[CecilliaB]

I am bringing this up here for a friend and her horse.

When she got him at age 3 he appeared to have no issues. He just turned 5 and is almost 17hh. Wonderful horse, great mind, really lovely movement till he canters. He cannot canter, he trips, counter canters in the back and literally can not bring his hind legs up under him. She said he had no issues before (I have only known them a few months). He kind of skips in back. She had the vet out, had him x-rayed and looked at at the vet believes it is his patella catching and not allowing him to fully extend. x-rays came back showing nothing. He does not act irritated by being hyper flexed. Has anyone heard of anything like this? The vet told her to exercise him more to try and build him up. But when we try to do anything more then a trot he cannot bring his leg forward to land on his heal and come right down on his toes in back and I am very concerned of REALLY hurting him. Has anyone heard of anything like this? I have told her to get a copy of the x-rays and seek out a second opinion

 

[MyBoyPuck]

My friend's TB does the same thing. I think it's called hitching. I'm not sure what her vet does to help it, but he just placed 4th in a combined training show this past weekend, so clearly it is treatable. I'll see if I can find out how they're treating it.

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

What angles were the X-rays taken from?? It is possible to hide an elephant in those things.
If the horse is valuable enough I would have it fluerscoped and a variety of tests run on it at a nearby vet school. I would opt for putting it under the knife instead of doing a regime of injections, but at this point you are looking at spending a lot of money on a horse that will be lucky to do lower level hunters or dressage for a few years. If the horse has serious issues at 5, can you imagine what keeping him sound at 10 or 15 will be like??

I would suggest that your friend cut her losses now and finds a good home for the horse. If at the vet school they find a very viable solution and the horse has a very good change of 100% recovery then I would say go for it. But before your friend starts digging herself into a money pit, she should consider a monetary limit on what she is going to spend to fix the horse. Instead of spending $10,000 or more on surgical procedures for a horse who will have a very limited athletic career, consider saving the money and purchasing a new horse.

Good luck!

 

[welshies rule]

I one knew a horse at a hacking center who trotted with his front legs and cantered with his hind legs weird. never heard of this tho please keep us updated and good luck

 

[CecilliaB]

MyBoyPuck - I would appreciate any more information you can get.

anebel - I THINK he took an x-ray from both sides and front of the patella. The horse is not valuable, he is a very nice horse with a good mind but I think she got him for about $900 from her farrier back in NC. He's a registered TB but there are allot of those running around (including mine ) I think she should find him a home since she doesn't want to stick to walk trot for the next 20 years but she says she loves him to much to do that. I agree 100% and and think this is the tip of the iceberg.

He's kind of a strange horse, I have never met a horse who was so stiff and set in his frame. His body and muscles are hard, not that he has allot of muscle built up...he actually lacks muscle definition but if you feel him it's like touching a rock, he has no soft or flexible points. I know that probably makes no sense, it's just my observation and may have nothing to do with his hind end.

Welshies - I will update if there are any changes or she seeks a second opinion

 

[CecilliaB]

Ok, she told me he actually does have a diagnosis. Upward fixation of the patella. She is doing a round of injections(of what I don't know but am gonna see her in an hour and will ask) and going to get him corrective shows next month.

 

[welshies rule]

aww huni good luck!! it sounds really strange and im sure your stressed!! hope everything goes well keep us posted x

 

[NorthernMama]

Ok, she told me he actually does have a diagnosis. Upward fixation of the patella. She is doing a round of injections(of what I don't know but am gonna see her in an hour and will ask) and going to get him corrective shows next month.

I don't know how corrective shoes would do anything here. I assume that's what you meant by "corrective shows." A good trim yes, but not shoes unless there is something else going on.

There are recommendations for physical therapy of this condition. Hopefully Vidaloco will see this thread and post -- she also has a young horse with this problem.