Shaking pony . Ideas ?

[maree t]

We have a 7 year old NF pony. Last weekend my son took him hunting and had a great day. They were out for about 4 hours and the pony is pretty fit . When we got him home and put him into his stable he started shaking, trembling type thing. We had put a fleece in him and later added a quilt. He felt plenty warm enough so we just checked him every 30 mns well into the night and he gradually relaxed and started eating and has been fine ever since. We assumed that he had overdone the exersize and agreed that they turn for home earlier in future.
Yesterday we went to a pony club show jumping competition. It was 2 and a half hours drive and we arrived with loads of time to spare. He warmed up and jumped one round over a 2ft 6 course. Another hour and a half then a warm up and one round over 2 foot 9 course . He seemed fine and his usual self then just before we loaded he started trembling again. He looked tired but fine in himself. We had made sure that he had had plenty to drink and had nibbled on haylage on and off all day. He travelled back fine and was fine when we got home
The vet is coming later in the week to do bloods on another pony so will run it past him then but just wondered if anybody else has had anything similar ?

sorry for the essay it is difficult to describe.

 

[doratheexplorer]

It could just be nerves/anxiety/adrenaline - you often see horses at the meet trembling - so your pony may have just had a delayed reaction, and now when he has gotten excited a second time his reaction is to tremble.

I would run it by the vet, hopefully it will be nothing, esp as pony is obviously performing etc. But maybe consider taking him for a quiet drive and doing something 'boring' at the other end, like hiring an arena for schooling or even some dressage - just to break the cycle.

 

[maree t]

Thanks for ploughing through all that !!
I was worried that he was getting too tired but he didnt do a lot yesterday and he isnt the excitable sort . I didnt worry too much after the hunting but yesterday was very odd.
It is half term this week so lots going on but have spoken to the vet who is coming out and will have a look at him then . He is fine, fit and well so probably just worrying over nothing but they are so precious

 

[philamena]

My old pony started to shake rather dramatically once. Freaked me right out. The vet happened to be at the yard at the time looking at her for something else - and pointed out how to spot the difference between shivering and muscle trembling or "coarse muscular something" (in the latter you can kind of see individual muscles areas twitching rather than an all-over shiver).

Hers wasn't shivering, it was adrenaline-fuelled muscle twitching. As it turned out with her, it was a kind of extreme stress reaction to the fact loads of people were standing and staring at her. (I kid you not.) When vet and mum and friend went off to do something else and there was just me left, she stopped. Very odd, never did it again, even in similar situations... but it taught me to recognise the difference between it and shivering because you naturally assume they're cold if you haven't seen it before. Could be a delayed adrenaline reaction.

Do horses get low blood sugar related shaking?

 

[flintfootfilly]

Muscle fasciculations (tremors) can be a sign associated with tying-up (azoturia).

Tying-up can be from a variety of causes, and it is interesting that your pony's two episodes have come shortly after exertion/travel.

Personally, I would review the pony's feed/management to minimise the risk of tying-up. In particular, it's worth reviewing feeds to make sure they minimise the risk of tying-up.

If it happens again, it's worth having the vet take bloods straight away, because if it is tying-up then you'll see raised muscle enzymes, and the level of these may give an idea of the severity of things. The muscle enzymes are only released into the blood if muscle cells are damaged, so they indicate muscle damage. Usually muscle enzymes return to normal within a few days, hence the value in having the bloods done straight away.

It may turn out to be something else, but a management review and bloods at the time of an episode are easy and relatively cheap to do, so I'd start with those.

Tying-up can be brought on by high starch in the diet, as one cause.

Fasciculations may happen for other reasons, including some electrolyte imbalances (such as potassium) and so hopefully your diet review will cover that.

Sarah

 

[philamena]

That's it, coarse muscular fasciculations!

 

[maree t]

Thanks for that info. he is on haylage (very fibrous as we grow our own ) and he has conditioning mix about half a scoop and the same of sugar beet.
We went to the beach today which had been arranged for a while. He had never been before but was such a good lad. Had a good couple of canters and jumped a few breakwaters. He was cooled down properly and loaded after a dring and a rub down. we were a little while before setting off and just as we were about to leave we noticed he had started trembling again. we drove home 45 mins and he was fine and bombed round the field like a loon until we bought them in no sign of any problems .
I will speak to the vet friday and see what he thinks

 

[philamena]

At least you have quite a clear pattern of symptoms to describe to the vet - always helpful...

 

[JennyNZ]

My first thought was tying up too. A blood test will tell all.

 

[maree t]

I was very concerned after the hunt episode but the sj at the weekend wasnt too hard work. Today at the beach was less work than a normal hack but more exciting. He has never been reluctant and was fine when we got home. I have never dealt with tying up as only ever had native types that havent had to work too hard. The kids have a lesson each week that is very hard work on the ponies and never had any trouble
It is only recently that they have been doing more so I am worried that we are doing too much. The ponies are so important to us that we worry about them all the time

 

[LaurenBobby]

Hi Maree T, I know you posted this quite a while ago (!) but I was wondering if the vets ever found out what was wrong with your pony? I'm having very similar symptoms with my horse and the vets are stumped . Hes never reluctant to work, and he isn't usually the stressy type, had bloods done and all was fairly normal. Trawling back through old forums to see if anyone else has had similar and got answers?

 

[SEL]

Interesting that the OP was asking about a NF because they've found PSSM in the breed now, so could well have been tying up.

 

[LaurenBobby]

Sorry should add my horse is an ISH and deffo not tying up cos his bloods would’ve shown that I asked the vet.

 

[SO1]

Here is a link to the information on New Forests and PSSM - there is a simple hair test you can do.

The breed society were offering a discount if you got it tested via them - cost me £25 so not much money (my pony was negative)

https://www.newforestpony.com/documents/PSSMSTATEMENTforpublicrelease.pdf

 

[splashgirl45]

my friends horse was shivering the other day when she got him in from the field, it was really windy and she thought he had got upset by the wind. when he got in the stable he did a huge wee and was ok immediately afterwards.