Sacroiliac strain/injury

D

dozzie

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 November 2006
Messages
8,670
Location
Hampshire
Visit site
Just a question for people who have a similar problem.

Mt mare is going very well although hasnt done a lot of canter work recently due to the snow. (couple of weeks off and she has gone backwards as they do!)

Anyway, I have noticed that when I start the canter she comes back at me and wont go forward. This is quite normal when she is unfit. We have been using poles to get her to open up and they seem to do the trick. We have also noticed that she has to have a few bunny hops and sometimes a buck and then she seems to loosen herslf up and off she goes. It is almost as if she is doing it deliberately to loosen up her backend. It isnt nasty and by no means resembles the broncs we used to have.

She also has a hamstring problem but I dont think this is the issue.

So does anyone else have the same thing or do you think she may have something else going on. I was wondering about arthritis. It is as if she unlocks herself.

She isnt on a joint supplement at the moment but think she might benefit now. I tried her on cortaflex early on but it didnt have much effect, if any! But maybe she just wasnt far enough along her rehab for it to make an obvious difference.
 
We had the chrio round to see our TB recently. She diagnosed he was sore in the sacroiliac area. He displayed very similar behaviours to your mare when being asked to canter.

Since a couple of treatments with the chiro he seems much more relaxed. We also give him superflex..


Z
 
She is overdue for physio. So I will get that sorted.

I am sure the bucking/bunny hopping isnt due to pain as it is very different and lacks the violence and continuity we have had in the past, if you know what I mean. (For sure she is probably in some discomfort as it doesnt go away but it does seem different!)

Is the superflex the Naf one?

I know there is another cortaflex one.

I think I will add some linseed to her diet too. That seems to help other horses.
 
Very general point, but when there's problems in the middle of the horse, sometimes there's problems most commonly found in the front feet and hocks. How much this is to do with these being accessible and obvious places to look though, I wouldn't like to say.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Very general point, but when there's problems in the middle of the horse, sometimes there's problems most commonly found in the front feet and hocks. How much this is to do with these being accessible and obvious places to look though, I wouldn't like to say.

[/ QUOTE ]

Flame you are spot on, sadly I know through experience. Our lad was really quite bolshy when asked to canter and he too would buck.

The strange thing is that if we put a jump up, he was quite happy to canter then (he adores jumping) we could then go back to flatwork. The only way we could keep him sweet was to let him pop a jump every now and then during a flatwork lesson.

This horse has NEVER stopped and my daughter had a brilliant summer with him last year. He then became unsound and it was hard to determine what leg it was.

He went into the vets to have hindlimb lameness workup but, when he arrived (had physio between seeing vet for 1st time and going in for investigation at vets) he was 100% sound behind BUT was now unsound in front.

He has now been diagnosed with navicular and pain in the sacroiliac area. I don't know what came first but it is interesting that you should make this point.
 
I would get feet/hocks x-rayed if it were one of mine- sacroiliac/pelvis/lower back probs are very often secondary to something else going on in hocks esp and feet.

Too loosen sacroiliac you step them backwards to tension the sacroiliac - both on the floor and when they are ridden.
 
Have to agree with the others - mine has developed sacroilliac problems as a result of hind suspensory damage and front feet collateral ligament damage. That's not to say this is the case with your horse but maybe worth getting other problems ruled out.
 
very similar symptoms to my horse who had PSD.
I'd have your vet check her over and pay particular attention to her hocks.
 
Had the hocks and hind legs checked a few weeks ago.
wink.gif


I know what you all mean about other problems. The scintigraphy showed hot spots in several places so tbh it could be anything.

She had a collision with a car which caused the SI so we know the SI was the primary injury. But obviously other secondary things can occur as a result.

I think I will get the physio out first.
 
Hey Dozzies Mum, My girl who got SI injured last year is EXACTLY the same, however she didn't really know how to canter propely before her injury!
We think however this is due to her unconfidence and my anxiety about it (we are both fine out in fields but not in school!). Whats she like in the field out hacking? On the lunge?
Sorry that dosen't really help. I would get her physio done, saddle def not moving about? Wonky is also on the glucosamine joint supp thats £14.99.
 
certainly it would need seeing to, as suggested by those above, but i thought i would add my 2 penneth on temporary relief-

a dressage horse i used to look after was in recovery after this type of injury, and at the start of each schooling session or when he got tight, was asked to walk backwards in a straight line (preferably without a rider on) 3 to 5 times (backwards, then forwards the the 'start' and repeat), as this apparently does a good job in loosening up that area.

Hope it is resolved soon!
 
Thanks. She is a hoolie out hacking! She will go straight into canter although she will have a spook, spin and buck at times. Not pleasant! If I canter her uphill/downhill she will have a buck which is understandable so I dont often do it but it does help to measure her strength.

I dont often lunge her as she is a bit dangerous! (I had a serious accident lungeing so have an issue with it myself. ) She hates the pessoa and it seems to put her back. Saying that she may be more ready for it now.

She always used to go better if she was allowed to have a hoolie in the school before I rode her but tbh I got to a point where I felt the school was becoming a playground so stopped it. Plus now I can just get on her and ride her without the freeschooling and lungeing, unless she has had a break from work.

Hmmm. That has made me think! Perhaps this is what she always did but it was more extreme!
smile.gif


It may sound harsh but I made a decision a few years ago that I could not wrap this horse in cotton wool.She has never been lame. I will use her and enjoy her until she cannot work anymore. Then she will be retired. If I faffed around with all her problems I would have a paddock ornament to add to my shelf full!
grin.gif
Once she turns 20 she can be a paddock ornament! 5 years to go!
grin.gif



What Glucosamine do you use?
 
Mine is exactly the same. He is a plonker (arabxtb) and he needs a canter before he will settle down to work otherwise it is sitting on a ticking time bomb. When you do ask, it is an explosion from behind but because it doesnt work properly, you get little bunny hops, and a buck before he can find his balance and sort his back legs out in a way that will make it comfortable for him to canter, and also for him to find his balance (he leans heavily at this point). After a couple of canters he is fine, but too much and he becomes disunited behind.

I feed mine NAF superflex as well but have decided to try Riaflex and see if that makes any difference as horse has now aggravated an old tendon injury (SI is fine though - typical).
 
Sorry Dozzie I shouldn't laugh, but are you sure you haven't stolen my girl you are describing her totally!!!! She also like to have a good buck/spin out hacking, but am persisting as she was good as gold last year before injury!

ALso completely unsafe on the lunge, at december my instructor (I had a lunge lesson with her) said Do Not Canter this horse on the lunge, however I have got a dressage rider(vvvgd) to school her twice a week to improve canter, she lunged her and hey presto! Shes miles better now her balence is better. Im lunging with two reins for safetys sake with hat on at all times. Before xmas she kept bucking off the pessoa and buggering off, so we don't use that anymore either
wink.gif
 
Yes I find dodging the back legs a bit hairy! I wear full body armour and hat and gloves when lungeing!
wink.gif
grin.gif


And funnily enough if I need to lunge her before a lesson my instructor remains outside of the arena!
grin.gif


I had forgotten about the leaning as she doesnt do that now. well not to the extent she used to. If she does start to get solid it is usually a sign the saddle needs checking with Dozzie.
 
As others have said, it often occurs secondary to problem with the suspensory - basically a compensatory injury.
I've seen a lot of cases treated successfully with strapping and use of a tensor machine which are very useful. they can be used by anyone and passively stimulate the muscles to contract.
A visit from a qualified acu-puncturist would be good to pinpoint the exact site of pain and the exact site to treat however the treatment they do the effects only lasts 6 hours so follow up with physio (or strapping) or tensor is required
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top