First Rib Subluxation - Horse Chiro, Now a Believer

[pryme_thyme]

Had to share my recent experience, figured it may save someone out there some grief and funds!

Recently I purchased a WB gelding stepping down from the big jumpers for an easier life.

He had full vetting and a thousand dollars in X-rays. No concerns other than the usual wear and tear of a 9y/o jumper.

I brought him home, started the transition to barefoot from fully shod all around. My farrier had some concerns with angles of his heels so we went on a short trim cycle. It was a few trims after that I noticed after every trim he was a little funky. Not totally off just something funny.

Farrier attributed it to his angles changing.

After a few more trims… the same thing would happen. A few days would pass and he was normal again.

I scratched my head. Got more X-rays to check angles, no problems. So I thought okay he needs shoes and his last owner said he always needed shoes.

Current farrier wouldn’t do shoes, so I got another opinion. Someone I know and trust. He put shoes on and the next day, horse was ‘off’ again.

So I thought, okay seriously what the nutcracker?!

The only thing I could see was on the final part of the stride in the right front, the shoulder would ‘hitch’ a bit and only one direction to the right.

I called up my chiro and Bowen rep and had her have a look, sure enough he had a ‘first rib subluxation’.

Believe me I’m not a believer in a ton of bodywork but wow, what a difference it makes and this is the last thing my vet suggested.

If I had simply not gone worst case scenario and tried this first I could have saved $1500!

I assume horse will likely need bodywork every so often now when it goes out but how is this not something that is spoken about more. I DEFINITELY would never have believed it could make that much difference!

Anyone else ever dealt with a rib ouch?

Note: the farrier ouch association was due to the pedestal they use to rasp the feet pulling the rib and muscles.

[victoriakent]

Here is the way I see it. When I get a rib out on myself, I am miserable. I have gone to my chiro in tears before and left a happy camper. If it helps me I have no reason to think it wouldn’t help my horse.

With routine adjustments and strengthening the body will learn to hold itself correctly eventually (though nothing prevents them from throwing themselves out of whack being idiots in the field.) Ask your chiro for stretches you can do regularly to help and keep up on them - my mare loves her stretches and it helps keep her limber between appointments.

[pryme_thyme]

Super great idea actually and a good point! It’s funny how much you think you know until you know you didn’t know it

[Pippigirl]

How do you get a rib out? What does it feel like?

[stargzng386]

I had a rib on each side out no idea how I did it. For me if I’m laying flat on my back in bed or on the couch I get an intense twisting stabbing pain right above my sternum. I’ve had a few times where by the time I woke up I had to roll out of bed and basically cross my arms in front of me crunch my sternum area until the muscles relax and I can get up. It hurts like hell. The chiro adjustment to help it also hurts like hell but not quite as bad. For me it’s been an ongoing issue for about a year but my adjustments needed are spread further apart.

I also had a dog with a lameness no one could figure out she even had a full body mri checking all of her joints. Finally found a dog chiro just for the hell of it snd she found a rib out. Poor pup screamed when she popped it back in and she was magically sound no follow up chiro needed. It’ll probably depend on if it’s acute or chronic

[PaddockWood]

This is so interesting. Thank you for sharing and what a lucky horse to have you!

[Laurierace]

I bought a filly from an owner for a dollar because she was limping lame whenever we put a rider in and we couldn’t figure out why. Xrayed everything, flexed etc, couldn’t find a thing. Turned her out and she was sound as could be. Long story short she had a rib out that the girth would press on when she had a saddle on. The Chiro fixed the rib and she went on to earn $100k on the track for me

[FjordBCRF]

@victoriakent

Here is the way I see it. When I get a rib out on myself, I am miserable. I have gone to my chiro in tears before and left a happy camper. If it helps me I have no reason to think it wouldn’t help my horse.

Same here! I have one rib in particular that is problematic and chiropractic work has helped a lot when it’s gone out.

[applelover]

I can throw a rib out just by sleeping wrong…it’s a special talent! It feels like being stabbed (somewhat gently) in the back.

[Bluey]

I have displaced a rib by leaning over the edge of a water trough to reach down into the float to adjust it, feet slipping and landing with rib cage on the edge.
Very painful right then and for days you don’t dare take a deep breath.

Poor horses, that really hurts.

[pryme_thyme]

Wow, these are all such interesting stories! So glad to hear from everyone. Thanks for sharing.

Newer age equestrians seem to be being taught the importance of body work however, when I was taught to ride, saddle fit wasn’t even a ‘thing’ and that was only 30 years ago.

They really are no different than us, they just suck it up better than we do! Saints…

[beowulf]

How is a rib out / “subluxation” clinically diagnosed – is it visible on x-ray?

I’ve broken my own ribs, and owned a horse who broke several in a nasty fall. It’s very painful. I am amazed when I hear that a horse was ridden with a broken rib - they are so generous.

[Pippigirl]

Ahhh ok, yes I’ve done that sort of thing leaning over something (or even pulling something very heavy). I never knew what that was. Holy hell that hurts. It’s as much or more painful to me than when I cracked my ribs.

[PaddockWood]

Yes, it was 25 yrs ago a vet asked me to go get my saddle (my horse was displaying pain behavior) and I was like, “What???” In what then was already 20 years of riding at least I’d never thought about that nor been educated. We’ve come a long way.

And, no the saddle didn’t fit. But the biggie we found (got a good dentist in her mouth) - was a fractured molar. Got that thing out and she became a happy girl.