please watch these vids of my horse being lunged, I don't know what's wrong with him!

i would not be giving anything to mask the pain till a vet has seen him or you are masking some of the symptoms. i am often for box rest and buteing up for a week, or field rest but he really does look unhappy, i was say he just generally looks uncomfortable all round and that would worry me, i would be having vet today. he is an older chap who has had recent problems i would not leave him in what appears to be a reasonable amount of pain

keep us posted, good luck
 
horsesatemymoney said:
I'd prob hold off the glucosomine atm and save your money and get second opinion instead. He is lovely but looks in pain I disagree with the poster who said the spook was naughtiness he looks pain. It looks like it is both hinds , but he doesn't look happy through his back. I'd be wary about using bute to see if it is pain, better to get another vet opinion imo...hope he feels btr soon x
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not sure if you meant me, but I definitely said the spook does NOT look like naughtiness, but like a pain respose.....not sure if anyone else said it though
 
Thank you everyone. Going to make one more attempt at lunging him tonight and if he's still not better I'll call the vet and see what they can find. Absolutley gutted :( he's bankrupted me over the past few months with all the treatments he's needed, I'm dreading how much this is going to cost :( just want my little gingerpony back happy and healthy. Very worried that this is the start of his decline into old age, he's only 20 :(
 
Please please ignore anyone who says he is "lazy" or "naughty" :( I don't want to depress you but he looks wrong in front and behind.

I'm very surprised your vet didn't flex him, and I would be getting her or another equine vet that you trust out to do a full work up.

In the third video particularly, you can almost see something "catch" him just before he shoots forward - so I'd say very definitely a pain response.

Personally I like to know what I'm treating before I start treating it, so rather than waste time doing bute trials or putting him on joint supplements, I'd get a proper diagnosis so you know where you are, then go from there.

Unfortunately with older horses, if something happens (like yours with the colic) that prevents them from working for a few weeks, it's quite common for stiffness and ailments to catch up with them.

It may be something quite manageable, but at the moment he doesn't look at all happy and I do think the vet is the way forward. Good luck, he does look like a lovely horse :)
 
be positive said:
I still dont think the pelvis can be "out", it is the muscles around the pelvis that are "out" so any work done on the area is to the muscles and ligaments, once they have had treatment they may take a few days to settle but you should find improvement immediately if the problem is fairly recent. Most back issues stem from something, they occasionally follow a field incident but most will come from a badly fitting saddle or problems further down the legs, they are holding themselves in order to compensate for discomfort elsewhere.
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^^ This. I think the terminology used by osteopaths and chiropractors and back specialists is misleading. Of course none of them are physically manipulating bones! They are affecting the ligaments and musculature around joints and areas which in turn will allow structures like the pelvis to once again swing freely unimpeded and also free up areas of extreme muscle tension affecting movement.
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Definitely get a 2nd opinion. He doesn't look right both hinds and fores. His shoulders are very hunched over, he lands toe first almost as if he is doing his best to get weight off his back end.

It may be just he needs some time off for body to recover. Still, I wouldn't let a vet write him off as just stiff.
 
SpottedCat said:
OP can you get a different vet, ad are you using an equine practice? He doesn't look right behind to me at all, I'd say it's bilateral (both hinds) but worse on the near hind. He's v short behind, which is not unexpected given the age/breed, but arthritis isn't only associated with swelling hence me wondering if you're using an equine practice.
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This! He is very very sore behind especially left hind. It looks as though it is high up - pelvis/sacro illiac, but could be upper femur. I cannot believe your vet did not pick up on this. Get another vet.
 
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Tizzy said:
He looks like he is just being lazy and not concentrating. Then when something catches his eye it's a terrifying 'I must spook and act like an idiot' type reaction. He may just be having an off day, if like you say, this is out of character.
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:eek:

You can clearly see he loses his back end immediately before the spook. This would have cased him a shooting pain, hence the running away. Poor horse. :eek:
 
I agree with tho others who have said he looks stiff and short behind. I would def be asking another vet to have a look, and not attempt to lunge etc until I knew what was going on. Poor boy looks quite miserable, hope you get to the bottom of it soon.
 
In fairness to my vet, it wasn't this bad or pronounced when she saw him a few weeks ago :( I feel terrible for him now, my friend is coming to look at him at lunchtime and see what she thinks but I think either way I'm going to call the vets and ask for another vet to come out, just for a pair of 'fresh' eyes that didn't see him before. My vets have always been right with him before and I've not yet had cause to question their treatments and diagnosis so I won't be grumbling at them just yet. Thanks for all the advice though everyone keep it coming if you think of anything else xxx
 
I would echo others saying get a second opinion.

He's a lovely looking lad, but he doesn't seem to be using himself properly - definitely tight in both shoulders and the sacro illiac area, and just not swinging through. I obviously don't know how he moves normally, but he's not tracking up at all, and does look uncomfortable.
 
As soon as he has short step on front leg, which is when he cant track up from behind, he reacts by running away from pain which is probably sharp.You have my sympathy now calling vet out for 5 yr old who is reacting in same way.:(
 
sophiebailey said:
In fairness to my vet, it wasn't this bad or pronounced when she saw him a few weeks ago :( I feel terrible for him now, my friend is coming to look at him at lunchtime and see what she thinks but I think either way I'm going to call the vets and ask for another vet to come out, just for a pair of 'fresh' eyes that didn't see him before. My vets have always been right with him before and I've not yet had cause to question their treatments and diagnosis so I won't be grumbling at them just yet. Thanks for all the advice though everyone keep it coming if you think of anything else xxx
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i am not one for calling the vet out at the drop of the hat but with him looking the way he does and getting worse since your vet saw him i dont get why you are going to make the poor fella wait another day-just call the vet, the pony looks very unhappy and uncomfortable all round
 
careering round the field bucking and leaping and took me 20 mins and bucket of treats to get a head collar on him.
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I would say there's not much wrong with him then.......

But as you are clearly concerned, why not do a Bute trial?
 
Stay positive Sophie . As a back pain/ neck pain sufferer myself, attempts to correct have often made the problem worse before it's got better. I think it would be optimistic to expect one treatment to solve the problem. I've taken to massaging the coblet I share and he loves it. He also started having problems after a brief lay off ( patellas locking) I start from the back and work down through hip and bum muscles. Got to warn you, its hard work but worth it.
Trust your instincts as well..
best of luck :)
 
Bedlam said:
I just have issues with 'chiros' who can 'pop back' a twisted pelvis if I'm honest. It's just not physically possible.

My gut feeling would be to look at sacroiliac and hind suspensories from what you have said.

Your lovely chap doesn't track up much in walk or trot - is this new? I also think that he looks a bit uncomfortable behind, but again - not knowing him it's hard to tell whether this is just him or something wrong?
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I agree with this although 'tracking up' is not an issue for me. He does look very tight in his back.
 
This is the frustrating thing, some days (out hacking esp) he's totally fine. Then a few days later he's like this, then the next day he's fine again. So just when I think I need the vet, he's back to his usual self and I think he's worked himself through the stiffness. But yesterday was the worst he's been, hence me posting + worrying! As I've already said, vet will be coming regardless of what happens tonight for a good check over of him. X
 
Defo looks like pain issue.
Near hind & off fore. One may be upsetting the other especially in trot.
Really could be all manner of things. And I think no-one can diagnose from a video so it will be a vet job.
He looks a kind handsome chap. Vets bills are a nightmare though & you can soon get consumed with nerve blocks & x-rays.
See how he goes tonight. Can you long rein him with 2 reins in straight lines to loosen him up. Circles are not good for joint problems.
Good Luck he looks well worth your effort & concern.
 
^^ agree with above, cease lunging him for time being.

He definitely doesn't seem right behind and I'm inclined to say its pain related. Even the spooking could actually be down to pain.

I don't think that it's just laziness as he isn't moving right behind.

Follow the advice from others on here as its spot on :) but I'd be getting another vet out/ physio etc... It might well be down to his age but definitely need to determine what's causing it. I'd stop working him until then but thats just my opinion.

Good luck and keep us posted x
 
horsesatemymoney said:
You could use two lunge lines and a roller or saddle with stirrups down although be careful if it could be his back
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2 lunge lines, use a saddle or roller. If using a saddle, stirrups down & tie them under his belly with string or another stirrup leather. Only use lunge lines if they are long enough for you to walk a safe length behind , some lunge lines are shorter than others.
Good to have someone with you to watch or maybe they could rein him & you could watch.
Mention to your farrier that he is stumbling next time he comes out.

Try not to get down & upset. Give your boy lots of good vibes & keep positive.
How is he when you groom him. Is he grumpy or does he enjoy it?. If he enjoys it, spend a bit of time doing it for him, it's a good soother for both of you ;-)
 
Amazing that a 'twisted pelvis' can be popped back in...can you actually hear what you are saying! Sorry to sound harsh but that is probably one of the daftest statement I have heard on here.
How anyone can condone putting a horse on bute and seeing how he is after is also beyond me, think of the damage you could be doing working a horse thats symptoms/signs of pain are being masked! Also remember colic is a nasty thing and takes it out of horses at any age, let alone 20. Also lunging is pretty strenuous and the surface you are working on seems abit up and down so that wont be helping him to move aswell as he might. I will not pretend to be a expert and diagnose a problem with a few short video clips...if you trust your vet take their advice...if not get a second opinion.
Rant over, sorry!
 
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