Stilltrying’s update (horse that fell over)

[stilltrying]

After I got so many great responses to my ‘where to go from here’ thread (see below) I thought I’d update on the last few months for those that are interested.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/sh...rue#Post4915835

A couple of weeks after the above post, and after months of being ‘not right’ (not lame but not wanting to go forwards) he went lame in front. Thank God, at last something to go on!!! He went from slightly lame, to sound, to very pottery, back to slightly lame over a few days. It seemed abcessy to me, Trimmer was due and sure enough found it ready to blow out of his heel and with some manipulation it burst there and then. He was a little sore but within a week or so came sound. I got my horse back

But then in true jerry style another week or so later he got a bacterial skin infection which took hold very quickly and left me with a £350 vets bill and a sound horse that was too uncomfortable to ride (see my post, ‘very itchy horse’!!!!!!)

So we got this under control and he is now very very slightly lame behind.

I give up, this has not been our year, he’s having some field time and I’ll start again next year. Roll on 2010…………

 

[0ldmare]

Oh poor you, you do seem to have gone through it with your neddie. Lets hope 2010 brings you (and him) better luck

 

[OrangeEmpire]

I read your past post but didn't have time to read all the replies. I'm very sorry he's been so thoroughly through the mill, how horrendous for you.

Is it possible that he has neurological issues in his neck? Just a thought from those photos of you jumping then falling - upon landing you're using the reins as an anchor (perfectly legitimately!!!) and this pulls his head up, then you both end up on the floor... if he lifts his head on approach to a jump this could also tally?

My tb has arthritic changes in his neck which interupts nerve signals to his hind legs. When his neck is flexed the presure is released but if it is up/straight he loses coordination in one hind (sometimes both) leg. This leg and occaisionally the opposite fore leg show intermittent low grade lameness, which inevitably magically disapears whenever a vet looks at him.

He is worse when he is unfit which may just tally with the time off your horse has just had to have.

There is no miracle cure but time, consistant exercise and magnetic therapy allied with pain relief have turned him from a wreck into a happy horse again. No jumping (but then i'm a chicken anyway!), but otherwise very happy. I just have to make sure I ride him on a gentle outline, particularly down hill with plenty of support from my legs.

I hope you can get to the bottom of his problems, he is a beautiful horse (and chestnut!).

Edited to add - Have now read all those posts and folk seem to think it is his feet - My mare has foot problems and went barefoot about a year ago. It is only now that she's become truely comfortable and they do say it takes a year to fully adapt. Now though she is 10 times the horse she was so chin up, your lovely boy will get there!

 

[stilltrying]

OrangeEmpire - thanks for the kind words

Neuro issues were mentioned by my vets, but not by the horsepital vets. They had him for 10 days and they really couldn't find anything. Out of interest, how was your issue diagnosed??

After my first post I had decided to speak to the vets about taking a look at his feet, however in light of the latest hefty vets bill that will have to wait. I dont want to give up on him just yet as so much of what has happened could be just coincidence/bad luck. So my plan was to get him fitter, forgetting about jumping and just working on strengthening his back....if only he would stay sound for long enough!!

He has been barefoot for nearly a year now and his feet look great. That said, I did also decide that if we ever went back to competing I would shoe/stud him accordingly, but we are so far away from that point at the moment.

 

[MrsMozart]

No wise words, but hugs and a hot choccy.

Horses huh, who'd have 'em!

 

[Dotilas]

Re chiro in the South East on your previous post, are you sure he wasn't an osteopath? Bone crunching and flying visits ring a bell

I was also told that there was nothing wrong with my horse skeletally by both my vet, another vet and osteopath, and to continue riding and given all clear to jump etc. My horse showed soreness behind the saddle, and collapsing back end, but only if you rode him every day. Ride him everyother day and he would be fine. He too pulled front shoes off 24/7, this improved with a new farrier who really improved his feet

He was slowly getting worse, despite multiple visits of professionals. A new saddle showed an improvement, but to make a long story short, when I couldn't get him to canter, I demanded that he went to horsepital where they would find out what was wrong with him and fix him.

He had scintigraphy which showed severe, degenerative kissing spine and issues with his front feet. He had kissing spine in 7 places, despite not showing any of the "tell tale signs" of the condition. He was operated on and is doing well

I think the scintigraphy cost about £1200-£1800 including his stay, but he did catch a virus and was ill when he was there so had to stay for longer

If you can, I would go along this route to find out what is hurting and where. They are injected with a radioactive substance and then scanned, which shows up the areas of "pain", i'm not too sure.

I hope you get to the bottom of this

 

[stilltrying]

[ QUOTE ]

He had scintigraphy which showed severe, degenerative kissing spine and issues with his front feet. He had kissing spine in 7 places, despite not showing any of the "tell tale signs" of the condition. He was operated on and is doing well

I think the scintigraphy cost about £1200-£1800 including his stay, but he did catch a virus and was ill when he was there so had to stay for longer

If you can, I would go along this route to find out what is hurting and where. They are injected with a radioactive substance and then scanned, which shows up the areas of "pain", i'm not too sure.

I hope you get to the bottom of this

[/ QUOTE ]

See...now what you have described sounds very familiar, however.....he had a bonescan last year which came back squeaky clean. He spent 10 days at newmarket and they couldn't find anything wrong with him other than some changes to his suspensory ligaments in his hocks, one of which was within the 'normal' range, the other just over. He has had 2 back xrays, both of which have noted some spinous processes are close, but KS has been ruled out.

As for the chiro/osteo - I've been informed since he isn't qualified.