Help, what's wrong with him?!

[iloveCharlie5]

hey all! i just came on to ask if anyone on here has experienced the same problems as me? or if anyone has any advice on how to deal with the problems my pony is experiencing?
basically, a few weeks ago, my riding instructor was about to ride my horse, and she put the saddle on, he was completely fine, and as soon as she got on, he put his head between his knees and simply backed up. She said he felt like he was going to either lie down or fall over! So she tried another saddle and it wasn't the saddle's problem, he kept on doing it! it was like he completely couldn't go forward under saddle? so we let him rest for a few days and tried again... but this time he wouldn't go forwards when you did the girth up tightly? he flinched when you pressed his back too! So we got the vet out, and the funny thing was, they couldn't find anything wrong with him, apart from the obvious of course! they put him on painkillers and other meds, and said he needed box rest for 2 weeks, and then we would try again. (oh the joys of keeping a very speedy pony indoors for 2 weeks...) he wouldnt even move forward for FOOD when we got the vet out, and he is ruled by his stomach!!!!!! :/
but the thing is, he is no better now, and they STILL cant find anything? he's been out of work for over 3 weeks now, and he's getting really depressed stuck indoors! luckily, he's going in for x ray and possibly scans and tests if the x ray doesnt show anythign tomorrow, so hopefully we will know then.
I just wondered if anyone has experienced anything similar, or has any advice for getting him fit again and back into work once he is better?!
Thank you so much!
Kath x

[Kaliska]

Hi,

not had any experience of a horse doing the same as yours, but may be worth getting him looked at by a sports massage therapist or McTimoney chiropractor to check his back over? Mine was very lame for a while, vets found nothing but when he had sports massage, it transpired he had got everything out of kilter in his back and neck. Much better after the first treatment and I now need to book a second.

[iloveCharlie5]

Hi,

not had any experience of a horse doing the same as yours, but may be worth getting him looked at by a sports massage therapist or McTimoney chiropractor to check his back over? Mine was very lame for a while, vets found nothing but when he had sports massage, it transpired he had got everything out of kilter in his back and neck. Much better after the first treatment and I now need to book a second.

Hiya, thank you so much for the advice, the only thing is that he has already been seen several times by a highly recommended chiropractor, and she found nothing too? we are all at out wits end now..

[Dingbat]

What's he like on the lunge - with and without the saddle?

[Dingbat]

PS - just read a magazine article where a very similar thing happened to someone's horse which just suddenly refused to go forwards. They did all the checks you have, and eventually they discovered it was Enteroliths - which are stones caused by an ingested foreign body which get coated with minerals.

[iloveCharlie5]

What's he like on the lunge - with and without the saddle?

He's slightly lame at times but otherwise completely fine! Oh really? I'll research that, and mention about it to the vet!! I've had a thought that it could also be a stomach ulcer? Thank you for the advice!! X

[Kaliska]

If slightly lame, what does your farrier think?

[iloveCharlie5]

If slightly lame, what does your farrier think?

Haven't seen the farrier since then, he was only lame for a few days but is fine now? He had blood tests last week and all turned out normal so is going in for a bone scan tomorrow, will update then!

[Absolute_shambles]

Have you an update on this? It's very strange, I thought you could try acupuncture - and I am surprised as to why he is kept on box rest for so long. I would have thought turn him away and let him relax and bring him in for rehabilitation (Obviously keep an eye on him and carry on treatments)

[Kaliska]

Have you had an update at all? What did the bone scans show?