SI problems & prognosis - injections & shockwave

[IrishMilo]

In my experience turning away a horse with back and/or SI issues would be the last thing I’d want to do. They need to activate and build their core and keep well muscled. I have always combined regular work with a good ACPAT registered physio. In some horses pole work can be very beneficial. I never lunge if I can help it although I do acknowledge lunging divides opinions on whether it’s helpful. Personally I hate it! I just find that very few can lunge properly and people often lunge on unsuitable surfaces.

If the horse cannot manage lots of higher intensity work then walk, walk and walk, building up the inclines. The point of medicating the joints is to break the cycle of inflammation and allow the horse to move correctly and in many cases develop muscle. Most horses will not do this mooching round a field.

You make a good point re the SI. If he has KS he won't be turned away - I'd have him PTS. I'm speaking with the vet about treating for ulcers - he's never been a stressy horse and he's always (literally, from birth) been on ad-lib forage of some sort, so I know they could be there, but vet was convinced the possibility was fairly low. It could be arthritis but he'll need x rays to confirm. Could be suspensories but then we get into serious $$.

A thing I have to consider through this is his behaviour and my safety - he can snap at the drop of a hat and will bronc until he's sure he can't get me off.

 

[ForeverBroke_]

Keep trying IrishMilo, if you can start to get him to work over his back while you can 'get in there' so to speak and he's not guarding himself then it may be the making of him. Can you rehab him at all from the ground if your safety is coming into question? Long rein?

 

[Tiddlypom]

If possible it’s best to rule out or treat the predisposing causes of SI injury before the joint is medicated, so that the horse can be rehabbed from the off. I’d crack getting him scoped for ulcers if necessary, seeing as you suspect he has them - many a horse has proved to have them even though the vets thought they wouldn’t. Though my mare (not the one in the pic) didn’t when vet, chiro vet and me all thought she did, but she has responded to treatment for hind gut ulcers instead...

It does seem to be early days to be back in the saddle, more slow in hand work to start with strengthen him up might be better. Long lining would be excellent, and raised poles in walk.

Have his suspensories been scanned?

Good luck.

 

[be positive]

We're about a week past SI injections and I've ridden him twice. The first time he was still humping his back, plus had an episode of explosive behaviour (five or six huge bucks and bogged off across the field with me). Second time good as gold, no indication of an issue (but all this was in walk). I have three options - back to the vets for X rays, treat for ulcers, or turn away for six months-a year, and see what's what after that.

Why are there three options? he has only just had the SI injected so now needs weeks, if not months, of careful rehab to see if it is going to work, he has been good on the second ride so now you need to build up the work, do plenty of in hand stuff, get the physio he is sure to need and see how it goes, the work he needs for improving the SI will also benefit his back if there is minor KS and if he has ulcers they should improve if he is no longer in pain.
Turning him away having had the injections will be pointless, treating for ulcers may be useful although managing him as if he does have them may be enough much the same as KS unless it is bad getting the correct work into him may be enough to sort them out, one here is being rehabbed for minor KS diagnosed last autumn and her owner is well aware it is a lifestyle and management commitment, she had no treatment for them but may do if she reverts to previous behaviour but so far is doing well.

 

[Flicker]

Echo piglet. Vet advice is usually to try to keep them in work, alongside pain management. Raised poles, long reining and hills are all great, plus if you have access to water (sort of fetlock / lower leg deep) this is brilliant as they have to really engage the core to lift their feet up and out of the water.

Also get your vet or physio to talk you through carrot stretches and other exercises you can do in the box or field. I guess the human equivalent of these would be sit ups or leg raises.

 

[Mari]

Unfortunately I'm going to tell you that when I was working with high-ish level dressage competition horses, the success ratio was so small that we tended to just retire horses with persistent SI problems. I've rehabbed a few and none has ever returned to useful work.

This is my situation. I bought my mare to do Dressage, explored all the treatment / rehab for her sacroiliac problem to no avail. My aim now is for a calm relaxed pony. I longrein her a few times a week but don’t ride.

 

[MrsMozart]

Be prepared to put the work in and fingers crossed it works. However be prepared for it not to work. It didn't for our lad. We still have him. He's still wonderful. He's just retired and chilling living out 24/7/365.

 

[IrishMilo]

Things are looking a bit more positive. Two weeks on from the injections and shockwave we had our first trot in the school - he went beautifully and it felt like I had my old horse back. Did all of ten mins and called it a day.