Stiff in the back end... advice needed

[_jetset_]

This is a friend's horse...

She has a 4 years old Arab x Thoroughbred who is now backed and in ligh work. He is schooled once a week by a lady on the yard for around 30 minutes and his owner takes him out in hand on hacks three times a week for around an hour. Her daughter sometimes rides him on these hacks, but as he is still very young they want to get him out and about seeing things without knocking her daughter's confidence as she is doing very well on a horse she has been riding.

Last year, he came in from the field looking 'stiff' in his back end (that is the best way I can describe it) but then by the morning he would walk out fine and normally again. His owner thought he could be getting cold joints, so bought him some stable boots.

However, last night when his owner got there he was stood at the gate, and was very stiff in his back end again, just as he was last year. His owner walked him out and trotted him up, and although he was not lame, he was definitely stiff on both back legs. This morning, she has walked him and trotted him out and he was absolutely fine.

Could it be that he is getting cold in the field? When he came in he was really sweaty under his light weight rug, and he has quite a bit of coat on him and a bib clip (they wanted to get him used to clippers and he was brilliant).

She is thinking of putting him on some kind of oil, but is not sure what is the best one to use...

Does anyone have any idea what this stiffness could be caused by or any experience of something like this?

 

[bellaboo]

Sounds very similar to how my shetland is at the moment so would be interested to here the advice given.

 

[Halfstep]

Could be anything- possible problems in hocks, stifles or sacro-iliacs spring to mind. Or he could have low level azoturia. Or something like EPSM, in which case a high-oil diet might help a lot. In cany case, a 4 yr old shouldn't be stiff like this and your friend should probably have it checked out.

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks!

He has been fine all summer... yesterday was the first time it has happened this year.

Just asked my friend, and this has happened for two years (not just last year)... She had the vet the first time but I don't think it was very conclusive because it seems to sort itself out after a few weeks of coming and going. He had the sway test done, and that was all fine.

It seems to happen at this time of year every year, but then in a month it sorts itself out...

 

[dieseldog]

Maybe Azorturia? Would tie in with him being sweaty. Have they changed his diet recently or rountine?

 

[_jetset_]

No, diet and routine exactly the same as it has been all summer...

 

[BethH]

Only thing I do wonder if whether he doesn't look lame because he is bi-laterally lame. Does he track up when he walks and trots or is he stiff and short in his stride and how is he going down hills on hacks? My first thought would be that you don't get stiffness for absolutely no reason there are a number of things it could be especially around pelvis etc. Have they called a properly qualified osteopath or chiropractopr out to have a look as they may well be able to sort it out or it not advise if the vets need to check it out.

The other thing is that as a youngster he may not have very good balance yet, would suggest as he is just starting ridden work that he be worked fairly correctly to ensure a stretch through his back and neck. If he is tense at all and when ridden is holding himself awkwardly then that could cause him some stiffness from tight muscles.

Not sure if that helps but may give you a starting point.

 

[buzzles]

It does sound like it might be mild azotoria but it could also be he had a slip or fall in the field and twisted something? However if he had the same thing last year then this is proabably unlikely or else a coincidence. Has he had his back done recently?
Another thing it might be is laminitis, not the usual symptoms I know, but we had a pony get laminitis in the hind feet from the frosty grass before. She sounded just like the horse you're posting about, very stiff in the back end, reluctant to move and not using her hocks properly. She also got sweaty. The vet said she had mild azotoria and laminitis from eating the grass after the frost. She'd never had laminitis before and had been out in the frost and snow before so not really sure why she got it then, the other ponies were out and none of them got it. It has been quite frosty the last few nights so just another idea to consider. If he continues to be stiff and uncomfortable she should probably get the vet out.

 

[Tempi]

Sounds to me like its something to do with the change in the weather - if its happening around this time every year, and this is the 3rd year then its more than likely the cold getting to him.

 

[pennysharman]

or could it be a bit of atherightes because as he/she gets older they could be suffering a bit more with it did she buy it of breed it if she bought it could it be suspected atherightes?