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Discussion on Bruises, Front Legs Quivering, OTTB
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Member:
Justin
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2006 - 1:08 pm:
Hi,
I recently rescued an off-track TB mare, age 5, who was headed to the slaughterhouse. For her last racing owner she refused to break from the gate, so he was just planning to dump her.
When she stepped off the transport (the trip took two days) she still had on her racing plates and had a pronounced quivering in her front legs. While I was out of town in the next few days, my trainer pulled her shoes and she had severe bruising on her front toes under the plates (I did not see it). The trainer gave her a trim. We left her alone and the quivering improved but was not completely gone, so we put her in shoes with a lift for her underrun heels and a rolled toe. The trim was very good, too. The quivering is reduced, but still there.
The only medical information I was able to find out about her was that she had "ankle injections." Other thank this, the vet would not reveal anything to me...(unethical in my book since I already paid the racing owner and have the papers).
She is big--17h--with long, sloping pasterns. I have gotten her a few massages and the equine massage therapist says that she is very tight in particular shoulder muscles on both sides and that this indicates fetlock problems.
She is a nice girl, a bit grumpy, and we are not asking her to do anything right now, assuming that she has other aches and pains, too.
What should be my next step with the quivering?
She is VERY finely bred and I've already had a couple of offers from people who want her as a brood mare. I don't want to put alot of money in her because I am planning to give her to someone who owns her full sister and wants to breed sport horses.
I'll take some pictures and send them along later.
Thanks,
Jane
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Member:
Justin
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2006 - 1:12 pm:
Here is a picture of Elsie Rose:
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Member:
Scooter
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2006 - 1:20 pm:
Hi Jane, it is hard to tell from your pic. Is she over at the knee at all? We have a couple big T.B.'s where I work, they are over at the knee and quiver quite often. Doesn't seem to affect their soundness any, but one of them quivers so bad you'd think he was going to fall down
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2006 - 3:34 pm:
She's a beauty, Jane, with the longest straightest front lgs I've ever seen! Pretty girl. Hope you can find what is wrong. Have you given her any pain reliever to see if the quivering will stop?
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2006 - 3:51 pm:
She is a beauty and I can see how someone would want to use her in their sport horse breeding program...
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
Terrilyn
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2006 - 9:41 pm:
Just curious, Jane...what is her breeding? I bought an OTT TB this summer as his next step was either to another, less humane trainer who would have run him with his existing pain issues or to auction. I've had a lot of fun researching his bloodlines! He had back soreness, which we have been able to treat successfully through chiro/acupuncture. These horses give so much and are discarded like yesterday's news if they don't work out. It's shameful.
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Member:
Justin
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2006 - 11:59 pm:
Hi,
Look at www.pedigreequery.com and search on Elsie Rose.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 29, 2006 - 7:22 am:
Jane the photo has the horse standing over the fronts a bit so maybe I am way off base here but the first thing I notice is the angulation of the pasterns and how upright they are. This is consistent with a common cause of trembling like you describe.
The upright pasterns suggest she might have mild contracture of the superficial flexors which interferes with the ability of the bony column at the knees to lock in place when standing. The muscles must then maintain posture and muscle trembling is pretty normal is these conditions. This is similar to Diane's horses above, while some flex forward at the knee, some become upright at the pastern. The flexing of the knee suggests there may be involvement of the carpal flexors but both postures shorten the distance between the proximal and distal insertions of the digital flexors accommodating the mild contraction. For more on this see Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Muscle & Tendon Diseases » Tendon Laxity and Contracture.
DrO
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 29, 2006 - 10:50 am:
Jane, she's lovely. I'm SO GLad you are giving her a "second chance!" Not only are her pasterns very upright, they appear quite long. Just going by what I can see of her conformation in this picture, once you get her problems solved, she will be wonderful to ride.
I'll have to read the article Dr. O refers you to; I'm wondering if very gradually lowering her heels would be possible as she looks so upright. Bet I'll find out by reading.
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 29, 2006 - 11:05 am:
I am wondering if what we see in the pasturn angle is not in the way she is set up..?? She does appear to be standing under her self/ pedestal standing? Or if this is her normal stance ?
On the first day God created horses.. on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
Justin
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 30, 2006 - 9:40 pm:
Elsie has extremely upright pasterns--front worse than hind. I've never seen her lame out in the field or during "game time" (when we play in the Hitchcock together...our trustbuilding fun). She's got pasterns like a QH and I've been afraid of navicular.
Dr. O.! What can we do about this? She is coming 6, a lovely mover, and her mind is coming 'round.
Thanks and Merry Christmas,
jane
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Dec 1, 2006 - 8:29 am:
I would be slow to lower the heels of this horse as the ap balance seems pretty fair, though I concede from this one photo it is hard to judge. It would appear that the upright conformation is normal for this horse at this time. For more on this see the article in the Foot Care topic on Trimming Overview that explains ap balance.
Jane, navicular is more common in the opposite conformation: long toe low heel. Concerning what to do have you read the article I reference above? Do you have any questions about the material you read?
DrO
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Member:
Justin
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Posted on Friday, Dec 1, 2006 - 7:31 pm:
Hi,
In nature she has low heels and long toes. We are keeping her up in her heels and lower in the front with a rolled toe.
What else can we do? I read your article, Dr. O, on tendon laxity and contraction.
Her tremors have subsided enormously, but I would like to know where to go from here.
Thanks and Happy Christmas,
jane
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Dec 2, 2006 - 7:01 am:
If we assume you have a mild flexor contracture, and as long as it is improving your first step may be to just keep an eye on it. Keep the feet balanced.
I would also review the nutrition of the horse. Be sure it is well balanced as explained in our articles on nutrition. I would consider decreasing the caloric intake and avoid strenuous exercise for awhile in an attempt to get the muscles to relax a bit especially if there has been a recent increase in calories.
If this conservative approach fails or you wish to be more proactive your first step is a thorough evaluation by your veterinarian as the specific treatment will depend on the results of his exam. Horses of this age with a quiver from mild flexural deformities are often just lived with. You see many 4 year old halter and conformation QH's doing this and not many doing it by 8, some horses do seem to grow out of it as they become middle age.
DrO
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