# Standing stretched out



## carthorse (1 May 2007)

Well today after his lovely lesson ,while we were talking he stood in a very strange way.Almost like he wanted to stale but he wasn't trying to stale just had his legs stretched out behind.He is a tense horse especially around the girth area [see earlier post]Has anyone experienced this, is it a sign of something .He hasn't been performing as well as usual lately but not really ill.


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## miamibear (1 May 2007)

I would look in to getting a physio to him. They will help with his tenseness and it could have been a trapped muscle of some sort and he was more comfortable standing in that way


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## minesadouble (1 May 2007)

Stretching out can be a sign of peritonitis (we have a pony with chronic low grade peritonotis and when it is troubling him he tends to stand 'stretched out and is reluctant to bend his body when turning).
However I very much doubt this is what yours has unless he is displaying other symptoms - I'm sure it's something much less serious.


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## carthorse (1 May 2007)

He has no colic signs but I think he has lost a bit of condition lately but maybe because he is now out at night and getting no hay!


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## samp (1 May 2007)

Does his muscles look stiff? My thoughts were azoturia


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## carthorse (1 May 2007)

No if anything they are very soft


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## minesadouble (1 May 2007)

Just read your reply to colic post - is the horse standing stretched out the one who had the colic surgery - if so could the problem be abdominal adhesions?


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## dwi (1 May 2007)

try pming patches. I'm sure she had this problem and it turned out to be joint related. I might be way off though


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## carthorse (1 May 2007)

No he has never had anything wrong with him .


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## spaniel (1 May 2007)

Some horses will stretch out like this (as if making to pee) to relieve abdominal pain.


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## Patches (1 May 2007)

You've got a long memory dwi!

Patches does indeed often have what has been described as a "show stance" by others. 

You mean like this:











She will still stand like this and it's possible she was taught to stand up in such a way. She naturally places herself like this when asked to halt.

However, she no longer over exaggerates it like she did in the first picture. Turns out she had chronic, long standing, back problems and painful hocks. Both things connected but it's hard to say if the hocks cause the back problem or vice versa. Her muscles on along her back were wooden which prevented her from stepping under herself properly. The weight on her back was possibly just too uncomfortable for her to stand with her back legs tucked underneath more normally. 

A couple of Osteo visits have made an immense difference as have the steroid treatments she had in her hocks. I'd be inclined, if it's just started, to look whether your horse is still tracking up, and assess if there's a possibility of back pain.


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## carthorse (1 May 2007)

Thank you I will look into this we feel he has lost some muscle over his back so think he could do with a good check any recom.around warks/west mid area


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## JLav (1 May 2007)

Might also be worth keeping the possibility if gastric ulcers in mind. Tension especially if touchy round the girth area plus standing 'parked out' can be a sign but would also agree with whoever mentioned back/hock/stifle problems. Standing like this can be the first sign of a low grade discomfort.


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## carthorse (1 May 2007)

Interested about the gasric ulcers ,can you enlighten me and tell me about treatment


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## carthorse (2 May 2007)

Well took him to Steven Smiths for lesson today and by the way he jumpedthere is nothing wrong but I will keep an eye on him


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## PapaFrita (3 May 2007)

PF stands like this when she's going to windsuck (naughty girl) I also had a horse who tended to get low-grade colic and the giveaway sign was when she stood like that. Might NOT be colic of course in the case of your horse, but could be, as Spans suggests, a bit of discomfort in the abdominal area.


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## xxcharlottexx (3 May 2007)

funny you should ask this as someone on my riding lesson asked about it on sunday...

Instructor said that it was often a sign of back pain if they are standing like they are about to wee. so could be worth getting his back/saddle checked?


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## carthorse (3 May 2007)

Thanks, he is eventing on Saturday and another one of the forum members who is a McTim.prac. is going to look at him while she is there


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## Quickstarr (6 May 2007)

I first thought azatouria (sp!) as my pony has got that before due to excessive amounts of sugar and not having long enough in walk before beginning the warm up. Or it may be lock stifle. Lots of good jumpers get this, where i think that they throw their legs back so much their stifle sticks. Good luck with it


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## TURBOBERT (7 May 2007)

I think sometimes it is just the way they are.  My daughter has a Cruising horse - jumps like a stag and no obvious problems at all but when he is tied up he often 'stretches ' like that.  Welsh Cobs do it all the time!


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## carthorse (7 May 2007)

He came 2nd at regional final BE on Saturday so think I was worried about nothing but will keep an eye on him.Thank you everyone


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