Medicine Hat Animal Chiropractic

Located in San Diego County, Serving All of California

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Horses attempt to compensate for pain by changing their posture and way of going, but these adaptations can result in other problems such as joint changes.  The following symptoms may indicate pain caused by a VSC:
  • Reduced performance
  • Abnormal posture
  • Snapping and pinning back its ears when being brushed or saddled
  • Misbehavior while being ridden
  • Throwing the head up or hollowing the back while under saddle
  • Swishing the tail or kicking out
  • Disobedience when jumping
  • Difficulties with collected or lateral gaits
  • Sudden changes in behavior
  • Frightened or painful facial expression
  • Sensitivity to touch

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOTICE

Subluxations of the spine can affect muscle coordination and mobility of the horse, thereby causing decreased performance, and you might observe the following:
  • Abnormal gait rhythm
  • Irregularity of gait that can't be attributed to a particular leg or gait
  • Stiffness when your horse leaves the stall
  • Stiffness in general posture or when bending
  • Muscular atrophy
  • "Brushing" or interference of the legs and/or hooves
  • Difficulty engaging the hindquarters
  • Difficulty working "long and low"
  • Shortened stride in one or more legs
  • Overall decreased range of motion in gait
  • Difficulty flexing the poll
  • Lameness
  • Pulling or hanging against one rein (or "rein lame")
  • Your horse's back does not swing freely
One major effect of a VSC can be impairment to the flow of information in the nerves that exit the spinal cord between the vertebrae.  These nerves supply the skin, extremities, organs, certain glands and blood vessels, and neurological disturbances in these areas can lead to the following symptoms:
  • Difficulties with impregnation
  • Unusual itching at the base of the tail or other parts of the body
  • Asymmetrical or reduced perspiration
This list is not exhaustive; however, it does demonstrate the many effects a VSC can have.  Sometimes no outward signs occur to let owners know when a subluxation occurs.

COMMON PROBLEMS WITHIN RIDING DISCIPLINES

  • Show jumpers with subluxations in the lower thoracic and lumbar vertebrae have difficulties rounding their backs.  They often land in cross canter and have problems changing leads at the canter
  • Gaited horses with subluxations of the sacroiliac joints have an unlevel gait rhythm and difficulty with transitions.  They also have a tendency to lean into the bit and run off.  Their backs may be tense; muscular atrophy may also be evident
  • Endurance horses with subluxations in the thoracic and cervical spines often demonstrate soreness in the back and an uneven gait rhythm.  Further effects are a noticeable drop in performance as well as a stiff neck
  • Western horses with a restriction in the lumbar vertebrae and the sacroiliac joints have difficulty in bending laterally and show single-sided problems in turns and spins, as well as undefined lameness in their front limbs
  • Barrel racing horses with subluxations of the neck demonstrate troubles "torqueing" their necks as they charge from one end of an arena to another, at a full gallop, "hit the brakes," while making incredibly tight turns with the rider reining to turn the horse.  This activity also places a lot of stress on the shoulders and hocks
  • Dressage horses with subluxations in the lumbar spine have difficulty bending correctly and executing lateral movements.  Further consequences include poor engagement of hind limbs and a lack of suppleness