet? Or was this treatment completely unrelated and you've now started getting these comments in the dressage arena and have put horse back on bute? Is he lame when trotted up, is he lame in the lunge or head nodding? If not it could be a bridle lameness (head nodding) due to the contact. If vets give him all clear, physio might be worthwhile in case he struggles on one rein due to stiffness or muscular issue, get them to see you riding and lunging (if vets have cleared any actual lameness). Otherwise might be a case of getting a good instructor so sort out bridle lameness.
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Horse was diagnosed with an infection a few weeks back and was on a course of antibiotics and bute with light walking and trotting which has cleared up nicely now and slowly increasing his work load.

Bridle lameness has been mentioned when I last did a dressage test and I unfortunately trying to sort this out myself since I lack the funding to pay for lessons. :(
 
The Xmas Furry said:
Full work up with nerve blocks.
Suspensory injuries in front can sometimes come out like this - sound on one rein on lunge and occasional nod on other rein.
It can be amazing to see how a horse can compensate on occasions even with major damage done.
OP, good luck but please get a good vet out for a full work up.
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WSS...my KWPN mare had us stumped. Rear hind suspensory tears - off significantly more than the near. She was lame most on the left rein. That was the end of her career - at just 10 years old. Hopefully she will have a beautiful baby or two.

Please get a vet.
 
Bridle lameness may not be a veterinary term but certainly a rider can cause a nodding head via contact which can give impression of a lame horse. Easy to rule it out if horse still does this on a long rein with no contact. I'm by no means an expert and just sharing personal experience but worth looking in to if only showing head nodding when ridden on a contact on a certain rein. If everything else is clear maybe get someone experienced to sit on horse and see if its still happening. Soft hands OP ;-)
 
Hereshoping said:
WSS...my KWPN mare had us stumped. Rear hind suspensory tears - off significantly more than the near. She was lame most on the left rein. That was the end of her career - at just 10 years old. Hopefully she will have a beautiful baby or two.

Please get a vet.
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Hence my posting on it.
I lost 9yr old BF in Sept this year - she had 60% tear in suspensory and was STILL sound in straight line and only intermittently v slightly lame on circle. Friends thought I was mad, but I knew she wasn't right, called vet out - only showed up under nerveblocks & then scanning.
Unfortunately she re-did her rear tendon again a week later, so it was game over for a horse with diametrically opposed lame legs.
 
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