ridecamp@endurance.net: Soundness Questions

Soundness Questions

Ruth Bourgeois (ruthb@tdsi.net)
Tue, 06 May 1997 21:58:12 -0500

After a 40 mile CTR, a friend was concerned about her horse, whose
ankles/knees? joints? started making some "clicking" or popping noises
when he walked. The horse checked out sound from the ride, and didn't
show any sign of soreness, but she wondered if he could possibly have
arthritis or what would be causing these noises. The CTR was all on sand
trails. It sounded like my old mare, when she was in her 20s, when she
walked sometimes made these sounds. My friend's horse is only 7 years
old. She wondered if this is something to be concerned about.

My horse, ridden on same ride, didn't have this problem (?). I have a
different type of problem with her, however. She has a tendancy to get
edema plaques on her back, towards the loins, on long rides. She's
always been a rather plump horse (very easy keeper, not exactly
overworked), and I figured it was the fat layer plus thin skin that
caused this, and as the ride season progressed, this problem always
decreased and became minimal. This year, she's starting out the ride
season very fit and trim, still finished the CTR with edema plaques.
These don't seem to bother her hardly at all, she doesn't check out with
a sore back, and they are gone within 24 hours. But, it's still a
nuisance and I'm always losing points for this.

I ride with an Ortho-flex saddle, which seems to fit her ok. No big
pressure marks or soreness problems. I ride my other horse with the same
saddle, same length/type of rides, and he has never had an edema plaque.
So, I figured it's just the mare's problem. She does seem thinner
skinned, more tender-skinned than the other horse. Any ideas of how to
avoid these problems or how to deal with them?

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated!
Ruth

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