# Trot's fine, but canter's lame - what is this?



## Georgie1234 (31 January 2012)

My horse trots wonderfully, but appears to be experiencing pain when cantering.  What could possibly be wrong with him?

Help!


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## Chestnuttymare (31 January 2012)

no idea, I think the vet is the best idea. If he is sore in any gait I wouldn't be riding him.


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## Georgie1234 (31 January 2012)

IS A MYSTERY


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## Booboos (31 January 2012)

Probably not to a vet though! Best call an expert for this one. 

Hope it's not something serious and he makes a full recovery.


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## be positive (31 January 2012)

Agree with getting the vet. Other things to consider, check saddle fit, in trot the movement is flatter and the horse will be slightly straighter so a small amount of discomfort may be hidden. If no joy with vet try a referral to a physio.


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## Georgie1234 (1 February 2012)

Yes, but there must be some sort of dis-ease that would allow a horse to feel comfortable in trot, and NOT in canter; surely?

Does anyone know?


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## Goldenstar (1 February 2012)

vet first .
Check saddle
But get the vet PDQ


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## flintfootfilly (1 February 2012)

One of my horses started to show discomfort when I first introduced ridden canter work soon after she was started under saddle.  She would buck each time I asked for canter, and even though I persisted and tried various different approaches, we made no progress, and she gradually became overtly lame in trot too.

Local vets couldn't pinpoint it, so she went to Sue Dyson, AHT.  Turned out she had 8 different things wrong, all over her body.  However, my belief is that it was the sacroiliac injury which was the thing which showed up with canter work.  Horses flex their pelvis so much more in canter than any other gait, so it seemed to make sense.

However, I definitely agree with the others that it's worth checking saddle fit very carefully.  Some saddles can be too long and put pressure beyond the last rib, and this pressure can become more extreme when you ask for canter.

And I would definitely involve a vet, but before asking for a visit, I'd make sure you have a very clear summary written down of what's normal and what isn't normal for your horse.  It may just help them pinpoint a problem sooner, and keep your vet bills down.  

So personally I'd ask a friend to video you doing a full lameness workup, inhand, lunge and ridden in all paces, including the tacking up process, and ideally with walking up and down hill too, plus turn on forehand, turn on haunches, backing up............ and watch it really thoroughly so you can pick out anything peculiar.  It may be that there are odd things happening in other gaits, but that they are just not quite as obvious as in canter.

Hope this is helpful.  Do let us know how you get along.

Sarah


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## YasandCrystal (1 February 2012)

It is common for horses with sacro illiac injuries to bunny hop in canter and show reluctance to canter. Your vet and or a physio should be able to determine any soreness along the back/pelvis and take it from there.

I don't understand you reluctance to get a vet involved; any advice on here is just guess work. Clearly your horse is not right.


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## Goldenstar (1 February 2012)

YasandCrystal said:



			It is common for horses with sacro illiac injuries to bunny hop in canter and show reluctance to canter. Your vet and or a physio should be able to determine any soreness along the back/pelvis and take it from there.

I don't understand you reluctance to get a vet involved; any advice on here is just guess work. Clearly your horse is not right.
		
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I aggree with this wholeheartedly.


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## Goldenstar (1 February 2012)

Georgie1234 said:



			IS A MYSTERY
		
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Because you have not got the vet !


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## lcharles (1 February 2012)

My horse was fine in trot but bunny hopped in canter when she did her suspensory ligament....which then caused sacriollic pain due to her compensating for the suspensory damage.  

It could be a million different things could from a stone bruise to a fractured pelvic!! x just get a vet out otherwise you'll never know x 

Fingers crossed its something simple x


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## Wagtail (1 February 2012)

Spinal or sacroilliac problems usually show themselves with difficulties in canter. If neither of those two things then I would suspect bone spavin or suspensory desmitis of the hocks.


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## Georgie1234 (1 February 2012)

oh dear!  I'm not reluctant, have had 3 vet's visits, 5 physio visits, 2 rounds of Corticosteriod injections to Sacroilliac.  Vet doesn't seem to understand and can find nothing more.  I'm told to work my horse, but I'm a bit nervous about it if the problem is the sacro-il area :-(

Was wondering if anyone had experienced the same...


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## Georgie1234 (1 February 2012)

Wagtail said:



			Spinal or sacroilliac problems usually show themselves with difficulties in canter. If neither of those two things then I would suspect bone spavin or suspensory desmitis of the hocks.
		
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Oh dear, now Ihave to figure out what those problems are in laymans' terms :-(

Bone spavin any particular area?

Desmitis? is?

Thank you though, this has been very informative.


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## Wagtail (1 February 2012)

Georgie1234 said:



			Oh dear, now Ihave to figure out what those problems are in laymans' terms :-(

Bone spavin any particular area?

Desmitis? is?

Thank you though, this has been very informative.
		
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Bone spavin is arthritis of the hocks, and desmitis is damage to the ligament (can be injury related or congenital and progressive).

If you have already found a problem in the SI then I suspect that is where the problem most probably is. It is notoriously difficult to inject the SI joint which is why the injections are often unsuccessful. If you are insured then I would ask your vet for a referral for a bone scan. This will show inflamed areas throughout your horses body and is helpful in identifying the source of pain.


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## YasandCrystal (1 February 2012)

I don't know whether you are insured or not, but I am surprised that your vet had not referred you to a lameness clinic. My WB spent a week at AHT Newmarket and Sue Dyson tested and diagnosed him with chronic sacro illiac dysfunction. I went on to have him treated by a holistic vet who is also qualified in osteopathy  and acupuncture - she is brilliant (also Newmarket way).

The lameness clinic bill came to a shade under £4,000. The holistic vet bill was but a 10th of that for a 2 week stay and treatments from which he has really benefited and moves much better (mine is chronic so will never clear up completely).

I don't know where you are in the country, but I would recommend a holistic vet who will do a thorough assessment of your horse and get to and treat the root cause not the symptoms. My holistic vet bill was also covered by my insurance company.

My horse has gone through extensive rehab for his SI via in hand work in straight lines. He had regular physio visits to both firstly to stimulate his nerves to the muscles around his affected sacrum and then to stimulate the muscles themselves. He is currently turned away for 8 months on the holistic vet's advice.

My horse was also medicated in the SI area, but I was told this either works or not and it was always doubtful in my horse's case as his injury is chronic. The holistic vet actually manipulated my horses sacrum to mobilise it - this is something Newmarket and other vets do not believe is possible, but his movement is improved from it.


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## Kenzo (1 February 2012)

Georgie1234 said:



			oh dear!  I'm not reluctant, have had 3 vet's visits, 5 physio visits, 2 rounds of Corticosteriod injections to Sacroilliac.  Vet doesn't seem to understand and can find nothing more.  I'm told to work my horse, but I'm a bit nervous about it if the problem is the sacro-il area :-(

Was wondering if anyone had experienced the same...
		
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Presume you have had xrays and scans then, what's the story on them?


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## Georgie1234 (2 February 2012)

oh wow - I hope is not cronic.  I had no idea that the injections were so difficult to make work :-(  I thought that when the needle was guided bu ultra-soound they could be quite accurate. Oh Dear.

Yes, he's had bone scans (Scinitgraphy) and x-rays and seen physio.  

Trot has improved in leaps and bounds.  Reluctant to canter though, and poos afterward in the school.  NEVER had he dones that before :-(

Vet has reviwed scan and x-rays and can find nothing else.  But I do remember that she told meshe thought that the x-rays of hocks or what ever it was showed a little more white around upper portion of ligament 'than she would like' hmm


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## YasandCrystal (2 February 2012)

I think they can be very accurate with injections, however if the injury is old and the ligaments therefore healed then no amount of steroid is going to make an improvement (my horse's case). My horse's sacrum did not show as a hot spot on the scan either. He had a very very mild hot spot on a hock, but nerve blocking showed the problem to be the SI area.
If your horses sacro illiac area showed as a hot spot then it is likely he had/has a fresh injury which could benefit from the injections. These carry on working for a while afterward (many weeks). Was he injected with Tildren?


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## Georgie1234 (2 February 2012)

YasandCrystal said:



			Was he injected with Tildren?
		
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I'm afraid I'm not sure ? :-(


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## muff747 (2 February 2012)

Some posters have mentioned suspensory desmitis.  Here's some info on that condition
http://dsldequine.info/
I have a gelding who has "mystery" lameness issues over the last four years.  
I have done extensive research on the 'net and would be happy to advise if you have any questions after looking at the web site - pm me if you need to.
Good luck in your quest to find the answers


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## MeganLindsx (2 February 2012)

YasandCrystal said:



			It is common for horses with sacro illiac injuries to bunny hop in canter and show reluctance to canter. Your vet and or a physio should be able to determine any soreness along the back/pelvis and take it from there.

I don't understand you reluctance to get a vet involved; any advice on here is just guess work. Clearly your horse is not right.
		
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Totally agree with this too!! My horse was bunny hopping in canter until she had her SI joint injected now her canter is goodish (her best/ soundest pace) but everything else is short LOL... bloody horses!!!!


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## muff747 (3 February 2012)

Bunny hopping is also a sign of suspensory desmitis,   if only our horses could talk


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