Bunny Hoping at the Canter - Thoughts? Update April 10

[goodmorning]

She looks like she is traveling with her hocks pretty close together, has a weak loin, and is just out of shape.

And while I’m all for calling the vet - good old legging up takes time…I wouldn’t start a fishing expedition just yet. But estrone & ruling out some easy things, always a good start. I’ve been told By a couple fantastic vets : “get back to me in 90 days, after 90 days of work.” Though I’ve used robaxin & Prevacoxx as needed during this phase…but she’s younger & probably has fewer miles than my old OTTB war horse. Either way, want to keep them comfortable as possible to build the hind end for that 90-day recheck. Keeping in toug with the vet, but patience, may be needed.

[ACMEeventing]

[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;7510556]
Looks just more weak behind to me. I’ve had a few that do that sort of move when just coming back into work. I’d not canter her on the circle for long. Do more transitions…and bring her back to the trot before even a full circle.[/QUOTE]

That’s what I saw as well. She’s cute, good luck!

[Jealoushe]

Thanks everyone. I am feeling better now. I am prone to panic a bit when my horses are weird or off with no answer, since I rarely have lameness issues and when I do they are usually an abscess or something obvious.

We are just waiting for her new saddle which should arrive next week, and after the vet visit we will start legging up for the season.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Another thing I do when legging up is throw a few poles on the ground (just a random one or two) and lunge over those. Especially for the TBs…it makes it more fun for them plus works their stifles a bit more.

[Jealoushe]

[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;7512128]
Another thing I do when legging up is throw a few poles on the ground (just a random one or two) and lunge over those. Especially for the TBs…it makes it more fun for them plus works their stifles a bit more.[/QUOTE]

I am the queen of trot poles…they are usually all over our ring Do you think it would be better to start to leg her up under saddle or on the lunge? Last night we did some long lining at the walk and she seemed to enjoy that.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I think you could do a mix. I typically start working them in hand (lunging and long lining). When they start looking stronger, I’ll start with work in hand, then get on and do a little undersaddle. Then slowly do less in hand and more undersaddle.

I’m always careful with the work in hand as I think lunging on the circle is a lot harder for them. So I like long lining…and I’m careful to do more transitions than anything on the lunge line. I also keep the lunging to less than 20 minutes.

[Jealoushe]

The vet came yesterday to give shots/teeth and give Penny a look over. He determined it is her SI - but he did not think it was too bad and that she would not need injection at this point. He gave me some things to do to help her with any inflammation and advised me to leg her up slowly and just do light riding for the next 2 months. Mid June we will re evaluate and see where she is and go from there. So not great but certainly better than what the outcome could have been.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=Jealoushe;7522298]
The vet came yesterday to give shots/teeth and give Penny a look over. He determined it is her SI - but he did not think it was too bad and that she would not need injection at this point. He gave me some things to do to help her with any inflammation and advised me to leg her up slowly and just do light riding for the next 2 months. Mid June we will re evaluate and see where she is and go from there. So not great but certainly better than what the outcome could have been.[/QUOTE]

I’ve had a few with SI issues. One we just injected and it helped a ton (we blocked at the same time to be sure it was the SI). Lots of walking and just take your time with the legging up. She probably just strained it at some point. Accupunture also really helps with them.

[Jealoushe]

[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;7522367]
I’ve had a few with SI issues. One we just injected and it helped a ton (we blocked at the same time to be sure it was the SI). Lots of walking and just take your time with the legging up. She probably just strained it at some point. Accupunture also really helps with them.[/QUOTE]
Good to hear. He did recommend another chiro and acupuncture also, which I will pursue.

[riopony]

[QUOTE=Jealoushe;7522298]
The vet came yesterday to give shots/teeth and give Penny a look over. He determined it is her SI - but he did not think it was too bad and that she would not need injection at this point. He gave me some things to do to help her with any inflammation and advised me to leg her up slowly and just do light riding for the next 2 months. Mid June we will re evaluate and see where she is and go from there. So not great but certainly better than what the outcome could have been.[/QUOTE]

I am curious what your vet said to help with inflammation. I read your description and immediately said “it’s Chief!” and then when I saw the video I was interested to see the answers from COTH and your vet. That canter is what my vet called the “SI canter” when they stab at the ground with both hind legs. She diagnosed SI on my guy via ultrasound and then injected. Unfortunately he did a tendon later that week (this was November) so we weren’t able to get much benefit from the injection. We have done a solid 6-8 weeks of 30 mins walking under saddle rehab and are up to like 4 laps of the indoor each way at the trot. When this was first diagnosed he wouldn’t even trot and I thought it was saddle fit too. We did some methacarbonal recently when I started him under saddle and that helped get him to realize he wasn’t going to hurt.

I have been erring on the side of caution because we are still dealing with rehabbing the tendon. I have a second vet coming out to see what he thinks before we go injecting/x-raying anything else since he is still uncomfortable. Interestingly this whole issue started in September after he was chiropracted for the first time. I think he became “straight” after the adjustment and because of compensating for the SI issue for so long and it made his weakness come out. I have had him 2 years and got him straight off the track.

Good luck!

[Jealoushe]

That’s really interesting because my mare had her first chiro visit too, then a few weeks later was like this. Vet prescribed bute 2x daily for 10 days. Magic bag warmed and placed over the area before a ride and icing after ride. I have given her some additional time off for the moment to be safe, my new saddle should be here soon then I can start to bring her back slowly.