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  Discussion on Stifle issues
Author Message
Member:
scrupi1

Posted on Friday, Jul 30, 2010 - 6:38 pm:

I was just given a 4 year old mare in trade who is out of good hanoverian bloodlines. She is sound and tracks up evenly at all gaits but does have instances where her right hind leg collapses, usually during downward transitions in deeper footing. I have watched her on the lunge line and in the pasture and it does look like her stifle catches briefly at times, it does not lock completely but I can see it catch. She does not have any swelling in the area of the stifle and is not tender to palpation. We have had young horses in the past (usually 2 year olds or so) that have had this issue and do work out of it. She is in good weight, a bit overweight actually and has been under saddle for only 45 days and has been in light work (about 3 times per week only). She is an August baby so will just be four this next month. My questions is, should I be overly concerned and have the vet out for x-rays and such or should we just plan on developing a gradual conditioning program to see if that will fix the issue. Our goals are to have the mare be competitive in show jumping an or eventing in the future. Her conformation is such that she tracks way up underneath herself at the walk and the giving way usually occurs at the walk and sometimes at the trot. Has anyone else experienced this with a young horse just coming into work? Thank you!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Aug 1, 2010 - 9:00 am:

Hello Susanne,
Your description using the word "collapsing" is not consistent with what happens during upward fixation where the leg becomes rigidly extended out behind the horse.

When this occurs is the horse in the weight bearing phase or during the nonweight bearing phase while the leg is extended out behind the horse?
DrO
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Sunday, Aug 1, 2010 - 9:44 am:

Hello Susanne,

I know exactly what you are describing. I have standardbred horses and sometimes when they go slow when jogging they have a tendency to "collapse" behind (we call it knuckling over). With my standardbreds, it happens under several different conditions.

1. in deep footing
2. When their feet are too long(due for shoes)
3. When they are being lazy and not paying attention.
4. Due to immaturity in conjunction with lack of conditioning.

Your post suggests that you have several of these things going on.

Your vet can tell if her stifles are ok. And I would start there first. If you get a clean bill of health there. I would put a little bit more conditioning into her with lengthening work times between the deep footing and the not so deep footing and reevaluate after a longer conditioning program.

Rachelle
Member:
scrupi1

Posted on Sunday, Aug 1, 2010 - 2:12 pm:

Thank you Dr. O and Rachelle for responding. I do not think that she has issues with complete upward fixation, her leg has never been stuck in extension that I have seen, I can just see the catch/slight vibration in the stifle area at times when she is going from halt to walk and back down to halt, and when she trots, the motion of the leg just doesn't look as smooth (compared to my other warmbloods) even though she is tracking up evenly behind. The giving way happens when she is in the weight bearing phase, the whole leg doesn't necessarily collapse, it just sinks a bit, like there isn't enough muscular support to stabilize it or something. When I rode her yesterday I stayed in the more shallow and firm part of the arena and gave her more walk breaks and just focused on walk and trot and the leg did not give at all, it was also cooler, not as viciously hot so I don't think she got as tired as she was the day before during the ride.
I will have the vet out to take a look as I know problems at one area may be caused by an entirely different joint. At this point, the work does not seem to make anything worse so I will plan on continuing with a gradual conditioning program unless she starts to tell me that she is uncomfortable. Thank you for your input. Susanne
New Member:
starr

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 25, 2010 - 11:29 pm:

My horse is going through the same symptoms. Collapsing is the best way to describe what he is doing. My vet said that his Patella is catching and we are giving him 1 shot per week for the next 3 weeks of Glucosimine and Chrondortran (sure I did not spell that correctly) if there is no improvement after 3 weeks he recommended surgery but I am unsure what surgery would intell. I am having a Chiroprator come out monday to look at him and give me a better description of what is going on...
Member:
scrupi1

Posted on Thursday, Aug 26, 2010 - 6:37 am:

Hi Linda,
We actually decided to take our mare back to her previous owner. The collapsing happened really consistently and would even occur when she was walking and turning in the pasture and when I started to work her more regularly she became off behind on the leg that did it the worst. Stifles can be tricky...
How old is your horse? Does the vet think that conditioning might help? I think there are other options to try before jumping to surgery but Dr. O would know better than I.
Best of luck, each case seems to be individual and I hope your situation turns out to be one that can be solved... Susanne
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