Potential locking stifle/sliding platella in youngster - help!

Charmin

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I have a rising three year old on youngstock livery, absolutely impeccably looked after. During the harsher weather they are hay fed in a barn (still have run of a 15 acre field though!) so spend more time standing around. When I went to visit him yesterday the YO mentioned that morning he'd dragged his toe/had a slightly odd gait behind.

We went to see him and he was odd behind on one leg, but only for one step, then he went sound again. He also picked up his back leg and stamped it, slightly like string halt. The stifle never fully locked. No heat or injury, happy for it to be picked up and handled all over. He's still charging around the field and jumping the ditch and playing with the others, as well as being calm and seemed quite happy in himself.

The vet is coming out to have a look. We think it's a locking stifle or sliding patella. Does anyone have any experience of these? If so, is it an operation job, or could be possibly grow out of it? Feeling very down - he has such stunning movement and already jumping ditches etc of his own free will so I was getting excited about his prospects in a years time!

ETA - doh, excuse title, patella, not platella!
 

Myboytwilight

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Hi, I started a thread about this subject re my cob, approx 2 weeks ago. Check out "locking stifle,experiences please". If you can find it you will benefit as I have, from the advice given. Since I posted the vet has been and has noticed that although I felt that confirmation was pretty good, my pony is a little too straight behind which may have caused the locking. I have decided not to intervene until I am sure she is fully grown as the condition is very slight and with more turnout and hill/pole work may dissappear by itself. I know what you are going through though as it is disturbing seeing this odd trailed step. I am much more positive going forward now so hope this is of some help to you.
 

Tnavas

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Its something that some young horses suffer from - often it improves when the horse becomes fitter through work. Sometimes the horse needs an operation to fix the problem - talk to your vet.

I had one many years ago and my vet advised gentle lunging.
 

Goldenstar

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In the old days they were turned out in a bare field on a slope to exercise themselves stronger with a pony for company .
Get a vet with a specialist knowledge to advise you not a generalist .
 

Dave's Mam

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Mine had this. I thought he had really hurt himself. Turns out it's very common in 4ish year olds. Vet prescribed work, hills & more gentle work. If your horse locks up, reverse a step or 2, normally frees it up. Do have a chat with your vet though. Mine was most reassuring.
 

AdorableAlice

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Keeping them light as young horses helps, I have one that takes the odd off step, much improved with regular but not hard work and less of a belly. Less odd steps were seen as balance and self carriage improved too.

I first noticed it when the horse was 2 and vet was happy to let the horse grow up with just a mention about weight monitoring. The horse is 5 now and has done around 10 tests and although I have noticed an occasional unlevel step the judges have not - yet.
 

swilliam

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I have a rising 21 year old that I bought when she was 4, knowing she had this. It first showed itself when she had to be bowrested as a two year old. (Ibought her from her breeder) She has been in work, apart from the odd injury, ever since, and I have seen no sign of it for years. Shehas hacked and competed in all disciplines wothout problem. Regular work seemed to solve it. We did look at the possibility of an operation, but were warned that there could be problems later.
 

ycbm

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Its something that some young horses suffer from - often it improves when the horse becomes fitter through work. Sometimes the horse needs an operation to fix the problem - talk to your vet.

I had one many years ago and my vet advised gentle lunging.

The operation you are probably referring to is no longer recommended except as a last resort. It has been proven to cause problem with the joint when the horse is older.
 

Charmin

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Thanks all.

He's turned out in a big field which is on a gentle slope, in a very settled herd of 9 with youngsters who love to play. I think ever since they've had access to the barn and have been slightly less mobile it's perhaps bothered him more. Hopefully he will grow out of it. Will get the vet to check him over and then see what they recommend. He's still growing and very much looks like a baby, so I don't want to back him until he's 4, so work isn't really possible.
 

ycbm

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Thanks all.

He's turned out in a big field which is on a gentle slope, in a very settled herd of 9 with youngsters who love to play. I think ever since they've had access to the barn and have been slightly less mobile it's perhaps bothered him more. Hopefully he will grow out of it. Will get the vet to check him over and then see what they recommend. He's still growing and very much looks like a baby, so I don't want to back him until he's 4, so work isn't really possible.


Off out is a standard locking stifle problem, work on hand on uneven ground and over poles, including poles raised at one end, should prove beneficial before you ask him to carry a rider.

Time off can be a problem. I've just ridden mine for the first time in a week, and he was locked when I went to get him out of the barn, locked when I tried to get into the stable, locked again when I picked out his feet. And up til today, I had thought that at six he had practically grown out of it :( He's not getting a week off again, no matter what the weather is doing!
 

Sukistokes2

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my lad had this, it was quite bad on the off side. Take you pony out for walks in hand. Really march so that he is using his hind legs. Do hill work, up and down. Works on all fronts , gets them fit and you, also gets them used to being out and about.My pony was led on the road from very young,at first with a companion and later on his own. Also introduce lunging, or leading over poles. At his age rising three, its all good stuff that will make the backing process mush easier on you and him. While its a credit to you that you don't want to sit on him until his four, basic ground work a couple of times a week, for a few minutes will benefit him. The stifle should not be an issue. My pony is now the mount of a novice teenager, he is eight now. He needs work to maintain the muscle but apart from that he is a star kids pony.
 

Sukistokes2

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Off out is a standard locking stifle problem, work on hand on uneven ground and over poles, including poles raised at one end, should prove beneficial before you ask him to carry a rider.

Time off can be a problem. I've just ridden mine for the first time in a week, and he was locked when I went to get him out of the barn, locked when I tried to get into the stable, locked again when I picked out his feet. And up til today, I had thought that at six he had practically grown out of it :( He's not getting a week off again, no matter what the weather is doing!

I had a long conversation with my Chiro vet about this. She advised me to work my pony at least three times a week, as they can revert quickly, she said in years to come ,once he was completely built up and fully grown, it may be then he could be left for short periods but until then it was important to maintain work. So I think your very right to ride as much as possible.At six he is still not mature, its horrid when they really lock! However once your back up it will go back to good very quickly. Moses is currently ridden three times a week and lunged twice when not ridden. He is a different pony then when he was with me. I'm a teacher so I was having to pay fpr him to be worked, why he went on loan in the end.
 

Charmin

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He's currently on youngstock livery and it doesn't offer rehab facilities. So he'd be brought back home in order to be 'worked', but at home winter facilities are in at night and out at day. So don't know whether to move him from his established happy playful herd to home, where he'd be standing in a lot more but would be able to be walked in hand?

The fields at home are also smaller - so he's currently on upwards of 30 acres with all manner of terrain, whereas home is 1 acre, flat paddocks.

Agh, horses! Trying to do the best by him and he's so happy. Blumming things!
 

ycbm

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He's currently on youngstock livery and it doesn't offer rehab facilities. So he'd be brought back home in order to be 'worked', but at home winter facilities are in at night and out at day. So don't know whether to move him from his established happy playful herd to home, where he'd be standing in a lot more but would be able to be walked in hand?

The fields at home are also smaller - so he's currently on upwards of 30 acres with all manner of terrain, whereas home is 1 acre, flat paddocks.

Agh, horses! Trying to do the best by him and he's so happy. Blumming things!

On balance I would leave him where he is. Lack of movement is a big problem.



Thanks SS2. I gave him an easy time, stuck to a big flat arena instead of hacking down a hill as I had planned. He loosened up well and only 'fell off' the worse of the two legs twice in half an hour. Learnt my lesson there, getting complacent!
 
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