Stifle sticking when backing up

I’ve written at length about my horse and the cards he’s been dealt (crappy stifles and mild kissing spine.) Mostly because I’m neurotic about him, curious if any one has ever seen it present like this.

He has “sticky” stifles, in that he’s never fully locked up. But my trainer noted that during a few steps of reinback today, she could definitely see the stifle trying to stick behind. This makes sense to me because we do backing in hand for strength but he tends to want to drag both feet when backing instead of really picking them up. And sometimes he acts hesitant for a minute like it needs to unstick first.

He’s going well and work and he’s also on Estrone. He hasn’t been slipping behind (fat tire feel) like he can if he’s really weak. There is improvement. I mostly just curious because I’m told to back him in hand for strength but sometimes I wonder about that… I always hear that it can help them unstick but with him and almost seems like the opposite.

Thoughts welcome! This is more for my curiosity than anything.

Interestingly, we spent about 30 minutes doing groundwork. A lot of walking over poles, serpentines and turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches. I noticed that after walking over the poles a number of times, he was backing up much better with a clear step and less dragging. Hmm.

He then had a chiropractor appointment after but nothing significant was found. He did enjoy it as usual though.

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I do some backing each ride but try not to overdo it. 4-6 steps maybe 2-3 times a ride. It is definitely hard for horses with sore or sticky stifles to back. Poles are great work for stifles and we do a lot of them plus other isometric exercises. As any soreness subsides, backing is usually easier for them.

I’ve never found estrone helpful but always worth a try. I’ve used it on two horses. Adequan does help though IMO. Just lots of thoughtful, careful work and limited circles is what I found helpful.

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Xrays of hocks ?

So I’ve been told to back up quite a lot for strength building but yes I feel like it’s hard on him. But seemed like the polework really loosened things up yesterday. We’ve always done for work but we’ve had a really light two months because of weather and sickness.

So far, I’m actually really pleased with the Estrone. I’m surprised how much of a difference I’m seeing in him!

We tried Adequan with some results but now we use Zycosan and I’ve been happy with that too.

On the PPE hocks were clean. Probably should take new rads now but the vets are never concerned about his hocks… But I always wonder. To me, I think when one thing in the body is hurting everything starts to get funky.

I should add we’ve been doing things like tail pulls, leg circles, poles, backing in hand, tof, equiband for awhile but we did have an extremely light 2 months in December and January. He doesn’t look like he lost any muscle but I do wonder if he lost a little bit of fitness that’s affecting the stifle. Not extreme or anything but there occasionally. Mostly in the backing.

That is likely a contributing factor. I don’t think i would be overly concerned- all good things you’ve been doing so just keep it up and increase his sessions a little bit each week.
It’s hard to strengthen stifles in winter for sure! Especially if your horse isn’t a trail horse (yet, mine) and you don’t have hills.

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Yeah not too concerned since he keeps building muscle at least! Luckily we do have some hills at the barn but they’re dirt so a bit too icy to ride on in the winter. But we do have to walk up and down them to get to the barn at least in hand. So when it’s not insanely icy I try and make a point to do that a bit.

I’m very ready for summer! Lol. Winter is a pain.

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How old is he?

  1. It’s been a mild issue for years. I believe his conformation plays a part too. Overall he’s not doing bad, it was more just a little curiosity. Because I always hear the advice to back up for stifle issues but it’s really hard for him. It always has been.

I was curious because some horses do grow out of their stifle issues. At 7 probably not though.
I’d suggest walking over raised poles instead of backing up. Backing up is a whole body workout for them and it can cause them to hollow out their back to balance with their neck.

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Backing is definitely good for stifles, but as you and others have noted, not too much. They need to back straight, and ideally with a lowered/neutral head and neck position, not a raised head and neck which usually results in a hollow back. You want them engaging the core and lifting the back. Also backing up hills is really good for them, but might not work in this weather for you. I prefer to back under saddle when possible so I can control the haunches better to keep them straight and I can also feel if they are lifting vs hollowing their back.

Poles are good, raised poles are better, and if you have space that you can longe him, space the poles out so that he has to carry himself through them at the trot, so a little closer than normal. You want to see a little pause as he goes through them, not a quickened step.

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I wish it was something he’d just grow out of but nope. Although he’s in a MUCH better and stronger spot these days regardless. It will just be ongoing maintenance though.

He doesn’t hollow his back or raise his neck although I have to watch that he doesn’t get like btv during the backing (on the ground, not under saddle.) I’m very conscious about his back because he also has mild kissing spine! Thankfully he’s not showing any issues in his back/spine. I can train incorporate in just a step or two under saddle more instead of so much on the ground. And focus a little more on poles now too.

Thank you guys.

This is definitely horse dependent but they sometimes do “grow” out of it, although I don’t have any evidence to say that it’s just that they are getting stronger versus getting older.

One example is a horse that came to me about a year ago that was in no work at all. She did not have sticky stifles when she came but as she got into work and started building muscle they started to stick a little bit, but then they got better. She is 9 this year.

My personal horse had stifles that would totally lock as a young horse but she “grew” out of that when she was probably 3 or 4. She has been in low level but consistent work for her entire life (22 :scream: this year), and neither stifle has locked since she was young.

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Yeah my hope is definitely with continued strength It becomes less and less of a thing. And it certainly has already. His quads are SO much stronger than they used to be as well as just more muscle in general. Fingers crossed! He’s a cool little dude so I want him to feel his best. :slight_smile:

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My horse has sticky stifles. I don’t ask her to back up until she’s warmed up and then she’s fine. I don’t even usually pick her hind feet until after she’s worked. We do pole work and hill work if we can. The symptoms are much better when she’s in shape but it never goes away entirely. Just gets much worse if she has time off lol.

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Thank you!! That tracks with my horse and makes sense why he was less sticky backing up after pole work. And I agree my horse just falls apart if he’s not in work too long.