Someone gently tell me to woman up!

S

SadKen

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 September 2012
Messages
2,915
Location
North East Wales
Visit site
My lad has been gritty and a tail swisher since I got him. I was grooming yesterday and he was very sensitive on his back and more so over his 'hip' to light pressure. He was very slightly short striding in trot on the lunge on Monday, not lame or anything. he's 6, just coming back into work for the past 3/4 weeks after box rest.

On Tuesday I decided to get a chiro to come and look at him (appointment not yet made as chap hasn't come back to me yet). Yesterday I thought he'd tweaked his back. In the middle of the night I woke up panicked thinking I must be too heavy for him and will go on an immediate diet, but may always be too heavy for him. By the time we reached this evening I'd reached the conclusion that he has major SI trouble, is broken, always has been broken, and will never be fixed and will prob have to be pts.

My very sensible best friend is away at the moment. Please can someone tell me kindly to stop letting my imagination run away with me? Any realistic thoughts on the swishing and short striding are also welcome as forewarned is forearmed!
 
I'm no expert on the gaits but can tell you to put your brave pants on now and don't let the 3am horrors get to you. It's impossible to tell until he has been checked out and you have done the right thing booking. If you are really worried and he is really not himself I would book the vet.
 
Any reputable chiro will only look at him with the OK from your vet, so you may as well get your vet to have a quick look over and put your mind at rest.

It may be nothing but swishing etc. could also be signs of something which is better nipped in the bud!
 
Nope, I don't think you need to "woman up"; I actually think you're adopting a very sensible approach to a situation which is obviously concerning you.

You've noticed that your horse is "saying something" to you, you're listening, you're taking that on board and doing the right thing by asking a professional to take a look.

It just occurs to me that there could be a saddle fitting issue here as well? So as well as the chiro, it just might be worth asking a good saddle fitter to take a look at him as well (sorry, more money!!!). I know from experience just what a huge difference a well-fitting saddle can make, and conversely, how much damage can be done by something that doesn't fit.

The short stride you've noticed just could be a saddle that is causing discomfort....... so personally I'd get that checked too. Its worth asking around for a recommendation for a good fitter coz by golly you can waste money on this one. PM me if you want a good recommendation for a nice new saddle which will be comfy and won't break the bank, PLUS the people that fit them are fantastic.

AND..... (sorry, again more money) - I would get yourself checked out by a chiro/osteo as well as your horse. The person I use does both of us!!! But you might just find (and I'd be very surprised if this wasn't the case) that YOU need a tweak as well.

Good luck anyway!
 
Thanks guys. Vet has given an ok for a check up from chiro. there isn't really anything to see except a slight grump when you press little bits of him. Mind you he also swishes when I brush his tummy. Ok, I think I might have started breathing a little bit now. He might even be better today, I haven't trotted him up since Monday. He's very happy munching his hay so I guess it's not a pressing issue (although obviously will still get chiro asap)... Stupid imagination.
 
Mijods.. I have considered the saddle, which is almost new (sorry!). It was bought/fitted last October and the saddler showed me where he had a little muscle wastage on the off side. We thought this was due to his old owner riding mostly on the right rein. Extra flocking was put in that side to get a good fit. As he's been on box rest I suppose he could now be even on both sides (and I made a point of riding on both reins and am left handed). Guess the extra flocking could be an issue. So chiro first then saddler perhaps!
 
If the saddle was fitted to him in October it will probably be due for an adjustment now, he should have filled in the wasted area by now if worked correctly, the chiro should be able to advise on the saddle and should check it as part of the assessment.
 
I agree with Mijods etc.....

Wouldn't be worrying, but think you're doing exactly the right thing. The only extra I'd chuck in is if he's a bit sensitive to grooming, it might well be tight muscles? If he's had a few weeks on box rest, im guessing he'd had a little injury? So he may well have been holding himself "wrongly" as it was more comfy? IME, most chiro's will work to realign the spine / pelvis, rather than let off muscle tension and give exercises to change the way a horse uses himself? That would normally be more physio territory? So if its been that way for a few weeks, I'd wonder about getting a physio rather than (or aswell as) as might have better long term effect?

Good advice as well about saddle check / yourself - though of course the list could e one endless:D

Good luck :)
 
I'd get the saddle refitted and ensure the saddler watches you ride in it. I'm appalled that so few do!

Breathe and explore options. Last week, I felt probably how you are and was researching which hunt to call :( A very sensible friend told me I needed to relax and stop panicking. She was right, the horse appears to be coming sound after 3 weeks of box rest.

It sounds like you're considering all options, which is sensible, but I'd say get your vet out for a thorough work up and then go from there. He's a young horse, relax and check your vet cover on your insurance.
 
Last edited:
He had a cut fetlock, like an overreach injury, that he picked up in the field. If it had been anywhere else he would have been back in work quite quickly but we had to keep him as still as we could. Poor old NFU had to pay out 1.5k on that, hopefully this will just be a case of tight muscles as he's only recently been working and I have ridden him to varying degrees most days. The chiro does physio too, and he does people... My RI says I am very stiff on the left rein so maybe this chap can see me afterwards... He does people and horses!

I already feel a bit better, thanks for the support all x
 
My old boy was similarly sensitive when grooming when he had hind gut problems and he became stiffer under saddle.

You could also be getting Munchhausen's-by -pony. Reading this forum does start this syndrome off. You read about problems and start to think your horse has them all. This leads to frenetic googling and sleep deprivation.
If you are lucky you will just have the side effect of a greater knowledge of horsey ailments!

I find the only cure is a large glass of wine.
 
Last edited:
melbiswas said:
My old boy was similarly sensitive when grooming when he had hind gut problems and he became stiffer under saddle.

You could also be getting Munchhausen's-by -pony. Reading this forum does start this syndrome off. You read about problems and start to think your horse has them all. This leads to frenetic googling and sleep deprivation.
If you are lucky you will just have the side effect of a greater knowledge of horsey ailments but if severe you could end up considering euthanising your entire herd!

I find the only cure is a large glass of wine.
Click to expand...

:D:D:D
Everybody else has given great advice and this is the best of all....i haven't got anything constructive to add but see you are in my area and was wondering which chiro you are using...? Could do with a decent recommendation. Hope it works out ok and the Munchausen's-by-pony calms down....I'm currently having a little flare up myself! ;)
 
Ha! Munchausen's-by-pony is honestly the best thing I have ever read on here, and I think you should trademark it. If you don't, I might have to steal it for my signature.
 
Sorry Cobiau missed your request! it's Bruce Hewett at osteoequine... Not had him for my lad but YO swears by him and I've seen the improvement in a very tricky girl of hers! Rachel Green is also very good, but is physio rather than chiro I believe. Going to try melbiswas's cure for Munchausen's-by-pony. Hand me the corkscrew!
 
It is not unusual for humans to think about the what ifs, imagining the worst things possible happening, and in small portions it can perhaps sometimes be good (as in i.e. thinking about what if I try to hurry across the street before the car drives past...), but in large portions it is absolutely pointless. You just waste your energy, and it doesn't help you one bit when it comes to finding out what it is that is troubling your horse.

I presume that while I've been looking for links (and spellchecking :o ), you will have gotten a few replies mentioning contacting your veterinarian, re-checking the saddle, so I will skip that part. Have you considered trying to find another chiropractor? Have you considered looking for someone that does for example Shiatsu, Acupuncture or is an Equine Massage therapist?

Shiatsu
http://www.equineshiatsu.org/rest_of_uk_europe.shtml

Veterinarians that does Acupuncture in Wales
http://www.abva.co.uk/find-a-vet/?country=Wales

Equine Massage therapists
http://www.naremt.co.uk/therapists.htm

I'm not sure about what the difference is between Equine Massage and Equine Sport Massage, and even though the later doesn't seem to have any practitioner in Wales, I'm still including the link, since depending on where you and the practitioners lives, maybe there still is someone that isn't too far away http://www.equinemassageassociation.co.uk/find_local_equine_practitioner.html

Mctimoney Chiropractic for animals
http://www.mctimoneychiropractic.org/=usersList=search=Wales&Large+Animals

Mctimoney animal association
http://www.mctimoneyanimalassociation.org.uk/find practitioners

Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in animal therapy
http://www.acpat.org/find-a-physio

Hope that you find out what your horse's problem is as soon as possible.

Edited to add: Or that the recommended cure for Munchhausen's-By-Pony works.
 
Last edited:
melbiswas said:
You could also be getting Munchhausen's-by -pony. Reading this forum does start this syndrome off. You read about problems and start to think your horse has them all. This leads to frenetic googling and sleep deprivation.
If you are lucky you will just have the side effect of a greater knowledge of horsey ailments!

I find the only cure is a large glass of wine.
Click to expand...

I also suffer from Munchhausens by pony. But when I have a glass (or vat) of wine, I get worse because then I start crying because I get all emotional at the thought that I will end up having to have the horse PTS!!
 
I concur Holly Hocks, similar things have happened before. The worst of it is that OH left a sane sensible woman who had merely remarked in passing that she would be getting a chiro out to have a look at Ned, and comes home to a soggy wine soaked mess howling that same Ned will have to be pts and she is a terrible owner! 'But I was only away for a couple of hours!'.

Still gonna drink the wine though. ;)
 
My gelding, who is not exactly stoical, was like this when groomed and a complete maniac to ride when he had a slightly sore back as a result of saddle fitting. Got the physio out and saddle fitter but had a long wait and was absolutely convinced he had kissing spine or SI. Just took a new saddle (and forking out on my part) and he was a different horse.
 
melbiswas said:
FL I fear your case of MBP is severe.

You are going to need a wine cellar.


( actually great links, who am I kidding, I'm not cured at all....)
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but there's a problem with your cure, I'm a teetotaller due to that I think that alcohol tastes vile, so there is no hope for the "take large glass of wine"-cure to work on me. Basically, when I phone the veterinarian, admittedly I haven't counted, but I guess that about 9 out of 10 times, I don't have to say my name, I just tell them why I think my pet needs to see a veterinarian, and after being asked if I can come this or that time, they usually say something like "This is *insert my last name* isn't it?" or "I'll write down *insert my last name* then, which of your pets did you say it was?"
It truly is that bad, I actually get surprised when they ask me for my name! (Usually = new nurse.) :o

I doubt that there is any hope for me.

Glad you thought the links was interesting. :)
 
Last edited:
FL, we need to look into alternative medicines I think.

It sounds as if it is easy to accidently OD on my original cure anyway!

I bet when you book a visit from your vet he gets on google too......
 
If it were me I'd be asking vets to do a blood test just to be on the safe side. My horse was on and off grumpy for ages while I ruled out everything from mud, sweat, saddle, hair, girth, etc until she started seizing up in the stable and it turned out she had a liver infection
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top