My thoroughbred was 8 years old and she started appearing stiff in her left hip area. I didn’t know much about it so I put her on a supplement that was recommended to me. Still stiff I started working with more collection to build up the muscles in that side. Her wonderful demeanor changed dramatically. She’d see me coming and run. She became hard to catch. She was extremely girthy to the point of nipping at me while I tightened it. She didn’t seem happy being ridden and she became extremely spooky and over reactive (more than the typical tb reaction).
I pushed her though her exercises and purchased a pricey orthoflex saddle to alleviate any pressure points on her back. I took her to a show. At that moment she snapped. She would not walk forward in the warm up arena , she started rearing every time I asked. I stupidly led her into our show class thinking she’d just follow the other horses but she literally bucked every stride of the canter. I got asked to leave the class thankfully as she was progressively becoming dangerous for me and the other riders.
I brought her home and turned her out to pasture for a month letting her rest. I had a massage therapist work her back and she assured me the horse would feel much better. She did not. I had a chiropractor come adjust her numerous times and she taught me accupressure techniques and assured me the horse would feel better. She did not. I had 2 vets watch her move and say she was “sound” which I must admit since doing the collected work, her hip didn’t look so stiff anymore to the average looker. I then had a holistic type vet diagnose her as having EPM. No spinal tap was done, she just used her magical ways. She assured me a spinal tap would be more expensive than the 1k worth of drugs so we did it. “A few more accupuncture treatments would be necessary as well”. NOTHING CHANGED.
I then insisted my horse get x rays and she then was diagnosed with navicular syndrome and was told bar shoes would be needed. This most certainly did not help.
The best day ever was when our farrier of 6 years couldn’t come out to replace a shoe. I used someone else. He said her coffin bone area was slightly sore and wanted to square her off. VOILA. Sound happy horsey. After 2 solid years of expense and misery our farrier was the problem. Her angles were way off and it showed itself as back soreness and stiffness.
She is now 22 and is still sound to ride. She never had navicular at all. She did have a degree of rotation from poorly angled trims for many years. Who would have thought so much back, shoulder, hip pain can come from the front feet. I surely look straight for that now.