Weakness in youngsters

[EventingLady]

Hi breeders,

How would you approach a youngster that has always been sound and stable, but failed the tail pull test? Is otherwise well balanced, but did not do well at all on this specific neuro test. No signs of lameness or injury, or atrophy. Just failed tail pull on the neuro tests. All other neuro tests normal.

At a complete loss right now of what to do (ie give up and never start youngster under saddle, wait and see if grows out of it, or start horse according to plan and see what happens, or immediately proceed with expensive diagnostics).

Please only comment if you have firsthand experience of hind end weakness in young horses, and what ended up happening/what road you took. Thnx

[Arlomine]

What was it that prompted you to do a neuro exam? Was there something bothering you about the colt?

[EventingLady]

Vet was doing a general soundness exam before the horse is started under saddle.

[weixiao]

I had one that failed the tail pull test, not every time, but many times. Otherwise, he was sound and didn’t have any issues. It was discovered during the PPE. Maybe there was something mild but he was the most easy going, floppy guy and was like a giant puppy and completely unconcerned by anything at all, so we ended up writing it off as him just being “special.” He was a great 1.30m horse and as far as I know never had any issues related to it into retirement. He’s in his late 20s now. He did take a lot to keep fit and collection didn’t come easy for him, he was about as long as a city block, but he never presented with any other indicators of any neuro type issues. He was also the most flexible horse I’ve ever seen. If he was a human he would have been a contortionist for sure and I always wondered if that was a contributing factor.

[LaurieB]

I would test for EPM or, better yet, get a neuro specialist to take a look.

[JB]

More info is needed. How old is he? How tall? Fugly butt-high growth stage? Can you post a good conformation picture? Any video of him trotting at liberty?

I think I’d be running bloodwork for EPM just in case.

[EventingLady]

@weixiao

I had one that failed the tail pull test, not every time, but many times. Otherwise, he was sound and didn’t have any issues. It was discovered during the PPE. Maybe there was something mild but he was the most easy going, floppy guy and was like a giant puppy and completely unconcerned by anything at all, so we ended up writing it off as him just being “special.” He was a great 1.30m horse and as far as I know never had any issues related to it into retirement. He’s in his late 20s now. He did take a lot to keep fit and collection didn’t come easy for him, he was about as long as a city block, but he never presented with any other indicators of any neuro type issues. He was also the most flexible horse I’ve ever seen. If he was a human he would have been a contortionist for sure and I always wondered if that was a contributing factor.

Thank you for sharing ! I sincerely hope this horse has a success story like yours.

[weixiao]

@EventingLady

Thank you for sharing ! I sincerely hope this horse has a success story like yours.

I hope so too! Best of luck to you! If you’re comfortable sharing and keeping us updated, I’d be interested to hear your experience and what you decide to do and find with him. I hope that ends up being all good updates!

[b]

You might want to do x-rays of his neck to see if anything shows up.