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Veteran
Posts: 216
| What exercises and or vet stuff do you do and what's the longevity of these horses.
Thanks |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
 
Location: Sunny So Cal | I was always told my horse has a stifle that slips. I wish I understood this slipping stifle issue better. I get her stifles injected and I also put her on the NutraWOUND. She is 20 years old now and is doing well. Her stifle has had this stifle issue since I bought her when she was 8 years old. |
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Veteran
Posts: 216
| Thank you. Anyone else? |
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Member
Posts: 32
| I have a gelding that had stifle surgery due to a torn meniscus and nasty nasty joint fluid when he was 16.
We gave him an entire year and half off to recover with hand walking, stall rest and turn out in a small area. Of course we increased his turnout time and area based on his improvement.
He gets adequan on a regular schedule. I use PHT wraps on him religiously and cold hosing after exercise.
For exercise we do lots to long trotting on even surfaces. Some people are very against working hills with a horse that has stifle issues. I believe if done correctly, it can be beneficial. I might do hills once a week on this gelding. I let him long trot up the hill then walk down the hill in a switch back pattern so there is not a ton of stress on the stifle.
I'm lucky he is solid enough that he doesn't need drill work or work on the pattern. If I needed to I would keep the circles large.
He is now 21 and consistently running 17.5- 17.7s on a standard pattern on all types of ground.
I find if I can take it slow in everything I do with this type of horse, really paying attention to what they are telling me, you can have a lot of success! |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| I currently have mine on Couch to 5K, trotting. When he's done trotting the program, I'll lope him through it. I figure, if it can make my legs tough, it will be perfect for him.
Also, backing up grades, hill work (very slow), and walking over telephone poles.
Slowly hardening up. We might still need to do the splitting stuff later, but for. Ow starting at Ground Zero. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1889
Location: Texas | I had a Filly who as a 2-year-old was diagnosed with weak stifles. Vet said it was "growing pains" and to do exercises walking over obstacles, hill work, and backing her up. I had x-rays done to rule out OCD. They were weak again as a 3-year-old. When she went into training, she couldn't handle poll pressure with a shanked bit, which led to further diagnostics and evaluation. Turns out she had arthritis throughout her neck and compression of the spine. She was positive for neurological signs. Her prognosis was not good, so we had her put down. This happened yesterday so I'm still processing it. But it makes me think her weak stifles were due to her not really knowing where her feet were and so not able to use these muscles properly.
Hopefully her story might be helpful to someone else.
Hoping yours will improve with exercise and not be chronic. |
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Member
Posts: 32
| psaaat - 2016-08-19 11:33 AM
I had a Filly who as a 2-year-old was diagnosed with weak stifles. Vet said it was "growing pains" and to do exercises walking over obstacles, hill work, and backing her up. I had x-rays done to rule out OCD. They were weak again as a 3-year-old. When she went into training, she couldn't handle poll pressure with a shanked bit, which led to further diagnostics and evaluation. Turns out she had arthritis throughout her neck and compression of the spine. She was positive for neurological signs. Her prognosis was not good, so we had her put down. This happened yesterday so I'm still processing it. But it makes me think her weak stifles were due to her not really knowing where her feet were and so not able to use these muscles properly.
Hopefully her story might be helpful to someone else.
Hoping yours will improve with exercise and not be chronic.
I am so sorry to hear about your loss :( |
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Veteran
Posts: 216
| MPoloncic - 2016-08-19 1:05 PM
psaaat - 2016-08-19 11:33 AM
I had a Filly who as a 2-year-old was diagnosed with weak stifles. Vet said it was "growing pains" and to do exercises walking over obstacles, hill work, and backing her up. I had x-rays done to rule out OCD. They were weak again as a 3-year-old. When she went into training, she couldn't handle poll pressure with a shanked bit, which led to further diagnostics and evaluation. Turns out she had arthritis throughout her neck and compression of the spine. She was positive for neurological signs. Her prognosis was not good, so we had her put down. This happened yesterday so I'm still processing it. But it makes me think her weak stifles were due to her not really knowing where her feet were and so not able to use these muscles properly.
Hopefully her story might be helpful to someone else.
Hoping yours will improve with exercise and not be chronic.
I am so sorry to hear about your loss : (
Sorry to hear that. My thoughts are with you. |
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| psaaat - 2016-08-19 12:33 PM I had a Filly who as a 2-year-old was diagnosed with weak stifles. Vet said it was "growing pains" and to do exercises walking over obstacles, hill work, and backing her up. I had x-rays done to rule out OCD. They were weak again as a 3-year-old. When she went into training, she couldn't handle poll pressure with a shanked bit, which led to further diagnostics and evaluation. Turns out she had arthritis throughout her neck and compression of the spine. She was positive for neurological signs. Her prognosis was not good, so we had her put down. This happened yesterday so I'm still processing it. But it makes me think her weak stifles were due to her not really knowing where her feet were and so not able to use these muscles properly. Hopefully her story might be helpful to someone else. Hoping yours will improve with exercise and not be chronic.
I'm so sorry for your loss! Can you please give us more details on how she couldn't handle the bit and what led you to find her Other issues? |
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Expert
Posts: 1889
Location: Texas | Thank you for the condolences. I bred her and had big dreams for her. She was one of my best prospects. Quick and catty. She had what I'd call a hyper sensitive personality. She seemed incredibly tuned into me and was always paying attention to everything I did with her. She was eager to learn and please and picked everything up quickly. She was aloof with strangers and the first time I came out in my winter garb, she wouldn't let me near her for awhile. She was very attached to me. She had an injury to her poll as a long yearling I believe. She was ear shy on that side ever since. The trainer took his time with her and would progress and regress. Says he's never had a horse like her before and was completely puzzled. She absolutely wouldn't tolerate poll pressure with a shanked bit (exploded) but accepted a side pull with a snaffle bit. I never dreamed that her little injury could be that bad so had x-rays done. Only 1 out of 5 vets/surgeons said they saw arthritis on the x-rays. The last vet I consulted with went over the x-rays with me and showed me abnormalities and wanted to do a neurological exam on her and mentioned "wobblers". She didn't resemble wobblers to me but upon the exam, she did exhibit neurological symptoms. It was visible to the vet and chiropractor that she had arthritis in multiple vertebrae throughout her neck. Vet said it was most likely congenital, it was compressing her spinal cord, it was progressive, and her prognosis was poor. If I had even thought for a moment that she had this, she never would have gone into training. I waited till she was 3, sent her to a trainer I trusted to take the time she needed. It's one of those things where I just thought she was a very unique girl. In hindsight it all makes sense. It's a very hard lesson to learn. I've learned so much from my dear Filly and another mystery case that was thought to be hock/spine related injury that turned out to be a fractured pelvis (while in training with a top name who probably just wrote her off as a rogue and may have ruined her from ever having a barrel career).
Thanks to all of you on this board who take the time to share your experiences and ask questions like the OP. Sometimes, all we need is just a little extra piece of knowledge to put the puzzle together and be able to get these important answers.
Edited to add link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QDeskJRbQ4
Edited by psaaat 2016-08-19 3:47 PM
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Queen Bean of Ponyland
Posts: 24953
Location: WYOMING | I had one blistered both sides as a 3 yr old and shes been running with no issues ever since. Shes 13 now. |
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Veteran
Posts: 216
| geronabean - 2016-08-19 3:14 PM
I had one blistered both sides as a 3 yr old and shes been running with no issues ever since. Shes 13 now.
Thank you |
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Regular
Posts: 73
| EXERCISE TO STRENGTHEN STIFELS!
You will need :
4 land scaping timbers
4 cinder blocks
(Or a low fence rail)
Start out with blocks on end and only the end of Timbers in the bottom hole of the blocks the other end of the timber will be on the ground. You can also lay one end of the timber on the bottom of a fence. Make sure their not to high off the ground to start with. I set them about 12 feet apart. I use this as some of my warm up & cooling down by walking through them. By making the horse step over the timber rails going both directions you are strengthening the STIFELS by making them lift the leg. I usually walk through about 4-6 times in both directions at least 3-4 times a week. Can also do when hand walking. This really does have amazing results. |
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Common Sense and then some
Location: So. California | readytowin - 2016-08-19 8:16 AM What exercises and or vet stuff do you do and what's the longevity of these horses. Thanks
What are the symptoms? And did you need a vet to diagnose? |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | I am so sorry about your girl. Prayers for you at this tough time. |
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Folks on-line