Help! Serious thread from me for once 'vids'

Ok all I really need your help.

Background 3/4weeks ago I had a lesson on Polo, and he just wasn't his responsive forward self, and my RI who sees him regularly noticed he was short on his right hind. I got off she got on and I confirmed yes he was. We trotted him in straight line and he was perfectly sound.

So got osteo out, and she confirmed pulled hamstring, so treated him and advised 6wks of 45minute hacks daily in straight line and no hills.

So anyway on sat he spent the whole day proper hooning apparently, I wasn't there.

Last night I went to ride but he felt off and sure enough I took him in school and trotted him on a circle and defo not right. Then he stopped dead – he would never do that, usually I am the queen of half-halts. I was actually scared to kick him on so OH lead him away from fence and I jumped off. We then trotted him up in straight line, and fine – a little short but not lame as such.

So I got back on and tried again and he was just so dead and behind his own movement so immediately jumped off.

The bit I need your help on!!!

Today, so he had yesterday off, I went to get him in from field this morning, he's on 24/7 turnout.

And he would NOT move, I swear he just wouldn't go anywhere. Almost like he forgot how to use his back legs. So I called my YO and she came over and we had no luck, so she had to actually pick his feet up and move them forward, then after a carrot and some persuasion he started walking!!

So obviously I was concerned so called emergency vet, I was asked if it was really an emergency and I said well yes he'd very off colour and wouldn't actually move.... he had a terrible attitude on the phone and actually said he didn't want to come (amongst a few other things, one related to the fact I called him out on a Saturday for a kick to polo's chin, and was told that I prob wouldn't wait till tomorrow cause I'd probably be at work) I was actually very shocked by his attitude and told him so and he replied with 'oh for goodness sake!'. So I came off the phone a bit teary, which those who know me is totally unlike me, but that conversation combined with worry for Polo, it got to me a bit.

So vet reluctantly agreed to come out.

Vet gets there, tells me he's got 10's of emergencies, that he has a horse rolling with colic and has prioritised polo over them so we better get on.... so I get polo out box and we trot him up, yes he seems sound, cross over, and yes he seems ok, so I suggest lunge and vet says yes I suppose I should, at this point vet is very rude to my YO (including using the F word, and calling her interfering) who tried back me up that polo would not move and was in distress when we tried to get him in.... and then vet says there is nothing wrong and says he's used to dealing with proper horses owners, and I was paranoid, if anything he was only 1/10th lame and that would be infront, nothing wrong with him behind and certainly not an emergency!!!

Then off he went, practically stormed off the yard having a ruck with my YO on the way, shouting how he'd been up all f'ing night and then to come out to this, YO told him not to come back on the yard, he doesn't even know her so why he had go at her I have no idea!!!

So Polo got NO diagnosis, nothing! Was told he was fine.
Vet didn't even physically examine him!!!!!!!!!!!!

Needless to say I was disgusted by his behaviour, shocked and shaken by the whole experience.

Anyway, I go back up around 1pm and polo seems fine, roaming small paddock and eating.

Go back up at 4.30 and there he is standing in the field again, not willing to move, call to OH and YO and we get him going again!!!

I will upload vids asap, please ignore my pleading with polo to walk on.

Any advice? I am getting a 2nd opinion tomor from different vet, from difference practice. But can anyone think what's wrong with Polo, he's my main concern not the vet. I have turned him out in hope he keeps moving and will check on him every 2hrs..... think boxing him would make it worse...

I am a trainee Applied Equine Podiatry and it may be useful to mention to your new vet this behaviour (if you horse doesnt behave like this when they come out) as it looks like classic laminitis. Might be a good idea to involve a qualified barefoot trimmer as they might have more sucess with helping your horse that just using vets and farriers. In the meantime remove him from the grass (but dont stable him-try to put him on very sparce turnout/manege) and feed hay or haylage soaked in water for half an hour as this will remove some of the suagr content. Remove other sugary feed and give multi vits and minerals. There is lots of advice out there about helping laminitics and they tend to be on barefoot websites. I lost a mare to metabolic laminitis and have a second recovering really well, from going barefoot. She is out of heartbars and pads and her feet have changed dramatically since making changes to trims, feed and lifestyle/environment. Treat this as an emergency-if your horse is pre-laminitic, if left alone your horse could get worse rapidly with far worse results and a more difficult, heart rendering and expensive rehab.

go to www.hoofrehab.com for a quick starting point.

And remember there are other more effective ways than shoeing for laminitis.
(but I didnt post this to get into an argument/debate with anyone about going barefoot-I just want to help)

Good luck
Beccy
 
I've seen our cob do something which looks very similar. Right at the beggining of the vid polo seems to move his hind normally, but when you clip the lead on he sort of freezes.

When our cob did this I was really worried at first but actually it just turned out to be a reluctance to leave the new growing grass. His front feet moved fine and it was like his back feet were stuck to the ground. In him it was just behavioural and now he knows he can't get away with it he's stopped.

But - when we were going through the "Oh my god" stage one of the things suggested to us was that pressure of the headcollar on the poll was causing some sort of nerve "misfire" locking his back legs like he was asleep. I don't know if this will help - but it might be worth looking at his head / neck as well as his back.

Good luck - don't you hate it when they're ill!
 
I am a trainee Applied Equine Podiatry and it may be useful to mention to your new vet this behaviour (if you horse doesnt behave like this when they come out) as it looks like classic laminitis. Might be a good idea to involve a qualified barefoot trimmer as they might have more sucess with helping your horse that just using vets and farriers. In the meantime remove him from the grass (but dont stable him-try to put him on very sparce turnout/manege) and feed hay or haylage soaked in water for half an hour as this will remove some of the suagr content. Remove other sugary feed and give multi vits and minerals. There is lots of advice out there about helping laminitics and they tend to be on barefoot websites. I lost a mare to metabolic laminitis and have a second recovering really well, from going barefoot. She is out of heartbars and pads and her feet have changed dramatically since making changes to trims, feed and lifestyle/environment. Treat this as an emergency-if your horse is pre-laminitic, if left alone your horse could get worse rapidly with far worse results and a more difficult, heart rendering and expensive rehab.

go to www.hoofrehab.com for a quick starting point.

And remember there are other more effective ways than shoeing for laminitis.
(but I didnt post this to get into an argument/debate with anyone about going barefoot-I just want to help)

Good luck
Beccy

Thanks Beccy, but until I get a firm diagnosis and chat to all the professionals involved ie vet, farrier, osteo etc I am not going to make a decision about shod/barefoot utill I know what it is.

I've seen our cob do something which looks very similar. Right at the beggining of the vid polo seems to move his hind normally, but when you clip the lead on he sort of freezes.

When our cob did this I was really worried at first but actually it just turned out to be a reluctance to leave the new growing grass. His front feet moved fine and it was like his back feet were stuck to the ground. In him it was just behavioural and now he knows he can't get away with it he's stopped.

But - when we were going through the "Oh my god" stage one of the things suggested to us was that pressure of the headcollar on the poll was causing some sort of nerve "misfire" locking his back legs like he was asleep. I don't know if this will help - but it might be worth looking at his head / neck as well as his back.

Good luck - don't you hate it when they're ill!

I think that's cause he saw a woman put up her umbrella! lol he stepped side ways.

I hope it is him being a plum! But somehow I feel it's more, he's actually a very biddable horse, and in a routien although out 24/7 he comes onto yard at least twice a day, but who knows!

Vet is coming at 1230 people so will do an update then!
 
Last edited:
i've seen tying up like this, to quote vet notes for horse owners -

'The clinical signs vary from mild hind-limb stiffness to a total reluctance to move, sweating and obvious severe pain. The muscles of the back and hindquarters may feel unusually firm.'

Serious misconduct from your vet, would definately put a complaint in against him. It doesn't matter if he has been up all night or up an hour, you are still a paying customer and it is totally unprofessional. What ever the cause, the boy did look reluctant to move. I'd get him thoroughly checked by a(nother!) vet.
 
Ok vet been, it's not lami, locked stifle etc

Possibly was tying up especially as he'd had 3 weeks of walk and then decided to hoon around all day. But unsure, so are still open at this point.

He's definately off colour, his heart rate was up and lymph nodes were swolen and his right one was sore to touch, but a normal temp, so have taken bloods and will wait and see.

Yes vet did see this video, trotted him up, we also lunged in w,t,c and canter and his hamstring is obviously sore, but vet doesn't think that's the reason for the not willing to move.

His back is tender around his loins, past where the saddle ends and he's also doing a lot of muzzle twitching and yawning.

We are going to wait and see what the bloods tell us. But in the mean time he's going to be out in day and in at night.
 
Last edited:
oh ps has tiff sold or have you bought?????????????

Owner has had a provisional offer after someone watched me at yesterday's lesson :eek: (they probably thought if the horse can jump with me, it can jump with anyone hahahaha).
They want a prospective hunter pony to bring on and loved her/thought she had super potential, so *fingers crossed*! They want to try a few things with her to see if she's the sort they're looking for, but I think it's looking hopeful.

... Thank god it's not lami for Polo. Hopefully the problem is now being taken seriously and youll have some answers soon so he can start healing. I know how stressful it is :(.
 
UPDATE

We have a diagnosis, the bloods showed his lymphisides (spelling anyone???) had a value of 60%, when they should be 30-40% :eek:

So he has quite a sever viral infection so he is off work, and on antibiotics, with vet coming out again in 10days.

Can't quite explain the reluctance to move, think it's deffinately connected to this viral infection though. It could be just his way of alerting me to something being wrong!

No idea how he caught it as hasn't been off the yard since October. But very glad we now have a diagnosis!!! :D
 
Well I have a viral infection at the moment too and I feel pretty reluctant to move! Glad you got a diagnosis - nothing worse than not knowing. Best wishes for a speedy recovery :)
 
glad you have an answer and a way to move forward ( literally in polos case ;)
he may well have been sore through his sheath area, where some glands are, causing the reluctance to move
hope for a speedy recovery
 
:eek: !!!
Thank god you had the bloods done! I also think you now have grounds for a serious complaint about vet 1, as he potentially put Polo into a lot of danger by not taking his symptoms seriously.
Sounds like he's in good hands now - hurrah!!
 
Thank goodness you trusted your instincts and got another vet out. I hope you will be complaining about the other vet. Fingers crossed for Polo to get well soon.
 
Thanks everyone, it's nice to have such lovely well wishes for him - as I was doing his leccy fencing I was nattering away to him about the lovely people on NR, restores my faith in human nature.

Yes complaint to RCVS and practice is on it's way once I receive full report, although think the practice one might be a waste of paper due to the fact the first vet owns that practice!!

Nevermind, am glad my boy is (hopefully) on the mend. Polo is happy as antibiotics means two feeds a day, he's never had two feeds a day since he moved in with me!! hahaha

Thanks everyone
Mikh and Polo
xxx
snowandpolohack033.jpg
 
Glad you have a diagnosis. Please do pursue this complaint against the original vet. I know someone who recently had a misdiagnosis where euthanasia was advised where it WASNT necessary. If it wasn't for a 2nd opinion, the horse would have been PTS. I understand the owner is taking legal action.
 
newrider.com