Stifle lock in cob, experience's please.

[Myboytwilight]

Hi all, just looking for some advice.. I have a cob pony(traditional type) rising 5 years who is a cracker to do anything with, lovely temperament. The problem is she has started to stifle lock, after being stabled. The first 2 vets I approached had never experienced this (I live in ireland). I have now sourced an equine vet who assures me he has experience dealing with this condition and he is coming on Tuesday to assess and discuss options. The thing is Google has confused me regarding treatment. Perhaps there are people on here who can help with this, based in their experiences. Thanks in advance.

 

[be positive]

They sometimes grow out of it as they build up strength and fitness, ideally you would have her living out 24/7 so she can keep moving and do plenty of slow steady exercise to get her really strong and fit, I would not want veterinary intervention until I had tried getting it right by exercise, I had a pony that did it as a 3-4 year old he grew out of it by 5 and never had a problem once in full work.
I am surprised 2 vets had no experience of it, it is not that unusual in youngsters some do require treatment so see what your vet suggests.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Don't worry. My Exmoor got a locking stifle at 4, I had never seen it in the flesh before & ithought he'd done something awful. I called my vet, who already knew the pony & he asked me to describe the movement. In 5 minutes he reassured me that my pony wasn't broken and that it's normal in 4 ish aged ponies with a growth spurt. Work, hills, if you have them & raised poles to pick the feet up.

If he really locks, push him backwards to step back, it usually frees it.

 

[LinzyD]

Give the pony as much turn-out and in-hand exercise as you can. If you have any hills nearby and can manage it, lead the pony out in-hand in a bridle doing some hill work in walk two or three times a week. It's great for introducing a youngster to the big wide world, good for your own fitness, and will do the stifle a power of good. Basically, the second thigh needs to develop, and the structures around the stifle need to strengthen, and this is best done in slow, steady work that requires power from behind.

Most grow out of it, so don't panic. If it locks and doesn't loosen off by itself, back the pony up a couple of paces and that usually releases it.

 

[Dave's Mam]

& as Be Positive said, I am surprised your vet didn't recogise it. I told mine "He's snapping his foot up & then it looks like his leg won't bend" "Calm down, his stifle is locking". Job done

 

[Mike007]

They grow out of it if you dont force them . At 5 he is a baby and the constantly changing effects of growth cause the incredibly complex and amazing stifle joint to always be not quite in the correct adjustment. They are meant to be able to lock , its just that the lock will not be correct til he stops growing assuming you dont overwork the joint.Bob the notacob my significant Irish draught other, had a clickey stifle and it was a warning sign of tiredness and time I backed off a bit. I would so not be worried by this .

 

[Dave's Mam]

Dave's doesn't lock anymore. Locking stifle is generally the result of things growing & tightening at different rates. Keep walking & trotting & if you have hills use them, or raised poles & just good active work.

 

[Dave's Mam]

They grow out of it if you dont force them . At 5 he is a baby and the constantly changing effects of growth cause the incredibly complex and amazing stifle joint to always be not quite in the correct adjustment. They are meant to be able to lock , its just that the lock will not be correct til he stops growing assuming you dont overwork the joint.Bob the notacob my significant Irish draught other, had a clickey stifle and it was a warning sign of tiredness and time I backed off a bit. I would so not be worried by this .

Yes exactly.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I honestly thought Dave had injured himself. He was swinging an immobile leg out to the side & then all of a sudden it would PING & back to normal. Poor lad had growing pains & that.

 

[Mike007]

They just do it to scare us .

 

[Dave's Mam]

They just do it to scare us .

Yup. I was in bits! I thought he'd done something awful. Nope. Growing.

 

[ycbm]

I have a six year old who is growing out of it as he gets older. I've had him x rayed twice for peace of mind and he has great joints. It's very common. They are supposed to be better if kept warm, but mine is better if I keep him cold. Lots of hill work is recommended.

They used to do a ligament cutting operation but that is definitely not recommended except as a last resort. It causes problems later, apparently, because it destabilises the joint.

 

[showjumpingharry]

My Dartmoor has it it only affects him if he has been in over night, and even then he just looks a bit stiff. Since we have had him he has got a lot better because he's fitter��
ETA he is also better if kept warm so wears an exercise sheet

 

[tristar]

there are many causes of locking stifle or upward fixation of the patella, it is not fully understood and the joint is complex, very often it goes on its own.

as you are in ireland you could talk to or see Hugh Dillon at troytown clinic in kildare, he is of the opinion that medial patellar desmotomy is the route if other ways fail, for reasons he may explain, although most vets are frightened at the thought of it, not very helpful, but it helps to make a decision later if needed, and Dillon usually does do the two sides

 

[ycbm]

there are many causes of locking stifle or upward fixation of the patella, it is not fully understood and the joint is complex, very often it goes on its own.

as you are in ireland you could talk to or see Hugh Dillon at troytown clinic in kildare, he is of the opinion that medial patellar desmotomy is the route if other ways fail, for reasons he may explain, although most vets are frightened at the thought of it, not very helpful, but it helps to make a decision later if needed, and Dillon usually does do the two sides

The vets round here were never frightened of it, Tristar. It used to be done routinely in any youngster that was locking. When discussing my horse, my vet told me that it is no longer done because they now know that it causes problems long term in active horses. He also told me that if we did end up doing it, it would be as a last resort only, and he would recommend twelve months field rest before the horse was ridden again.

Thankfully, mine is growing out of it.

My friend had a two year old done. It got a meniscal tear at four, was given a year off until five, but was never quite right and as far as I can trace broke down catastrophically at eight after he was sold.

 

[tristar]

7 years is the earliest i would consider it, to do a two yr old is folly, but if its really bad.....

Dillon is adamant its ok.

 

[Myboytwilight]

Thanks so much to all who have replied, thanks for taking the time and for your positivity. It is much appreciated. It appears from your experiences that time is a great healer, if I can just be patient and careful with work and training. In hand work on hills and trotting poles are very doable for me, so I will try to avoid interventions until I can improve fitness. I will let you know how it works out.

 

[PorkChop]

My daughter backed a pony for a friend that had a locking stifle, once she was in proper, regular work it didn't cause her any issues

 

[Dave's Mam]

Thanks so much to all who have replied, thanks for taking the time and for your positivity. It is much appreciated. It appears from your experiences that time is a great healer, if I can just be patient and careful with work and training. In hand work on hills and trotting poles are very doable for me, so I will try to avoid interventions until I can improve fitness. I will let you know how it works out.

I am sure it will work. In the words of my vet "Please don't panic".

 

[Sukistokes2]

I have a traditional with locking stifles, he is now 8, if he is kept in consistent work , well muscled and using himself, they bother him very little. One side is quite bad, the other only slight. He is now being ridden by a teenager and is going great guns.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I have a traditional with locking stifles, he is now 8, if he is kept in consistent work , well muscled and using himself, they bother him very little. One side is quite bad, the other only slight. He is now being ridden by a teenager and is going great guns.

I think you will remember my panic when I saw Dave's lock up for the first time!

 

[Sukistokes2]

I could practically feel it in Kent, all the way from up northish

 

[Dave's Mam]

OP, my pony is now 5 & working regularly in hand & I haven't seen him lock up in about a year. I am fairly sure your pony will be fine too.