IUFP, locking stifle, exercise vs vet appointment

[fivestrideline]

This is long, TLDR at the end.

I have a horse with confirmed IUFP - as in sometimes when he comes out of the stall after breakfast his right hind is “locked” until he pops it loose. It locks forward underneath him vs out behind (out behind is the most common in the videos of UFP I’ve seen). Walking for a bit in hand seems to fix it, but until that is done it will lock and release several times ie while picking feet or moving him around in the cross ties.

We have not seen it in the pasture - he lives outside but comes into a stall to eat like all the horses here. Sometimes they’re in for 30 minutes, sometimes they’re in for a few hours, but the locking doesn’t seem to correlate to length of time in the stall. So far, it has only been observed in the mornings, though he does “fall in a hole/flat tire” on that side when going downhill on a curve under saddle.

He is in light work - 30ish minute rides 5-6 days a week exclusively on hills, mostly walk with 6-8 minutes of trot. In general, he’s SO much fitter and can do a lot of things he couldn’t before. He got here with mild “sticking stifles” per the vet, but the true locking is relatively new. He is butt high and somewhat straight behind, and we are actively addressing assumed NPA.

Anyways, I have finally gotten him to a good weight, saddle fitted, etc - he feels GOOD and ready to work! Leisurely hill walks are no longer “enough”, I get the distinct feeling he’s ready (mentally) for longer and more technical rides and also needs to be tired so he doesn’t start getting creative . Unfortunately, right when I got him to this point is when the locking started! So I’m conflicted - do I work him “harder”, go get some cavaletti and start doing more trot work with him, or do I call the vet? The vet is the one that saw the “sticking stifles” when he arrived and told me to work him - but not how, or how much, or when to have them back out if needed.

TLDR: horse has developed true locking IUFP despite being fitter and better overall than he was when he “just” had bilateral mild sticky stifles. It only presents in the AM despite only coming into a stall to eat. Do I start working him harder than his current 30 minute hacks on hills (mentally he is ready), or do I call the vet and ask for X-ray/ultrasound/???

[JB]

Yes, keep increasing the work according to his mental and physical ability. It’s really pretty common for this to happen as they go into (more) work, and oddly enough, even when they come out of work.

[fivestrideline]

@JB

Yes, keep increasing the work according to his mental and physical ability. It’s really pretty common for this to happen as they go into (more) work, and oddly enough, even when they come out of work.

Thanks!

I’m a worrier, and extremely guilty of going too slow!

[DMK]

Yes, and get ready to work through discomfort because it can get worse before it gets better. It’s also perfectly fine to treat that discomfort with nsaids. I usually give 1gr bute pm, enough to take the edge off but not really mask anything. Surpass/voltaren on the struggle is another option.

Some come along quite quickly with work, others not so much. It took a few years with my pony and he never had anything more than the flat tire effect. As for work, I just did the work we needed to do to compete in combined driving and dressage. That’s an awful lot of trotting up and down hills and a lot of collection in all gaits. To this day he will still flat tire if he’s tired and on a loose rein on his forehand, but rarely when he’s actually working, because that’s when the muscles that hold the stifle are engaged

[fivestrideline]

@DMK

Surpass/voltaren on the struggle is another option.

Have you found this to work? I used it on another horse and I could never tell if it did anything, though it was cheap enough to just make ME feel better.

I’d like to avoid bute for tummy issues (just preventative measures), but I’ve given him Tylenol before and could start that again.

[greywithchrome]

My horse has been like this her whole life. I almost don’t see it at all now that she lives outside, but when she did live in I would just take her out of her stall slowly and mindfully and I never picked her back feet until AFTER her ride. She did all the pole work in the world and it never really went away but definitely improved when she was fitter. It sounds like you’re doing all the right things.

FWIW I did have the vet look at mine multiple times for nothing really. Xrays showed very minor arthritis but nothing to write home about. I tried injections with not much improvement. Sometimes its just how they’re built.

[fivestrideline]

I’ve heard the fenestration surgery is an option for these ones - honestly if the stifle slip doesn’t go away once he’s in “full” work I’m probably going to have it done. Right now though I’m not confident he’s done growing so I both don’t want to jump the gun but I also don’t want to be too conservative .

Can you tell that I’m a worrier when it comes to my horses?

[DMK]

It’s marginally effective IMO but I’m not looking for much. But orally, topically, IV or IM, all nsaids are Cox 1 and 2 inhibitors, so if your horse has proven gastric issues with NSAIDS, administration route does not matter.

But to my knowledge, acetaminophen is NOT an anti inflammatory, but rather an analgesic, a pain blocker. For me, this really defeats the purpose. Part of the cycle of IUFP is inflammation around the joint, if I’m not helping that, I’m just putting drugs in his system for no good reason. I want to remove/reduce inflammation so exercise can increase muscle fitness, not inflammation.

If you legitimately can’t use nsaids, you may need to consider injecting and/or adequan at some point along the fitness path. You may end up there anyway (I did), but I like to start with low budget and effective first.

[fivestrideline]

@DMK

so if your horse has proven gastric issues with NSAIDS

He doesn’t! I definitely use them when needed. I will watch him for discomfort and keep bute in mind for the purposes you stated!

Sounds like for me, if anything I’ll reach for bute before surpass for this specific issue. I’d rather kick it hard if I’m going to “risk” gastric upset.

[DMK]

Some soaked alfalfa cubes before work goes a long way to helping with any gastric issues!

[fivestrideline]

Oh yes! He gets alfalfa hay (or at the least, grass hay out of the stall) before working. He’s very insistent upon his snacks now

[IPEsq]

Try backing him up when it’s really stuck like that.

[Live_Wire]

Is this your guy that’s recently off the track? I ask because IME it’s not an uncommon curve as their bodies adjust, which can take time! I generally keep them in gradual work unless it seems like it’s causing discomfort - in that case I’d drop back and punt but it doesn’t sound like it’s bothering him.

[fivestrideline]

Yes that’s the one!

There for a while he was happy to toodle around. Now we are fat and sassy and trying SO hard to be good but I think he’s ready to go to work. I just don’t want to hurt him either! To be fair, it only seems to annoy him right now.

Good to know that it’s at least common. I know these things happen as they decompress and grow - but it’s hard to just power through when my instinct is STOP AND REST HIM

[JB]

Ahhh, your new guy! Yes, this will likely stop once his feet are fixed, he finishes growing, and he gets more fit. It may return, possibly at a lower level than now, if he gets out of work again, but I wouldn’t worry about that. The worse thing for stifles are long toes and NPA

[TWH_Girl]

@DMK

f you legitimately can’t use nsaids, you may need to consider injecting and/or adequan at some point along the fitness path. You may end up there anyway (I did), but I like to start with low budget and effective first.

I would second this. You do often need to address multiple issues including soreness during the struggle with IUPF. I have done a lot of tail pulls and other in hand strengthening exercises to help this issue as well.

[fivestrideline]

I may do Adequan regardless, if it’s in budget. I have my vet coming out for another horse in a few weeks, I could likely get them to write me a script.

I’m no good for IV so Legend is out, and the vet that is close enough to come do them for me charges and arm and a leg

[fivestrideline]

Update - checked my notes and it looks like the right stifle has been a consistent problem area since a few weeks after I got him. Here and there it switched to the left, but only in the beginning. Tail pulls switch back and forth as to which is more difficult however.

According to my BO, the locking started at the beginning of May. Yesterday was the first time I got to see it in person, but it has been rare, sporadic, and only in the mornings. The stifle slip/wonkiness is NOT new though.

I’ll chat with my vet when they’re here later this month. I do wonder what would be best if I want to do some imaging just for peace of mind, X-ray or ultrasound?

[Live_Wire]

I was going to ask if it was right. Again, in my experience, it’s pretty typical. Some are more noticeable than others, what kind of track they ran on seems to correlate with SI/stifle weakness. It may take a year or so of proper care and work for them to develop the proper muscles and even out behind.

Personally, I don’t like to inject too soon. Adequan is the exception, it certainly won’t hurt, but it’s probably not necessary. Movement is therapy.

[fivestrideline]

He raced at Charles Town - I’ve been told it’s rather tough on the horses.

Maybe I will gift him some Adequan if he’s an extra good boy, then