On & Off Again Back Issues

[EventingMaff]

@EventingMaff

Any updates in the past couple weeks? I feel like I could have written the same post about my mare (5 year old). We did find very mild kissing spine and ulcers, but treated for ulcers and have been bringing slowly back into work. However her back still shows soreness (despite not being ridden since early Dec - so definitely not saddle fit) and she is still bucking and switching behind a lot.

We have not ruled out SI yet, but all bodyworkers haven’t found any indication of soreness or stiffness in the SI area which makes me more hesitant to pull the trigger on extensive diagnostics there.

Her walk and trot work feels good - just really becomes evident in the canter!

Wanted to give the update on my horse (post above) that we’re now trying her on Magnesium. Have only started her on it yesterday but seems to tick a lot of the boxes of her symptoms:

• Cantering issues (especially cross-cantering and bucking in canter)
• Sore back that seems to palpate less sore after rides
• Walk / Trot work feels largely good except some difficulty suppling
• Last trimming her farrier reported her soles are seeming thin / sensitive
• Goes through salt blocks quickly
• Continued grumpiness about girth / blanketing even though now has ulcer-free stomach (although less than when she had ulcers)
• Flinches when I first start grooming but will relax into it after a few minutes

Will let you know how it works, but given you’re also in a Magnesium deficient area thought I’d update with our latest theory!

[scislandsprite]

Hm, I originally had her on Magnesium a few years ago and saw no change but that was at a different barn with different hay. However, I will keep this in mind just in case I end up trying it again as she has the cantering issue like your horse.
I’m bringing her back into ridden work, sports medicine surgeon recommended doing I add in some PEMF so I bought a thingy to put on her back to use while letting her eat hay before our rides. We’re going pretty slow right now, mostly walking with some trot work and she’s doing pretty well with some stiffness which is expected. She’s had most of January, all of February, and half of March off besides some light lunging over cavaletti to keep her moving.
I was a little apprehensive about bringing her back into work, personally, but I also noticed she was somehow managing to gain some weight despite not eating that much so I wanted to try and keep that from being an issue as well. Not entirely sure where this will go but we will see.
Let me know how the magnesium helps!