Muscle problems

[Elles]

My appendix Quarter horse is having muscle problems since I starting to work with him as a youngster. In the beginning I thought that the problems just came from the fact that he had to get stronger and build muscle. But I keep having the same problem for more then a year now. Every time I start riding him he is very stiff, does not want to go forward and does not want to use or give his body. After about half an hour it gets much better and he seems like a normal horse. I continu working him for about an other twenty minutes or half an hour and then I walk him for about a quarter of an hour. The next day the problem is back and again I have to be working for about half an hour to get him loosened up, every day the same thing. He gets about 3 kg (6 pounds?) of cubes and hay. I also give him glucosamine and creatine monohydrate. Now we have reduced the amount of cubes and half of his diet we changed to grain. What can be the problem?

[trackgal]

most likely EPSM or HYPP my horse has the first and is treated with special diet.

[Elles]

It can't be HYPP because he does not have Impressive in his pedigree. His name is Docs Lucky Bet. What do you feed your horse Trackgal? And does EPSM cause any muscle wastage?

[trackgal]

I have a 6 yr-old draft cross, everything you described sounds like my horse, I had stifle ex ray's hock ex rays saddle fitter's, If you go to "Rural Vet Heritage" Dr, Beth Valentine is the expert on "EPSM" it is often misdiagnosed, go and read about it, my horse gets 1 and a half cups of vegetable oil once a day along with a vitamin E-5000 supplement and Quiessence" a high magnesium supplement, he also gets 1st cut hay (no pasture) too much sugar, the diet took about 4 mos. to kick in and now we are back on track!

[Crystal]

Elles - have you had your vet pull blood on him (beside a coggins test), but to do a CBC work up. Sometimes it can be a ssimple minerial deficany

[Elles]

I am going to call the vet but he has not been tested. A while ago the vet came to see him for something else and I told about the problem but my horse had a good day that day and the vet thought it could not be that bad.
He is getting very good cubes with lots and lots of ingredients so I don't think he is not getting enough of something. He looks very healthy, short haired and shiny. In the glucosamine there is also magnesium and calcium.

[Elles]

Thank you very much Trackgal for the information.

[Elles]

I have just done some reading on the internet about EPSM. I read that with EPSM the muscle stiffness starts during work but with my horse it is very bad when I start work and gradually disappears, after half an hour or sometimes even longer it seems to be gone. Next day it is the same story. I do not overwork my horse and he gets a bit of exercise in the horsewalker every day. During the summer when he was in the pasture in the daytime it was a bit better but since the horses are no longer being turned out it seems to be getter worse and worse.

[trackgal]

I would try the diet, it can't hurt, the symptoms do vary, my horse takes a good 20 minutes of warm up before he gets "soft" and can go on, same as you, he is all stiff the next day, but only for the first 15 or 20 minutes...and I mean really stiff, like I said the diet can't hurt, it does take a few mos. for the body to fully adapt to the diet but I am so glad I found out about EPSM I spent a fortune on vet bills saddle fitter's massages and nothing wrked until the diet change..

[trackgal]

"ooh" no turn out is bad they get even stiffer, My horse is out 24/7 his stall is atattched to a large paddock with NO grass.

[Elles]

Yes, my horse is also really very stiff it is quite hard for him to trot or canter at the beginning of his exercise. Ofcourse after warming up time at a walk.
I have to think about this turn out thing.... I will have to talk to the owner of the riding school about that.

[Tucumcari]

Elles - have you had your vet pull blood on him (beside a coggins test), but to do a CBC work up. Sometimes it can be a ssimple minerial deficany

I second the full blood!

[WarHorse]

My appendix Quarter horse is having muscle problems since I starting to work with him as a youngster.

Have you tried a different saddle? It might just be a fitting problem.

Or for that matter, a different bit.

[Elles]

Thank you WarHorse but my horse has the same problems when I turn him loose for an hour instead of riding him or when I lunge him in a halter with no other tack.

[BenB]

Elles order equiflexion( manufactured by NAF) by the paardendrogist.nl, this product works for (mellanie surprise) very very well.
Only keep the dosage a little bit lower than the advise.
You,d be surprise after two three weeks use.