My 15 yr old saddlebred/morgan is stiff in her back end. For the past two years while I have been away, my grandparents were caring for her. I just got back and noticed the stiffness. When I asked how long it's been going on my grandfather told me he noticed it last summer. :( There is no heat or swelling that I can find, and she drops her back toes. She doesn't seem to be in pain because she still bucks and runs in the field, not quite as high as she used to though. I really don't have the money for a vet visit since I don't have a job yet. Any thoughts?
Well, she's fifteen. It's normal to be seeing some arthritis. Her hocks could be fusing as well. Does she have fluid buildup in her hocks? Looks like this:
Not the swelling at the point of the hock, but the swelling in the center of the hock, above the grey rope. Usually that spot is flat or concave, not swollen. Fluid buildup in that area can be an indicator of arthritis.
Anywho, throw her on some MSM. 10,000mg per dose. It's $6 a month and is an awesome anti-inflammatory and works wonders on arthritis for most horses.
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