Really worried about my tb

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rachaelandmrp

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Hi everyone, just after some advice.

I have loaned an ex-racer tb for almost 4 years now. I started uni this year (just finished my first year) so havent been riding him as much, but have been back home on summer hols since may so have been riding 3/4 times a week since then. I started schooling him when i got him and he has always been a little tricky to get on to the right canter lead, but when I put down to the fact he hadnt done much schooling in the past (he was 9) and when racing they tend to get a preference for one leg. He did improve and I had some lessons, did a little showing and dressage and most of the time got on the right leg. When I left for uni, his owner moved him to a new yard with a much larger arena with a better surface. I came back every 2/3 weeks and rode him on the weekend and he seemed much better on the new surface. However, since I have been back for summer he has started really struggling to go on the right canter lead, I think its been gradualy getting worse the past 2 months, like if he gets the slightest hint we're going into canter he will go on the wrong leg, and I had a lesson last week and when I finally got the right lead he felt uncomfortable and disconnected (in the past he had settled and relaxed into the canter after a circuit or two). He schools really well in walk and trot in a consistent frame but does tend to drift through his left shoulder on the right rein in trot and is sometimes hard to get on a small circle without drifting (my instructor has said this too) His owner has recently started having lessons on him and has found tis as well (she has always hacked and I have schooled).
As well as this, he has always been a little funy if you girth him up too quickly he doesn't like it and drops down (this happened occasionally though and he has never dropped when being mounted or objected to being mounted or tacked up), but this has definitely gotten worse recently. He has started walking away from you in the stable if he sees you get his boots out. When you put the saddle on he drops down and his back legs go a bit shaky sometimes, not every time but definitely more often than he used to.
He had his saddle checked and re-flocked about a month ago so we know it definitely fits.
We also work him in the pessoa on the long and low setting not tight, and he relaxes in walk and trot, really dropping his head down in trot and canters fine on the left rein but again struggles to get the right leg on the right rein.
We have stopped riding him and have a physio coming out next week (earlies time they could come).

Has anyone seen these symptoms before or have any idea what they could be? And have we made the right decision calling a physio or should it be the vet?

Thanks
 
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I would get the vet out...could be ulcers .
Back pain can be a symptom as can reluctance to work or be saddled up.
Being an ex racehorse ups the chance of him having ulcers.
Make sure he has access to hay at all times and try feeding a chaff feed before you ride.
 
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_HP_ said:
I would get the vet out...could be ulcers .
Back pain can be a symptom as can reluctance to work or be saddled up.
Being an ex racehorse ups the chance of him having ulcers.
Make sure he has access to hay at all times and try feeding a chaff feed before you ride.
Click to expand...


I am going to speak to his owner about getting the vet instead. He always had ad lib hay and is out in the field in the day and in at night most of the time with plenty of grass. He is fed chaff, conditioning cubes and water at the mo (with a few suppliments) and has speedi beet as well in the winter.

Would ulcers explain why he is getting worse on the right canter lead?
but fine on the left?
 
Just a quick post, one of my liveries a few years ago had a horse with similar symptoms. He had been overworked as a youngster and had a few issues with wear and tear in his joints. I think he is trying to tell you for sure that he is worried about being ridden so very well done for listening to him. I think he possibly has an issue needing veterinary diagnosis, something like mild arthritic changes in an awkward place can make moving correctly difficult and this can then cause soreness to transfer all over the place, it may be something like a spavin in the hock starting to appear or it could simply be her has tweaked himself and has become increasingly sore. If you get a physio first they might make him more comfortable initially but if it doesn't resolve and comes back in a couple of weeks you'll need to get the vet to look in any case. The back dipping is a huge sign of discomfort somewhere. Good luck fingers crossed it's something simple to sort, they can do great things these days!
 
Oh and one other thing re the shaky leg - suddenly occurred this can happen if the shoeing isn't great and the foot balance is out.....
 
rachaelandmrp said:
Hi everyone, just after some advice.

I have loaned an ex-racer tb for almost 4 years now. I started uni this year (just finished my first year) so havent been riding him as much, but have been back home on summer hols since may so have been riding 3/4 times a week since then. I started schooling him when i got him and he has always been a little tricky to get on to the right canter lead, but when I put down to the fact he hadnt done much schooling in the past (he was 9) and when racing they tend to get a preference for one leg. He did improve and I had some lessons, did a little showing and dressage and most of the time got on the right leg. When I left for uni, his owner moved him to a new yard with a much larger arena with a better surface. I came back every 2/3 weeks and rode him on the weekend and he seemed much better on the new surface. However, since I have been back for summer he has started really struggling to go on the right canter lead, I think its been gradualy getting worse the past 2 months, like if he gets the slightest hint we're going into canter he will go on the wrong leg, and I had a lesson last week and when I finally got the right lead he felt uncomfortable and disconnected (in the past he had settled and relaxed into the canter after a circuit or two). He schools really well in walk and trot in a consistent frame but does tend to drift through his left shoulder on the right rein in trot and is sometimes hard to get on a small circle without drifting (my instructor has said this too) His owner has recently started having lessons on him and has found tis as well (she has always hacked and I have schooled).
As well as this, he has always been a little funy if you girth him up too quickly he doesn't like it and drops down (this happened occasionally though and he has never dropped when being mounted or objected to being mounted or tacked up), but this has definitely gotten worse recently. He has started walking away from you in the stable if he sees you get his boots out. When you put the saddle on he drops down and his back legs go a bit shaky sometimes, not every time but definitely more often than he used to.
He had his saddle checked and re-flocked about a month ago so we know it definitely fits.
We also work him in the pessoa on the long and low setting not tight, and he relaxes in walk and trot, really dropping his head down in trot and canters fine on the left rein but again struggles to get the right leg on the right rein.
We have stopped riding him and have a physio coming out next week (earlies time they could come).

Has anyone seen these symptoms before or have any idea what they could be? And have we made the right decision calling a physio or should it be the vet?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes, Fly, who raced for 5 years went exactly as you describe after 3 years of being fine. With her, it was vet, then physio and ultrasound therapy and rest. She came back fine after 3 months. Just very very tight around her si joint.
 
BethH said:
Just a quick post, one of my liveries a few years ago had a horse with similar symptoms. He had been overworked as a youngster and had a few issues with wear and tear in his joints. I think he is trying to tell you for sure that he is worried about being ridden so very well done for listening to him. I think he possibly has an issue needing veterinary diagnosis, something like mild arthritic changes in an awkward place can make moving correctly difficult and this can then cause soreness to transfer all over the place, it may be something like a spavin in the hock starting to appear or it could simply be her has tweaked himself and has become increasingly sore. If you get a physio first they might make him more comfortable initially but if it doesn't resolve and comes back in a couple of weeks you'll need to get the vet to look in any case. The back dipping is a huge sign of discomfort somewhere. Good luck fingers crossed it's something simple to sort, they can do great things these days!
Click to expand...

Thank you, have spoken to his owner and going to try and get the vet up. Just winding myself up reading about KS online, hopefully it isn't anything so serious :(
 
Didn't like to say as my horse had ks surgery as a baby but some of the other symptoms point in different directions too. So many things transfer up into the back and the back dipping can be as GG said SI joint, but quite often something else starts to impact on the si area making it sore, like sore hocks transferring up in to the pelvis, or ulcers, or any number of other minor and major things. You can't ignore that as an ex racer he would have been worked hard as a youngster whilst he was still growing and this may have an impact at the age he is now, but for sure with this sort of thing, nipping it in the bud is the best thing to do so you are completely right to be jumping all over it and your horse will thank you for it.

Let us know how you get on
 
it could definitely be ulcers. Depending on where they are worse/most painful could dictate which side he finds it easier to stretch and this which leg he favours in canter.

I think you need the vet to confirm either way but if vet thinks ulcers and you cant afford gastroguard try protexin acid ease-has made a HUGE diff to my ex racer :)
 
If possibly ulcers, feed a small feed with plenty of chaff/chop in it 30 mins before you ride, the food helps to prevent the acid slopping around, chewing also increases saliva which in turn changes the ph levels in the stomach
 
A physio should only work on a horse following vet approval. First one needs a diagnosis, of course physio will probably help any horse, but a diagnosis is required. There may be several issues which may or may not be related.
 
Could be lots of things, but shivers can come on at any age and can present in this way. Also get the vet to check for back pain, had a problem years ago with a horse and it was the saddle. three saddle checks by saddlers and the third, least qualified found it did not fit. Got the right saddle and problem cured. he exploded into right canter and was obviously telling me something and was generally stiffer to the right. Agree physio should not treat the horse unless the vet has seen it. the worst risk is that they will end up treating the symptoms and not the cause.
 
I have 6 yr old tb and had same symptoms , he had sacroilliac pain and 2 ks not touching but very close. Hes had shockwave physio and steriod injections and had made huge improvements although we have had set back this week and he is sore again. Hes big wuss so is having few days off hes sound lunged but sore under saddle and waiting for fitter to check him over again. He showed exactly same reaction being girthed and a sleeve has really helped hes sensitive soul .Id have his back x rayed if I was you .
 
Is he insured? If so, chuck everything at him via the vets. A physio might relieve his symptoms slightly but the underlying cause will still be there. And, i was under the impression that a physio can't work on a horse without a vet referral.

This is an interesting video about checking for ulcers, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr05hMmLCY4 certainly worth viewing.

Back pain is generally secondary to other areas of pain, so a full lameness check up would be your first port of call.
 
Hello.
Came across you post and it all sounds very familiar. Had an ex racer who was very uncomfortable on the right rein, thought it was habit (likes everything on left) I had the chiropractor, physio, 2 vets out and eventually he had a full body scan at the hospital. Physio said his muscles were very tight around pelvis area however the scans came back to suggest a previous pelvic fracture (healed) however it caused him much grief in going right...Can you scan him? At least you will know whether it's an old racing injury (probably). These ex racers some of them are very good at hiding their pain. Mine somehow passed a 5 stage vet check with a fractured pelvis?! Always scan... at least your mind is at rest. :)
 
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