Cramps vs. Tying Up -- more questions

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Kerry KDykes@cpes.com
I'll try not to make this too long but here goes.

Went to the Around the Mountain ride early this month, the
winds gods were not cooperating on.  It was cold and heavy
winds - couldn't even see more than a couple hundred yards.  Blew all night until about 4:30 AM, then was just clear and
cold for the ride.  Spirit was blanketed and I'd parked the
truck and trailer so he had shelter from the worst of the
wind.

We started out just fine (except of course for the lack of feeling in my feet and hands).  I held back about 20 minutes
after everyone started so Spiritism wouldn't get worked up by
the others and spend the first five miles crowhopping down the
trail like last time.... Walked for the first mile or so, then
very light jog for a couple of miles, then more of a working
trot (on and off).  It was cold enough that the breeze from
trotting made my eyes tear up and freeze on my face!  At about
12 miles, I felt a slight "offness" begin to develop.  It worked
into a periodic slight head-bobbing that would stop after a few
strides.  Neither of my horses have ever been lame so I was
having a hard time identifying, first, if there was really a problem, and second, if so, where....

There was no evidence of anything at the walk, periodic episodes
at the trot, and nothing at the canter.  I debated turning
around and going back, but was as close to the vet check as I
was to camp so thot I'd go easy and see what happened.  I used my coat to cover his butt and I rode in the last six or so miles
with a group, and he seemed perfectly normal EXCEPT for a
reluctance to extend his trot (normally his preferred gait) --
instead he'd move into a canter.  I walked in the last 1 1/2
miles, and after the other horses passed he seemed to be tightening up in his right rear groin area.  I pulled him when
we got in, there was nothing unusual about his P/R but he was
obviously "tight".  I could feel the "knots" in him high up on
the inside groin area.  Nothing obvious at a walk again, just at
the trot when he would try to extend.

Back home the next day I hand-walked him, everything seemed fine,
but at the trot he developed the slight head-bobbing.  A week later, he was perfect.  Rode him last weekend, perfect again.  Oh
yeah, he was eating and drinking normally before, during and
after this episode.  No bloodwork was done, (sorry, didn't
think).

Now the questions I'm hoping someone has suggestions for:

Being an Arizona horse NOT used to the cold, could this be
the cause or a major contributing factor to this problem?

Does this sound like tying up or cramping?  Suggestions for
avoiding this in the future (yeah I know every situation is
different but I'm open to all comments here.....)

I'm planning on the El Paso-Las Cruces ride next month and
can't count on the weather being warmer, so want to take as
much guesswork out as possible........

Thanks....

Kerry & Spiritism (DAMN it's cold here)
and Lefty (thanks for leaving me home that time)











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