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Member
Posts: 6
| For the last week or so, I've noticed my gelding seems crabbier than normal and has been swishing his tail, which he never did in the past. This last weekend at the barrel race, he bowed out on the backside of his second and wouldn't finish his third. He actually broke the pattern and ran on the outside of my second barrel. My last run of the weekend was a clean run, but I had to force him to run in between the first and second on the way home because he tried running down the side of the arena, outside the second barrel again. He has never done this before and I'm thinking he might be sore. I'm getting his teeth done next week, but I don't know what to do in the mean time. I don't know if he is just being a jerk and not listening to me or if he is sore. If he is sore and getting his teeth done doesn't fix this, what should I do? I've never done chrio but am considering it. In the practice pen, he seemed to run the pattern fine but was still crabby about it. Help! Thoughts? Advice? |
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I Am a Snake Killer
Posts: 1927
  
Location: Golden Gulf Coast of Texas | Sounds like sore stifles |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | If he just started doing this, it's a pretty good bet he's sore/in pain and not just acting out due to bad behavior. Get a good lameness exam done. |
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 Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | Go see a vet, if he has never done this before he is hurting somewhere. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 434
Location: Northwest Florida | I'm with everyone else. This doesn't sound like a behavior or training issue, it sounds like he is in pain. I wouldn't do anymore competing until I figured out what was hurting and got it fixed or your problems will only escalate. Good luck! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1034
| I have the same issue with my mare. She's done it withe two owners previous to me as well. She still clocks in 2/3D blowing WWWAaaAaayyyyy off third. She has a gate issue, too. I've treated for ulcers and changed warm up. Hocks and teeth done, chiro, joint supplement, calming supplement, Lasix once even. I think at this point the gate and 3rd barrel are behavioral.
Oh and I got her a CSI pad, no tie down, mild bit, took my Spurs off, no over/under, no pushing... Heck I even bring her pony. Lol! What am I missing?
Edited by HorseMommyFiveO 2015-10-28 10:10 AM
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Member
Posts: 6
| What is involved in a lameness exam and how much is it going to cost for those who have had one done before? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 669
Location: Central Texas | hannahrose7 - 2015-10-28 10:20 AM
What is involved in a lameness exam and how much is it going to cost for those who have had one done before?
The price is going to be hard to say. It is going to depend on what all the vet needs to do to attempt to find the issue. Having experienced lameness issues, I would suggest that you go to a reputable vet experienced in lameness issues, be explicit in your explanation of what your horse does. Take videos for the vet to see if you have any. Tell the vet if you are on a limited budget. They will usually start from the bottom (feet) and work up. Costs will include the exam, xrays and ultrasound if needed. Vet charges vary. Call the vet and speak to someone and get an approximate price before you go so you will know what you're up against. |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Make sure when you take him in that you go to a sports medicine specialist. If you tell us where you are, there might be board members in your area that can make some suggestions or tell you a rough idea of what to expect.
Really sounds like you need to have him seen asap before running him again. From a rough description, it sounds like hocks or stifles.
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | And of course, don't run your horse again until he sees the vet.
For a lameness vet, they are usually going to do flexion testing, and nerve blocking (if indicated) to help isolate the location. Depending on what they find, may take x-rays or do an ultrasound, or other things.
How much the treatment is going to cost is going to depend what they find.
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 Expert
Posts: 2013
Location: Piedmont, OK | Sounds like a pain issue. Definitely worth a trip to a good lameness vet. |
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 Professional Amateur
Posts: 6750
Location: Oklahoma | Go back to the basics - teeth, chiro, check for beans (on a gelding). . .then head immediately to the vet to have him gone over. |
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | A good warm bath with 1/2 cup absorbine 16 oz green alcohol 16 oz apple cider vinegar 16 oz of witch hazel mix in 5 gal bucket warm water use on entire horse and one bute wait 2 days and see where your horse is sore. Can't just compete with out some muscle soreness relief. Hope it is nothing serious. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: Lost in the swamps | Go to the vet!! Obv if he's never done this before he's telling you there is a problem. Lameness exam ( flexion tests, blocks, x rays ) It will be cheaper in the long run, than keep running and making something mild a bigger problem, and then it eventually wil turn into a mental issue and a habit.
Edited by imturnin3 2015-10-29 9:55 AM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1078
Location: Salem Ky | My gelding had been off for over 4 months due to a cut. When I started running him again recently, he hasn't been finishing the 2nd well and blowing off at the 3rd. If I touched him at all try to finish, he would stiffen and go wider. I had him chiro'd. He was really sore in his poll, neck and withers. Up and down is his pelvis. Each time she would pop his neck he would stretch his neck, then shake it. We've only ran the pattern at home. While it is better then what it was. I can help him some now. But he still isn't 100%. So we now have an appt with Dr Greg Ford for Nov. I'm thinking he needs his hocks and/or stifles done. |
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Member
Posts: 6
| I had a lameness exam done in November and turns out my gelding had extra bone growth on his front seasmoid bones. Vet said to give him the winter off and put him on a good joint supplement. Apparently this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the new bone growth was sharp and needed time off to smooth out. I have him on Cosequin ASU and Smartgain and Smartshine from Spartpak. Love what I've been giving him. Started working him again in January and has been working awesome. Ran our second fast time ever our 2nd show out and he is not even in shape yet! Thanks for all the input!! Sorry this was a late response but wanted to update anyone who was curious. |
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Veteran
Posts: 242
| My horse did this too it ended up being heel pain in her front right foot and left but right was more painful. Might want to check front feet esp for heel pain. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | HorseMommyFiveO - 2015-10-28 10:08 AM
I have the same issue with my mare. She's done it withe two owners previous to me as well. She still clocks in 2/3D blowing WWWAaaAaayyyyy off third. She has a gate issue, too. I've treated for ulcers and changed warm up. Hocks and teeth done, chiro, joint supplement, calming supplement, Lasix once even. I think at this point the gate and 3rd barrel are behavioral.
Oh and I got her a CSI pad, no tie down, mild bit, took my Spurs off, no over/under, no pushing... Heck I even bring her pony. Lol! What am I missing?
Check for suspensory issues |
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