Clicky hind legs

[jenren!!]

Couldnt think of a better name...anyway...

My horse has a really bad habit of dragging her back legs and you can see some of the scrape marks she makes round the track in the school! She can also be quite lazy jumping and knocks the jumps sometimes.

Also my friend has commented on the amount of 'clicking' she has going on in her back legs. Is she ok or does she just need more work? I am currently improving my riding and confidence, and trying to make her work with her back end as she is very muscled up in her neck and shoulders but not much on her quarters. Any advice?

Jenny

[Jaimee]

It sounds like locking patella. Where the 'knee cap' in the stifle catches or locks completely when the horse moves. It is supposed to slide over the joint fluidly sometimes it catches on a hook. Does she have trouble or resist cantering on the rein of the affected leg?

Anyway it isnt something that should be diagnosed over the internet as there are differing degrees of seriousness and without seeing it I cant be sure that is what the problem is. If you think your mare has a problem or is uncomfortable about it, get the vet to check her.

[Yann]

Clicky joints in themselves aren't normally anything to worry about, but laziness in the back end can have several causes. There may be arthritic problems in the hocks, back problems, poor saddle fit, lack of fitness or education, foot balance issues amongst others. I'd look to have a good back practitioner look at her in the first instance and take it from there.

[virtuallyhorses]

From all of the signs you are describing - the clicking, the lack of muscling in the quarters and the muscling in the forequarters its possible that this horse has had a serious injury in the past and never been rehabilitated properly. The clicking is most likely the ligaments of the hind legs (hocks but sometimes the patella) clicking as they pop over the joints instead of sliding smoothly. This in itself isn't much of a problem - the horse certainly isn't in pain.

Coupled with the other 'symptoms' to me it sounds like you can 'fix' this problem by retraining your horse and building up currently underpowered muscles in the hindquarters. The muscles that you particularly want to build are those that lift and bring the hind legs forward.

To do this you need to introduce poles and cavaletti into your routine on a regular basis. Begin with ground poles at a walk - take it slow starting with just 5-10 mins a day - work your way steadily to using low cavaletti at the trot for up to 15 or 20 mins. But work slowly toward that goal. During the initial phase it can be very helpful to lead your horse through a 'maze' of uneven ground poles of varying heights rather than standard cavaletti patterns. This gets the horse thinking about foot placement instead of being able to 'cruise' through set distances. Hacking across uneven ground, with deep undergrowth is also good (if you think you and your horse can do so safely) As the muscles strengthen you'll find that the clicking stops too.

There are of course many other possibilities - like nerve damage in the lower back etc but if you start a little program with ground poles, both ridden and led where the horse needs to lift the legs, this will help build the muscles and certainly won't do any harm as long as you take it sensibly.

[jenren!!]

Thanks.

It's just my friend mentioned it yesterday when she was teaching me (i was jumping) and she said that sometimes it can be a symptom of bone spavin or arthritis :eek: . I dont think she meant it to worry me, she said it's not likely Aramis will have it but a few horses have it at my yard and she said it can put some horses out of work, and her last horse got put down for having both problems. She isnt lame or anything, she's always been very shuffly when you ride her since i got her, but with schooling throughout the session she really starts to open up, although you have to maintain it. All my instructors have never mentioned it as a physical thing, but schooling and how to improve it. I couldnt hear any clicking when i rode her, in fact i think she only does it every so often not all the time, as my friend only mentioned it once and said she was also doing it when walking up the road on her from a ride the other day after long canters etc. Could be just an aftermath of being cantered alot the other day! She came back verey sweaty! (she rides her for me occasionally). No-one else has noticed it at all. I really dont want to have to to extremes and get back people out etc when its not really a problem at all! I could ask them though :rolleyes:

Jenny

[Yann]

I really dont want to have to to extremes and get back people out etc

Don't think it's extreme, I have mine looked at every six months as a matter of course even if there's nothing obviously wrong.

[jenren!!]

Might get her a health check soon, just so i know she's ok overall :)

Jenny

[joshes mum]

My horse had a bad kick to the stifle joint last year and had to have a chip removal.Ever since then his leg has clicked quite a lot so im going to try him on bluechip dynamic to see if it helps.My vet said he would most probably get arthritus in that leg as he gets older:(
Has any one else used bluechip dynamic and what do they think of it?

[Yann]

Routine checks are always good idea:) The back person I use is based up your way, I'd certainly recommend her and she'll probably be able to shed some light on why your horse is working the way she is. Her details are at www.back-in-balance.co.uk :)

[MJH]

A complimentary therapist once told me that clicking deep within the joints etc is actually a sign the body healing itself . A vet confirmed that when horses have injections in the hock to help arthritis (not sure what the injections are .... I assume MSM etc) there is a lot of clicking in the joint. I know when i do a bit of hands on (healing) work with my horses, they will click significantly during and afterwards.

[domane]

I remember reading a post on here where someone's horse's clicking back legs disappeared with the introduction of a glucosamine supplement...

(the clicking disappeared, not the legs - before you all comment :D )

[joshes mum]

[QUOTE=domane]I remember reading a post on here where someone's horse's clicking back legs disappeared with the introduction of a glucosamine supplement...

]Thats what im hopeing with the blue chip dynamic,:) the clicking is quite loud and if it helps keep the arthritus away all the better.

[DITZ]

are we talking about actual joints clicking (like us oldies knees do when we bend down!) or the clicking of the two back hooves hitting each other? Can you see strike marks on the inside of the back hooves?

[jenren!!]

clicking of the joints :)

Jenny