Stifle issue or ??????

[CrescentMinis]

I am kind of sad because the vet was here this morning and I had her look over my coming 3-year old mare (wanted to train to drive...exceptionally nice mover). Little Zoey had a collision with another smaller horse about 6 weeks ago when they were out being frisky on a breezy day. I saw it but the impact didn't look too bad and they both seemed OK afterwards.

Since then however, she has developed an issue where in the morning when I turn everyone out from their stalls, she is very wobbly in the back end. I read up on locking stifle and looked at some Youtube video examples, but she doesn't drag a leg or anything, just looks really stiff.

The vet thinks it looks like a stifle issue in one leg; could be a coincidence that it showed up right after the collision, or could be related to an injury caused by it. I know this mare's sire and dam do NOT have any issues like this; her sire is a national top 5 halter horse and he is beautiful to watch move. Maybe she can still drive someday but I can't breed her if there is a question about her soundness and that would be a disappointment.

Vet recommended MSM and also walking her up hills to try and strengthen the back legs. Does anyone out there in the forum family have any other ideas/suggestions/experience?

 

[CrescentMinis]

OK, picked up some Farnam MSM...dosage on package says 1/3 oz. (there is a scoop this size included) twice daily for 7 days, one scoop daily after that.

Hopefully it's safe to give approx. 1/4 of that amount to a 200 lb. mini. That's what I'll try to start off unless someone lets me know I should do otherwise.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Stifle problems, just like problems in any other joint, CAN be caused by injury. Your mare may be injured rather than locking and if so I wouldn't think it would affect a decision to bred her except for the issue of whether or not it is safe for her to carry a foal with her legs that way. If she's so stiff after being stalled, can you leave her out in a larger area overnight? We all know how rough the mornings are when injuries have a chance to stiffen.

Poor thing. If you can get a video of how she's wobbling we might be able to offer better guesses as to whether she's locking or not but generally speaking I'd say follow your vet's advice and give her lots of time to heal and plenty of space to move around in 24 hours a day. Neurological injuries and deep tissue injuries are all slow to heal so it might take awhile.

Your dosage of MSM sounds fine and I hope it helps her. Good thoughts coming your way!

Leia

 

[CrescentMinis]

Thanks Leia, I was hoping you'd comment after all you went trough with Kody.

We have coyotes bad here some nights and I'm afraid to leave the horses out 24/7. You are exactly right though, the vet suggested I put her in the bigger foaling stall so she has room to move around. Great minds you know.....

 

[ThreeCFarm]

They can be caused by injury. I have a 9 year old gelding that I've owned since he was a yearling. He's NEVER had ANY lameness issues, his legs have never any noise, etc. However, he was involved in an accident in June, and since then, if I don't keep his toes short, his stifles pop although he's never locked up. If my gelding's issue was genetic, it would surely have surfaced well before now.

 

[disneyhorse]

If it was an injury, I would expect it to show up and then be nonstop/persistent anywhere from immediately all the way up to 24 hours afterwards. I wouldn't think the horse would "develop" an issue even a few days after an injury...

Locking stifle does not have to be obviously hereditary... many factors can encourage it... and in poor conformation it's a roll of the dice.

Don't know what to tell you though...

Andrea

 

[CrescentMinis]

Thanks Andrea, this is a very conformationally correct little horse, and I don't know what to think either! My first time dealing with this type of issue.

I'll post again in a week or so if there is some improvement after starting the MSM tonight and walking her and putting her in the big stall at night......

 

[JourneysEnd]

Has he x-rayed the stifles and hocks ?

Without seeing the wobble you're talking about it's hard to say, but could be hocks.

There are several little bones in the hock, could have a fracture.

I'd do x-rays before ruling her career out.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Along with x-rays, did he test for neurological problems? Hind-end wobble or weakness is a symptom of EPM and other things too as I understand it. Again, without video it's impossible to tell if I'm way off the mark here.

Ignore me if it's clearly a joint thing!

Leia