Pain memory? Lame when ridden in trot

[abbylouise]

Just wondering if anyone has ever seen this.

My horse had an abscess in December, nothing serious, cleared up after a week or so. Since then, due to the horrible weather, she was kept in for the best part of 2 months doing little or no work. And seems to have been lame on & off since Christmas. I had the dentist & Physio out after some pretty impressive bucking during one of my lessons - very out of character - and after this the lameness continued, only under saddle though in trot. Finally got the vet out after the usual attempts of box rest, bute & light lunging. Vet said her leg is absolutely fine, she even passed flexion tests. So, got Physio back out as it was looking like her backs the problem, Physio came did her assessment & said its fine!! Huge improvements from when she first assessed her & her only thought is that she's remembering the pain from her abscess & playing on it now.

Has anyone had a horse do this? If so, how did you change the behaviour pattern?

[abbylouise]

Just to update, she still seems on/off lame but only when ridden in trot..occasionally looks abit stiff on the lunge.

Trying her on bute to try and assess if it is a behavioral problem but I am concerned I could be "pushing her through it" and aggravating an underlying problem.

Any advice/similar situations etc. would be appreciated!

[bow1607]

I had a problem with a mare of mine who started bucking etc totally out of character. I called the vet who advised a physio.
To cut a very very long story short the first physio was treating her for 6 months and it became apparent that she had misdiagnosed her.
I then got recommended a second physio who said it was her shoulder. After 2 sessions the improvement was incredible, however she still threw in the occasional buck so I would bring her in thinking it was her shoulder...... ring physio..... physio then telling me there was nothing wrong.
The problem was it was in her head and in my head, she needed riding through it but I was always thinking "is it her shoulder" probably due to the amount of time and money it cost to get her to this point.
Doesn't really answer your question I know as she was never lame.
When she was ridden through it she was fine, could still have the occasional moment when being tacked up etc

[lulah]

My pony had an absess in his foot around 2 years ago. Ever since then he doesnt like said foot being picked out and when its being shod. Although he is completely sound . vet farrier physio etc all say hes fine. So I do put it down to pain memory. It hasnt seemed to affect ridden work though. May be worth getting a second opinion? Then if given the all clear again just ride her through it. It may well be pain memory or she may of got inro a habit of act lame = leaving the arena early .

[gillwales]

yes they do remember!!!

My pony when a child had to have excess flesh from a wound burnt back with a form of acid painted on it... for the next year if you said to him, oh your poor leg he would lift it up for you to see.. a back leg... the trouble was has time went on he forgot which leg it was

However you will often find that a horse or pony who has had a bad back will never move has well due to a lack of confidence and the memory of pain

[reachforthestars]

My boy had a bad back, and would play up when he had his saddle on. Had vet out and physio and he was given All clear, and bought a new saddle, and he still thinks the pain will be there. I just take it really slowly with him.

[abbylouise]

Thanks for all your advice there, surprising how clever they actually are sometimes! Rode her last night (on bute) and she's still doing it but I got the YO to ride so I could watch & we noticed that she's perfectly sound but when she's trying to evade contact that's when she's sort of coming back at you & suddenly being lame for a few strides. After that I'm much more confident that its behavioural and we just need some lessons together to improve! *fingers crossed* also got someone coming to check her saddle just in case & going to use a Pessoa with her to try and encourage her back end abit more. It's wait and see time I think!

[sarahp]

Years ago I bought a big WB for my daughter with an obvious problem, but as everything else was right we trusted the physio to sort it. Turned out to be a shoulder bursa, took a few goes at it to sort it completely as it was long standing but we were then able to completely alter his abnormal muscle development and we were confident it was no longer a physical issue. But on occasions, usually when under stress, he would decide he could no longer turn right, remembering the previous pain when he did, set his jaw and go straight on instead. Got penalised for a few runs out at XC jumps like that which we knew was not what he was actually doing, he became a fantastic XC horse, just couldn't bring himself to turn right into them when the course was designed with a sharp RH turn into a jump.

[Karen, garrettponies]

I had a lovely connie that had a back problem and couldn't strike off on the right rein correctly. Even after lots of treatment she still wouldn't do it and would skip and cross her legs to go on the wrong leg! This went on for a long time, over a couple of years. She ended up having time off when I was pregnant, first time I rode her I decided to have a canter, lo and behold she struck off correctly and never had a problem after. I was convinced it was just 'in her head' as she remembered discomfort but time off had helped her forget.

[brigitte]

years ago, when I was teaching in a riding school, we had a showjumping mare used for lessons who developed a slight cough. For her health and comfort we took her out of the lesson a few times when she started to cough. From then on and till the end of her career (10 years later) she insisted on coughing the first time she had to lope off. Not at the walk, not at the trot, just then and only once. That was one clever mare. I am sure that they have pain-memory...and sometimes a lot of imagination !