Ani2013
Active Member
Hi. Can anyone give me their experience of having a horse with a sacroiliac problem? Recover time? Did they go back into work? Thank you
Sacroiliac Problems
- Thread starter Ani2013
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Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
Mine didn't go back into work and was pts at 7 as we believed it was unfair to keep him as a field ornament with continual low level pain. I don't think SI often has a good prognosis as it can cause (or be caused by) problems elsewhere like hocks and feet. It depends what you mean by "problem" - an injury would probably have a better outcome than an ongoing chronic condition like arthritis.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
As above, has the horse had other lameness issues identified which may have led to the SI pain diagnosis?
My mare has recovered well from her bilateral SI joint medication, but we had already dealt with and treated the bilateral hock arthritis and PSSM that had made her move wonkily in the first place.
ETA Part of the rehab - increasing core strength. See clipped area on loins where the SI medication was performed.
My mare has recovered well from her bilateral SI joint medication, but we had already dealt with and treated the bilateral hock arthritis and PSSM that had made her move wonkily in the first place.
ETA Part of the rehab - increasing core strength. See clipped area on loins where the SI medication was performed.
Ani2013
Active Member
Thank you for your replies. Great big horse that has always been weak behind which we put down to rapid growth. WEve done physio, lunging with aid like one shown above above and polework. We have recently dealt with ulcers and bilateral hock lameness caused by synovitus. I really don't know what we are dealing with yet. Vet is booked for this week. I don't have a good feeling about this
Leo Walker
Well-Known Member
The one I had that was weak behind and had SI and similar issues was fixed by Rob Jackson, did it again and was fixed by Tom Beech. Before you go down the route of expensive work ups, I'd try one of those first. If they cant help they will say so and you can go back to the original plan.
Sussexbythesea
Well-Known Member
My old boy of 25yrs was diagnosed with chronic SI issues 15 years ago. Treated with steroids and lots of physio. Although I never did the dressage thing to the level I wanted to I’ve just adapted and managed him carefully over the years. He also has close spinal processes which were treated with steroids and shockwave. He also had an annular ligament op at 19 and is still sound enough to hack out and is forward and lively. Before his AL op I did a bit of everything on him.
BBP
Well-Known Member
Mine has had chronic SI issues for years now. He’s also had ulcers and a fractured splint that have affected his rehab. I’ve also had rob Jackson and Tom Beech out and been impressed with results from both. He hacks for hours and has done (and won) level 2 trec since his first injury and low level XC and show jumping and been fine, but then he’s his worst enemy and reinjures himself by being ridiculous in the field (huge crashing fall in the field this time last year that had more impact than i had realised). He’s still a very happy horse who runs and plays a lot in the field, so has good quality of life and I just restart the rehab program each time.
SEL
Well-Known Member
I'm in much the same position as Tiddlypom - part bred draft with PSSM. Hock showed significant arthritic changes when she was 6 and steroids did nothing. Back in last week because I've struggled to keep her sound. Rectal ultrasound showed SI bony change on right hand side.
Injected gel into hocks this time and steroid into SI. Sadly also showing suspenosry damage on one leg which makes prognosis more guarded. In herself though she looks a lot happier which makes me think she was in a fair amount of pain.
Injected gel into hocks this time and steroid into SI. Sadly also showing suspenosry damage on one leg which makes prognosis more guarded. In herself though she looks a lot happier which makes me think she was in a fair amount of pain.
rabatsa
Confuddled
Mine has had both hocks and SI injected. He came back into work but only for a short time. He is now a pasture ornament with the expectation of pts when he is uncomfortable with daily life.
Wheels
Well-Known Member
Similar story here too
Julia0803
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately similar story with our loan horse who very sadly went back to his owner to be retired last week.
Gel injected into hocks and coffin joints. Steroids into the SI. The gel worked but SI still tight and causing problems. Repeated with a higher dose of steroids, weekly physio and rehab. Unfortunately no improvement.
He was a big gangly horse, and I don’t know for sure, but I suspect did a lot of jumping when he was fairly young. He was only 8.
Gel injected into hocks and coffin joints. Steroids into the SI. The gel worked but SI still tight and causing problems. Repeated with a higher dose of steroids, weekly physio and rehab. Unfortunately no improvement.
He was a big gangly horse, and I don’t know for sure, but I suspect did a lot of jumping when he was fairly young. He was only 8.
sbloom
Well-Known Member
Posture first middle and last, I would read up as much as you possibly can, I'd be very hesitant to go injections route personally, it's so often the result of a pattern of movement and medicating the joint doesn't fix that. Tom Beech would definitely be a good option IMO, then look to in hand rehab (most of his clinic venues can help with a programme) and definitely a good saddle beyond that (flatter, wider rails to give space for the vulnerable parts of the spine to lift into).
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
Actually SI joint medications have a very valuable role to play in appropriate cases, by removing pain and allowing the horse to move correctly again. Though it is essential that correct rehab work is done post medication.
My chiro vet, a very experienced equine vet at Leahurst in her own right before she went down the chiro route, recommended to my own regular vet that my mare’s SI joint was medicated.
bouncing_ball
Well-Known Member
Tom Beech isn’t anti SI medication if manipulation alone not sufficient to create a pain free reset to change posture and build supportive muscle.
Cowpony
Well-Known Member
Mine had the injections and we started to work her very correctly over her back. She's now been fine for over 3 years, doing BD preliminary and novice.....fingers crossed!
Mule
Well-Known Member
My dad had one with it. He used a vet who does acupuncture and acupressure and religiously followed the therapy he recommended. He got an injection the next time it played up as the other vet was away. It did the trick but interestingly it wasn't more effective than the other treatment. They both worked perfectly. The horse was retired about a year later as he had a heart problem.
Ani2013
Active Member
Thank you very much for your replies
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
Chiropractic and osteopathic treatment is worth trying to relieve SI pain before opting for the joint medication route. My mare had previously been seen and manipulated on a number of occasions firstly by an osteo, then the chiro vet I mentioned above.
The joint medication has definitely been the most effective and long lasting (and cost effective) procedure for her, though.
The joint medication has definitely been the most effective and long lasting (and cost effective) procedure for her, though.
SEL
Well-Known Member
He recommended it for my horse!
peanut
Well-Known Member
I haven't read all the replies but here's a positive one for you:
Mine had her back injected twice. The first time failed and I think this was because I didn't put the work in afterwards.
After the second injection I had a professional rider come and school her regularly (you are probably a better rider than me!) to build up her muscles correctly. Ten years later she has had no further problems and is in fantastic form.
Mine had her back injected twice. The first time failed and I think this was because I didn't put the work in afterwards.
After the second injection I had a professional rider come and school her regularly (you are probably a better rider than me!) to build up her muscles correctly. Ten years later she has had no further problems and is in fantastic form.
sbloom
Well-Known Member
I can only report from what I see and what I hear, and I only said hesitant, not that I absolutely wouldn't do it. I'm sure it in part depends on what material is actually injected but in humans joints tend to wear faster once injected from what I have read. Always open to the science though!
My direct experience is a suspected SI subluxation (incredibly experienced vet, this was 2001 before SI injections were much of a thing and several years before I became a saddle fitter), he was turned away for 5 months then I would say "fittened" under vet advice rather than rehabbed, he kept upsetting it being a nob in the field. Bowen therapy and never putting him deep again both helped speed up the process further down the line.
I wish I'd had the knowledge and support to even have considered postural work in addition, it might have taken way less than the 18 months it took to get him 100% fit and strong, with so many set backs. How many of us wish to have our time all over again?! He did however go onto a new home a few years later and didn't have another issue with it.
My direct experience is a suspected SI subluxation (incredibly experienced vet, this was 2001 before SI injections were much of a thing and several years before I became a saddle fitter), he was turned away for 5 months then I would say "fittened" under vet advice rather than rehabbed, he kept upsetting it being a nob in the field. Bowen therapy and never putting him deep again both helped speed up the process further down the line.
I wish I'd had the knowledge and support to even have considered postural work in addition, it might have taken way less than the 18 months it took to get him 100% fit and strong, with so many set backs. How many of us wish to have our time all over again?! He did however go onto a new home a few years later and didn't have another issue with it.