Pastern chains?

[Angelbones]

My poor horsey came back from the Royal Veterinary College yesterday, still undiagnosed but obviously has some sort of issue in his back / quarters affecting his hind legs.

In the absence of anything else, the vet suggested getting some chains to go round his pasterns to make him raise his feet further off the ground. They seem common in the USA for trotters (I think?!) but I can't find anything similar in the UK, other than a copper one for arthritis in the lower leg. Apparently you can make them yourself from curb chains etc.

Just wondered if anybody else has used them / any experiences that may help me?

Thanks guys x

 

[lauraandjack]

I did some work experience at an equine hospital in the USA and saw a bit of some Tennessee Walking Horses and Saddlebreds. It's a bit of a hazy memory but the owners used to use weighted jangly bands around the pasterns to encourage the horse to pick its feet up.

Maybe try searching for saddlebred/ tennessee walker sites or American tack shops?

 

[Angelbones]

lauraandjack, that is exactly right; it was Tennesee Walking Horses, not trotters, thanks.

I've looked into that and they seem to be under 6oz in weight so I'm setting that as my upper weight limit for anything I find here. I don't want anything that will dramatically alter his gait for aesthetic reasons, just to make him make more of an effort in lifting his hind feet up and in turn work his quarters / back muscles. I've had a chat with my vet (he said curb chains were common) and my chiropractor and she said she'd been to a seminar and the speaker had made her own using key rings! I'll keep researching and may got for the copper arthritis ones as they come with a proven safety catch.

I'm grasping at straws really, but am prepared to try anything at this point

Thanks for your reply x

 

[Orangehorse]

Morgans use them as well. They make a jangly sound, and the horses seem to like the rythmn when they trot.