Another NQR thread!

[Kim]

Luke's been kind of NQR for a while now. About 3 weeks ago, my friend hopped on and said "Kim, I hate to say it, but he's lame!" But we never saw any lameness...he didn't LOOK lame, or act lame, he just feels not right. I didn't think much of it, but I've been having a lot more trouble with our right lead canter lately. It's always been kind of a battle, and I tense up, but it was better for a while.

My trainer rode him on Thursday, and called to say she didn't canter because he felt off to her. We took him out for my lesson today and lunged him and then I got on, and neither of us could see anything. He feels fine at the walk, just a tiny bit off balance at the trot, but at the canter, I just feel like he's going to fall in on us. He's fine going to the left, this is only going to the right.

I know part of it is balance, but this is a mystery to me. He was much better a few months ago. He's due for new shoes in a week or so, so when the farrier comes out, Mandi is going to talk to him about what he thinks might be wrong. I don't think it's anything major, or my farrier would have caught it, because he's a pretty competent guy. We're wondering if maybe his feet are growing unevenly, or wearing unevenly.

Anyone have any ideas?

[samantha]

Have you had a chiro look at him? It could be that something is out of alignment and he is NQR because of that...
I would get a vet out there, also.. check his teeth, check his legs, just do a general exam. If you are confident in your farrier, I would start with chiro/vet.

[kristineandtai]

is he getting a lot of turnout, I found when they are not they get stiff and funny, does he have a old healed injury in the lame leg? may arthritis set in. I had a horse thru High sachool that was off about once a month then would go great and take me eventing. he had arthritis in a leg with a healed bow.

[TeachU2Ride]

Spring mud leaves a lot of horses sore in the hamstrings, and over the SI joint with mild sprains to the ligaments, from slipping and sliding. Run your fingers from withers to tail head, about 3" from center to check for reactions. Then do the same thing down the back of the haunches. Then check the insides of the thighs, just below where they rub together. Watch his reaction as you go - especially inside the thighs - so you don't get your head kicked off.

If you get a reaction in any of those places, my first appointment would be with an experienced massage therapist, followed by a chiropractor.

A true SI injury (more than a mild sprain) will need some time off to heal properly. Those little ligaments have a big job holding the pelvis in place. If I remember correctly, Luke already has a bit of a hunter's bump (old SI injury) so he may have just tweaked it again. The typical sign is a "flat tire" feeling at the canter... spring in one lead, but dead uneven on the other, with a distinct feeling of the hindquarter on the leading hind leg "bottoming out" under you as it hits the ground (no shock absorbtion).

[Kim]

I'll try that tonight M. You summed it up perfectly - flat tire feeling. Although, he took off with me twice yesterday (the flies were bothering him), and I didn't notice him feeling off, although I was hanging on for dear life trying to slow him down, haha.

[fancyhorse]

Sounds like feet to me! How long between shoeing do you go?

[Kim]

He gets his feet done somewhere between every 6 and 8 weeks. I admit that I'm not as good with dates as I should be, my trainer/BM schedules everything.

I rode him last night, and he was perfect. His left lead canter felt awesome, but his right lead, well, lets just say it wasn't pretty. He wouldn't stay on the rail, and in general felt like he was going to fall over. However, the flat tire feeling was gone, so I don' t think it's an SI injury knock on wood. I looked him over last night and poked and prodded him all over and got no reaction anywhere.

I think it's just a balance issue...I see lots and lots of long trot sets out in the field in our future!