My 5yo OTTB was just diagnosed today with “significant changes” in C6/C7 and subsequently injected at the clinic. Top Neuro Vet said he was optimistic about injections. Offered to do a myelogram, but said unless I was considering surgery, he wouldn’t recommend spending money on it.
Those with horses that have C6/C7 arthritis, did they go on to compete or perform at the level originally intended before diagnosis? Did you retire horse or step them down to something less stressful? Any supportive care supplement wise?
Trying to figure out long term best plan for this horse.
What are your horses current symptoms, what made you find the C6/C7 changes?
And, what kind of “significant changes” are we talking – any abnormality of C6/C7 beyond remodeling?
In TBs and WBs it is not uncommon to find abnormalities at C6/C7, seems to be common in the breed – and not always indicative that there is a neurological issue at play.
With neck issues, treat the horse in front of you versus what is on x-ray/US/MRI. Sometimes they can be hideous on film and not be neuro – sometimes, there’s only a small change and they’re very ataxic.
I have a TB with C6/C7 remodeling (moderate changes). His neck was injected once, on initial finding 5 years ago when he was 7 - it was a very positive result for him. I had his spine x-rayed because he had an ugly wipe-out in his paddock - my vet believes the neck findings were incidental and not the root cause (thunderstorm + mud), but, when we injected his neck once he was back into work, I did notice a change for the positive in his dressage work. He is currently clocking along as the world’s best hunter-pacer + trail horse, but we also compete (eventing – but haven’t done any shows this year because of COVID). My trainer thinks he would be a great Training and even Prelim horse – but that is not my goal with him. I want a horse I can foxhunt, do hunter paces with, and take on long leisurely hacks on the weekend – so that is his job. :encouragement:
Management-wise, he is on semi-high dose of Vit E (4000 IU for now, but changes seasonally), MSM, 24/7 turnout, roundbale, and lots of alfalfa pellets / low NSC grain. Keeping on top of his feet has been paramount to his comfort as well – especially behind. He is 12 now and better than he was at 7, but, I have a suspicion if he was kept in a stalled environment he would be a very different horse. At PM grain time, he is locked into a stall to eat his supplements so the other horses don’t get it – and I admit I have forgotten to let him out once or twice overnight ( :eek: Bad mom!! ) – the days I do that, he is often a bit tense under saddle which is not like him.
With him I have learned to take it one day at a time, and treasure all the riding time I do have with him… but I watch him very closely, and know my riding days with him are numbered and every day under saddle is a gift. I also have my vet come out for spring + fall soundness exams, so I have a written record to look back on, on his performance. He gets chiro 2x a year, but my chiro-vet does not usually do anything with his neck.
My other horse with C-spine issues was not so positive, and we ended up PTS after he became too difficult to shoe with the farrier. We tried to transition him to barefoot because it was getting difficult putting shoes on him, but he did not take to the transition well and I wish we had PTS sooner rather than put him through the pain of a barefoot transition. He was kept at home, so I was fine being the one managing him – and he could get around very well, albeit crookedly. We tried a lot of things before pulling shoes, and prednisolone really helped him for a time.
All of that to say, look at the horse in front of you. Good luck!!
Coincidentally - or maybe not - my experience also with a TB. Mine did not exhibit symptoms until he was 21-22ish. Had done dressage including PSG but backed down at 20, still fine. Symptoms of lead difficulty at canter and mild other neuro symptoms led to xrays and diagnosis. Injections done c5-c7 both sides of neck. They worked very well for over a year - he was still being ridden, mostly training/first level frame, still happy to do changes here and there. Maybe along about 15 months post injections, started to notice his one hind stifle occasionally doing that “left behind” kind of thing Over next few months it was more often so I stopped riding him, by then 24ish. He was fine w/out saddle/weight when sent around the round pen. I kept him on 1/2 equioxx for about 2 years before I really began to worry. He was lying down less, not so interested in trotting, kind of wonky even at the walk, But as it turned out, his heart went (Afib) before the neuro got really bad.
With my horse, it started out as occasional stumbling, thought it was related to being young and a bit goofy. His stifles were a bit weak however improved with hill work. What little topline he has literally starts disappears in days if not worked. His SI is very painful, chiropractor has to be patient to adjust.
The latest episode started about 2weeks ago. His right hind literally got left behind him at times, almost like the stifles were locking. Running into the canter on forehand only to the right. Final straw was when I was cooling him out, loose rein on the buckle in the sand arena with his head down, he stumbles down to his knees.
Looking back this horse was terrible to load into a straight load, it took two people and lots of effort. Dripping in sweat after each trailer ride. Once he was able to ride loose in the box he began to relax and loads perfectly now no stress during the ride.
I did injections while he was there for the exam, but I have ultimately decided to retire him for his safety and mine.
Its interesting, my vet told me, when he did the first round on my old man, that (unlike hocks, etc) there is much less benefit to the second round and beyond. This might not be 100% but I have read enough anecdotal posts to believe its probably pretty true.
Friend’s horse had something similar and did perform at the level intended prior to diagnosis (but it was nothing that crazy–3’ hunters or smaller; had race trained and done really badly in one race so OTT young). He was one always prone to tripping and sometimes cross cantering. By the time diagnosis was made in his teens, injections didn’t do anything and he was becoming ataxic and was retired.
I think it depends on what the issue is, if the disease is progressing, where the changes are and what type. My neck horse seemed to maintain fine with repeat injections. Although he was going the best after the first ones, he had pain issues with other body parts down the road so I can’t say that the subsequent injections didn’t work. He didn’t have a recurrence of many symptoms, and his go-to evasive behavior was the same for everything. His neck issues were milder and more cranial than OP’s.
I’m sorry RedRyderKY —sounds like you have already made a decision (which sounds reasonable with what you shared). So frustrating and sad when they are so young. I am learning about maintenance for my “neck” horse. She has been diagnosed with moderate arthritic changes at C5-6–and slight changes in C7 area. And, as I am learning, horses with neck problems can have a variety of different physical/performance issues, depending on the location of changes, and if it’s causing any neuro problems.
My mare has never had any falling down incidents, and is easy for the farrier, also a great traveler (I have a straight load). No stumbling issues either. She just struggles to maintain the canter, and occasionally would cross canter if you pushed her to continue cantering. And would sometimes bunny hop at the canter. And it didn’t fit because she was progressing really nicely in the trot—would do lateral work, could lengthen and started to show some collection. She does absolutely fine in neuro tests too. So, the canter issues logically pointed toward SI or some hind end problem, but vets couldn’t find anything there. When we x-rayed the neck, they found the changes and injected. It made a big difference in her canter (one note though–it did seem to take about a month after the injections before she felt better). After that she finally would use her neck properly in the canter, and she became rideable at the canter. The cross cantering went away completely ----so that confirmed for me that the neck was causing the canter issues.
Unfortunately, the canter started to feel like a struggle again about 1.5 years after the injections. I went to a vet that is a back/neck specialist who examined her and did not want to inject, and I tried his suggested rehab plan for her. However, after 6 months of that, I could tell we were not making improvements, and then she was getting increasingly anxious about the canter and started cross cantering again. So, I went back to the university to have her neck injected. That was about 6 weeks ago and she is comfortable in the canter again. So for her, the injections definitely make a difference. I am a little concerned when I hear people say that repeating the injections don’t have as much effect, but at this point, all I can do is cross my fingers that they continue to work. IPEsq —sounds like your horse did okay with regular injections. The vet who has done her injections said he has a couple of clients that do yearly injections and their horses are in full work and doing well on that program.
I do have her on a Vit E supplement and have done a course of Adequan for her. She is on a lot of turnout (is in a stall at night) and I have an equine massage person that works on her monthly. She eats hay from the ground (not from a hay bag) as I have heard that it is better for horses with neck issues. And she is in regular work—I ride her about 5-6 days a week, with my work aimed at keeping her loose and supple in the neck and back.
Vit e is necessary for proper neuro function and is a useful anti-inflammatory. I definitely find it helpful for my neck horse and keep her on 4000iu/day when she’s not on really good grazing.
I have a nine-year-old warm blood mare that has moderate arthritic changes throughout several spots in her neck… Have injected her joint facets in those areas as well as injected her sub scapula which has helped a lot… I maintain her and do this as needed the first time I did it was three years ago and we just repeated it last month… She gets Adequqn and supplement wise I give herOmega Alpha anti-flam and sinew x with HA… After riding and before riding usually put on her benefab magnetic scrim sheet and the benefab smathood which has magnets over her neck… I also use the arc equine microcurrent therapy device daily. I am still able to ride her daily at the same level I always have and compete
Forgot to add that I do supplement her with high amount of vitamin e And I also do chiropractic and acupuncture occasionally as needed.
my mare never stumbled tripped or fell down… Her symptoms were reluctance to do collection work shortening her stride and adjustability at the Cantor… She occasionally would toss her head up in the upward transitions…
I actually would recommend getting the Myelogram because that will tell you if there’s any spinal cord compression and give you a clear picture as to whether or not your horse is still safe to ride
Had anyone re-xrayed a period of time later to re-evaluate? Thought about kicking him out for a year and reassess him then. I’m really torn with this horse. He has such a good personality, however thrives with a routine and a job.
I took some follow up X-rays with my horse but generally relied on ultrasound every 6 months to a year. You can see if arthritic changes have progressed but you can also evaluate joint effusion with ultrasound to see how pissed off the area is, which is not visible on X-ray.
Since I had multiple sites to deal with, this also helped us determine which sites to treat with repeat injections.
I could see down through C7 on my horse with ultrasound because his brontosaurus conformation made that possible. It may be more difficult to image the base of the neck on some horse without high powered X-ray. Just be aware that X-ray may not give you the whole picture.
Mine was a WB; initially found around 5 yo due to odd “not quite right” unsoundness - was very slight and one day looked like front, next day hind… injected and had improvements. Then around 7-8 yo refusal to work and injected without success. Ended up retiring her to trial riding.
