Back end collapse!!

[harleydales]

We had a fright with Apollo the other day - a friend was riding him, they were behind me on another horse and we were in a good active trot on a quiet lane. Suddenly I heard a sort of shriek and metallic skid behind me, and pulled up to see what was going on, but missed it.

My friend said it felt like Apollo had 'sat down on his bum' then recovered himself. She felt pulled backwards and then lurche forwards as he got back to his feet. He was shifting from foot to foot, clearly surprised and sore and had managed to pull both hind shoes off. Not sure how he managed that!

We took to safety in a field and checked him over - he had cuts and grazes on the fornt of both hind legs up to the fetlocks, and inch wide scrapes down the front of his hooves - it seems he has sort of left his back feet behind and gone down! No marks on the backs of the front feet, and no marks on the front shoes. The hoof damage is confirmed superficial and the cuts are healing nicely. He was very stiff for a couple of days, not flexing at the stifle but is better today, though still a bit tight.

He has done this before in walk but not to the same extent, never actually damaged himself before - it feels like he goes down on one side and then gets back, like he is trailing a toe along the ground, but never both feet, and never in trot.

The farrier came to re-shoe today and said had he gone any further down he would have done serious damage to his stifles.

I have my own idea about what the problem is, and someone else has seen him and agrees, but I'm interested to see what you think without me putting ideas into your heads!

[greydales]

Sounds alarming Jane! Just hazarding a guess, but wonder if it could be related to the stifles, if you say he is not flexing in that area? A few people have had problems with upward fixation of the patella but that is normally seen in younger horses - I suppose it could occur in older ones

[dollylanedales]

This happened to Molly, but only the once, when she was 4. We had taken her to Southport beach, and she collapsed on the beach. Someone said she was dying, another person was calling the vet to put her down, and I was going hysterical!!

We left her a few minutes and she suddenly got up and was fine. I am certain that was her stifles.

[harveydales]

I've never experienced this but it does sound worrying. Glad the injuries were superficial and the rider was OK. I hope you get to the bottom of it soon.

[nars]

That sounds a bit of a worrying experience, Jane. I hope he is feeling a bit better today. Were you going down a hill? Could it be weak patellas?

[lucydales]

I've no opinion to put forward but glad everyone was alright.

[harleydales]

He didn't go right down Mair, just the back end.
Gill he is usually very flexible through his stifles, I reckon he was just stiff because he'd bent them in the wrong direction when he lost his feet!
Jacqui yes, we were going down a very slight hill, but he has trotted down it heaps of times no problems.

The vet is coming on Friday to assess him in hand and ridden. He reckons a back/pelvis problem from my description, which is what I thought as did the other lady who had a quick look at him.
He has a very long back. The sciatic nerve runs from just in front of the pelvis down both back legs, so it makes sense if there is a problem in front of the pelvis (lumbar area) it could be nipping the nerve. i found something on the internet about 'sacro/sciatic' problems, and one of the symptoms sounded like it fitted - 'horse feels like he has a flat tyre and falls out from under you' which describes it pretty well.

I'll see what the vet thinks and we'll take it from there.....

My main concern is safety - his and whoever is riding him. Imagine if it had happened in canter? Or with a less experienced rider on board. it could have been horrendous.

[nars]

If it is a sacroilliac problem Jane, that would explain a sudden loss of power, so to speak. When mine is at its worst, I lose some feeling in my leg and it frequently goes from under me.

Good physio or chiro work should help the problem though. It can begin to cause weakness in other areas, thigh, knee etc, so its good he is having the vet out soon.

[harleydales]

My legs disappear sometimes too Jacqui!

My worry is it is a previous old injury that has calcified and is now arthritic and the excess bone is pinching the nerves.
Time will tell I suppose.

[dollylanedales]

Do hope this can be sorted, as like you say, had it been in canter, the conseuqences could have been serious for the rider.

Fingers crossed the vet can come up with the right diagnosis.