Out of line Pelvis, Now slightly lame? Advice? Causes?

[MJ_1993]

*I posted this in the Tack Room by mistake but can't delete it, sorry*
Hi, Recently my horse seemed a little stiff, so i got a chiropractor out after some very good advice from YO.

Turns out his pelvis was out and his atlas was way out.

So these were sorted on Wednesday, light lunge thursday, good lunge friday, absolutely fine! Even so much happier and back to his cheeky self.

I ride him this morning and he was perfect in walk, loose, supple, not trying to run away, pop him in trot and the problems are exactly the same as they were before, pulling in, running away, ect. Called my sister out to watch him and she said he looked lame behind.
Could this be related? what could have happened in the time i was on him?
I am just so defeated right now, every time we seem to fix something, something else goes wrong!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Equine bones cannot be 'out' and neither can they be put 'back'.

A good equine vet is the best way forward, followed if necessary by scans and xrays.

 

[Danny Vet]

Fully agree with Alice... don't waste money on Chiropractors- pelvis can't be 'out', it doesn't make any sense at all. Get an exam from a good equine vet if you are going to spend any more money.

This is a great book that discusses chiropractors in detail:

http://www.trickortreatment.com/index-2.html

 

[TPO]

The skeletal structure is held together and in place by ligaments, tendons and muscles. When a structure or joint is referred to as "out" what is meant is that it is out of alignment. This can be caused by contracted muscle(s) or compensation.

The actual joint is not "out" but the term is abbreviated because it's wrongly assumed that people possess a modicum of intelligence to already know this.

OP- did your chiro obtain your vets permission before working on your horse? It is a legal requirement for all therapists to obtain veterinary permission under the veterinary act of 1966.

If your chiro followed correct procedures then in the first instance contact them. Tell them what has happened since they saw the horse and ask for their professional advice.

Picture it this way... If your shoulders are unlevel (likely if you muck out!) and you visit a therapist. The manipulations they do to release the muscle might hurt/be uncomfortable making you hold yourself differently. Then once the muscles have been released you have an increased range of motion; you have to adjust to this. You have to relearn how to use yourself, how to develop the weak/underused/contracted muscle and stop the compensations that you've put in place.

Lunging doesn't sound like a good idea, long reining and work on straight lines is the preferable option. Again you can discuss and clarify this with the chiro/equine vet.

"Back people" are not all charlatans. It's the horse owners responsibility to ensure that they use trained, qualified and registered practitioners. To be a "chiro" you have to be a qualified human chiropractor. The term chiropractor, like dentist, is protected and can only be used by degree holding practitioners who are qualified to treat humans.

It's not black magic! There are equine vets like Rob Jackson and Fiona McLean who retrained to be "back men".

It's absurd that we can have the treatments ourselves and feel what it does to our bodies but think it's a scam when it comes to our horses. Animals that aren't designed to carry us yet do along with tack and often asked to work incorrectly on u suitable surfaces.

The information is out there on various mediums and it's very easy to find out who is qualified and who isn't. Another reason for using a qualified person means that you do have recourse should anything go wrong.

 

[tallyho!]

Equine bones cannot be 'out' and neither can they be put 'back'.

A good equine vet is the best way forward, followed if necessary by scans and xrays.

Fully agree with Alice... don't waste money on Chiropractors- pelvis can't be 'out', it doesn't make any sense at all. Get an exam from a good equine vet if you are going to spend any more money.

This is a great book that discusses chiropractors in detail:

http://www.trickortreatment.com/index-2.html

Worrying answers!

You're right... bones cannot be "out" by themselves but can be pulled out of alignment by muscles, tendons and ligaments that have spasmed, tensed or inflamed.

Anything can be "out" - its a description used to say "out of alignment" or "unlevel". The muscles and ligaments can certainly be released in order to "put back" or realign an area of tension.

If you are a vet Danny.. I'd be worried!

 

[serenityjane]

A pelvis that is 'out' could well be the symptoms of absolutely anything. So whilst a chropracter may treat those symptoms, they are not treating the cause of the problem and misalignment, so it will only be shortlived.
My horse uncharacteristically bronced in canter some time ago- my response was to look at saddle fit and get the chiropracter out- her pelvis was 'out' and her back was sore both of these were treated, but my horse was still slightly lame in her back right leg (later diagnosed by the vet) which was what had caused the back tension and wonky saddle fit! My advice- vet first, then think about physio or chiropracter.
I agree with Danny and Alice.

 

[TPO]

A pelvis that is 'out' could well be the symptoms of absolutely anything. So whilst a chropracter may treat those symptoms, they are not treating the cause of the problem and misalignment, so it will only be shortlived.
My horse uncharacteristically bronced in canter some time ago- my response was to look at saddle fit and get the chiropracter out- her pelvis was 'out' and her back was sore both of these were treated, but my horse was still slightly lame in her back right leg (later diagnosed by the vet) which was what had caused the back tension and wonky saddle fit! My advice- vet first, then think about physio or chiropracter.
I agree with Danny and Alice.

Back pain is often secondary to lameness. Horses can also be "out" of alignment due to compensating for things such as lameness and poor saddle fit. It can be that the lameness is not detected because the horse is compensating and it only becomes apparent after the symptons have been seen to.

No practitioner should work on a horse with an undiagnosed lameness. If anyone shows up to an undiagnosed lame horse, they are still entitled to charge for the session, it should be referred to the vet and not treated. A practitioner will know if the horse has a pre-existing lameness because they need vet's approval to work on any horse and the vet will be aware of the horse's condition.

It's about owners being informed (with correction information) to make the right choices on behalf of the horse.