Tail hanging to right

[Mac1991]

Hi,

Has anyone got any ideas what could be causing this? My 22yo tb started around April last year hanging his tail to the right. Seems to only be when ridden. We moved yards and he rubbed his tail on the trailer as he leans back. He is still holding it to the left when ridden. Last night I lunged him and he looked short on the left rein, hind left looked a bit short and he wasn’t fully stepping through. This morning I wanted to see how he felt and went for a walk out. He was marching on and felt normal. I’m worried it’s his SI. He tucks under when I run my finger down his bum and doesn’t step sideways. I can move his tail whilst pushing on his hip. He lets me stretch his his legs forward and up and doesn’t seem to be in pain. No signs of injury or heat anywhere. He had the chiropractor a few months ago and she said he was fine and gets physio every 6 months, he’s due that next month. Any ideas?

 

[Equi]

It would be very interesting to see a trot up video from the hind.

 

[Mac1991]

It would be very interesting to see a trot up video from the hind.

I’ll try get one this week. I need to send it to the physio anyways

 

[dapple_grey]

Hindlimb lameness. Especially if they've only just started doing it.

I made the mistake of involving a physio when mine did this, and they gave me a whole shpiel about falling over in the field and having sore muscles. Got my vet to look, and he turned out to be lame behind.

Better to get a qualified vet to take a look

 

[nettle]

Hindlimb lameness. Especially if they've only just started doing it.

I made the mistake of involving a physio when mine did this, and they gave me a whole shpiel about falling over in the field and having sore muscles. Got my vet to look, and he turned out to be lame behind.

Better to get a qualified vet to take a look

Oh, this, 100%!
Being on a big livery yard I heard this so often from other liveries, ‘my physio/chiro/body worker says he must have slipped in the field and tweaked something’ No dear, your horse is lame, maybe only 1/10, and may be bilateral. I’ve lost count of the horses I saw being treated regularly for ‘tight muscles’ over and over iand t would be the same places each time until eventually they were blatantly lame and the vet got involved.
I’m not anti physio/chiro/body workers and have used all three at various times and they can do some fab work. But if the same issues keep coming up you need a vet. IMHO.

 

[Birker2020]

I went to view a horse that did this. I didn't buy as I was very wary as it can be due to a neurological problem but equally your horse may have damaged the tail somehow. The only way you will find out is to get the vet particuarly as you suspect hind limb lameness or indication that he is not stepping through from behind.

 

[dapple_grey]

Oh, this, 100%!
Being on a big livery yard I heard this so often from other liveries, ‘my physio/chiro/body worker says he must have slipped in the field and tweaked something’ No dear, your horse is lame, maybe only 1/10, and may be bilateral. I’ve lost count of the horses I saw being treated regularly for ‘tight muscles’ over and over iand t would be the same places each time until eventually they were blatantly lame and the vet got involved.
I’m not anti physio/chiro/body workers and have used all three at various times and they can do some fab work. But if the same issues keep coming up you need a vet. IMHO.

It's always falling over in the field isn't it

Like you, I'm also not anti-physio/chiro etc. There are some very good ones but also plenty who cannot detect lameness and will wildly mis-diagnose.

I’ve lost count of the horses I saw being treated regularly for ‘tight muscles’ over and over iand t would be the same places each time until eventually they were blatantly lame and the vet got involved.

Yes I see this exact scenario time and time again.

Sorry to de-rail the thread OP. Hope your vet can find an easy fix.

 

[Birker2020]

Is the tail flacid? What happens if someone walks the horse forwards in hand and you stand to the side of the horse and pull the tail towards you? If the horse cannot maintain his course and is easier to pull towards you it might suggest a fall in the field onto its neck.

Around 4.17 on the video is about tail tone.I'm no vet but have experience with this kind of thing. It certainly isn't normal behaviour.

Hope everything turns out okay for you.

 

[lynz88]

Oh, this, 100%!
Being on a big livery yard I heard this so often from other liveries, ‘my physio/chiro/body worker says he must have slipped in the field and tweaked something’ No dear, your horse is lame, maybe only 1/10, and may be bilateral. I’ve lost count of the horses I saw being treated regularly for ‘tight muscles’ over and over iand t would be the same places each time until eventually they were blatantly lame and the vet got involved.
I’m not anti physio/chiro/body workers and have used all three at various times and they can do some fab work. But if the same issues keep coming up you need a vet. IMHO.

A good physio/chiro/body worker should be able to see lameness appropriately and not chalk it up to the horse just tweaking something in the field.

A tail held to one side indicates pain somewhere or a neuro condition IMO. My typical protocol would be chiro (who does see lameness) as mine *is* an idiot in the field more often than not and have seen for myself that more often than not he's got himself in knots, and then vet. My chiro is good at saying when something is a vet issue as well though.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I viewed a horse that carried it's tail to the side. I was told it wasn't an issue etc etc. I declined buying the horse. I'm guessing there was an issue as when horse did get sold it competed a few times then totally disappeared.

 

[Birker2020]

I viewed a horse that carried it's tail to the side. I was told it wasn't an issue etc etc. I declined buying the horse. I'm guessing there was an issue as when horse did get sold it competed a few times then totally disappeared.

Ha it wasn't a dark bay whose name started with F was it???

 

[pistolpete]

Mine did it and his C6 and C7 were misaligned in his neck. Found all this after bone scan he stayed sound after shoes off. Also had navicular but only lightly hacked. Tail always over to the right. Bless him.

 

[dapple_grey]

A good physio/chiro/body worker should be able to see lameness appropriately and not chalk it up to the horse just tweaking something in the field.

They should, but in my experience many of them can't.

I overheard one chiro in my area telling her friend she'd been treating a horse multiple times that 'wasn't lame, but just off/stiff'. A vet was on the yard treating the owner's other horse and looked at this one whilst he was there. Long story short, whatever this horse had wrong with it was so significant it had to be PTS. I was appalled. We ended up having an argument and things got heated - you wouldn't believe how miffed she was being told lame horses should see a vet

It's good you have a chiro you can depend on, we're all at the mercy of the professionals we trust, sadly. Owners should also be held accountable, but I've been there and it's hard when you think you're trusting a trained professional.

I now have a very good physio who came highly recommended by my vet. We actually had a conversation about the above and she said she experienced the same thing and found it very sad and frustrating.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I viewed a horse that carried it's tail to the side. I was told it wasn't an issue etc etc. I declined buying the horse. I'm guessing there was an issue as when horse did get sold it competed a few times then totally disappeared.

No!! He was a beautiful looking chestnut gelding. I was in discussions of offering her a lot less than the asking price and she was very keen!! I think I may have saved my vetting fee!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I'm another that would just get your vet.

Physio and body workers should not treat anything that is lame without vet consent.

 

[TPO]

Even if a complimentary therapist can see and identify a lameness they legally cannot diagnose, nor should they treat a horse with an undiagnosed lameness.

Therefore vet as first port of call always in this situation.

 

[Birker2020]

No!! He was a beautiful looking chestnut gelding. I was in discussions of offering her a lot less than the asking price and she was very keen!! I think I may have saved my vetting fee!

The one I went to see whose tail hung to the side had 'catapulted her off' in the collecting ring. I found this out by doing a bit of Faceache stalking when she'd been stupid enough to put it on her page!

 

[Zoeypxo]

Had one that did that he had pretty severe hock arthritis

 

[Flowerofthefen]

The one I went to see whose tail hung to the side had 'catapulted her off' in the collecting ring. I found this out by doing a bit of Faceache stalking when she'd been stupid enough to put it on her page!

Lucky escape for us both!

 

[DSB]

We had a family,who all carried their tails to one side.
All had healtjy working lives.

 

[sbloom]

I believe usually from spinal (and ribcage, often the most visible) rotation which indicates increased asymmetry so it can be almost anything at the root cause. Definitely to be investigated.

 

[Goldenstar]

It’s a job for a work up vet .
Although I did have an American saddle bred who did this these are horses that shown with the super long tails he always carried his tail with a little kink he had a long working life and it’s pretty common when you see pictures of his type .
But all others I have seen doing this have an issue .
It’s a job for a suitably qualified vet .