Running around with nose in the air ???

[Wagtail]

In all my 30 years of caring for horses, I have never come across one that does this. I wonder why he does it. He is a thoroughbred skinny and stressy. Bred for the track but never raced. He trots and canters around when at liberty with his nose in the air (nose higher than his poll). He seems to do this when he's stressed and wants to come in or get through to other horses etc. He's not ridden as just been diagnosed with very severe kissing spine. I wonder if it's this behaviour that caused it? Never raced, sold in the sale and went through two other owners in the space of 4 months. I guess he threw everyone off. His owner has not tried to ride him yet!

 

[sizz]

In all my 30 years of caring for horses, I have never come across one that does this. I wonder why he does it. He is a thoroughbred skinny and stressy. Bred for the track but never raced. He trots and canters around when at liberty with his nose in the air (nose higher than his poll). He seems to do this when he's stressed and wants to come in or get through to other horses etc. He's not ridden as just been diagnosed with very severe kissing spine. I wonder if it's this behaviour that caused it? Never raced, sold in the sale and went through two other owners in the space of 4 months. I guess he threw everyone off. His owner has not tried to ride him yet!

My friends youngster does the same, I have never seen this before either in the same amount of time working with horses as you. She trots and canters around the field like this when she is stressed, she is TBxID but looks like a TB, her mother was a hurdler, interested to hear if anybody can shed any light on this. Hope she doenst do it when ridden !!

 

[Wagtail]

That's interesting. At least he's not the only one though. This one is only young too.

 

[bennettjudy]

My friends youngster does the same, I have never seen this before either in the same amount of time working with horses as you. She trots and canters around the field like this when she is stressed, she is TBxID but looks like a TB, her mother was a hurdler, interested to hear if anybody can shed any light on this. Hope she doenst do it when ridden !!

If she does have a look at Kokopelli's idea with the huge noseband, I think that is brilliant if it works!

Interesting thought about that and the kissing spines OP

 

[Wagtail]

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

[Kokopelli]

When a horse stresses they tense, he may tense which hurts his back due to kissing spines and the running around with the head in the air may relief the pain and this would also explain why he does it when stressed.

Is he getting the op for the KS?

 

[Wagtail]

When a horse stresses they tense, he may tense which hurts his back due to kissing spines and the running around with the head in the air may relief the pain and this would also explain why he does it when stressed.

Is he getting the op for the KS?

I hope not. The box rest would be awful. He has been injected with cortisteroids and had shock wave therapy. His owner is hoping that this will work though I expect not with the extent ofhis condition.

I would have thought that raising his head and neck would bring the spines closer together, but maybe you are right. Perhaps it helps him release the trapped nerves?

 

[Kokopelli]

I hope not. The box rest would be awful. He has been injected with cortisteroids and had shock wave therapy. His owner is hoping that this will work though I expect not with the extent ofhis condition.

I would have thought that raising his head and neck would bring the spines closer together, but maybe you are right. Perhaps it helps him release the trapped nerves?

Yeah I would have thought it pushed them closer together, but if it causes him that much pain why would he do it?
I guess its one of those times you want to know what they're thinking.

I've not got much experience with KS tbh, but for reassurance for your friend my instructors horse had it quite bad so had the op and he had a succesful eventing career afterwards.

 

[Wagtail]

Thanks, I think it may be what she ends up having to have done. He's a nightmare in the stable though at the best of times. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Dolcé]

I hope not. The box rest would be awful. He has been injected with cortisteroids and had shock wave therapy. His owner is hoping that this will work though I expect not with the extent ofhis condition.

I would have thought that raising his head and neck would bring the spines closer together, but maybe you are right. Perhaps it helps him release the trapped nerves?[/QUOTE]

Thinking about this comment and my own back injury, I always used to curl my spine inwards to try and stretch the discs apart and relieve the pain, I later found out from surgeon that if you arc the back (as he is doing by putting his head into the air) rather than curl it then that is what takes the pressure off. Perhaps Koko isn't far off the mark with her comment but would be really interesting to know if you manage to find out.

 

[Wagtail]

I guess pulling thehead up shortens the length of the spinal cord so that it isn't so taut and if the nerves are being pinched then stretching down may make it worse. But all the exercises encourage stretching down for horses. I had a slipped disc when I was young and I remember having heat treatment and I had to do exercises hollowing my back rather than arching it. It's all very confusing. I can understand that if the horse stretches down the spines are further apart and the back can support more weight, but maybe pain wise it is worse for the horse in some circumstances.