Vet's treatment for bad back... any similar experiences?

C

Christmas Crumpet

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 August 2007
Messages
4,035
Visit site
My horse has been on and off work since Feb when he pulled something in his back. He's been in for a lameness work up and had his off hind medicated for arthritis in the TMT joint. I brought him back into work and it was clear that his back was still sore so vet came back out to see him. He had improved but was obviously not mended so we went to the surgery this afternoon for a closer look.

It turns out he's got slight scoliosis (sp.) of the spine and is still pretty sore behind his saddle. He also has a wonky pelvis. Watching someone else ride him I could see that he was constantly pushing them onto his right side (which is why I felt wonky when I was riding him).

The vet wants to a) have the chiropractor out to sort out his pelvis then b) have him shockwaved under sedation and given Cartrophen and then brought back into work. He also wants the horse schooled hard to make him work hard and start using the muscles that he is obviously weak in.

I wondered whether anyone has had this type of treatment done in their horses and how effective it was. And also to explain what Cartophen does.

Sorry this is so long but I'd be very grateful for anyone's input. Also in NL.
 
sorry to hear about your horse.

can't offer much help - sorry - but there is quite an old thread about cartrophen here - you could try pm-ing one of the posters perhaps??

good luck!
 
I use the McTimoney chiros (less invasive) and think they are brilliant! I also use the chiro for myself (thought it best to iron out our creases at the same time) and really appreciate the benfefits
smile.gif
 
Sorry, not too similar but my mare had real problems with arthritis in her neck 3 years ago (she is now 24) and after going through stuff at Rossdales she is now on a sachet of Danilon each day.

However, the best thing was finding a brilliant equine (chartered) Physio. She gave the horse a few treatments and exercises for me to do with her. I have religiously done these exercises with my mare on a daily basis and she is just fine now and the wasting on her shoulder has completely disappeared. Do try this before other things - it could just work for you and I hope it will!!

Good luck!
smile.gif
 
Thanks everyone - had a bit of a gloomy half an hour this morning about the horse and all his problems but have given myself a kick up the bum and feeling much better. Have spoken to chiropractor who was really nice and should come out and see the boy this week. I just felt as though I've got this huge long list of things that need doing before we can even think of getting back on track and felt a bit overwhelmed. However, I've taken the first step by speaking to chiropractor so onwards and upwards.

Thanks you sm153 for Cartrophen post - really kind of you to find it for me.

Thanks everyone.
 
Wonky pelvis is quite common to varying degrees according to my back lady - apparently about 80% are down on the left side, so similar to being right handed I suppose! - chiro should be able to help sort that out no problem, plus schooling exercises to build up that side once other problems sorted out.
 
His is mega wonky!! Every cloud has a silver lining - I thought I was such a horrendous jockey because I felt so wonky when I was schooling him. Turns out its not me. Phewee!!
 
i would assume since they say all foals lie on only 1 side late in the pregnancy -
when there is not enough room left inside mum to roll over
- that it is why they are inclined to have a stiff/wonky side later in life?
 
I too am on a long road with my horse to recovery so i can empathise with you. My horses physio has given me a tens machine to use on my boys back 20 mins twice a day....maybe mention it to your chiropractor

Keep positive
good luck
 
I'd be a bit worried about your vet telling you to school him hard. Mine is just coming back into work after having his hock medicated for spavins. He had obviously been sore for some time, had been compensating all along his back (sacroilliac, lumbar and under the saddle all sore) and had built up all the wrong muscles. AFter having his hocks done, vet recommended an osteopath. He had two treatments and is a different horse.

However, he doesn't need to be schooled hard. He needs to be schooled like a baby to re-learn how to use the right muscles again. The muscles all along his back were in spasm as he was holding himself so tightly; now the osteo has released the spasm, he feels so weak behind. His movement is much more powerful but he can't maintain anything for long so needs building back up slowly. I have started mine with loads of hacking, slowly introducing trot and canter. He's also long reining, working in hand and doing loads of pole work. Osteo wanted him to start with poles on the ground, move to raised trotting poles then move up to jumping b ut starting with only X poles. He has to do lots of long and low work to encourage him to stretch and build up the correct topline muscles. All that would happen if I tried to school him hard is that he curls his neck, won't use his backend and those incorrect muscles will stay put. So I think I would be tempted to start yours off like this. FWIW, mine also has a "wonky pelvis". He is unevenly muscled in the area which makes him hold himself strangely. Osteo says the soreness has caused him to hold himself incorrectly, which makes him move oddly behind. The work she has done has helped to release a lot of that and he is now much freer (is that a word?).

I was sceptical about the osteopath as I'm quite a traditionalist in that I like proper Physiotherapists, but I can't argue with the results. Def worth finding a good osteo or physio. Personally I don't rate chiro's at all, McT or otherwise.
 
I've just dropped him off at the vets for the day so the McTimoney man can see him (thankfully yard owner is a friend so she doesn't mind me leaving him there. Work are getting a bit cross about all this time I'm taking off...!!).

I am also of the opinion that he doesn't need schooling hard because he is an exracehorse and he has never been schooled hard. We had lessons last summer and he was great but the thing that helped the most was hills, hills and more hills and a quiet life. Once chiro has been today then the next steps can be taken and I will start him going after physio has been. He's going to go on the walker at home for a couple of weeks I think to get walking again before he has a saddle on and we'll go from there. I am not too despondant because he was like this when we got him last summer and the fitter he got the better he got and he was flying hunting last season. Its just going to take time.

He's also got to do lots of walking because I totally believe in the 6/8 weeks walking fitness work to get his legs hard.

Thanks for advice Chestnut cob - you are on my wavelength for sure!!
 
I know my situation is different to yours as my horse has spavins rather than a bad back per se, but I definitely think lots of hacking is the way forward. I'm not a huge hacking fan but it's helping my horse so we're doing it. Mine started work about 3.5 weeks ago and has so far been hacked nearly every day, starting at 20 mins and now up to about 1.5 hours a day when I have time, with some trot work. He's had a few canters in straight lines. I've long reined him twice in walk, have schooled twice (for 10 mins and 20 mins resepctively) in walk with a tiny bit of trot and a couple of canters. The long reining is great for him as it gets him stretching and working over his back. When I've schooled, that has all been done on a long rein (not loose) and really stretching with lots of rein changes andsome lateral work to encourage him to bend correctly.

I wouldn't even think he needs a quiet life, just to be built up again slowly.

Hope you get him sorted
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top