[drivingpairs] Re: Rolland the Perch has a problem, need insight
- From: marged harris <dixzchx@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: drivingpairs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 07:42:15 -0800 (PST)
oh lordy, does this sound all too familiar. I would suspect his back. And
I'll try to find the name of that big muscle that attaches the hind leg, makes
it go up and down, can't remember. In any event, since this shows up when
Rolland goes downhill, I think it may be that when the weight goes onto him
(holding the carriage or pushing weight backwards), it means he has to use his
back to hold the weight and it hurts. (Not that the britching is pushing on his
rear end, its the whole wieght on the rear end because of his weight, load,
gravity and all that.) If so, the problem is that a vet can't see it unless
you put them in the carriage and go down a hill with weight behind. Another
sign would be that he doesn't go straight when you go downhill but curves away
from the pole and probably tries to take the weight on his forehand. maybe
even twisting his neck and head to try to carry the weight away from the sore
spot. Massage, acupuncture, some bute, stretching
exercises. Diagnosis is the first step and you need a really good vet (not
just satisfied to look at him on level or pulling uphill, it won't show up as
much) to work on backs. I really hope I'm all wrong. If you have a steep
incline, get someone to lead him down it while you watch. If this is it, once
you see when he goes ouchy, you'll wonder why you didn't see it all along.
(And the trying to move the weight off the sore back can look like hocks not
moving right because he won't be using his rear end evenly, he'll be moving
around to try to carry the weight on an un-ouchy spot.) I may be all wrong
here, so just take this as a suggestion to look somewhere else other than the
britching. Before I found the sore spot in the lower back, we started with
teeth! Marged
dynasorz@xxxxxxx wrote:
Hi Friends,
I have a pair of black perches called Rock and Rolland (tee hee).They've been
driving together for a year now and are very good boys, honest, patient, stand
well--I've been delighted with them.
Here is the problem and I'm afraid it is a serious one. Rolland is 10 years
old, worked in NYC for awhile, is very competent. I noticed soon after I got
him that when we would stand on a hill, he would automatically cock his left
hip out (I drive him on the near side). It seemed to me that he was trying to
avoid the breeching, even with the brake on. As time has gone on he has become
more emphatic about doing this at every stop if there is any incline at all. He
does not do it on level ground. (He also resists backing up an incline--which
he has to do everyday to back the carriage into the carriage house.)
Recently he has started trying to trot out from the breeching on steep
downhills (we have lots of them). And yesterday, when asked to hold back going
down hill he bit his buddy Rock. Obviously he is feeling some discomfort.
Yesterday I tried him on 3 grams of bute (he weighs about 1800 lbs.) hoping to
see a change in his behavior. I did not see any. He shows no obvious lameness,
though he seems to move a little short in the right rear. Watching him
yesterday, I thought that next time I might try shortening the breeching so
that it hits him a little higher on his rump--but that is the only harness
adjustment I could think of that might help him out.
What are your opinions? I originally considered it might be hocks, but he
doesn't show any of the other classic symptoms of bad hocks. It might be
higher--stifle? Maybe his hip or back?
If any of you has seen this behavior in a pair (or other) situation, I would
value your insight. I'll probably end up taking him to the University of TN for
a work up, but thought I'd ask ya'll first.
Thanks,
Carla Hawkinson
Walland, TN
www.echobrookefarm.com
________________________________________________________________________
Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security
tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free
AOL Mail and more.
_________________________________________________________
To Unsubscribe, change to Digest or Vacation mode go to:
http://www.drivingpairs.com/index.php?pg=2
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
---------------------------------
Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business.
_________________________________________________________
To Unsubscribe, change to Digest or Vacation mode go to:
http://www.drivingpairs.com/index.php?pg=2
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Other related posts:
