Well, it wasn’t my first rodeo with “performance problems”, but it took me basically having a meltdown in front of my vet for her to start turning into the methodical diagnostician I had known her to be. He was also having airway problems, so we were going down that rabbit hole simultaneously as it did contribute to his overall performance and my inability to get him stronger.
I had already decided to move for the winter with the horse anyway because we had a bad wildfire year plus COVID everything, and I was over it. He was either going to be rehabbed or he was going to be turned out, but I was also going somewhere that I could be outside.
We discovered his asthma, but they decided not to treat at that time but see how he would do with the location change. We also tested Vitamin E and Se, EPM, Lyme. He had recent full neck and back X-rays already from his pre-purchase. We did some blocking in the front with nothing found. We injected hocks and that got me nowhere except another colic (stopped steroids after that!). We started chiro with a very highly trained vet, and finally there was some improvement. On to something. He was so wound and spooky he was on Gastrogard for a couple of months.
We moved and I made an appointment with a vet recommended to me in the new area. I gave the history, and he did a basic exam for lameness and neuro, plus the lameness locator. Nothing significant. I said the next recommendation from my usual vet was rectal ultrasound. The chiro in the same practice also came out and recommended adding Sucralfate and trying to wean off the Gastrogard. Within a week of this change (just adding Sucralfate, still on GG), he was already a lot less spooky. Both vets had some questions about his lumbar images (he is very broad backed, and you couldn’t see much), so we decided to just ultrasound everything, starting dorsally and then going with the rectal ultrasound if nothing major found. These vets did not suspect hip, and they also ruled out RH suspensory with blocking and continuing the lameness locator. Interestingly, when we did SI compression (trying to stress the SIs) with the lameness locator, the output went from showing some asymmetries all WNL and unchanged with any other flexions to the soundest horse you’d ever seen. Made us all say hmmm.
First ultrasound confirmed neck was normal was was supraspinous ligament and SI ligaments. Did confirm L5-L6 was fused, noted possible minor changes to the joint at L1-2. They used the same radiologist as my usual vet, so images sent to him, and he said this was not uncommon and probably not the total answer.
Rectal ultrasound showed an acute injury had happened on the R SI and a bone spur was forming. Vet’s opinion was that steroid would only help that issue for a couple weeks maybe…like by the time you are actually back to work, no change from before. He recommended using Pro Stride to try to heal the articular surface eventually. Horse responded well to Pro Stride and I started being able to start the conditioning/rehab process for real. Horse was already enjoying the more turnout and better air part. I also kept supporting him with a good farrier, the chiro, and a good massage/structural integration practitioner. And I could control all of his nutrition and meds. We also had 65 acres to do some hacking out. With some ups and downs (because, horses), he was going the best he’d ever gone about a year later, including after moving back home and having to start asthma support.
