# Mild Stringhalt....any advice??



## jaye1780 (24 October 2012)

Hi one of my horses has been diagnosed with mild stringhalt but I am struggling to find much info thats any use as to things I can do to help it. Does anyone have any experience of it and any tips as to what helped for them? He is better if in regular work but I am struggling with this at the min, he does however have turnout 24/7 in summer and has just started to come in at night from around 6pm to 7am. Thanks for reading


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## cheekywelshie (25 October 2012)

My horse has stringhalt - it is also quite mild and first noticeable when he walks out of the stable. So long as they get regular turnout and you warm up slowly and cool down appropriately as you would do anyway, your horse should be fine. My horse has recently had foreleg injuries and i wondered if this was because of the stringhalt on his hinds but the vet doesn't seem to think so. He is quite heavy on his forehand though, however i have done unaff dressage, sj, xc to 80cm with him since I bought him.


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## jaye1780 (25 October 2012)

Thanks for reply  Did the vet recommend anything like supplements/remedial shoeing or anything to help with it? My horse is barefoot and happy that way but I want to look at absolutely everything to see how I can help him


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## DunDally (25 October 2012)

Hi, my horse also has mild stringhalt and it has never caused any problems.  My daughter successfully evented him up to 3'9 until he damaged a front tendon.  He now does prelim/novice dressage, also pretty successfully.  The signs of stringhalt are worse when he is stabled so we keep him out as much as possible.  We were advised by our vet to keep him as fit as possible and this works as when he was eventing regularly we never saw any sign of it all unless he got really excited at a comp and then we might get a step or two.  And, as a previous poster said, we take etra care with warm up and cool down before and after exercise.  We were also told not to let him get cold, not sure why but we do keep him appropriately rugged so he is always warm.  Also i read somewhere that a high oil diet is good.  We have never been advised to have remedial shoeing or anything else by either vet or farrier.


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## Pidgeon (25 October 2012)

Try him on NAF D-Tox, its eased my boys symptons greatly.


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## Cathrine (26 October 2012)

I used to have a big Trakhener on loan and he had stringhalt.
I did both dressage and showjumping on him and I found that if I did quite a bit of polework, both in trot and canter his stringhalt became less notisable.
Godd luck!


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## jaye1780 (26 October 2012)

Thanks everyone thats brill  Will get some of the naff d-tox and will do the pole work etc. I have him rugged well so hopefully warm enough. Anyone used physio or magnets to help with it? No idea if that is any use just thinking of extra things I could do  Originally it was thought to be upward fixation of the patella then stringhalt but im not convinced totally yet as to which as he does toe drag and prefers trot to canter when ridden, although he will happily bomb around the field in canter, although he does buck alot, which makes me think fixation of patella still too! Going to get him into a good exercise regime as he was better when fit.


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## Pidgeon (26 October 2012)

What's he like when you pick his feet out?


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## Baggybreeches (26 October 2012)

My TB has stringhalt ( I would say it's more than mild but not severe!). It is best to keep his back warm, I also do a lot of loosening up work before asking him to work properly. I do use a magnet rug which seems to help and also anything that keeps him relaxed as it's far worse when he is tense.


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## jaye1780 (26 October 2012)

Pidgeon said:



			What's he like when you pick his feet out?
		
Click to expand...

He will pick all up normally but when I pick either front up he lifts a back so just his toe is on the ground, shifting his weight. Very unusual looking to me, he didnt used to do it before this started and does look like that's the best way he can balance, if that makes sense?


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## colour me in (26 October 2012)

A low starch/ carb and high oil diet should help


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