Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Question: weird clicking noise from horse

Rae--The clicking has me baffled, but the fact that Scarlet's insistence on
cantering instead of trotting and her trot feeling "weird", along with the
wobbling and trembling sound like a magnesium deficiency--it can cause an
equilibrium problem sometimes. Then you had the stiffness, which sounds like
some tetany going on there, as well.  Potassium can tie up magnesium...are
you using a lot of electrolyte supplements?  They are high in potassium, so
the mare's potassium/magnesium ratio may be off.  The clicking could be a
side effect of the tetany.  You say she cleaned up her feed without any
problem--did she by any chance spend some time eating/licking mineral after
you put her up?  If so, she may have corrected the problem herself and
that's why she's doing fine this morning.  Grass tetany (magnesium
deficiency from eating lush spring growth) isn't something that normally
occurs in horses, but if she's on pasture as a significant portion of her
forage diet AND getting electrolyte supplementation, that could be what's
happening.

Lisa

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ridecamp Guest" <guest@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2002 1:18 PM
Subject: [RC] Question: weird clicking noise from horse


Rae tallcarabians@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  Ok, I'm posting as a guest because the email I subscribe to is at home and
I'm at work, but this question is starting bug me.  Last evening, I took my
mare, Scarlet, out on a run (med/fast trot) with some friends.  She was
going good and keeping a steady pace, but I started to realize that
something just wasn't right.  For one, she kept breaking into a canter and
this is a mare that just hates to canter.  Her trot started to feel a little
wobbly, too.  So, I cut the ride short and took her home.  She was not
acting like she was tying up (that has happened once when she lived in a
show barn).  She had a very faint tremble in her neck.  No heat in her legs
or hooves and her attitude was fine - cleaned up dinner with no hesitation.
The main thing going on was that she just wasn't moving freely and when I
did get her to move, every movement would be accompianed with a series of
clicking noises.  It was kinda like when you crack your knuckles.    Anyone
have any experience or suggestions as to what I should be looking for here?
She was fine this morning.  No stiffness or clicking.

Thanks
Rae
Tall C Arabians - TX


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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=