Worried, relapse of back problem???

pistolpete

pistolpete

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Hard to make this concise but long story short, horse off for eight months. Bone scans xrays etc found little wrong. He was just wobbly and weak through his croup/hind end. Lots of rest a bit of physio and quite a lot of luck and he came back into ridden work in Feb.
Now he seems reluctant to go forward and generally off. Can't really put my finger on it but would say he just feels hesitant. Is a stoic type so that makes it harder.
Triedcalling physio she is being elusive, would you call vet give 'bute and rest? Just panicking 'cos I really thought he was on the mend, sad now. :(
 
Hey I really feel for you it must be heartbreaking to have this going on and not knowing what his real problem is either, especially as this has taken you a long time too. I can empathize as my mare gets a sore back and they also have not really found the cause through scanning. It is hard to give advice on your particular situation, but unfortunately you probably have to live with the fact that he occasionally may not be right again... How to fix it? I would have hoped that Physio would want to help, failing that, give the vets a call and try bute, probably ease off with work for now. Vet and physio will be in better place to advise how much, if any, work.
Maybe it is something different too, although unlikely as you have had the problem before. Could he have sore feet for some reason? Has he lost condition and maybe the tack isn't fitting so well? I don't know, I would ask the expert if I was you but don't give up yet, I think relapses may well happen and you will just find the best way to manage him. That's how I now go with my mare.
BEST OF LUCK xx
 
We have a horse here whose main symtom was just not going forwards like he used to. It felt as though there was a block and that he had lost his rear 'engine'. Nothing showed on bone scan, but he was found to have suspensory problems in both hocks. He too, had had a previous back problem, but it was fine this time.
 
Thanks folks, physio booked, he is going to have short walks only and some 'bute. He got turned out in lush summer field for a couple of hours today, that will have cheered him up no end!
 
My vet is only part time and not working today, I will definitely get a message to her tomorrow to keep her in the loop. Did'nt call her out 'cos he really isn't that bad. He is just a bit quiet. If things get any worse she will be the first one to know.
 
How is your saddle fit? It could cause the lack of forwards, as can problems in the feet.

Do you find it hard getting muscle on his hindquarters? Is he over-muscled in his front end? If so then it could definately be something going on in the hindquarters, but without looking at him walk, its hard to tell. Does one side of his hindquarters dip more than the other when he is being walked away from you?
 
Saddle was checked last month. Will watch for any dipping of hind quarters today. Front end always been more muscled than rear. Just want him sound
 
The fact that the front has always been more muscled than the rear suggests to me issues in the hind quarters and that instead of using the hind end correctly with the front end, that the front end is being used to compensate for the hind end. I would get the sacroiliac checked, also the pelvis (the angles on the tuber coxae-the pointy bony bits on the hindquarters behind the last rib) to see if the angles are even. It could be something in there. I find quite a few horses with problems in that area.... as well as one of my own. Good luck, I hope it's something that is easily managed :)
 
His saddle was checked last month. He is bigger in front but always has been. Will watch rear end today for any signs of tipping. Not noticed any up to now. No longer tracking up though :(
 
He was much better today, no dipping away that I can appreciate. He does swing his left hind under his body and in front of right hind in walk. Then wide behind in trot! Very strange action, but has always been quite wide behind. It was often described as his wet nappy look!
 
It's official I am neurotic! Vet fairly happy with him still. Thinks maybe taken a small step backwards but maybe just a tiny bit too much work too soon. Needs to lose a bit of weight too.
 
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