Update post 60 - Now he’s barefoot - Incredibly tight back muscles

[fivestrideline]

Long story short: tight muscle relief ideas?

My suspensory rehab horse is about halfway through the process, and is tack walking and about to start trotting. He’s been… intractable lately under saddle (and in hand), but I put him on ulcer meds and it’s seemed to help a lot. We are back to tantrums, vs full on meltdowns.

I went out there to ride him to see what was up - I know him and wanted to get a feel for what is “done with this rehab nonsense” attitude and what could be pain. He’s been handwalking 45 minutes on a flat, gradual slope, as well as the tack walking in the ring on good days (the weather has been less than cooperative so sometimes riding is inadvisable).

To be honest, he looks incredible. He has a nice topline for his workload, the weird croup dips are gone, he’s in good weight (though I could stand a little more on him). A true testament to the power of consistent walking. When I run my hands down his back he doesn’t flinch or drop out like he used to, but good lord his back is TIGHT. Like, rock hard. His haunches and hamstrings are the worst, but his whole body is wound tight as a bowstring.

I’ve tried robaxin in the past with this horse with no results, I could try it again or do a bute trial, but with his ulcer issues I’d rather not. He HATES a chiro and really doesn’t want bodyworkers touching him. I did have him PEMFed recently though, and he absolutely loved it. I know PEMF is best done consistently but that’s way out of budget, so I’m looking for other options. Back on Track? STP? The vet is coming out for a recheck this week so I will talk to them as well, but I’m looking for ideas of things to try. He’s on the tiny paddock routine so the lack of movement is really bothering him, but he’s an idiot in a bigger space. I’m at a loss so any ideas are appreciated!

[Training_Cupid]

I was going to say get an Rx for Robaxin - when you day you had no results with it in the past, did the horse have the same pathology previously?
Is he getting magnesium? I’d also look into that.

[fivestrideline]

When we tried the robaxin, we didn’t have a full dx on the suspensory, but a lot of the same issues (though he was very backsore at the time, which seems to have changed in presentation at least). I’m open to trying it again, since he wasn’t doing any work and it may have helped but wasn’t obvious.

He is not on any additional Mg, but last I ran his feed through a database he was getting plenty. I have used it in the past with good results, but he was on a different feed and was severely lacking. I could look into it again, it’s cheap, but I’ll run his numbers again first.

[Feathered_Feet]

@Training_Cupid

I was going to say get an Rx for Robaxin - when you day you had no results with it in the past, did the horse have the same pathology previously?
Is he getting magnesium? I’d also look into that.

I’ll second the magnesium - it’s cheap and easy to add, and also ask what dose of methocarbamol? You can go up pretty high, and stay on it for a while, so you might ask your vet about a higher dosage to experiment. (Higher dosages can make them a little loopy so don’t give right before you ride!)

Additionally, OP, have you radiographed the hind feet? Not sure what kind of suspensory issue you’re rehabbing, but NPA in the hindfeet is often associated with either PSD or other hindlimb suspensory strains, or just general hind-end and back pain more broadly. I know when we went down the rabbit hole of deciphering the origin of my horse’s back pain, the NPA was constant, and I still “blame” it for being if not the source, at least an aggravator of the back pain. I would check that the hind feet are in good form (via radiographs) before assuming the origin is in the back itself.

Otherwise, I think it’s worth trying the usual suspects - chiro, massage (you might have to try several people until you find one your horse likes), and a physical therapy approach, like what people do to rehab their KS horses. (I’ve had minimal, if any, success with either PEMF treatments via a high-powered magnawave machine, or one of the therapy blankets, so I can’t say I’d recommend either of those, but your mileage may vary.)

[fivestrideline]

Hoo boy yes this horse has been radiographed within an inch of his life. Here’s a list of known issues:

• mild/moderate front suspensory strain, showing healing. Dx in June, rehabbing at a facility since late august.
• NPA all around (being aggressively addressed, getting recheck rads this week too, should be flat if not positive now)
• caudal heel pain in opposite front heel to the suspensory (???, new, addressing with farrier, hoping it’s trim related and will go away)
• kissing spine from withers to lumbar. Mild. All spaces. Worst under saddle. I wish I was kidding.
• ulcers. No scope, I’m a bit in the weeds for that but responding to Nexium well

[Feathered_Feet]

Oh man, I’m so sorry. I’ve had a similar adventure (NPA, KS, now PSD, though like I said I think a lot of the KS and PSD can be traced back to the NPA). Definitely don’t discount the impact NPA can have on the back - all the vets I’ve worked with never seemed too concerned about the NPA, but every time I’ve changed my horse’s shoeing I’ve noticed a major difference in her comfort, including through her back.

Have you tried wedges? Not necessarily as a long-term solution, but might be able to help get your horse some comfort by restoring proper alignment until you can get the bones lined up correctly on their own. I’m currently struggling with this myself, so let me know if you figure out the secret lol. (Happy to swap experiences over DM if you’d like.)

[fivestrideline]

Oh man well at least I’m not alone! We wedged behind, got to a good spot, and took him back to flat. We will see what his hinds look like this week. He’s wedged in front, hoping to take those down as well, but I doubt he’s ready. I switched his farrier up so he may be going back into wedges behind (farrier shopping is the WORST). It’s been a whole adventure that I attribute to his feet, and have been shouting into the void about it

[starsandsun]

My guy shows up very tight when his gut is upset … we’ve been dealing with ulcers for a long time, and as his whole digestive system is improving, we can focus again on his back and glutes.

One approach I’ve used is the recommendations of Jec Ballou to strengthen stabilizing muscles rather than the big ones as a primary focus. Also I use Equilibrium massager over his entire topline before every ride, and after … and always also on days when I don’t ride. He loves it, and it was what I could afford. My hope is that it stimulates/relaxes the muscles.

I would also recommend the Surefoot pads, and the Eagle ProSix for him - you can turn him out for a bit in it, leave it on his stall, handwalk or ride. These tools change their proprioception and made a world of difference for my horse.

After all this time, for us, it’s the canary in the coal mine - if he’s tight, he’s holding his back so his guts don’t move.

[Ryde_XC]

Look at serratus ventralis and compensatory issues and if weak build a rehab program for that. Particularly with NPA involved. If the back tension is localized, ask vet about getting you tPEMF loop. The big PEMF are okay for general make it feel okay treatments but tPEMF will get in there much more effectively. Shockwave may also be a great option if available.

[NaturallyHappy]

One of the inexpensive things I’ve used is something a race track groom shared…equal amounts of alcohol and tan Listerine, soaked in a towel and placed on the back w a trash bag over it w another towel to hold the trash bag in place. It warms up the back. The trash bag may be a TERRIBLE idea for your horse right now, but thought I’d mention it.

[greywithchrome]

I’ve done everything to my horse’s back/SI… injections, mesotherapy, acupuncture, robaxin, chiro. She loves PEMF and luckily I have my own machine so that has been great. The only other thing I have found to really show a noticeable difference other than consistent bodywork was shockwave.

[Obsidian_Fire]

In addition to keeping the NPA under control, I’m going to suggest injections - specifically mesotherapy. I’ve been thru the wringer with my mare and this (fingers crossed) seems to have crossed the line for her. You need to get the pain under control so the muscles can relax, then your other therapies have a chance of actually working.
My other choice would be acupuncture.

[beowulf]

Ooof, what a roster.

A few questions - is he on total stall rest still? And what is his shoeing situation, is he shod all around, only up front, or barefoot?

I’m a big believer in robaxin to help with tight muscles. With stall rest and rehab, you’re also rehabbing not just from the initial injury, but all of the compensational soreness/musculature from protecting themselves and standing in a stall.

Any chance you can put him in a corral large enough for movement but not large enough for antics? Something like a 15x40, done by roundpen panels, can really help. You can put them adjacent to, or sharing a fence-line with, a quiet herd mate and it will make a huge difference.

I had a KS horse on layup for a trauma injury and boy did the stall rest make his KS so much worse. I tried a BOT blanket but it made his shoulders really sore.

I would also suggest injections like mesotherapy but keep in mind you may need to repeat them a few times during this process. It might even be worth talking to your vet about a temporary round of Osphos or Tildren to manage the pain while you’re getting out of rehab. The only drawback to this is, it may impact if he trots sound for the suspensory, so you may want to discuss this with your vet first.

I would think in your shoes, my primary concern would be getting the horse comfortable enough in his body that we can safely do rehab. So, I’d pursue whatever medicinal therapies are at my disposal. Robaxin, Osphos, and even Reserpine if I had to. And as much turnout as physically possible.

[Lunabear1988]

I’ll third try some magnesium. But ulcers and feet are always culprits too like others mentioned. Best of luck! Good for you for being so attentive to your horse.

[AllTheCarrots]

@NaturallyHappy

One of the inexpensive things I’ve used is something a race track groom shared…equal amounts of alcohol and tan Listerine, soaked in a towel and placed on the back w a trash bag over it w another towel to hold the trash bag in place. It warms up the back. The trash bag may be a TERRIBLE idea for your horse right now, but thought I’d mention it

Coming on here to suggest something similar as temporary relief. When the Goober torqued his back reliving his youth in a muddy, slippery field, I soaked a towel in hot water, laid a fleece cooler on top of it, and took him out to hand graze. The combo of the cordless, DIY heating pad and the gentle, slow motion helped unlock his ouchy muscles.

[Posting_Trot]

I’d second the idea that, if possible, let him have some turnout in a small space. Standing in a stall is, just by itself, going to have an impact on muscle tightness. Maybe he could be turned out after he’s done his tack-walking etc, so he won’t be completely cold when turned out.

Also, if you can, walk him over ground poles and then progress to low cavalletti. This is something that Jec Ballou (noted in a previous post) recommends, and it can be very helpful in getting the horse to use his whole body, including his back. She also recommends progressing to putting the ground poles on a gradual hill and going both up and down.

Good luck!

[luvmyhackney]

If you haven’t used a heating pad you should try it.

Have you tried some of the Masterson bodywork exercises? Some of the TTouch work might be helpful especially if you combine with some muscle relaxers.

[floppyammy]

OP, when you have tried Robaxin in the past, it may have been at lower than therapeutic levels, so it may not have had the desired effects.

My vet suggested the following levels for my horse who is 1100lbs:
12,000mg 2x per day for 1 Week
6,000mg 2x per day for 1 Week
6,000mg 1x per day for 1 Week

I also supplement with:
7,500mg magnesium
4,000 IU natural vitamin e

I didn’t see Vitamin E mentioned upthread. Even low thresholds within normal values can cause body soreness/tightness.

[fivestrideline]

Okay answering some questions, I’m on mobile so sorry if it gets jumpy.

Horse is currently in shoes all around, with 2 degree full support wedge pads and hard pour-in up front. Regular open shoes behind (it was supposed to be flat full pads with frog support, but I wasn’t there to hold so that’s on me. Next round.)

He’s in a stall with run, 12x24 total, 24/7. He’s an absolute terror in turnout, and already does some cantering through the doorway so we are unsure if more space is advisable. He has a next door neighbor, but said neighbor has an eye injury and my horse likes to rip off his mask for him, so they are banned from touching.

I’ve decided to ask for max Robaxin to try again, and if that fails I’ll look into mesotherapy. Shockwave is also on my radar, but might be out of budget.

[fivestrideline]

My horse is on 4000 IU natural E pellets, MSM, salt, an omega 3 supp, as well as 6-8 lb (can’t recall) of TSC Senior. He gets as much hay as he wants, usually 25-30 lbs in a slow feed net in a water trough.

I do not handle him, he’s at a rehab barn an hour away, but he gets out for at least 45 minutes to handwalk/tack walk, and graze some. The handwalking is up a nice slope on the road, but tack walking is restricted to the ring because he’s not trustworthy.