Poll tension/strains injurys?

[horsy]

My horse is usually perfectly fine with his ears being played with, but lately, has become very annoyed about being touched around his poll. He will let me touch his ears for only a second, and i tried scratching behind them today and he flung his head away. Now that i've noticed something is off with him, i've realised he has also become a little reluctant to have his headcollar on.

About 6 weeks ago he was turned out in his headcollar, and got caught. I found his headcollar and managed to figure out that he got stuck on a hook and snapped his headcollar, but it was a strong one so he must have pulled really hard to snap the brass fixings. Could he have pulled a muscle or something around his poll? I can't say exactly, but i think this ear shyness started just after he got stuck. (also, he hasn't been worked in those 6 weeks, so i haven't had his bridle on so can't say how he is with that)

If so, what can i do about it? Who do i call, the vet or the physio? How can i know for definite that he has pulled something? I just know my horse, and i know something isn't right, but i don't know if i'm putting 2 and 2 together and making 6.

I seem to remember someone on here who had the physio out who diagnosed poll tension, think it was curlywurlyrach? How was it treated, just massage? Could really use some advice, as my yard is the kind of yard that would scoff at physiotherapy, and just tell me hes being an idiot. Any advice appreciated :)

[Mehitabel]

yes, he is very likely to have hurt his poll - vet, who might prescribe painkillers or just physio, depending on the type of injury. as you say, he must have pulled pretty hard to snap the metal on the headcollar, so he will have hurt himself.

[nutkin]

my horse had a problem with his poll along with other things.I had a physio and a chiro come and see him together.After just one session he was right as rain again.I agree that your horse most likely has hurt himself but as the physio said poll pain can be caused by many things such as pain elsewhere in the body or dental problems.

[horsy]

dental problems... hmm... never knew that. Have been meaning to call the vet out to look at his teeth anyway but keep putting it off for various reasons. Might be connected...

[Jessey]

There is a good chance he has knocked something in his neck out of alignment, probably the Atlas (the first bone behind the skull, which is under where the headcollar would sit too), this can get knocked on the squiff quite easily, if you were to ride now you would probably find he would be very resistant to coming round etc.
A chiro would be able to straighten that up for you, using massage and manipulation.
To check it your self stand facing your horse and rest his chin on your shoulder, useing both hands run your fingers along his jaw line at the back up till where the sticky outy bits (technical I know) of the neck are, then slot your fingers flat between the back of the jaw and the sticky outy bits (the atlas wings) feel about in the gap, the gap should be the same on both sides, if it is slightly bigger one side than the other then the atlas has rotated and will need to be manipluated by a professional. Remember when doing this the difference between te two sides could be tiny so tack your time to analise it, if you are not sure get a professional anyway :p

[virtuallyhorses]

Agree with Jessey - most likely an atlas injury. Simple mobilisations will often ease the area. The Atlas joint at the poll frequently either 'jams up' or gets slightly out of kilter. Even gentle mobilisations (that anyone can do) will often let the horse sort out this area for himself.

The horse should be able to extend \ vertically flex and move to either side (including some tilt) fairly freely. If you attempt to mobilise the horse you will usually find that they object in one direction.

Here are the mobilisations that pretty much anyone can do (all the time) -
Extension - guiding the horse's head up - the head can only go marginally up from the straight line of the neck. Placing your hands on the top of the neck near (but not on) the poll and the other under the horse's jaw - gently and slowly rock the horse's head upwards.

Tilt - Hands on the bridge of the nose and gripping the underside of the 'cheek' on your side - slowly and gently 'wiggle' the horse's head on its axis (so the horses head will very slightly rotate but not go up or down).

Flexion of the poll - hand on the top of mid neck and the bridge of the nose - slowly and gently rock the head in a downward motion so that the nose tucks in and goes toward the chest in a 'neck arched' type of way.

Sideways neck flexions - the neck should be flexed in several different positions relating to the height of the cervical vertebrae (neck bones). Don't try to get the horse to touch its flank or anything that bendy. Do watch that the horse's head remains vertical (both ears level - and\or watch whethe the mane remains upright or flops over) - twisting is NOT what is wanted. Gently ask the horse to flex left\right. Find each neck vertebrae (they are located almost 3/4 of the way to the bottom\throat area of the neck - NOT at the top where the mane is) and place a hand on each one then using the halter gently ask the horse to stretch around. The head should remain level with vertebrae you have your hand on. Always ask the neck to stretch OUT, don't bring it close to the body which shortens and jams it up.

If you can perform 6-8 gentle mobilisations (stretches if you prefer that term) on your horse it will help him greatly to get things realigned or stay in alignment without drastic treatments - sort of like when you have a sore neck and you do a bunch of headrolls and stretches to help ease it yourself.

I'm going to get some photos taken of these this weekend so let me know if you are interested or can't work out what I'm describing.

[horsy]

Thanks everyone. Jessey i will try that excercise today, and virtually horses im gonna have to print those off i think :D but i'll give them a go too. If you did have some pictures to show me that would be a great help.

[nutkin]

I would love to see the pics of this in action too please VH.