Think I've ran out of options...!

[zoon]

My horse has sore withers/neck/mane. It started with his withers and he twitched when you touched them. It got so bad he was kicking and biting and rearing if you even tried to touch them. It sort of comes and goes; some days he's ok and others (like tonight) he's a nightmare. Tonight he was refusing to let me touch his mane - from the middle down to the bottom and it was worse on his near side. Very odd. Fine with touching the sides of his withers and his face/forelock though.

He hasn't been ridden for about 5-6 weeks as I'm not going to use a saddle that doesn't fit perfectly and as most of you know my WOW is coming tomorrow and I've been waiting for that. He has had about 9 or 10 hours of turnout a day and is lunged about 3 times a week, sometimes 4, mainly in a pessoa.

He had his back checked by a very very well respected chiropractor 6 weeks ago - he was a little sore behind the saddle and in trot he was a bit unlevel in his pelvis, but he was treated and checked 2 weeks later and was fine. This started roughly after that second check and I called her back to double check his back was fine - she said there was not stiffness or pain and he was just ticklish. But seriously - could a tickle cause a normally very placid horse to be so horrible? Surely he must be in pain to be doing that. Tonight when I was trying to brush his mane I was throwing his head about and I could see the whites of his eyes - he was scared of something - pain I assume!

He saw the dentist the week before last and again was fine. He has no sores and is not rubbing his mane at all. He was a small dry scar on his withers from what I assume was a rug rub but has had this since I've had him and I've found cream designed for cracked feet in people that keeps it soft and supple.

It was jsut his withers but appears to be moving up his neck and I'm at a complete loss as to what to do!

Just thought before anyone asks - I've haven't pulled his mane recently

[gingernut]

Without sounding completely mad have you thought about an animal communicator to ask him what is wrong seeing you have done all the other normal routes?

[zoon]

lol, would consider it but only as a last resort as I'm a complete sceptic. saying that the magnetic farrier worked - I saw it in action so maybe I should be less sceptical about this sort of thing!

[spotti]

Hmm...I know its a long shot but maybe a trapped nerve???

[madcatwoman]

river was a bit simerler whebn ifirst got him , still dont really know what the cause was but the cure was a thick piece of foam about 2 1/2 " thick on the wither bit of his rug , and under his numnah though the saddle wasnt touching his back the numnah was but kepping the foam there he's been fine since

[zoon]

How would I manage that with his combo rugs though?

[zoon]

and spotti - he has no trouble with his carrot stretches the chiro told us to do so that would rule out a trapped nerve I think?

[madcatwoman]

Nov 11, 2008 21:31:22 GMT zoon said:

How would I manage that with his combo rugs though?

i just sewed it to the rug on the corners so it didnt get squished down

[racaille]

Zoon, I think your anxiety is well-founded. If a normally 'very placid' horse turns into a rearing, biting monster, there is obviously some problem and if it were my boy, I'd get the vet out.

[spotti]

Yeah, I thought that it was a longshot when I suggested it but you never know...

And foam on a rug - genius! Just out of curiosity Kate (not wanting to hijack your thread Zoon) - when you say the saddle pad was touching him, do you mean just literally lightly touching him and hated it or do you mean that when the saddle was on the pad slipped and was tight over his withers??

[madcatwoman]

just resting on his whithers it s like he doesnt like the furry sheepskin bit touching him

[spotti]

how interesting...

[lizziebrandy]

Strange, our horsey, when we first got him we couldn't touch his ears without him running away, biting and throwing his head up, he is now fine but it was a mental problem really, has your horsey ever had any bad expeirences with his neck? Although as you say it could be caused by pain so I think a good idea to get the vet out maybe? Hope you get it sorted.

[zoon]

He's off to the vet tomorrow - couldn't get near him today (with WOW saddle as well ) Phoned vet and they said he'd ring me back, so phoned chiro who said maybe wither xrays would be a good idea. She also said that some really dep stretches under sedation could possibly help but she'd need a vets referral for it. Waited hours for vet to ring back and literally couldn't get near horse so drove over to the vet and demanded to talk to him! He agreed that xrays may be a good idea, but since he is not stiff or lame and has a full range of movement and is fine in himself he was generally baffled and wants him to go to the hospital so they can do whatever they need to tomorrow and not have to split it into 2 or 3 visits/trips. saddle fitter seemed to think it may be a skin allergy as its as if his skin is hypersensitive and it comes and goes throughout the day - sometimes he's fine and then he's a monster! So who knows?? we'll find out tomorrow. No wow saddle though as didn't get to put it on him (obviously as he was terrible today) She's coming back when he's better.

[ceej]

sound like his skin to me - if he has a patch and it is spreading. I get excema (not even badly) and it makes me teasy as hell. Its worse this time of year too. must be sore if he has rugs on....Have you tried some camrosa? Apart from getting the vet out, which I think is defo a must, I would put a 1st aid pad with camrosa or protocon, or even sudocream on it (maybe with a vest over the top to help keep it all in place for a week and see if it improves - the pad will stop the rug taking the ointment off and also from rubbing it....?

[zoon]

went to vet today - he is in no pain and has no muscle or skeletal problems but is obviously anxious about something. Vet seems to think it may be a skin allergy that is causing his skin to become sensitive??? I have stopped his feed (recently took part in a clinical trail for a new feed that has just come on to the market - we changed from the trail batch to the actual feed from the shop about the same time this started) So tonight he has loads of hay and a bucket of hifi lite with his oil and vitamins in! He was not impressed

very annoyed I haven't got an answer though

[duckles]

That is so strange- as well as incredibley frustrating and annoying for you. I think Ceej had a good point- did the vet check for that? I suppose the vet would notice a boil/pimple etc or something beneath the skin surface? it must be so disappointing now that you have new saddle (finally!) Perhaps his rug is irritating him? Hope you find out the cause and cure very soon.

[zoon]

well, for the last 2 days he's let me touch him without leaping about all over the place, but is still twitching! He is now getting hay and a small feed of sugarbeet and hifi lite morning and night (to keep his routine of having a feed - very much a creature of habit) we'll see how he goes - vet wants to speak to me again in 2 weeks time

[brigadier]

How peculiar-poor horse! hope he settles soon.

[zoon]

Much better - swear it must've been his feed as he's now pretty much back to normal! So it was either the brand of feed I was using, the garlic, or the oil???

[zoon]

I've just spoken to a woman who's horse had exactly the same problem after using the same brand of feed as me! She said her horse is now intolerant to most processed things that go into feeds and she's now had to use simple systems feeds. I was really impressed with that particular brand and their way of thinking too!

[slinky]

As you took part in a clinical trial for feed, and the bizarre behaviour occured after putting him on it! Then slowed down when it was removed!!! can you not talk to the feed company and request tests etc?
That is after all why they trial
Glad to hear things are improving for him.

[zoon]

it didn't happen for a while after though - he's been on that feed for about 6 months and it only started to happen about a month ago

[gingernut]

maybe, sometimes, like with us, it may a while for anything to show up? not worth ruling it out though, just in case

[brigadier]

Id get in touch with feed company as well- if its a trial they need to know. May have taken a while for a build up of it in his system which may explain the delay. Liver problems show up in the skin so it may be an additve that affected his liver. they need to know!

glad its over for your horse though!