# Help! Horse shoulder spasming



## wispagold (3 October 2010)

My sister is at uni and has taken her horse. The horse (corrie) arrived last thurs. She is a 17yr old ID x TB that we have had for 7 years. She is currently on box rest for a chipped side bone after badly over reaching but is sound in walk andtrot and on an exercise programme of 40mins walking with 3 mins of trot that is being built up. 

Yesterday afternoon she was found in her stable with her shoulder in a kind of spasm. The spasm is at the top of her left front leg, bottom of her shoulder area and is quite violent (can be seen through her rug). It resembles a very rapid heart beat (it is rhythmical). Corrie seems fine in herself, breathing normal, sound in walk, eating, pooing normally etc. We have tried walking her out in hand, stretching her leg, massaging the muscle and hot and cold alternative compress. 

If you put her hand deep into her elbow and press outwards, towards the inside of her front leg you can get the twitching to stop. I have timed 5mins for the longest period of time we have stopped it for. Also doing neck stretch does seem to stop it for about 20 secs. When it starts again it starts fairly slowly and then speeds up and becomes more violent. 

We have spoken to our vets who have said it doesn't sound like an emergancy worthy of getting a vet out on a sunday. They have suggested giving her bute and keep an eye on her and if she gets worse, uncoordinated get the vet out. Suspected trauma to the muscle. 

Just wondered if anyone else has seen anything like this before because everyone I have spoken to doesn't seem to know what it could be or what to do, other than the things we have already tried. I have tried to get hold of some physios but no luck with it being sunday.

Any suggestions welcome! Thanks! 
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## wispagold (3 October 2010)

bump


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## LauraElise (3 October 2010)

Theo gets this on both shoulder muscles when he has been stood in for while. Vet checked and said it is nothing to worry about, just muscle contracting and relaxing quickly. I find that Theos twitch is relieved if he is fed the NAF supplement Vitamin E,Lysine & Selenium which supports muscle function.


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## wispagold (3 October 2010)

Thanks for the reply. We have given her some bute and if it doesn't subside within the next day or 2 will look into trying the NAF product. It is just quite scary to watch as the movement is quite violent and can be seen clearly even through a rug.


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## LauraElise (3 October 2010)

Good luck, hope it resolves. I have Theo on loan and the first time I saw his twitch I was terrified, it is very violent looking and is visible through his rug too.


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## alicia11 (1 September 2011)

Is there any news on your horses shoulder spasm, I've posted a similar condition that happens every morning, it's been going on for 7 months a now and nothing seems to stop it?


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## texel (2 September 2011)

I have seen this in my horse, it is a mineral imbalance. What are you feeding your horse and what minerals are there in the feed ?


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## alicia11 (13 September 2011)

He has ad lib hay when in in the day, fair graising at night. D&H country mix supplimented with selenium with lyciem & vit e, magnesium, milk thistle for a liver problem. Also have given electrolytes.


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## Coral l (1 April 2021)

wispagold said:



			My sister is at uni and has taken her horse. The horse (corrie) arrived last thurs. She is a 17yr old ID x TB that we have had for 7 years. She is currently on box rest for a chipped side bone after badly over reaching but is sound in walk andtrot and on an exercise programme of 40mins walking with 3 mins of trot that is being built up.

Yesterday afternoon she was found in her stable with her shoulder in a kind of spasm. The spasm is at the top of her left front leg, bottom of her shoulder area and is quite violent (can be seen through her rug). It resembles a very rapid heart beat (it is rhythmical). Corrie seems fine in herself, breathing normal, sound in walk, eating, pooing normally etc. We have tried walking her out in hand, stretching her leg, massaging the muscle and hot and cold alternative compress.

If you put her hand deep into her elbow and press outwards, towards the inside of her front leg you can get the twitching to stop. I have timed 5mins for the longest period of time we have stopped it for. Also doing neck stretch does seem to stop it for about 20 secs. When it starts again it starts fairly slowly and then speeds up and becomes more violent.

We have spoken to our vets who have said it doesn't sound like an emergancy worthy of getting a vet out on a sunday. They have suggested giving her bute and keep an eye on her and if she gets worse, uncoordinated get the vet out. Suspected trauma to the muscle.

Just wondered if anyone else has seen anything like this before because everyone I have spoken to doesn't seem to know what it could be or what to do, other than the things we have already tried. I have tried to get hold of some physios but no luck with it being sunday.

Any suggestions welcome! Thanks!
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Click to expand...

Hi,
Did you ever find out what this was? My pony is now experiencing very similar issues and the vets are unsure how to diagnose! TIA


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## wispagold (1 April 2021)

Coral l said:



			Hi,
Did you ever find out what this was? My pony is now experiencing very similar issues and the vets are unsure how to diagnose! TIA
		
Click to expand...

Gosh that was a long time ago now! No, I'm really sorry, I can't remember if we ever found out what caused it, I don't really even remember the episode so can't have been too traumatic. I know she made a full recovery. We sadly lost her to colic when she was in her early 20s.

Hope your pony is OK and recovers quickly.


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