This time -sacroiliac treatment success?

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

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Long long story but to try and give a brief outline I have a rising 7yo who has never been quite right since before backing. Original considerations were wobblers (still not concluded either way); hock DJD (slight changes to one hock on x ray) and PSSM (negative type 1 and no response to vitamin E and alcar). There's never been anything hugely obvious and we've done everything bar a bone scan diagnostically. However recently the vet feels we are looking at SI as the major issue with possible others as secondary. He is weak behind, is developing an impressive jumpers bump, and often gets up cow style with hinds first or doesn't lie down often full stop. This week he has been lame on the left rein lunged and ridden at trot, which is the first time we've ever had an obvious lameness rather than just "not right". Next step is injecting. Has anyone else had a young horse in only light work had this done and what was the outcome? I'm not hugely hopeful as he has only ever been in light work due to the ongoing issues.

He already lives out 24/7 in a 9 acre field with two hills so building him up that way can't really be improved. Vet thinks turning away for 12 months at this point is a waste of time as it'll still be there. Shoes off is NOT an option. He's been on bf friendly, low sugar, balanced diet since 6 months but has congenitally thin, flat soles and his fronts run away at the toe and try to grow horizontally if unshod. Boots were no help whatsoever and my farrier and vet now work together and shoe to x ray.

He has never been worked in a school and done nothing more challenging than long reining and being hacked out over varied terrain. Lots of walk, small amount of trot and minimal canter. He now finds hills difficult and before the recent left hind lameness was starting to nap when asked to work on any kind of incline.

He is a hand taller than his parents at 17.2 and we suspect his size has a lot to do with his problems. He had nothing but forage and Suregrow as a youngster and has never carried excess weight but it seems apparent his joints are compromised. I only want him to be able to hack, having downgraded my ambitions at an early stage, but I'm not sure even this is an option sometimes. He has a lovely attitude and it's galling. As I've waffled a lot here's my main question again - has anyone else's young horse with SI issues responded to treatment?
 
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A couple of weeks on a water treadmill helped build the correct muscles on mine. However, the success of the treadmill work depends on the skill of the operatives over-seeing the procedure.

Also, whilst turned out on a hill, your horse is probably just pulling himself up by his forehand as that will be the easiest way for him. Either riding or long-reining would probably be better where you can influence his deportment.
 
I have a similar story to yours nudibranch - we did go for a bonescan after several other investigations and some failed treatments along the way which showed bone re-modelling in several areas. The worst areas were both hocks and both SI joints plus all 4 fetlocks and somewhere in the neck.

I had the hocks and SI joints medicated but it made no real difference. He is now turned away and appears mostly sound in the field, at times where he's looking a bit stiff I give him some danilon and then wean off once he's moving better.

I don't think he will ever be worked again but he seems happy out with his buddies so until that changes he will continue to do that.

Like your horse he didn't have a hard life beforehand so not really sure what caused it. He is 9 now but was 7 when he had the injections
 
Have you spoken to a proper, qualified physiotherapist (ie not someone who did a two week course online)? They may be able to recommend a course of targeted exercise to strengthen and stretch the affected area, build core strength and engage muscles to help support his frame. I’ve used one for several horses that I’ve iwned, loaned or ridden and the results have been quite encouraging. Your best bet would be to look for someone who has done people physio and then moved to horses.

I will pm the name of the practice I’ve used x
 
Didn't own one but did know one who had his SI medicated at age 5. Prior to that he had been denerved in one leg and had stifles treated. His body just didn't seem to hang together quite right for whatever reason (like yours, was much bigger than expected). He kept going lame during the SI rehab so his owner gave up and retired him about 6 months later. He was a big, over excitable TB though, so stood no prospect of becoming a quiet hack even if she could keep nailing his body back together
 
I had one with an SI injury (coupled with kissing spines) that never came right :(

My understanding, based on my fab vets explanations, is that you never cure a compromised SI joint, just manage it. Once damaged, the ligament can never be as strong as it should be, so the muscles surrounding the joints need to be as strong as possible and kept that way. So, the injection is intended to allow you time to get the back muscles really strong to support the SI ligaments with the idea that once it's effects wear off the back muscles will be strong enough to take much of the load and prevent discomfort.

I read some pretty depressing journal articles about success rates in SI injury recovery sadly. Really sorry you're having such a rotten time of it.
 
Broodle said:
I had one with an SI injury (coupled with kissing spines) that never came right :(

My understanding, based on my fab vets explanations, is that you never cure a compromised SI joint, just manage it. Once damaged, the ligament can never be as strong as it should be, so the muscles surrounding the joints need to be as strong as possible and kept that way. So, the injection is intended to allow you time to get the back muscles really strong to support the SI ligaments with the idea that once it's effects wear off the back muscles will be strong enough to take much of the load and prevent discomfort.

I read some pretty depressing journal articles about success rates in SI injury recovery sadly. Really sorry you're having such a rotten time of it.
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Sadly, this was my experience with a wonderful horse I owned. He injured his SI and stifle going roly poly down the hill in his field. His stifle came right, his SI never did and I had him PTS on vet advice six horrible months later.
 
My horse is nothing like yours (he is 14.1hh and had his SI done at 9 years old...I think!). Never in a huge amount of work as he was a bit nuts. Bilaterally lame behind and hot sports detected in SI on bone scan and thermal images. SI injected both sides and a rehab plan of straight line walking with gradual intro of trot. Brilliant for 3 months and then all went to hell, pony went insane. Treated for ulcers, hindgut and hayfever but by that point decided SI was off again. So a year later injected SI again, and had Rob Jackson out 4 weeks after that to manipulate him once the inflammation had gone down. Also changed my bridle and saddle as I felt they weren’t helping. He will be 13 in May and we have had two fantastic years now. He is working really well at dressage training, his canter has transformed from a weak scuttle to being able to lift his back and hold himself, he doesn’t jump often but when he does he feels amazing, and most importantly his whole temperament is transformed, he’s so much more relaxed. He hacks beautifully and now has a turbo button for climbing hills which he never had before.

So not sure if he will translate across to your situation but sometimes it’s nice to have one positive outcome to read. (Sisters horse also had SI injury as 5 or 6yo, intensive rehab and never had an issue with it after that, and he has a mega hill climbing engine, he is 19 now and has had other issue but none with SI.
 
I thought yours had had his SI medicated, BBP. I think he's in a Flexee now? Mine is...returned to it after backing him and him deciding he didn't like it and on his good days he's great.
Flicker my vet won't ok him for physio yet as there's too much going on and we need to sort the veterinary side first which I agree with. I do wonder how much use a physio will eventually be tbh!
 
Yes he’s in a Flexee. I’d been doing all the straight line hacking but his posture was so bad that I was thinking it was doing more harm than good and not using the muscles in the right way. So eventually only thing left to check was saddle, swapped to Flexee and his way of going was transformed. It was a real turning point for us (that and rob Jackson). Won’t be the solution for everyone but for my horse it worked wonders. He is now able to canter bending poles and counter canter shamrocks in trec which I never thought he would be able to do, and instructor thinks he should be able to start working on changes this year (these may not be a big deal to many but his canter was so flipping awful he could barely canter round the arena, let alone a 20m circle!). Riding bitless and a brilliant new instructor have also contributed. I ride him with a huge smile on my face every time now, whereas before I just hoped to get home alive!
 
Sorry to hear about your situation OP, I'm in a similar one myself with my 6 year old who is lame OH with no other reasonable explanation than SI, she has now been on field rest for about 5 weeks with no improvement so far. Calling the vet this week to discuss options.
 
Flicker said:
Have you spoken to a proper, qualified physiotherapist (ie not someone who did a two week course online)? They may be able to recommend a course of targeted exercise to strengthen and stretch the affected area, build core strength and engage muscles to help support his frame. I’ve used one for several horses that I’ve iwned, loaned or ridden and the results have been quite encouraging. Your best bet would be to look for someone who has done people physio and then moved to horses.

I will pm the name of the practice I’ve used x
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Id get Tom Beech or Rob Jackson out. They do a lot of cases like yours. They arent always successful but when they are its spectacular!
 
Mine has had si changes. I use a specialist equine competition horse vet. Vet and physio worked alongside each other quite literally. Great results! Horse hunting and competing and back to normal in less than 6 months!
 
Hi Piglet2001,

Please can you let me know if your horse had any injections as im going through the same.

My horse had very sore back feet as no shoes so she been on a week of bute and back shoes. I will be taking her off bute on staurday coming and the back lady coming out again 31st and then vet in 10days but she not very hopeful thats its SI she thinks she should be PTS or a companion. but she not giving me any of thoes signs as my horse is happy and sometime full of energy in her pen to trot around.
 
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