I went to visit my friends new horse yesterday and immediately noticed he did not look right from behind. He tracks wide, almost looks like he has a load in his pants. Moves his hind legs solely from his hip joint and doesn’t bend at the hocks. Other than that, no lameness or toe dragging. Not a locked stifle but I am thinking the stifle may be a main cause. Has anyone else seen this before? Just curious what the diagnosis was.
What breed is he? My friends arab tends to move like this. In his case a bit of a strength issue and a bit conformation. His hind legs are bit straight and he does almost drag his hind toes going down hill. But he is totally sound.
Coach has him doing lateral.work to get the hind more engaged.
Video would help if your friend is OK with that.
He is a mini broke to drive, conformationally he is correct. At the trot and watching him from the side he engages his hocks but when he breaks down to the walk he just looks funky. Doesn’t move his hips or hind end so I am starting to think SI. He is so tense in the back.
Si weakness perhaps that could be improved by proper schooling. As a mini he isn’t going to get that! However harness work is much less taxing on the back than riding so he might be just fine going forward.
My young gelding was tracking wide in back, and according to my trainer “looked like he still had his junk”. Vet confirmed stifle issues. He is on a course of Adequan, hills and poles and stretching for the next few months.
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You describe the look my friend’s horse had as a 2-year old to a tee. She purchased the horse then because the movement was mostly nice but she went wide behind “like she had a loaded diaper on” (my friend’s words). A work-up uncovered what seemed to be an old fracture in the SI joint (like maybe she tried to jump the fence as a foal but didn’t make it?). Extensive, I mean very regular chiropractic work with a very respected local equine practitioner for about one year made a HUGE change in the horse’s way of going. The horse is now 5 and was normally started, moves completely normally, and no longer needs regular chiro work. Could there be a very old injury that is making your pony move like that? Maybe chiro, massage or other PT could help?
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As a mini he isn’t going to get what? an SI issue? My mini has an SI issue diagnosed by a Vet and Chiro so absolutely possible. Yes, less taxing on the back but more taxing on the hind end.
Thank you J-Lu! I have been diligently googling info and have not yet found someone else who could relate or videos that show what I am seeing. Unfortunately it is not my horse, it is my friends who recently purchased him in September so we are un-aware of any old injuries. She has decided to start massage and chiro once everything gets loosened up 
I think Scribbler meant that a mini can’t get the under-saddle schooling to strengthen the SI that a larger horse could.
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