During a dressage lesson about 2 months ago my horse was going perfectly- out of no where he planted it and started bucking and refused to go forward. He has been checked by 2 different vets and a chiropractor with no avail. Chiro found pain in L3, L4 and L6. His initial soreness on the longe showed in the right hind, but has alternated back and forth since then. The flexion test did not show a clear positive. He was on 3 days of banamine with no avail, then 5 days of muscle relaxers to no avail, and then 10 days of 2 grams of bute daily also to no avail. He acts typical in the field and will run and play, but under saddle he still presents the same symptoms and is reluctant to go forward for more than a few strides. Currently the vets think it could be SI pain, but I am getting frustrated. On the longe line he presents stiffness behind and the inability to track up with both hind legs. Also appears to carry hind legs away from his body. Soreness is most present at the trot. He will trot for a few minutes and wants to break into canter rather quickly. I got on him 2 days ago to check his progress and he presented with heavy back twitching and shifting weight back and forth in hind end. He walked a few strides and again pinned his ears and did not want to move forward. I was wondering if anyone has dealt with a similar issue before that could provide some insight. Thanks! 
I went through something very similar. Tried the muscle relaxers, the bute, multiple vets and tests. Put him out to pasture in frustration. The solution came when, on a whim, I had a different Vet/Chiropractor look at him. She found muscle soreness in his croup. We used hot packs, message and stretching, then started to build strength with light work. Hope this helps in some way. Be sure to thoroughly investigate saddle fit, too. Good luck!
couple things, to rule out:
check your saddle fit
PSSM
check stifles
you mention twitching… Is he doing this like a HYPP attack? Tying up? What type of horse is he?
He had full bloodwork up and the only thing that came back was slightly elevated GGT which the vet is confidant that it is due to strenuous exercise. He is QH, but has been tested for HYPP and was N/N. He only does twitching when I was on his back- much like getting a fly off, but noticeably harder.
I’d still test for PSSM (both types)… Glad he does not have HYPP.
In some horses symptoms may begin by 2 to 3 years of age while others can remain subclinical. Clinical signs can include skin twitching, stiffness, firm painful muscles, sweating, weakness, and reluctance to move with light exercise. Occasionally gait abnormalities, mild colic and muscle wasting may also occur.
Saddle fit has been checked and it is fine. I am just so frustrated because the onset was so quick and he was only doing light shoulder ins and lateral work.
[QUOTE=mklein0011;8262572]
Saddle fit has been checked and it is fine. I am just so frustrated because the onset was so quick and he was only doing light shoulder ins and lateral work.[/QUOTE]
You’re frustrated… imagine how frustrated your horse is, being in pain. Did a saddle fitter actually check the saddle fit in the last 6 months? People say all the time their saddle fit is fine, come to find out they came to that conclusion themselves and never involved a professional.
Considering the symptoms you mentioned are very parallel to the clinical signs of PSSM, I’d be calling the vet for a hair sample. If he’s a QH, it’s likely he has PSSM type 1 if he has it… but PSSM type 2 needs a muscle biopsy. Fairly invasive but they heal quickly.
On that thought… a video of your horse might help COTHers help you.
Saddle fitter was out right after it happened and cleared saddle fitting. He did not have an elevation in muscle proteins in bloodwork.
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He did not have an elevation in muscle proteins in bloodwork.[/QUOTE]
Unfortunately (to my knowledge at least) PSSM cannot be detected by bloodwork, despite any sort of proteins released by muscle damage.
The blood draw after exercise is for tying up, which is a completely different thing than PSSM despite similar symptoms.
You suggest hair sample test? I have another vet coming out next week for another evaluation. He currently is on Kalm and Ez feed by Tribute, which has little to no sugar. I’m just trying to exhaust all options because his discomfort is what is frustrating me because I don’t know how to help him. He has had 2 magna wave treatments which he thoroughly enjoyed and also gets regular massage therapy.
Sounds like you are doing what you can. Surprised the other two vets did not go for PSSM right away… Maybe they see something we don’t, having seen the horse in person. I’d ask your vet about it and in the mean time read up on PSSM and its management practices. Look into the dietary suggestions and see if that is something your BM can accommodate if PSSM becomes a real possibility (which at this point it sounds like it may be).
Unfortunately here, seems PSSM is very common in the QHs and draft types – the genetic testing is usually sufficient for them, though for TBs we do a muscle biopsy. Most horses who seem to not have PSSM benefit greatly from the dietary change to PSSM anyway. Couple posters on this forum have gone this route for their horses with strange symptoms and have written the dietary adjustment solved some of the issues.
He seemed a bit better on bute, but obviously long term use there is not an option. That was the only reimage that seemed to make him a bit more comfortable. I have had him since he was 2 he now 11 and he has always been 110% into working. Its just very abnormal for him. I just asked one of the vets that saw him and she said she doesn’t think it is muscular at all. 
I just want to make him more comfortable and get him better ASAP. Thank you for your advice! I will read up on PSSM and make some changes if there is a chance it would help him.
PSSM1 is a DNA test from pulled hair.
PSSM2 is a muscle biopsy test.
I would get both done to at least rule them out.
My thoughts are this issue are either:
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an acute incident - some wrong movement tore something (muscle, tendon, ligament), or put something chiropractically out. If only 1 chiro has been involved, I’d have another out.
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things were bothering him before, and he compensated as long as he could, then he couldn’t, and said enough. This can make finding and fixing the problem(s) a lot harder, as there could be many compensatory issues.
The symptoms do sound like something high and in the middle-ish
I would also take a hard look at how his feet are trimmed. Long toes behind can easily work their evilness up the hind end and into the SI area. Long front toes can easily work their way back to a sore hind end.
Sore L3, 4, 6 is a symptom. Unfortunately, it’s not the cause.
It might be time for an MRI. But before that I’d rule out PSSM 1/2, and Lyme
Thanks for the reply. I do know that having weight on his back 100% aggravates whatever it is. He is perfectly normal in the field, but get on his back and he will be pleasant for a few strides, but that it. He has had the same blacksmith for several years, but I will check that also. Previously he has always been tight in shoulder area due to his build. At this point he has had so many people poking at him he is reluctant to really let anyone besides myself and the massage therapist even palpate behind. He immediately associates vets with pain now, which makes matters even more difficult. Again his diet is very low in sugar and starch and he is on grass hay. He is turned out on average 10 hours a day depending on heat. His lower back has also presented tight (via message therapist) for quite some time, but this has always been attributed to breed and muscle mass. I just want to help him!
Small trimming imbalances can build up body issues over years until one day the horse says “no more!”. If you can post some pictures that would be useful information. Take them like this:
http://www.all-natural-horse-care.com/good-hoof-photos.html
Previously he has always been tight in shoulder area due to his build.
I don’t buy that 
This is interesting information, and may be totally related to what’s going on now.
At this point he has had so many people poking at him he is reluctant to really let anyone besides myself and the massage therapist even palpate behind. He immediately associates vets with pain now, which makes matters even more difficult.
Totally understand. If you can swing it, get him a good massage, and then either later that day, or the next, have another chiro look at him.
Again his diet is very low in sugar and starch and he is on grass hay. He is turned out on average 10 hours a day depending on heat. His lower back has also presented tight (via message therapist) for quite some time, but this has always been attributed to breed and muscle mass. I just want to help him!
If PSSM is in the picture, added fat will likely be necessary in addition to keeping his sugars down. 10 hours on grass might be too much sugar for him too.
Have you thought of kissing spines?
Did you actually x ray his back? It sounds almost exactly what I went through with my kissing spines horse.
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During a dressage lesson about 2 months ago my horse was going perfectly- out of no where he planted it and started bucking and refused to go forward. :[/QUOTE]
I had a similar thing happen to me with my horse about a year ago. Scared the pants off of me. I was having a lesson and everything was fine and then horse slammed the brakes on and couldn’t move, had his head down and hind leg elevated. I thought he had broken something/tying up/pulled something etc. Looked him over couldn’t find anything thought it was his hind end. Took him carefully back to the barn and put him in his stall. He was eating hay while I spoke to the vet about his hind end. And then I realized it was his front end. He couldn’t lift his head up at all, was in PAIN. Vet was on an emergency call already so I gave him bute as requested and put his food and water on the ground and monitored him every hour to make sure he was ok until the vet came. Turned out it he had a hematoma in his neck ligament that started to bleed while I rode him and was extremely painful all of a sudden. Just throwing that one out there. If it is strange, it has happened to me.
I have taken photos of the area of soreness if anyone wants them let me know and I will email it won’t let me post pictures here. I also have videos of walk and trot both directions on longe line.
Xray the thoracic spine. If clear, look at the neck.
