worried sick and aching

[Twigben]

Hello

My boy threw me yesterday and i am aching but more than that i am worried sick. He is a 4 (rising 5) year old ex racer that i have had for 9 months. He has had untold problems with injury (overreach, kicks, fibrosarcoma, splints, farrier problems). I have had a back lady out to him several times who has treated him for a very bad pain in the lower back region. He saw the saddler in january 2007 but by the beginning of April 2007 his saddle was very tight (he was working better and had grown) and had caused bruising to his withers. The back lady came out and worked on him and the saddler fitted a different saddle (third one since i have had him).

To cut a long story short the new saddle was great the day of the fitting and the day after he was working beautifully (see the 1st pic in my signature). On the 3rd, 4th and 5th day there were lumps under the saddle area along the spine and one on the withers, i changed numnah incase this was the problem. On the 5th day he became awful to tack up and mount (very out of character). So i called the saddler and vet.

The vet came out yesterday and checked his back she thought there was nothing to worry about and while he was narky she said that the pain responses were inconsistent i.e. one moment there the next not. She said that it was unusal to have such a severe response to the saddle after just 7 days. She said to let the saddler have a look. The saddler also came yesterday. He asked me to ride him before he got there so he could see the lumps for himself. I lunged without the saddle - fine, lunged with the saddle - fine, then got on - tail swishing, withers twitching, cow kicking then full on bucks all within approx. 1 min of being on him in walk! I got off and waited for the saddler i was not going to continue. The saddler came and looked at the saddle and said that it was a good fit, he took off the numnah and asked me to get on - after about 40 seconds i was on the deck after a full on bronco!!

I have had the back lady out this morning and she did a full work up and thinks he is dipped down on the right pelvis and that the toe dragging (vet said was lack of muscle) was worse and he looked lame on the lunge in his hinds. He is booked into the vets next week (earliest they could do) for tests.

I am now soooo worried because while the vet thinks its in my head and behavioural (young TB that hasnt been in consistent work due to time off with illness) my riding instructor has said that she thinks there could be an underlying cause - tumour on an organ (he has had a skin tumour - fibrosarcoma), kissing spines, trapped nerves etc. I dont know what to think. He has always been a bit crabby to ride and v v nappy out hacking, this was put down by the vet to his re-training and age and the fact he has not been in consistent work due to the number of problems - but now what if there is something else???

Any ideas? Sorry its sooo long

 

[Happy Horse]

Sorry, I'm not much help but if I were you I'd wait until you get the results from the vets before making any big decisions. I'm sure they will do a thorough work up and if there is a physical problem they should find it (is he insured?) If there isn't a physical problem you can get help working on him. Good luck.

 

[BethH]

Sounds as though there could be something back related but if it is I just want to let you know that even if it turns out to be major it isn't the end of the world and major problems can be successfully fixed these days so try not too worry to much. You really have my sympathy as I have been through this myself and it is simply gut wrenching but my boy has come through it well and is enjoying his work now, it is just the broncing and over reaction sounds a little familiar but am so pleased it sounds as though you have a good instructor who is very aware and you are doing the right thing getting tests so are doing everything possible to look after your horse. It could turn out to be something really minor like a small splint or something causing the problem you never know, some sensitive horses really over react at any pain.

I also wondered if it could just be that when he was backed it was done really badly especially as being an ex-racehorse he may not have had the best of starts. My boy was only 4 when I got him and he was already difficult to bridle and lunge etc and that was just after he had been backed and was completely green. Have you thought about trying to re-back starting out using long reins, that would at least keep some fitness there as well, which will help muscles support any problems and if vet was ok with it, you could work him gently in a correct outline on the reins that would really help him strenghten regardless of the diagnosis?

All my fingers crossed for you that it is just a simple solution but if it does turn out to be more major like Kissing spines the nfeel free to pm me and I will give you any help I can.

 

[Patches]

My horse toe drags and always has. I've had a full lameness work up for mine. She has slight changes to her hocks which don't help, but clearly aren't the cause as she's 9 now and has done if for the last 6 years that I know of. My vet ruled out sacro-iliac problems with Patches as she is evenly muscled. Atrophy on one side can be a sign of problems in this region I believe (but don't quote me on it).

Has your horse been flexioned? When Patches is flexioned she actually passes the test as her movement cannot be made worse, and indeed it doesn't improve when nerve blocked throughout the hind legs.

Back pain in general can stop a horse tracking up though and working properly behind. Hind end lameness, especially bi-laterally I would think means back problems cannot be automatically discounted (again don't quote me - I'm just brain storming).

Patches diagnosis for her toe dragging is a mechanical issue, not necessarily pain related. The vet believes that she has a very, very mild form of upward fixation of the patella. Not enough to make her patella lock, but enough to cause a slightly jerky action and the toe tapping/dragging during the stride. It doesn't affect my horse though behaviourally or under saddle. She's perfectly willing to work. She also had an underlying back problem (pain), possibly from old, ill fitting tack that had caused two areas of "wooden muscling" (as described by the Osteopath) along her spine. These were treated which freed up her movement and her back is fine now.

Good luck.

Try not to worry and let's hope the vet can find the answers for you. There's members on here who've been through kissing spine problems with their horses, as I know that's a thought your instructor has thrown into the loop, who may be able to run through the symptoms with you to put your mind at rest.

It's terrible when your mind starts working overtime and you dream up all manner of illnesses. Hugs to you as well, sounds like you had a nasty fall.

 

[Twigben]

Hi

Thanks for your encouragment. I took some pictures of his hind toes today to show how bad the dragging has affected him. The 2nd photo shows daylight through the shoe and hoof!!

BethH i have been taking him back to scratch for the last few months he has been lunged, walked out in hand etc and while he has muscled up the toe dragging etc has actually got worse. previous to re-starting him correctly he had a lot of rest due to an op to remove a skin tumour, rest for a splint etc so hasnt had much ridden work of late!

x x

 

[BethH]

It all sounds incredibly hard work and tiring you must feel exhausted. The toe dragging could easily be back related as Ryan had a lot of problems getting any elevation from his hind legs but he was also stiff and short in his stride so really struggled to track up, let alone over track and his movement wasn't straight, he is also a bit straight in the hock which doesn't help him anyway.

I think you are dead right getting him checked out, I don't think horses are deliberately difficult but some talk very loudly when they are struggling as was the case with mine. I think your horse is lucky that you are trying so hard to help, might be worth checking with the farrier as well as shoeing can sometimes be a big issue too and there may be ways of shoeing slightly differently that might help him - just a thought.

Hope you manage to get things sorted and let us know how you get on

 

[Twigben]

Quick update - some people have said that they thought his hooves looked like he had seedy toe so i sought a 2nd opinion from a friends farrier and it is definatley not seedy toe he has confirmed that the hoof wall has been worn back to the white line causing the discolouration in the hoof which is why from the pictures it looks like seedy toe. He said if it goes much further then he may make them bleed. He suggested getting my farrier to cover the toe in glue to try and give a barrier between the hoof and floor until we can get to the bottom of the lameness (he is coming Tues unless i can manage to get him out sooner!) . The farrier who i saw today has never met me or my horse before and commented on how aggressive he is - he stroked his withers and nearly lost his arm! He is becoming so guarded about being touched - i tried to gently groom him last night with a very soft brush and he bit me so hard i have a v large bruise on my arm!

Roll on Thursday because i cant take this much longer!

 

[beaconhorse]

have you considered EPSM ?? www.ruralheritage.com

main thing with this is to remember blood tests are very often normal and not as some vets think! So many TOP vets are still getting that part wrong