Unbalanced horse

J

Jack1997

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Hi,

My TB x welsh was diagnosed with OCD in his stifle last year, i brought him back into work a few weeks after he had a steroid injection (vet said this was ok), though he is so unbalanced, falling in, falling out, (same on lunge), occasionally we can get into a nice outline in trot were he is really working but i feel like he isn't engaging his back end and just working on the forehand. Can anyone give me any advice to get him balanced up?

Thanks
 
Hmm, difficult to advise. Obviously dependent on how he moved before.

Tbh I would ask your Vet to come and see him move again, as what you describe doesn't sound like he is completely comfortable.

How is he moving in the field?
 
He was quite unbalanced before this too. The vet has been back out and said he looks sound, just unbalanced.
He is moving fine in the field, he's bonkers really
 
I would not lunge ro be honest, and would do in hand work over poles, take it very steady.
I am assuming he has no conformation defect.
I would find a good physio, the vet needs to agree to treatment, if no improvement then think about a chiropracter or a sacro-illiac expert..
I assume you yourself need no treatment?
I would do plenty of light hill work and hacking rather than schooling, so that you are letting him decide how to balance himself.
Ask the farrier if his action is normal, ask him to look at action before and after shoeing, if farrier does not seem knowledgeable, find one who is.
Have a good EDT look at his mouth and head conformation
 
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It is possible that he has been mis diagnosed, but of course the vet is not likely to admit this, or he could easily have several problems, which are related, or not, and you need to take a more holistic view.
I am sure you will benefit from further study of anatomy and physiology, and this will help your observations.
There are two or three very detailed books , from £25 to £50.
You might be better to order from library, as it is a difficult subject and you needto build up your knowledge.
Take every opportunity to observe lots of different horses [and people, lol], as they walk away from you.
 
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PorkChop said:
Hmm, difficult to advise. Obviously dependent on how he moved before.

Tbh I would ask your Vet to come and see him move again, as what you describe doesn't sound like he is completely comfortable.

How is he moving in the field?
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I'll be honest, I would find a vet who is a specialist, it is OK to ask for a referral, or even send him to a university hospital for further examination, they use treadmills and imaging etc etc.
It would help if he was insured for vet fees, obviously. Essentially, insurers need to know what is going on, and they will probably now clamp a thousand and one exclusions.
This is very unusual.
 
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npage123 said:
Maybe consider balancing x-rays to check if his shoeing should be done differently?
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Our local vet hospitals use a farrier who is used to interpreting x-rays, I would not expect a normal one to be as good. But if you already have a really good farrier, then it is worth paying for him to be in on any further consultation, if he is to continue to shoe the horse, it may be necessary to do so.
 
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If he was in pain, and now feels better, it's going to change the way he goes. Maybe he had this for a long time and got into a pattern of going. My welsh x TB has bone spurs on the front of both hocks. I have kept her sound for years without any medication, by never working her on a surface unless competing. I do lots of steady trotting and cantering up any inclines I can find (difficult in Suffolk!). She is eventing to OI level, but I'm very careful with her management. She also lives out full time.
 
Hi guys thanks your feedback.
Unfortunately he has already been to a specialist hospital, rainbows in Malton. Whilst he was there he had a back, pelvic and hind leg bone scan. He also had X-rays on both stifles and pedal bones, as this was what was shown on scan. There was slight uptake on sacroilliac but nothing major. He's had corrective shoe ing on both hind feet ( gradual shoes Because he's got broken back hoof pastern axis on LH)
 
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