Gaiting problems- hidden causes

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  Gaiting Problems- “Hidden Causes”

 

                                                By Bonnie Hodge

  “My horse paces”, “My horse is trotty”, “My horse won’t stay in gait”. These are some of the most common complaints heard in the gaited horse world. There are many possible solutions to gait problems, such as allowing the horse time to mature and build sufficient muscle and bone, riding the horse with a correct and balanced seat in a properly fitted saddle, and trimming the horse’s hoofs to a natural length and angle. If correcting gait problems through these methods is unsuccessful, consider the possibility that the problem could be caused by pain from an unsuspected injury to the horse’s hips, shoulder, or spine.  

According to Dr. James Ennis, AVCA Certified Animal Chiropractor, “Horses in pain will show compensatory changes in posture and gait, and these changes can cause stress in other joints and muscles. Gaited horses need to be able to flex their spine, rotate their hips, and move their shoulders fluidly to perform their gait properly. Warning signs of pain from an unsuspected injury vary, but one of the most common signs is when the horse fails to gait properly or appears short-strided.” Sometimes the only way the horse can deal with its pain is to resort to doing a trot or pace, or going in and out of its four-beat gait. When forced to collect, round its back, rotate its hips, and move forward, the horse may object by shaking its head, pinning its ears, swishing its tail, or attempting to buck from pain. Another warning sign of pain or injury is when the horse refuses to lift its leg high enough for a farrier to work on its hoof. Instead of assuming the horse is being stubborn, consider that the horse may be in pain, not able to rotate its hips, and therefore not able to raise its leg high off the ground.

 Pain caused by physical damage to their bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, in turn, affects the mental well-being of the horse. When a horse becomes rank, people sometimes assume it has an attitude problem instead of considering that the problem is caused by pain. Because horses do not speak English to communicate what the problem is, we need to pay attention to and acknowledge their attitude and actions as their only way of communicating.  

Wild horses do not experience half the problems with their backs, hips, and shoulders that domestic horses experience. Their bodies are not exposed to damage caused by trying to support a rider who weighs too much for them or rides them in a ventro-flexed (hollow-backed) position. The hoofs on wild horses are kept in a normal, healthy shape and length “naturally” with constant movement, as nature intended. Wild horses do not lack sufficient exercise like some stalled domestic horses, and they never have to deal with damage to their spine, hip, or shoulder caused by getting cast in a stall.

 

According to researchers, the primary contributing factors to equine chiropractic issues are associated with ridden exercise, back problems (secondary to lameness), and the demands of athletic disciplines. Even the most responsible and caring owners of domestic horses cannot prevent or be aware of all the injuries their horses experience in a normal lifetime. For example, a horse can get cast in a stall and injured without the owner ever knowing what happened. Even horses kept in an outdoor area can become cast when they lay down and roll over next to a tree or other object. They may struggle enough to actually get loose from such situations, yet harbor an internal injury that their owner does not know about. Another possible cause of injury occurs when horses kick each other. If a horse is kicked in an area above its legs and does not show a visible mark on that area, the owner may never know the horse got kicked.

 To properly assess physical problems, the primary course of action would be to consult an equine veterinarian who can diagnose and treat serious medical conditions that are outside the realm of chiropractic care. An article on the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Internet website entitled Equine Chiropractic: General Principles and Applications, by Kevin Haussler, DVM, DC, Ph.D. states:  “Serious diseases requiring immediate medical or surgical care need to be ruled out and treated by conventional veterinary medicine before routine chiropractic treatment is begun. However, chiropractic care may contribute to the rehabilitation of most cases after surgery or severe medical conditions by helping restore normal muscle and skeletal function. Chiropractic provides additional diagnostic approaches that are not currently available in veterinary medicine. Chiropractic consultation may be indicated in muscle or skeletal conditions that are chronic or recurring, not easily diagnosed, or not responding to traditional veterinary care. The main indications for equine chiropractic evaluation are back or neck pain, localized or regional joint stiffness, poor performance, and an altered gait that is not associated with obvious lameness.” 

Equine chiropractic is a valid, concurrent, complementary treatment procedure to veterinary medicine. A reputable and competent equine chiropractor should be able to evaluate the problem and perform all necessary physical manipulations to the spine, shoulders, neck, and hips within an hour. Depending on the length of time and severity of the condition, several chiropractic visits may be necessary. However, most horses show a marked improvement on the first visit.

 

Although a veterinary who is also an equine chiropractor may have fees slightly higher, the average fees for certified equine chiropractors are usually under one hundred dollars per visit and may be the best money ever spent on solving a problem with your Rocky Mountain Horse’s gait. Chiropractic care is worth considering prior to sending the horse to a trainer who might unknowingly worsen the horse’s physical condition by forcing it to gait.

 **More information on the benefits of equine chiropractic care can be found at: www.avcadoctors.com/equinechiropracticquestion.htm and

http://www.aaep.org/health_articles_view.php?id=16

 **To find a certified equine chiropractor in your area, go to: http://www.avcadoctors.com/avcadus.htm       

Dr. James Ennis is a licensed Chiropractor and Certified in Animal Chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA), since 1998. Over the years, he has conducted clinics and demonstrations on Equine Chiropractic Services for horse organizations and sponsors such as Purina Mills, and has taught Animal Chiropractic at Options For Animals in Hillsdale, IL. Currently, Dr. Ennis teaches at Parker University in Dallas, TX and provides equine chiropractic services in several states throughout southern U.S.A.  Dr. Ennis has been featured on the national radio program “The Horse Show with Rick Lamb”, and featured in an article published in Horse Illustrated Magazine.

   

Dr. Kevin Haussler, DVM, DC, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Equine Orthopaedic Research Center at Colorado State University. He is currently involved in research into the objective assessment of pain, spinal-related disorders, and the initiation of chiropractic and physical therapy/rehabilitation research for the management of musculoskeletal injuries.