sensitive mane / withers??

W

Walrus

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 January 2007
Messages
2,432
Visit site
Evening,

Posting in here as am having no replies in NL - and we're supposed to be aiming for a show in 3 weeks so maybe it counts!

I'm having quite an odd problem and I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or similar experiences.

My lad is 7 and despite a rubbish introduction to schooling by yours truly we are now progressing well thanks to my star of an instructor.

Recently pony has started shaking his head when I pick up a contact culminating today which was the worst he's been. Initially I thought it was the mosquitos that have been bugging us as we were schooling in the evening but now they've gone and he's still doing it.

Also over the past few days I've noticed him being very sensitive when I touch his withers, specifically the mane area from his withers moving up by about 8 inches. Tonight I was just very lightly touching his mane in that area and he was clearly unhappy, skin shivering (like when I fly lands on it), tossing his head and reversing round his box. I've dug about in his mane (he eventually let me have a look) and cannot see anything, no scabs or sores etc.

To give a bit of context he is a fell (so lots of hair), he has very mild sweet itch so has been rugged all summer with his mane in plaits. He did have a large insect bite in his mane in the summer but that was months ago. He has now been unrugged (apart from the odd very rainy day) for 2 weeks which is lovely and also makes me think it's not a rug causing pressure.

Any ideas or suggestions are gratefully received!

Sorry for the essay.
 
Thanks guys - Have spoken to a friend at the yard who is getting the physio to her horse in a couple of weeks and asked if she can book me in too. Unfortunately my physio is out of the country until Dec so we'll have to get someone else but fingers crossed we can sort it. Poor boy was getting into a right stew with himself.
 
Thank you - will get his saddle checked as well. Feeling guilty as it has been a bit funny to plait the bottom of his mane for a while but I put that down to his mild sweet itch over the summer. This week it has definitely come to a head poor boy.

What do people recommend in terms of work between now and a physio - he will need to do something for fitness and weight. Unfortunately I cannot hack during the week due to the light so I'm thinking just working him long and low and more on the lunge than ridden?
 
he's prob got a trapped nerve... very gentle massage of the area all the way down the neck and shoulder might help?
tbh i'd prob rest him... if it is a trapped nerve he might be explosive when it's sore. if lungeing i would do it with no gadgets at all, just cavesson, if he were mine.
 
Thanks. Will give him today off, super instructor has been called and she is on our yard tomorrow so is going to drop in and see him for me. She's also recommended a physio. Love my instructor.
 
Walrus, do you have an update on your horse? My mare is now displaying exactly the same symptoms and is even uncomfortable with a rug on so has been left without one for last few days. Vet has just said to give her bute and rest for 7 days but I'm still worrying
 
glad i found this thread, i have recently bought a new horse with the same symptoms, off to sort out back and saddle person and monday!!
 
We have a horse on our yard that had fistulous withers and luckily my horses symptoms are not the same but I am concerned anyway, so bump!
 
Hello. Update on this one as requested...

Pony's whither twitching came to a bit of a head and on close inspection this was accompanied by a warm slightly swollen shoulder. Whilst the shoulder seemed to bring everything to a head the twitching had been ongoing for a while.

We think the shoulder was due to him tweaking something in the field as the ground had been very greasy and they'd all been seen hoolying round. After a week off he wasn't improving as much as I wanted so he had a short course of bute and 5 days box rest. Shoulder swelling disappeared and he was much better for having a couple of weeks off (no shoulder twitching).

I then got a physio who said shoulder was fine but he had stiffness in his neck and soreness in the saddle area :( Cue saddler......saddle panels and very hard and there is significant lift at the back.

Saddler recommended a new saddle but said I needed a wider fitting; came back and fitted the wider gullet version whilst I was a work - when I tried it the saddle was far too wide. I've since tried about 4 different second hand saddles with no luck so am currently searching for a new saddle.

Pony had done lots of lunging (draw rein method) which seems to be really improving his muscle along his back. I've been riding very occasionally in his old saddle - mainly to get him out hacking at the weekend.

Have had no whither twitching since he had the 2 weeks off followed by the physio. I'm hoping it wont return once I get him back into full ridden work.

Phew......sorry for the epic essay!
 
Thanks for the update. I am taking my horse to the vets tomorrow so will see what they say. I can't see any swelling in the shoulder but hopefully they will be able to tell me more..
 
As an update in case anyone is interested, I took my mare to the vet (having already had a vet out and seven days of bute). X-rays show she has a fractured vertebrae near her withers. She is to be rested (but is allowed out) and given bute twice a day and it should heal by itself. She will go back for more X-rays in 6-8 weeks time but all being well, should fully recover in a few months.
 
Thanks. Yes I have no idea how she has done it, but the fracture and damage to ligaments are consistent with a rotational fall apparently so she probably did it hooning round the field.

I can't believe it though, she just seemed very ticklish/juddery. I never expected a broken bone. It just shows how good natured she is, I would have expected her to be a lot more unhappy/aggressive etc
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top