What's this mean - no change on bute...is it pain or his temperment??

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Hollyhorse

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My horse (16.1, 6yo ISH, gelding (likely rig), owned since feb 07) is really thin-skinned n sensitive - he gets rubs unless all his 'kit' is sheepskin lined. He is also v cold-backed, holding his back arched for the first 10 mins I get on him n then is fine, he also practically sits down when I take off rugs etc. However for the last few months he's been getting more n more uncomfortable, being resistant to go forward and being particularly naughty. He's always been very nasty (i bought him from goresbridge sales...), lots of rearing, napping, bucking but was highly strung and enjoyed his job after an initial battle and was getting better (or 'controllable'), but now he's become more backward and almost a bit lazy and clearly unhappy about going forward at the start of the session - bouncing in canter when i use leg rather than going forward to a bigger canter. I've had the chiro n osteo out, both of whom said it's muscular n there's no apparent reason why he's got a sore back. He's not lame and I'm still riding and competing him. I rang the vet n was advised a trial of bute which i did for 10 days then took him off it and there was NO change when he was on the bute or off it - completely the same. Am I right in thinking this shows it's not because of pain n therefore just his character? We should hear back next week from the blood sample whether he's a rig or not, we suspect his is as he behaves like a stallion, mounts the other horses and seems to go through 'seasons'. I'm just wondering what it could be or if it is just his temperament and he uses being cold-backed as an excuse or something. Any thoughts?! (I've booked him into a back specialist (Sven at Willesle) next week to investigate)
 
I dont think that no change on bute necessarily means anything. I think my vet said that if there is no change on bute it could be mechanical, like arthritis in the spine.

I also have a very difficult horse. When he started experiencing severe muscle spasms about a month ago he went beserk. It felt like it happened overnight and coincided with him getting into a terrible fight. He was treated with electric wave treatment and he went back to just being difficult.

Recently he hasnt felt quite right and so I am having further investigations. I did a bute trial and he was really forward which indicates pain somewhere so the vet thinks something underlying, like KS, rather than arthritis. If there had been no change on the bute I think he said he would have been inclined to think arthritis rather than KS but that there was still something underlying to cause the muscle spasms.
 
I would also suggest having his liver checked. Liver disease can cause sensitive skin. Any sign of a virus which could affect the nerve endings in the skin ( I had one earlier in the year and it was HORRIBLE)? Sadly, I think you are finding out why he was put through the sale ring, rather than as a private sale. I hope, in a sense, that you do find he is a rig - for everyone's (horse and human) safety. I think one of the geldings in with my mare may be one. He doesn't mount the mares as far as we know, but does very stallion -y things and recently attacked (and mounted) another gelding.
 
Hi - just a thought and maybe totally useless BUT- my tb displayed this behaviour when I put sheepskin saddle pad on- he is much happier in a polypad type pad-he is a real sensitive guy with materials- as I said just a stab in the dark.
 
interesting that liver probs has come up a few times...that would definitely make sense with his sensitive skin. my osteo came to look at him again yesterday n brought his dad who's an equine vet n he suggested i checked out liver probs as he was yawning non-stop! i'm hoping that the blood test taken yesterday morning will highlight any liver problems? his bladder might also be a problem as recently he's been peeing loads - seriously - usually 3 times a day! how can they check that out? could all this be linked?

CBAnglo - i hope you find out what's going on with your horse! hopefully the investigations on thursday will help with my boy, good to hear that no change on bute doesnt necessarily mean it's all in his head

Fatpiggy - he did have a slight discharge from his nose for a couple of days a few weeks ago so i gave him an easy week and gave him a feed supplement with vits, mins n echinacae etc. So maybe that was a virus n his immune system has been down... Like you, I do hope we find he is a rig as it would explain so much n we can start planning how to cope with it.

horsemadmandy - worth a try! when i first bought him he just had normal numnahs/saddlecloths/pads n then he showed signs of being coldbacked so i changed to sheepskin lined cloths to help, but i have a polypad so i could try that!

Thanks for all your help, will keep you posted on what happens 1) from the blood test result, and 2) from the vet investigation on thurs
 
My mare showed very slight improvement on the bute test.

- Her symptoms: Occasional reaction to girthing up
- Frequent "panic attack" whilst being mounted
- A "bolt" within the first ten minutes of work for about 3 laps of a school
- Stuffy to ride especially to turn left the rest of the time
- Sometimes 1/10th - 2/10ths lame on a circle/sharp left turns on hard ground
- Eventually crushed heels

Everyone suspected back problems first but physio, chiro and spinal x-rays ruled it out. When the condition of her front feet deteriorated and, even with heartbars, the lameness became more apparent she went to Newmarket and was diagnosed with severe soft tissue injuries inside her front feet. I don't know for a fact that this is her only problem and some of her behaviour could well be down to another undiagnosed physical problem, habit and traumatic memories but there is no doubt that one problem that can be very hard to get diagnosed can lead to odd symptoms throughout the horse's body and to it under-performing.

Along the lines of the other posts, little to no improvement on the bute test doesn't rule out a physical problem. Don't let anyone tell you its all in his head.
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Good luck with the investigations. I hope they find something they can sort out.
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Have had 2 horses with bilateral front limb lameness that were sore muscularly over their backs where they were compensating. If the bloods don't show anything it might be worth getting nerve blocks done
 
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