Tests for neurological problems.

pistolpete

pistolpete

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My horse is being referred for tests at Liphook because vet worried about spinal problems. She did this horrid test where as he was walking she pulled his tail left and made him lose his balance. Looked very uncomfortable for the horse how would a healthy horse deal with this?
 
Yes I had this done on my horse.
Usually the horse will resist the pull and carry on walking straight.
In a wobbler they tend to fall sideways.

There are many other ground tests that are usually done for a diagnosis and also x-rays (usually of the c-spine)

The really telling test for my horse was putting one back leg across the other and then placing the hoof flat on the ground (so he was cross legged). My lad didn't move his foot for ages and when he did he nearly collapsed. When they walked him forward from this he couldn't walk straight at all and it was very distressing.

Is your horse having further tests done?
 
Yes this test was done on my horse, and yes I was shocked, but only because he lost his balance. Not to the point of losing his back end, but it made him sway completely off his line. The vet got me to do the test myself, I was horrified, I pulled him sideways with less resistance than my dog on her lead!

A normal horse may allow himself to be swayed initially, but then will correct himself immediately, and if you try the same again you will meet resistance and he will not allow himself to be swayed.

Unfortunately, as far as I know, this is a fairly reliable test for neurolgical problems.

My horse was diagnosed 2 out of 5 ataxic behind....
 
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Yes xrays at Liphook next week. So worried, poor lad had navicular diagnosed this year, had a tooth out and a filling! Now this, he is only 13.
 
I can only tell you what they did with my lad.

They lunged him on a circle (hard ground) on both reins. Sometimes with a wobbler they swing the outside leg out.
Tail pull test as above.
Cross over back legs as explained above - they did this in the sand school so if he fell over he would have a soft landing.
They cover one eye over and do the same with the other.
They totally blindfold them to see how much spacial awareness they have.
They walk them over poles on the ground.
They ask the horse to flex the neck round on both sides (with a carrot or feed)
They ask them to back up in a straight line.

Ultimately they will then x-ray the C-spine to check for spinal compression.

Usually the ground tests that they do determine whether or not you have an ataxic horse. Especially the crossing over of the back legs. That was the most distressing test for me to see as it proved beyond doubt that he had wobblers. My poor lad virtually fell over and then wobbled all over the place as they asked him to walk forward.

I am very sad to say that my lad was pts due to grade 2 wobblers and the horendous self inflicted injuries he was sustaining.

I really do wish you well.
 
Thank you AH I have read somewhere it's a young horse's disease, Pete is 13, but I suppose he could have had it for a while :(
 
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