What is up with my mare?! Constant shaking..

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baileymoo

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Hi, just wondering if anyone had any idea what could be wrong with my mare? Me and the vet are at a loss.

About 4 weeks ago she began twitching, shaking like a dog and swishing her tail when ridden (basically how they react when irritated by flies). It started off very subtle. Now there aren't many flies around so i thought maybe it may be her summer coat coming out and irritating her so i clipped her and there was no change. She had a physio out, no problems. I wasnt keen on her saddle anyway so gave her 3 weeks off whilst i was waiting for the saddler to come out, she has now got a new saddle which fits her perfectly. So i have started riding her again gently and she is worse than ever? She twitches her withers and body constantly like she is covered in flies, out hacking or in the school. I lunged her yesterday to see what she looked like when moving and looked very uncomfortable and stiff. I stopped her immediately and touched her withers and she shot off twitching. She shakes whilst walking or trotting, and once i have got off or stopped lunging her she will not let me near her sides/top of neck/withers. This is at all times of the day and in all weathers.

Had the vet out today and he poked and prodded her all over, especially her back and she didnt react. Trotted her up and she was fine, then got on and rode her and mare refused to go forwards and was shaking again and after she had done a bit of work she stood there constantly twitching. Vet has tried to eliminate as many things as he can, it isnt mites, nothing bone related, 99% sure it isnt muscular or a trapped nerve. She is absolutely fine until doing any kind of work. She is now on a bute trial to see if it makes a difference and he is coming back to take a skin sample if nothing changes.

She is up to date with wormers, teeth, feet, back, saddle etc and has never had this problem in her life. She is a 5yo ISH coloured mare. Any suggestions as to what could be wrong?
 
It is much more obvious when working, whilst brushing her before hand there is the occasional twitch or so but during and after work she is just seems constantly irritated by something?
 
No, she doesnt seem actually itchy, just irritated. Its an odd one!

And i did initially think that she may have broken her withers, but the vet did a very thorough check around that area and she didnt react in the slightest whilst being examined and said if they were broken she would sure as hell not be standing there whilst he was doing what he was!
 
Sounds odd, but could she have mites? Our vets have seen more cases of wingless mites around this year - our mares both had sheep keds and showed very similar symptoms. They had a deosect inj, only found one of the culprits when giving them an insectiside bath which confirmed the diagnosis.
 
baileymoo said:
No, she doesnt seem actually itchy, just irritated. Its an odd one!

And i did initially think that she may have broken her withers, but the vet did a very thorough check around that area and she didnt react in the slightest whilst being examined and said if they were broken she would sure as hell not be standing there whilst he was doing what he was!
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Dont think she would have let you sit on her if the withers were broken. I too was thinking allergies?? See if your vet will give you anithistamines??
 
Thanks for the replies!
No she hasn't been tested for wobblers, the vets due back out soon so ill have a word.
She has a leather girth but uses various numnahs. She still twitches even on the lunge with nothing on her but I shall try washing all the numnahs in hot water. What would you recommend washing it in future?
The vet didn't seem to think it was mites as it was only when worked that she showed the irritant and is completely fine on her legs. But again its something to look into. She isn't scabby, itchy, scurfy or anything but could they get mites on their bodies and not have these symptoms?
Thanks again.
 
Don't know if this is relevant, but ...... I had a horse with twitchy withers, it didn't stop him working, but I just wondered why he did it. I got Caroline Arkill to come to him (this was in the days when there was furious correspondence in H & H from vets that "back people" couldn't do a thing to help a horse). Caroline took a run from one side of the stable and gave the horse a big thump on the withers. From that day on he never "twitched" again.

Has the vet suggestsed a chiro/osteopath/physio?
 
After 3 weeks break she wouldn't still be reacting to an allergy to the saddle blanket. I would ask the vet to put her on a course of antihistamines and see if that makes any difference as it could be an allergy to something else. It makes lots of sense for it to be an allergy because she gets worse when in work ie; gets warm because this would make her more itchy (like having a hot shower when you have mosquito bites on you!) Has she got skin rashes? Or bumps/hives? Can you think of anything that might be causing the reaction (change of grass in the change of season, new paddock, change of feed etc?)
 
You say you are 99% sure it isn't muscle related but have you had blood tests to confirm? My Dales Pony started acting like this, it was very frightening and upsetting. In his case it was followed a week later by an episode of tying up which was confirmed through blood tests. It is likely he has EPSM (although I haven't had the biopsy done) and I've since discovered this shaking/acting like being irritated my flies is one of the typical symptoms. EPSM horses don't all tie-up.
 
baileymoo said:
Thanks for the replies!
No she hasn't been tested for wobblers, the vets due back out soon so ill have a word.
She has a leather girth but uses various numnahs. She still twitches even on the lunge with nothing on her but I shall try washing all the numnahs in hot water. What would you recommend washing it in future?
The vet didn't seem to think it was mites as it was only when worked that she showed the irritant and is completely fine on her legs. But again its something to look into. She isn't scabby, itchy, scurfy or anything but could they get mites on their bodies and not have these symptoms?
Thanks again.
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Ours didn't act 'itchy' nor did they have any skin symptoms - other than their twitching they appeared like two fit and very healthy mares. A dectomax inj each and all is well!
 
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