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  Discussion on When irregularity goes away with proper exercise
Author Message
Member:
Chrism

Posted on Monday, Jan 5, 2004 - 6:19 pm:

Here's a new one for me amd my 20 yo mare.

I had a horse loving niece visiting so we went out to let her ride. Out of the blue, mare seemed a bit short on left front, but no head bob, so I figured some lunging and light walk/trot riding with light rider wouldn't hurt. Horse was willing to work, offered to canter, etc. and I noted no real change after this light workout.

The next day, the mare is a again a bit short strided in front, "irregular." Decided to see if there is a problem and ride her lightly myself, but ask her to work properly - was in a lesson, so no goofing off. After a 10+ minute series of suppling and warmups at trot, horse improves noticeably. By end of hour lesson, horse is fine and lesson was great. Horse walks fine and stays fine after being turned out for rest of afternoon.

Next day, similar sequence of events.

What am I to think? Is it normal to be able to "work through" small arthritic stride irregularities? (Ride an older horse into soundness?) Or might it be something of a more transistory (soft tissue pull? sole bruise?) in nature. No obvious heel or joint pain when I flexed/palpated.

Maybe all that jumping in the pasture caught up with her? ;=)

Cheers all. And Happy New Year.
Member:
Christos

Posted on Monday, Jan 5, 2004 - 6:52 pm:

How often does this happen, Christine?
Is her bedding warm and soft?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 6, 2004 - 6:05 am:

For folks with arthritis your scenerio is very familiar: when doing a task initially there is stiffness that will work out. However some chronic soft tissue injuries, including some forms of navicular disease, might also behave this way. The key to judging whether you are doing the right thing is the trend: does the exercise make the horse worse the next day?
DrO
Member:
Canderso

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 6, 2004 - 7:25 am:

Christine, sorry if I am stating the obvious but could it be rein-lameness? I agree it should have disappeared on the lunge line, but what do you think?
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 6, 2004 - 9:06 am:

What is "rein-lameness?" I've never heard this term. Thanks.

Dr. O.-I can vouch for the stiffness in the a.m.!!
Member:
Sunny66

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 6, 2004 - 10:15 am:

My horse has mild arthritis...But with the Cosequin supplement, he hasn't been lame this year (yet) at ALL. Do you have her on a joint supplement?

When I first found the arthritis, he would always work out of his lameness, and got better the more I worked him....Just FYI
Member:
Canderso

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 6, 2004 - 2:03 pm:

Hi Sara,
Rein-lameness is when a combination of the rider's hard driving aids and hard hands causes the horse to appear lame in front.

I was scribing at a dressage show this summer, and the judge pointed out a (wonderful) example -At the start of the test, the rider and horse were going very well. Then something minor went wrong and the rider started to get tenser and tenser (with harder hands and stiffer, more driving aids). You could literally see the horse's movement degrade with every step. As soon as they got out of the ring (and the rider relaxed) the horse was 'sound' again.
Member:
Chrism

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 6, 2004 - 2:10 pm:

Well, to answer all the questions, it actually just started last Friday.

The horse was short/irregular at walk in front being lead in (so I rule out rein lameness), it improved with work under saddle with me, but not on the lunge with inexperienced rider. Horse was willing to move/work and irregularity was only visible at walk and I could feel it undersaddle at first part of each ride. Air temps were unusually warm - highs in low 70s, lows in 40s. She is turned out daily, weather permitting and tends to move about a lot.

Bedding is rubber stall mat and shavings.

She is in middle of 6 week shoeing cycle.

She is on ChonDrOgen EQ at the moment. (I actually thought she did better with the Tri-flex.) Has been on joint supplement for a couple of months.

The trend over 3 days, was that she was the same on Saturday as Friday, and a bit better on day Sun. The improvement after work on Sat and Sun was noticeable - no shortness at walk at end of ride and this lasted at least for the few hours I was around afterward to observe.

Years ago (8?)when she had a navicular episode, work did make her more symptomatic. This does not appear to be the case.

This is only a recent "new" occurrance. In general, I've observed that she moves more comfortably/agilely if ridden regularly and if she is out of work a week or two, I generally notice that she needs more warm up, etc.

She'd been ridden 5 days earlier - a bit long for a break, but I had my hands full with relatives over the holidays. Normally she is worked 3-4 days a week.

Cheers.
Member:
Chrism

Posted on Friday, Feb 6, 2004 - 12:40 pm:

I thought I'd update with my experience.

My mare's lameness began to slowly increase such that we had a head bob at trot and I did not work her for a few days. I did not find any heat or swelling. Farrier did not get a result with hoof testers. Since she remained uncomfortable, I had my vet out.

When he came out, I'd noticed the left front was warm to the touch, but still no swelling. He agreed. He checked both front hoofs with hoof testers, only in the toe area of the left did she show any flinch and it was minimal. I trotted her out in hand on a straight line and she had a head bob lameness (2-3). He flexed left hoof and we trotted out again, pain was aggravated (3). So, went to the PDN of LF and trot in hand was improved 60-70%.

Knowing her history of being diagnosed with Navicular SynDrOme in '96 (last episoide of lameness, too!), my vet did an assortment of X-rays.

Net, net is the xrays showed minimal damage that wouldn't be remarkable for her age if she were sound. Given the heat, the fact the nerve block didn't resolve the lameness more and her NS history, he feels it is likely a tendonitis or bursa inflammation, so the mare is on bute with rest. He also suggested bar shoes and a 2 degree lift for 2 cycles.

So, that is my story. I'll update when I observe more.

Cheers.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Feb 7, 2004 - 10:02 am:

Thanks Chris, also diseases of the pastern and toe may behave this way.
DrO
Member:
Chrism

Posted on Monday, Feb 9, 2004 - 1:04 pm:

Well, the good news is that bute and shoeing changes have made her comfortable. We've allowed her turnout in a round pen with excellent footing and she walks and even trots a few steps nearly sound. The only thing I notice is a very slight, occasional irregularity about every 5-10 steps on the front left. My instructor doesn't see that.

The mare also appears brighter - isn't it amazing how removing pain can brighten up an animals aspect?

Also, I can't feel any heat on the LF.

I'll post as things change/improve.

Cheers.
Member:
Chrism

Posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 - 5:13 pm:

Just an update to this.

Mare seems to be much better and we have been slowly bringing her into work. She is good for light walk/trot work for about 45 minutes with very large schooling figures.

I was able to get a CD with the old radiographs from 8 years ago for my vet to compare with the new ones. Very good news in that there are minimal if any differences.

Around the left fetlock, there is a slight remaining, um, bump? area - i.e. it is slightly bigger on the outside, toward the back.

Current thinking after a recent recheck is that she may have tweaked a branch of the suspensory with all her wild jumping antics in the winter.

She is staying "cool" with light work and after I massage a bit of liniment/ice over the area. She also wears polos wrapped under the fetlock bulb when worked.

We are keeping her in very light work, calm turnout, regular angles and bar shoes. I'm taking it very easy with her.

In the meantime, I'm getting the baby (coming 4 yo!) going and she has been a treat to ride - very clever and quick to pick up the work. Also, very comfortable and up hill - I keep expecting her to sprout wings and take off like Pegasus.

Cheers.

Member:
Parfait

Posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 - 6:59 pm:

Good news on your mare, Chris. With the way you care for her, she will be feeling great for many years to come.

Your filly sounds exciting. Always nice to have one like that waiting in the wings (so to speak).

kerry
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