Stifle issues? Symptoms?

[Simbapony]

Hi all

How would stifle issues present themselves? I'd assume with lameness? I'd also assume you'd see it on the ground and not just under saddle and that it would be continual lameness rather than intermittent? Not something I've had dealings with previously .

 

[HorsesRule2009]

Not necessarily, it depends on what is the issue as the stifle is one of the most complex structures of the horse, but signs other than true lameness could include
Stiffness after stabling that improves as they start to move.
Reluctance to work may prove an early indicator of a stifle issue.
Dragging the toe
Canter resistance
Very rough canter
Difficulty backing up
Shortened stride
Issues going up and down hills
Drifting to one side over fences
Problems transitioning from trot to canter and vice versa.
A sore back or croup often accompanies stifle lameness, also just feeling NQR

 

[Glitter's fun]

Friend's horse had problems in both stifles.
First signs were lower head carriage and leaning on the bit, especially going down hill.

 

[webble]

Mine has just been diagnosed with a stifle issue (among other things) initially he didnt look lame as such, he was reluctant to move forward and struggled with going down hill, he was carrying his head low and over bending. It can definitely be intermittent to start with, you would really need a vet to do a proper work up

 

[Hallo2012]

mine has bilateral stifle issues and had no problems except being excessively spooky suddenly and then a few weeks later lame, literally never noticed anything off in his movement but he was obviously covering up and the spooking was pain related.

 

[Prancerpoos]

Mine was a little strange at canter one evening, had refused to jump a couple of days before and then suddenly could not get up from lying down - all in the space of a week! The vets never did find out what it was and put her on Bute and she was fine as a field ornament for a couple of years until I called it a day.

 

[vam]

No lameness, just rested one hind more than the other. No drop in performance, way of going, nothing.
Only went lame when i backed off the work while doing investigations. Found a tear in the middle patella ligament.

 

[dreamcometrue]

Mine was fine in walk. The first evidence that something was wrong was when I asked for canter on a hack and she bucked and bucked on the spot. After that she was lame in trot so I got the vet out and she went for a lameness work up.

 

[Landcruiser]

My youngster was reluctant to go forward and a body worker picked up "low flight arc" on her RH. She would also occasionally toe drag a little in walk. We suspected OCD as same body worker had treated her brother, who had been found to have this condition. Turned out she was clear as far as OCD, but was found to have a torn lateral meniscus. She was never lame even on a circle.

 

[WestCoast]

My mare toe tapped on the affected leg in trot. Her hind hoof also came down slightly outside the front one - you could see the print was about half an inch further across and you could also hear it just skidding slightly as she put it down in the road at walk. It was very subtle and both my vet and physio said she was fine initially.

Oh and she was not happy to pick up the opposite hind. She would actually offer the other leg when I asked for it like she was trying to do what she was asked. She also rested it more but horses often rest one hind leg more.

Many of these things would be be obvious if both stifles were affected.

 

[splashgirl45]

Mine suddenly resisted when the farrier picked up her hind and she leapt forward, she was 24 and was only doing gentle hacking as she had an arthritic knee so I was mainly walking and she seemed fine in the field , used to trot and canter when she felt like it . I was mainly concentrating on the knee and didn’t think of stifle , fast forward 3 months when I had stopped riding and she came in from the field and struggled to pick one hind up so had to
Pick her foot out with it virtually on the floor. Vet came next day and both stifles were swollen , he gave me plenty of pain relief as she was too sore to manipulate and he was coming back in a couple of days. She was so uncomfortable even on a lot of pain relief , I got him to PTS rather than examine as felt it wasn’t fair to continue , if she had been younger with no other problems I would have investigated but not with a 24 year old .. I had owned her for 23 years and was heartbroken…