Locking Stiffle

[Cherico]

Hi,

I'm hoping I might be able to pick everyone's brains. We have a 2 year old Dartmoor whose intermittently started to drag his off side hind. When this happens it literally looks like his leg gets stuck fully extended and it takes a few moments to free itself up. He doesn't seem to be in in discomfort and after a few minutes he's cantering around his field again but I've not seen this before so called the vet out. Unfortunately when the vet got to us and examined him he was completely sound again and has been on each occasion that he's called by so far.

Based on our description of what's happening our vet suspects it could be a locking stifle, which we've been told its a condition that can effect youngster as they grow but is something he should grow out of. Dylan's currently turned out with our two veteran donkey's and other than this is fit and well.

Has anyone any experience of this and any suggestions on the best way to manage this?

Cheryl

[Cherico]

We've just had the vet out again as our 2 year old is again hopping lame but this time he stayed lame long enough for the vet to get to us and confirm his suspicions.

We were originally told that Dylan would probably grow out of the condition but having seen him our vet now feels that this might not be the case and an operation may be necessary but the long term prognosis isn't great so he's suggested it may be kinder to have him put down. This is last thing we want to do but we have to think about his wellbeing and quality of life.

Has anyone out there any experience at all of this condition or known any horses that have had an operation for a locking stile and gone on to lead a normal happy life.

Cheryl

[sarah]

Cherico I am so sorry to read your news, I had no idea the condition could be as serious as that. I have no experience of it myself, although my vet has told me one of mine has a "slipping" stiffle which is not serious or even painful, it just feels as though his hind leg is "giving way" for a split second.
I hope you have a positive outcome from this.
Best wishes,
Sarah.

[Liz]

I'm so sorry that your youngster is having this problem. I've only known one horse who was affected by this and it was much improved by increased fitness and muscular development. However, that depends on the severity of the condition. In longstanding cases the joint can become inflamed and lameness and DJD may develop. Stabled horses often improve when turned out. When this doesn't work or if the horse is unbroke, then surgery may be necesary but this is a last resort as complications afterwards could make the horrse permanently lame.

Sometimes the locked stifle can be unlocked after a few strides or by making the horse shoot forward a bit smartish or by walking the horse backwards. The oulook only tends to be favourable when the horse improves with exercise.

I hope you have a really good horse vet who can guide you through this awfully worrying time.

Hugs for you and your youngster.

[avril]

We've had a couple of cases of locking stifle over the years, and it seems more likely to occur if the horse is in poor muscular condition. I know youngsters can't be looked upon in the same way, but nevertheless they do need a certain amount of variable terrain to develop sufficiently.

We "cured" ours by turning them away in particularly steep fields. Ones like the sides of mountains are best. It seems that by continually using muscles to cope with extreme gradients strengthens the area around the patella. If only relatively flat fields are availabe then growing out of it will take much longer and is prone to reoccur.

Horses that are broken and riding benefit from similar ridden work up and down hill in walk and trot. We found schooling or lunging in a menage detrimental to their condition and brought on an attack.

[Cherico]

Thanks for your advice. At the moment Dylan's turned out on a fairly flat field but we do have a few paddocks that are very steep so I'm going to have a reshuffle this afternoon and move him into one of those. He's unbroken and not the easiest pony to handle so exercising him in hand isn't really an option but a spot of mountaineering could be the solution.

I've done some research on the condition and hopefully we can sort the problem without resorting to an operation so fingers crossed!

Thanks again.
Cheryl

[SoozF]

I have a mini shetland with this, she is now about 5 and I've had her since 6 months old. Her mother has it and so does her brother so it is a genetic issue. I know it looks pretty awful when the stifle locks but it doesn't cause them any pain and with her it usually clicks up into place after a few steps. It certainly doesn't stop her tearing round like a lunatic and as someone else has said hilly ground helps. There is an op they can have.