down in the dumps

[ezduzit]

My boy is sore behind. again. It could be from the suppling I’ve been doing with him. Which he seems to enjoy and relax with. Or…

it could be the synovitis again. He was injected beginning of May. So that’s 3 months only.

Every time we start to get somewhere, something happens. I’m beginning to think that it just isn’t meant to be for me.

I started great with my carriage horse back in the 90s…for a couple of years. Then Cushing’s, founder and finally euth at only 16.

After a difficult decade finally get my dream horse…all trained, no project. The last 2 out of the 4 years I’ve had him have been spent going back and forth from sound to sore.

Injecting a horse every 3 months, even if I could find a vet to do it, just isn’t reasonable. Don’t know what I’m going to do but at my age…calling it quits is a possibility.

Thanks for the whine.

[oliverreed]

I don’t have any anaswers for you but SO sorry you are going through this. Big hugs and jingles for your boy.

[ezduzit]

Thank you. He was injected yesterday with his Adequan substitute. I ride today and Friday. Vet said if he’s still having problems, it indicates a training issue…sore muscles from having been bent right for 2 years compensating for the sore right hock.

If he ISN’T having problems, it indicates hocks.

I’ll be riding this afternoon…rained out this a.m.

Thank you for the hugs and jingles.

[bugsynskeeter]

Have you looked at doing some massage therapy if the muscles are that sore from compensating?

Sorry - I haven’t followed what you have been going through.

[VaqueroToro]

[QUOTE=bugsynskeeter;7110581]
Have you looked at doing some massage therapy if the muscles are that sore from compensating?[/QUOTE]

This, plus the ability to do stretches and the like with him yourself. You might be able to pick up some basic massage techniques to keep him more comfortable between expert visits.

Have you tried any of the Back on Track products for his problem areas?

[ezduzit]

No, none of the above. I’m learning more and more about this. I started with knowing absolutely NOTHING about injecting hocks and hock problems…lucky I guess that it took 40 years of working with horses.

I’ll have a look into the massage…have a book on equine massage laying around here somewhere. I’m sure my vet can get me in touch with someone too…he’s very open to and practices holistic care along with traditional medicine.

Today’s ride was okay. The footing was a bit heavy after the rain; I thought it felt as if he was laboring a bit…just a bit. I sure wish I could get him a little more on the forehand; or less rocked back on the hocks. He’s built uphill so I don’t think I can change that much.

Also, it was hotter and more humid today than Monday, which seemed effortless except for the knuckling over and dropping his hind quarters out of the lope. It’s like his back end just quits and falls out. When he breaks by trotting behind it feels more like the start of a bolt. Monday was not like that. Could be a strength issue.

I don’t know much more after this ride than I did before. He may or may not be hurting; he may or may not be weak; it may or may not be his hocks.

Wish I could speak ‘horse’ better.

[VaqueroToro]

A couple of other considerations: are you sure the saddle fits him? If you run the heel of your hand with some pressure down the length of his back to the point of his hip on either side of his spine does he visibly tense anywhere? Being sore through the back also affects performance – just like with humans, if the back is sore, it might be enough to inflame the nerves that run through to the legs.

How much time do you spend at the walk during warm up? Some horses really don’t get thoroughly lubed up until they’ve cantered both leads once (or at least their best side), but don’t forget about the importance of a good limbering walk at a multitude of speeds before increasing demands on the limbs. Hot weather can sometimes disguise the need for a good warm up (temp is hot, so why would the horse be “cold”?) but its still a good idea.

[ezduzit]

New saddle a few months ago, spring, because the old one didn’t fit, pinched his withers.

Chiro exam/adj showed no problem except for lumbar and reluctance to bring hind leg forward.

I walk with him quite a bit…at least 1/2 of our work. Flexing and leg yielding. Then at the jog, then a bit of lope. Not a lot. Probably only 25% of our time. Rides are about 20 minutes. Short because I seem to always be rehabbing him.

Haven’t varied the walk on purpose…let him choose his own pace. But that sounds like a good idea. The walk is the hardest gait for them, requiring the most work. We walk about 1/2 the ride time.

Maybe my rides are too short to build muscle, stamina?