When you suspect a neurological issue, what do you do?

[Fools Motto]

The horse in question is young, but has been under saddle a good 8 months, including several 2 week breaks of being turned out and not fussed with. Nothing has been rushed, and resulting in a laid back horse 98% of the time. The remaining 2% the horse totally loses the plot. Random reasons why - can be that someone left their coat on the gate, or another horse walks past stable (many do, and get no reaction) then BAM, hysterical throwing all toys out of the basket! Ridden or stabled, similar reactions.
Also noted when rolling out in the paddock, frantic pawing of the ground, trying to dig with both front feet like a dog, loses balance, almost falls, but then rolls, and gets up like a cow, bum first hind feet hitting front heels while kneeling on the knees!
Ridden trot is mostly good, canter seems more unbalanced now than it did when first started, wobbling into the sides of the arena. Trot poles either causes total melt down or trips over them. Tried a few small X poles in this time, and hardly takes off - ploughing through them, but never resulted in any form of panic.
Ridden by a pro - who thinks they're going to fall over in the arena. Hacks nicely though!!
Starts head bobbing when put the head collar on, and is hard work picking feet up - doable with a lickit occupying the front end.
Not my horse, but need suggestions on what I can suggest to help?!!

 

[Sossigpoker]

Consult an experienced vet. And consider a neck x ray.

 

[Littlewills]

I'd test for PSSM and if that was negative then its a vet work up job.

 

[milliepops]

Next step is a vet check I'd say.
Basic neuro exam can be done at home.

 

[ycbm]

You can do the basic neurological tests yourself, they are simple.

Does the horse reverse in equal pairs? Cross the inside hind leg in front of the other when turned very tight on a circle in each direction? Can it reverse with its head held high? If you pick up a hind foot and place it on top of the other one, does it leave it there or move it? Can you pull it off balance really easily at halt or walk by pulling its tail to the side?

 

[shortstuff99]

What is their general personality/demeanor? One of mine can be a bit hysterical over things/change but that is their personality and 13 years later is very sound.

 

[Fools Motto]

Very laid back personality, but when the hysterical moments arise, it really questions if the 'not all there upstairs' is actually a thing or not!? I've never met a horse who over the past 5 months has gone backwards in growing up.. previous to this I honestly put everything down to very immature - which it was, so acceptable.
I know getting backwards steps now is like moving a concrete block, but when done can do it correctly, would stand on the other foot when asked to turn tight circles, throw head around then do it right. Hold on to the tail, probably kick you. lol

 

[SEL]

Sounds like the horse we had on the yard with wobblers. He flipped so badly in the stable one day he kicked out breeze blocks. Watching him get up after a roll was painful and pre diagnosis he was incredibly unpredictable under saddle.

Diagnosed via neck x ray

 

[milliepops]

Yeah I have 2 wobblers, neither exhibit symptoms this severe but I definitely recognise a lot of this, particularly the laid back nature but with random explosions and inability to cope with poles.

One went for a full work up at vets Inc x rays. The other was just assessed at home.

 

[DabDab]

Definitely get the vet out, and even if horse passes basic tests I personally would get a neck x-ray with all those symptoms.

My horse used to have random explosions when he was young and his pssm wasn't well managed yet, but the issues with rolling and wobbling into walls when ridden don't really tally and sound very neurological.

I suppose the other thing for the vet to check would be his eyes?

 

[ycbm]

I've seen the same random freak outs with PSSM horses, but the rest sounds more neuro to me, especially your latest info. It sounds like he frees something in the neck by chucking his head around. I'm a bit surprised the owner hasn't called a vet already?
.

 

[Shysmum]

Vet job, good luck!

 

[LEC]

You can do the basic neurological tests yourself, they are simple.

Does the horse reverse in equal pairs? Cross the inside hind leg in front of the other when turned very tight on a circle in each direction? Can it reverse with its head held high? If you pick up a hind foot and place it on top of the other one, does it leave it there or move it? Can you pull it off balance really easily at halt or walk by pulling its tail to the side?

This - Also how does it deal with step up/down or slope up and down. I also like walking them over logs etc - has to be bigger than a pole in hand.

I had a big warmblood, I was worried about but he passed the above with the vet. We ended up changing his shoeing on vet advice and that made a world of difference to his tripping and generally being uncoordinated.

 

[paddy555]

The horse in question is young, but has been under saddle a good 8 months, including several 2 week breaks of being turned out and not fussed with. Nothing has been rushed, and resulting in a laid back horse 98% of the time. The remaining 2% the horse totally loses the plot. Random reasons why - can be that someone left their coat on the gate, or another horse walks past stable (many do, and get no reaction) then BAM, hysterical throwing all toys out of the basket! Ridden or stabled, similar reactions.
Also noted when rolling out in the paddock, frantic pawing of the ground, trying to dig with both front feet like a dog, loses balance, almost falls, but then rolls, and gets up like a cow, bum first hind feet hitting front heels while kneeling on the knees!
Ridden trot is mostly good, canter seems more unbalanced now than it did when first started, wobbling into the sides of the arena. Trot poles either causes total melt down or trips over them. Tried a few small X poles in this time, and hardly takes off - ploughing through them, but never resulted in any form of panic.
Ridden by a pro - who thinks they're going to fall over in the arena. Hacks nicely though!!
Starts head bobbing when put the head collar on, and is hard work picking feet up - doable with a lickit occupying the front end.
Not my horse, but need suggestions on what I can suggest to help?!!

I cannot imagine why the pro would even get on a horse in the first place if they think it is going to fall over.
Not clear from your post if the horse was broken last year when it was 3 and is now either actually 4 or coming up to it's 4th birthday. Also what breed and size is it?

 

[Fools Motto]

Rising 5 maybe 16.2 dressage warmblood.

 

[paddy555]

Rising 5 maybe 16.2 dressage warmblood.

in that case I would get the vet to check it out. (if it had been rising 4 I would maybe have erred on the side of giving a very young horse more time)

I am not sure why the pro hasn't suggested that.
If I wanted to keep exercising/training it would be on long reins (maybe hacking if the horse is happier) That way I would be remaining securing on the ground rather than a wobbly horse

Lots of possibilities and no one can second guess what the vet may find but there is PSSM in warmbloods if everything else were to check out OK.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Even if your horse "passes " your home neuro tests it doesn't mean he isn't a wobbler. A wobbler horse has a cervical spine compression and this can only be diagnosed via an x ray. I had one that did fine the tail pull and crossing over but turned out to have a severe compression at C5 and was PTS.