Conference noted::equitation

    We have had four horses in our barn worked on by a horse Chiropractor
    with incrediable results.  These horses had problems ranging from  sore
    backs to having one side of their next totally out.  Most of them only
    had two 45 minutes sessions with the Chiropractor and noticable change
    in behavior and movement within a week.  One six year old had been so
    sore that he had compressed his stride, so as not to flex and streach
    his back muscles too much.  After his first session, his was so relaxed
    in through the back that his very traditional trainer couldn't believe
    that it was the same horse!  She said he practically floated over the 
    ground.  
    	
    	Another of the horses had been pinning his ears back and carrying
    his head up most of the time while he was ridden.  After a few sessions
    his neck and back came into alignment and his muscles relaxed and
    allowed him to stride out without pain or discomfort.  
    
    	Although my own horse seems to move freely, I am planning to have
    him done as a birthday present to him.  They all seem to enjoy the 
    proceedure and benefit in one way or another.  So I think it will be
    money well spent.  
    
    	If anyone in the MA/NH area would like the name of the Chiropractor
    our barn uses, send me a mail message and I'll get it to you.
    
    Marti**  PENUTS::MADAVIS
    

    
    Another thing you might want to look at is micronutrient supplements. 
    I suspect that in England, the soils may be depleted of selenium. 
    Selenium is essential micronutrient for muscle development.  
    
    I supplement my mare with vitamin E and selenium (vit E is necessary to
    have the selenium absorbed).  
    
    You might try using such a supplement.  Most cases take about 3 weeks
    to show improvement.  And I have seen at least 20 horses with sore
    backs improve considerably during this time period.
    
    Mary Jo
    

    
    
    Sorry to hear about your horses back problems.  Having been in the same 
    situation I know how puzzling and frustrating these types of problems
    can be.  I have a thorougbred gelding who, about four years ago began
    to show slight signs of unlevelness on the left rein when circling.  I
    called out the vet who suggested a pulled muscle and told me to give
    him a week off then begin to ride him again.  To cut a long story
    short, he went from bad to worse - stumbling out of his box of a
    morning.  When the vet examined him again, he ran his finger down his
    back.  This resulted in my horses back muscles pulsating in a very
    peculiar manner around the loin region.  I was given a Faraday machine
    to use on him for a week and this was expected to help the problem.
    We had several back specialists to look a him and a physiotherapist who
    put back into place a few vertibae that she said were out of alignment.
    This, unfortunately was all to no avail so he was referred to the
    Equine Research Station at Newmarket.  We couldn't get an appointment
    straight away, so he was turned out for about a month (out during the
    day but in at night) until his appointment.  The accuteness of his
    lameness varied from barely being able to walk somedays to fairly lame
    others.  Most odd!  
    
    Anyway, to try and keep this epic saga short:
    Newmarket couldn't find out what was wrong with him either,so by this time I
    was completely depressed about the whole thing and so decided to turn him
    out to do nothing for two years.  This seems drastic action, but I was
    able to bring him back into work very slowly after this rest period. 
    He was now more or less sound and I began  to do quite a bit of light
    lunging to strengthen his back without a rider on.  It has taken about
    another two years to get him to the stage of walk, trot, canter, gallop
    and Jump as I refused to rush him in case he broke down again.  My vet
    is completely delighted with his progress as he never thought he would
    see him even canter again and considered dressage and jumping to be
    completely out of the question.  This may seem a small achievement to
    most of you out there, but last weekend I entered him for his first
    competition since his injury - he came second in a Prelim dressage
    competition!
    I found in my case that working him on the bit and getting him to use
    his quarters has built up muscle around the problem area and has
    strenghtened his weaknesses.  Also lunging helps in the same way.
    I can only say that I tend to agree with your sceptic and would
    suggest very slow progress is taken from here.  Even if her vertibae
    have been put back in and you are okayed to ride her she will still
    probably be sore.  Perhaps lunging would help to get her used to taking
    the weight of the saddle before having to cope with a rider aswell?
    
    Back problems are tricky.  In my case specialists couldn't help my
    horse, but only time and patience.
    I know this can be frustrating, but it pays off in the end.
    Goodluck
    Alison
    
    P.S. With regard to your horses back muscles moving, my horses back
         muscles continued to pulsate for a considerable length of time
         after bringing him back into work after his rest.  It was
    extremely noticable with a rider on his back as they would pulsate just
    behind the saddle.  I didn't see any marked improvement until I began
    to school him to build up the muscles.  A word of warning though:
    because dressage is such a physically demanding form of exercise for your
    horse, utmost care must be taken.  I found I had to be extremely
    sympathetic when riding him like this - NO SITTING TROT for example!
    and progress must be very slow.  Even now I have to be careful or the
    age old problem begins to flare up again.  
                                             

    We have had a chiropractor work on our horses...yes it does work.  As
    with everything, it doesn't always work but in our case it did even to
    the point of a youngster no longer having contracted tendons.
    
    Good luck...give it a chance.
    
    Kathie
    

    My mare has been very sucessfully treated by an osteopath and apart
    from regular checks every 6-12 months hasn't needed his attentions 
    since.
    I have every faith in this sort of 'alternative' treatment, but like
    others express a little surprize at being told that there is no
    convalescent routine to follow.  Can you 'phone your specialist and 
    explain your reservations.  I've often found that by taking this 
    approach the 'experts' are only too pleased to explain the why's.
    
    As to your query about Arnica.  You will do your horse no harm by 
    giving her this Homeopathic remedy, it may well help.  
    As many of my friends know I'm a strong supporter for using homeopathic 
    remedies where ever possible.  However this does not make me an expert 
    and it may well be that another remedy would give better results.  
    To the best of my knowledge Arnica is not a 'drug' being of natural
    source.  Again the only people that can really tell you would the
    administrators eg BHS in the UK.
    If you'd like to know more about my use of homeopathic remedies, vets
    used or books to refer to, then please contact me.  
    
    Good luck.
    
    Judy
    
    (ALL_IN_1 : JUDY HARWOOD @ SBP  -   DTN: 782-2422)
    

    
    I decided to list the name and number of the Chiropractor our
    barn uses:  	Lori Murray
    			New Hampshire
    			(603) 772-0745		
    
    She has an answering machine, but will get back to you.
    
    Good luck everyone with sore horses.  It's no fun to ride
    when the horse can't enjoy it.
    

    
    
    Just an update on this saga and thanks to all replys.
    
    	Thursday week ago was a turning point in this protracted episode
    in that the horse came out to work on Thursday evening and was STIFF.
    This appeared to be from his off hind quarters and believed he had
    hurt himself in the stable and decided to give him two days to let
    it develop. No heat or swelling arrived but the stiffness stayed.
    The vet was called and she confirmed his stiffness on the off hind.
    My wife who is a Clinical Bio-chemist working in a private vetinary
    Lab asked the vet to take some blood for her to check his blood
    profile. 
    
    
    	He has a very raised CK which usually means he is "tied up"
    ie. has a mild form of Azototia. We are now waiting for Selenium
    and VIT. E results to arrive back from the local research lab. But
    her initial tests appear point to Azo..
    
    
    A big thanks to the repliant here who got our minds thinking along
    those lines. But no-one would entertain the idea in our yard as
    to the possibility of AZO. 
    
    	With hind sight we can tie in the fact that he was introduced
    to rolled oats last Christmas and around then he startedd to be
    stiff in his paces.
    
    Incidently the other sore back ie. 12-13 vertebrae has been sorted
    out by the physio.
    
    Lets hope that a supplement, salt and a better ballanced diet brings
    to back to normal.
    
    
    	Thanks again for all your inputs
    
    
    			Gareth
    

    Has anyone out there had any experience with horses that canter on one
    lead at the forehand and the other lead on their hindquarters?  There
    is a horse at my stable that does this.  The owner was told by the
    stable manager that the horse has a sore back.  Right now the horse has
    not been riden for almost six months in order to give him a chance to
    heal.  He is a relatively young horse (8 years).  He has been
    successfully shown over jumps and in hunter equitation.  The "sore
    back" problem first showed itself at the end of the showing season last
    year.
    
    Any help in solving this problem would be greatly appreciated.  The
    owner is a young girl and is heartbroken about this.  This horse is
    very sweet tempered and was thought to have a great future.  You can
    contact me at DTN 323-4825.  Thanks!
    
    Debra Betancourt
    
    

    I would have the back thoroughly checked by a vet. I would not rest my
    horse for six months on the say-so of a stable manager no matter how
    good they are. Horses like people can prefer one hand to the other and
    be better balanced on one side. If there is nothing wrong with the
    back, careful conditioning with exercises to bend the unbalanced side
    should take care of the problem. I would also examine the riders seat
    to make sure she is sitting balanced over the horses spine. A tiny tilt
    can show up as an unbalanced gait. A different rider could prove or
    disprove this theory.
    Sandy
    

    
    Call Jack Meagher or one of the other reputable massage therapist -
    They can help or they will tell you they can't.
    
    Nancy