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"stiff" vs normally stiff? *older horse question*

4K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  MIEventer 
#1 · (Edited)
I feel like I could have worded that title better, but I'm having a brain fart as to how it make it more precise. Haha

Today I noticed that Lacey seemed..."off" somehow... Not horrifically off or anything, just a little something that made me wonder and caused me to go easy on her with our ride today. I know that eventually she's probably going to start having more and more issues arthritis-wise (this year, at age 26, she was started on the first glucosamine supplement that she's ever needed) and I want to be prepared for that eventuality by knowing what to look for.

Really, I'd like to know how I determine if she's off enough that I shouldn't ride at all or if she's really fine and just needs to work out of it... I'd assume that part of the equation is if she starts moving normally once she's fully warmed up then that's good, but how do I know if she's worked out of it if I'm riding her? And also, what's moving normally?
She's changed quite a bit in how she carries herself when she moves this year due to all the hills and such in her pasture so she's moving very differently than she used to when I was able to watch her move more... For instance, I see a lot more movement in her butt getting up hills recently, she seems to be really stepping under herself, so I could either interpret it as her dropping a hip as she trots or her really working under herself...

Her right back leg does seem to have issues, she drags the toe a little (I can't see it but my trimmer tells me she does) and it is the loudest footfall out of the four when we ride on pavement, but other than that she seems fine...

She's generally perfectly willing to w/t/c and I don't canter her until we've had at least 20 minutes of walking (of varying speed) and some trotting and I feel like she'd either completely refuse or go bonkers crazy if she really had an issue with whatever our activity was, but still.

Is there some sort of guideline to follow? I don't have any horse knowledgeable people around me so it's not like I can just go over to ol' Sally Jean's house (or whoever, haha) and have her take a look, yknow? Haha
 
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#2 ·
My friend's arab, who looks just like Lacey and is the same age, also is showing some signs of age. Your description sounds so much like Mocha. Her rider also lets her warm up more before cantering , just like you said.
I think you seem to have a really good feel for your horse. Just watching her and seeing how often she choosed to canter when offered the choice. And starting to kind of form a baseline for what is normal. Watch her hocks for swelling. If she is shod , her farrier can let you know if she needs any changes in her shoein. Mocha had pads put on all of her shoes that raised her off her heels a little and this made a huge difference in her "go".
I get the feeling that you have such good feelers on her that you will know when she is off in the sense of needing treatment and when she is just getting older and needs a bit more time to warm up.
 
#3 ·
The lesson horse I ride will be 21 this year. He normally starts out stiff, but will normally work out of it. However, he got pulled out of lessons 2 weeks ago because he was head-bobbing. I can normally tell within the first 10-20 minutes of riding if he is going to stay stuff or loosen up. Its honestly gotten to the point where I go into the arena 10 mins before lesson time so that we have that extra time to walk around for 5-10 minutes at a slow, medium then brisk walk to make sure he's a bit looser. It has been helping.

Anyways...long story short....I normally just go by feel, and sometimes his behaviour.
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#4 ·
I have a 31 yr old TB who has arthritis in his hips. The vet came out and did an osteopathic treatment - basically what a chiropractor does to humans. It also gave her an idea about how bad his joints are. She said a light rider and a walk (nothing more) once or twice a week would actually help but let him decide if he's up to it. If I saddle him and he seems irritated by it or once in the saddle he is more stubborn than usual then he's probably hurting and the ride needs to be forgotten. He is very easy to read which makes it simple.
See if you have a vet that does osteopathic work. After my vet twisted and adjusted and manipulated Henry, he's actually been a lot better. Be prepared for the popping and cracking sounds though :')
 
#6 ·
I have had her examined in the past, but it was more a once over sort of thing rather than a full exam. I'd dearly love for them to come out and take in everything about her and do a full work-up. But, since they're the only horse vet around in a rather well-to-do area (at least horse-wise, rich horses see the vet, poor ones never do), they cost an arm and a leg just to come out and since I'm a college student that's barely making enough $$ a week to feed Lacey, I'm kinda stuck. I feel absolutely terrible about it but I just don't know what to do. I mean, I'm still trying to pay them $130 from when they came out in November when Lacey scratched her eye. :(
It's stuff like this that makes me really question whether I should even own a horse, but at the same time, in this area, Lacey is worth basically nothing so she'd basically be headed for a worse life somewhere else. I just don't know.
My dream is that one day soon we can have a vet day where the vet looks at everything and does her teeth and all that but until then... I have a plan for saving money over the summer (I'll get at least $300 from the camp I work at and since my lesson kids want to still have lessons and their mom's don't mind driving them out to camp, I'll be making at least $45 a week all summer and not needing to spend it on anything) and my hope is that on the way home from camp, we can stop by the vet (so there's no trip fee) and get her totally examined.


Anyway, thanks for the tips guys! I will use them. :)
 
#7 ·
Wallaby, we are in the exact same boat (Joe even looks a little like lacey :P)! Lol but I'm a college student, too, and my horse Joe is getting older - he's 20 and although that isn't as old as Lacey, he ran barrels up until a few years ago and is beginning to show the signs of arthirits is in right hind leg.

I, too, had the vet out last summer, but couldn't afford to get any xrays done. Joe seems stiff when I work him lately, and it's gotten to the point that I'm scared to do anything with him because I don't want to make him feel worse.

Anyway, I don't have much advice for you at the moment because I'm going through very much the same thing, but I will tell you that I've picked up a book called Equine Fitness (by Jec Aristotle Ballou) and it has a lot of great information about conditioning a horse and also many helpful hints about working with senior horses.

Here's something I found really interesting from the book:

After a long phase of walking and loosening up in the arena, most older horses warm up best at the canter because it is less strenuous on the joints, ligaments, and feet than trotting. Cantering your horse with a light/slightly forward seat might be best for him.
I haven't personally tried that yet, and although I never would have thought of cantering before trotting, the idea does seem to make sense! Just something I thought I'd put out there for you in case you want to give it a try. If you do, you should let me know how it goes! :)

I'll be following this thread - I'm very interested in other people's idea about this. I do wish both you and Lacey the best of luck (she is such a cutie, by the way)!
 
#8 ·
Wallaby, we are in the exact same boat (Joe even looks a little like lacey :P)! Lol but I'm a college student, too, and my horse Joe is getting older - he's 20 and although that isn't as old as Lacey, he ran barrels up until a few years ago and is beginning to show the signs of arthirits is in right hind leg.

I, too, had the vet out last summer, but couldn't afford to get any xrays done. Joe seems stiff when I work him lately, and it's gotten to the point that I'm scared to do anything with him because I don't want to make him feel worse.

Anyway, I don't have much advice for you at the moment because I'm going through very much the same thing, but I will tell you that I've picked up a book called Equine Fitness (by Jec Aristotle Ballou) and it has a lot of great information about conditioning a horse and also many helpful hints about working with senior horses.

Here's something I found really interesting from the book:



I haven't personally tried that yet, and although I never would have thought of cantering before trotting, the idea does seem to make sense! Just something I thought I'd put out there for you in case you want to give it a try. If you do, you should let me know how it goes! :)

I'll be following this thread - I'm very interested in other people's idea about this. I do wish both you and Lacey the best of luck (she is such a cutie, by the way)!
That book sounds great! I will definitly see what I can do about getting it! I might be able to convince my dad that he should get it for me since he likes to buy me a reference-type book for Christmas but didn't this last year since he wasn't sure what book I wanted.

I've actually wondered that about cantering, she often seems much more willing to canter than she does to trot. That's very interesting! I've noticed that she often needs a little trotting just to get her engine warmed up but then. once she's trotted a little bit, she wants to just zoom into the canter... It's so interesting how much they seem to know about themselves... :)

Also thanks! Is Joe your avie? If so, he's adorable too!
 
#9 · (Edited)
Can you afford to put Lacey on a Joint Suppliment? Aside from strait Glucosamine?

Sorry, I don't mean to sound like a jerk - so please don't take me that way :) I understand the financial status, right now Hubby and I are living paycheque to paycheque, and I also have 2 part time jobs on the side aside from my full time, just to afford my Horse Hobby.

I understand you are doing your best with what means you have right now - don't feel down on yourself, where there is a will, there is a way.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Oh yeah, I know you're not trying to be a jerk. :) And, I think even if you were trying to be a jerk, I wouldn't take it that way since I know you're such a sweetie. :lol:

Actually what she's getting right now is: Majesty's Flex Wafers - Treats from SmartPak Equine only not from Smartpack cuz they're cheaper ($39 for a 60 day supply) at one of my local tack stores. So it has a little bit of other good stuff in there too. Personally, I'd like to have her on a higher dosage of glucosamine/chondroiton (since the wafer things are only 2500mgs of glucosamine) but joint supplements seem to start getting more and more cost prohibitive as the dosage increases. The wafer things are the only joint supplement I've seen around here, maybe when I go to the tack store on Monday I should actually ask someone who works at the store about their supplements, maybe they can order something for me that would be better and within my price range. :lol:

On the plus side, when she got started on the wafers I saw a pretty immediate improvement in her hind end's supple-ness. She had been to the point where her hips/hocks would almost lock up every time I tried to lift her back legs to pick out her hooves and about a week after she was started on a supplement (it's supposed to take a month but she improved in a week, it was crazy) I could feel her having an easier time lifting her back legs. She still locks up about 40% of the time on her left back leg but her right one is totally back to normal.

I guess it's just one of those things where I'm not even sure what 100% is for her any more. Is it where she was 2 years ago when I first got her and she never bucked or played around? Or is it now where she'll buck and gallop through her pasture? But, if it's now, how is the arthritis, that she's obviously dealing with, affecting her?

I wish she could just talk to me and say "I hurt!" or "I feel pretty good today!" I'm sure we all wish for that though. And she's just so stoic about pain most of the time, sometimes when something REALLY bothers her she'll make a fuss but up until that point, she's as sweet as pie. And I don't want her to have to make a fuss, I want to just know.

Also, Nelson is adorable in pink! You guys make a really cute pair. :)

Rhivia- that's great! Older horses deserve to be honored ("tortured") for their elderly-ness by dressing them up in silly ways, it's the LAW, didn't you hear? Hahaha! For instance, last summer, for various occasions, Lacey wore a tutu around her neck, she wore a shiny balloon that said "BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!" that we had found in the forest on her ears, she was painted like an Indian pony, etc. Good times. :)

I really appreciate the support, you guys. It's making me feel a whole lot better. :)
 
#10 ·
Also thanks! Is Joe your avie? If so, he's adorable too!
Yes ma'am - and thank you! :) I just enjoy robbing him of his dignity by putting beautiful pink flowers on his halter lol

Oh, and MIEventer reminded me... in case you do look into a joint supplement, I've had Joe on SmartPak's SmartFlex Senior, and it has worked wonders. Very affordable for us broke college students, too. ;)
 
#13 ·
She still locks up about 40% of the time on her left back leg
Lock up - as in how? Explain this for me please.

And, I think even if you were trying to be a jerk, I wouldn't take it that way since I know you're such a sweetie. :lol:
Aww thanks! I try *flutters eye lashes*

Also, Nelson is adorable in pink! You guys make a really cute pair. :)
Thank you :) I love him dearly! You and Lacey look great together too :)

Now with those Wafers you are giving - I am glad that you are seeing a difference, but I would look to adding MSM. The MSM in those wafers, are no where near enough as to what she needs. Horses need a minimal of 10,000mg of MSM for it to be effective.

So you are paying about $39.00 for 60 days - which is a great deal, but Lacey isn't getting the doses she needs.

You can look at the SmartFlex Senior:

SmartFlex Senior Herb-Free Pellets - Horse Joint Supplements from SmartPak Equine

The doses are much higher - but you might not beable to afford that.

I would suggest Adequan, monthly IM's - if you can save up your pennies, you can get a 10 mnth vile, for $376 from SmartPak - which runs you about $37.00 a month - but it is the best, of the best! I wholeheartedly mean that!
 
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