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Expert
Posts: 2685
   
| Backstory: bought the mare under weight. She has since put on quite a bit of muscle. She is 14 years old and has a lot of TB in her so a decent set of withers. Several people told me I would never get her top line back to decent but it has come a long way.
Since Day two of the OKC Shootout, she has been back sore. Not terribly, but it’s there. I have to squeeze to find it. Not sore to the “touch.” She was sore right where she has gained the most amount of muscle. During our run that night, after the 2nd & 3rd barrel she took like 3 short strides and then humped up her back and put her head down and caught another gear. Not like bucking but like a stumble without moving her feet. She did not do this the first night.
I have rode bareback (at the walk) once and rode-rode twice. I put on the saddle I had been riding her in without a pad and it felt tight where she has gained that muscle so I rode her in my Martin instead. It is flatter and wider. Now there is too much room behind her shoulders but there are no spots where there is extra pressure. I shimmed behind the shoulders on ride 2 of using the Martin. Today I just lunged her. She is doing that thing occasionally at the trot. It’s not really evident but I can see it. Her head goes down a little like she stumbled and her back comes up a little. Doesn’t look like a lame step, but like her feet slip but I don’t see her feet slipping. More so to the left. Her back is a little sore basically where I would sit.
I have had two lamenesses done on this mare (within a week of buying her, so before all of the exercise). She did not flex bad on anything but she had somewhat narrowed spaces in her stifles and was stumbling when rode so I injected those and a very, very trusted vet saw minor spurs on navicular so we injected those. She did not test positive to hoof testers.
Do I go further into saddle fit? Do I chalk it up to muscle growth and just try to help her through it? Do I look into her feet? Do have new lameness done? Look into her knees? (We flexed but radiographed them) Chiro? Acupuncture?
**I have a PHT sheet on the way.
In case anyone was wondering Update 8/27:
I put her PHT sheet on her for 30-40 minutes for the first two days. Not really much change in her back. She did seem more relaxed. I left it on her for about 5 hours yesterday and when I took it off I pressed on her back and couldn't get a response out of her. I pushed hard enough that I sure would have winced regardless of soreness. I have also been riding her in the wider, flatter martin saddle. So either way, we have improvement. Moved vet appointment to Wednesday. They are going to think I'm nuts if she's not sore when I bring her lol.
Edited by RoaniePonie11 2018-08-27 7:44 AM
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13502
 
Location: OH. IO | E P M |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| jake16 - 2018-08-23 7:23 PM
E P M
Treated for it when I got her :/ |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13502
Location: OH. IO | RoaniePonie11 - 2018-08-23 8:50 PM
jake16 - 2018-08-23 7:23 PM
E P M
Treated for it when I got her :/
gotcha!:) |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| jake16 - 2018-08-23 8:00 PM
RoaniePonie11 - 2018-08-23 8:50 PM
jake16 - 2018-08-23 7:23 PM
E P M
Treated for it when I got her :/ gotcha!: )
We worried about that based on her condition. I could see about sending a titer off. I don’t know what that costs. |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13502
Location: OH. IO | have you taken any steps to see about kissing spine? |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| jake16 - 2018-08-23 10:49 PM
have you taken any steps to see about kissing spine?
First thing that came to mind just reading the title.
We have a rope horse gelding that I use to run who has it. The motion you’re describing sounds a little like what he would do running barrels - which eventually turned into other issues. Roping he struggled to really use himself and pull strongly.
He passed a flexion and lameness exam with flying colors - they were ready to send me home. We had noticed back tenderness after we roped, and especially after a couple days in a row in addition to the issues on barrels. So we X-rayd his back since I was there.
I no longer run him on barrels - I suspect there’s additional mental blocks there because his anxiety level goes through the roof. It’s not worth it to me to push the issue. We inject his back and he gets along fine roping as long as we use a saddle that fits well, good pad, warm him up well etc. |
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Expert
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| I will look into that. Thank you guys. I made an appointment for Monday. |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | I'd be concerned with the narrowing of the joint space in the stifles! That's a collapsing joint! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Mountains of VA | WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2018-08-24 9:27 AM I'd be concerned with the narrowing of the joint space in the stifles! That's a collapsing joint!
Stifles, since you already know there is a problem there. Stifle problems will cause them to lower their head and carrying as much weight as they can on their front end. Front end/navicular problems will cause them to raise their heads and hollow their backs. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| hotpaints - 2018-08-24 7:58 PM
WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2018-08-24 9:27 AM I'd be concerned with the narrowing of the joint space in the stifles! That's a collapsing joint!
Stifles, since you already know there is a problem there. Stifle problems will cause them to lower their head and carrying as much weight as they can on their front end. Front end/navicular problems will cause them to raise their heads and hollow their backs.
Joint space narrowing is normal with age and she is older. I would be more inclined to think it was joints causing this if she flexed even the slightest bit positive to anything (hocks, stifles, knees, fetlocks) but she doesn't. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| Just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone adding their input. It's welcomed.
I also wanted to add that I got in her PHT sheet tonight. She stood and ate dinner with her leg cocked. I have never seen her do that before. Maybe I just want to see a positive. Anywho, I also discovered she has come into heat. I know that can make them back sore but shes not sore over ovaries and this started last Saturday. I am not familiar when their ovaries could start giving them problems pain wise in the heat cycle, and I cant compare to myself either. My body forgot how to do that years ago. LOL |
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