Ask HQ

Q: How do I cut my horse’s tail correctly?

A: To avoid cutting the tail too short, and to make sure that you cut at the correct angle, you need to put your arm under the dock of the tail to raise the tail to the position it is in when the animal is moving. Supporting the dock with your right arm, measure the tail to the chestnut. Use your left hand to mark the place and to hold the hairs at the correct angle. Then cut the tail straight across and then square off (or round off) any unlevel hairs to get a neat finish. The end should now lie parallel to the ground when your horse is moving.

Note: It is worthwhile, however, to check the grooming standard for your individual breed of horse. In some breeds the tail must be cut to a specific length or in a certain way.

Q: Someone at the yard aid that my horse's pelvis is 'out'. Is this possible?

A: A horse's pelvis can't be 'out'; it's held together by a huge mass of muscle and layers of strong fibrous ligaments. Having said this, there are many reasons that a horse's pelvis may appear uneven causing people to use the term 'out'.

The most common reason a pelvis appears asymmetrical is muscle atrophy, meaning less muscle on one side or in one area of the body. This kind of muscle asymmetry can be due to an underlying lameness, previous muscle damage or inappropriate training.

The pelvis is made up of three large bones, the ilium, the ischium and the pubis. These bones fuse to form the acetabulum – the socket in which the head of the femur sits to create the hip joint. The pelvis has three prominent bony landmarks – the tuber coxae laterally as the point of the hip on either side, plus the tuber sacrale (or the hunter's bump) – this is where the ilium from either side of the horse's pelvis meet. Here one point may appear lower or further in front of another.

Then the horse's seat bones (the tuber ischium) can also create the appearance of the pelvis being asymmetrical. These asymmetries can be something the horse is born with or a consequence of old damage to the ligamental system in the region. In addition, any old fractures within the pelvis can heal, leaving a visual imbalance in the external landmarks.

So, while your horse's pelvis can't be 'out' , it can have issues that cause asymmetry and need veterinary attention.

Q: What signs might suggest a horse has kissing spines?

Kissing spines, otherwise known as overriding/ impinging dorsal spinous processes, are a common diagnosis in ridden horses. Kissing spines are usually suspected when horses show signs of back pain. These signs might include the following:

• A negative reaction to pressure being applied along the spine or in the adjacent muscles

• Signs of stiffness

• Tightness through his back muscles as a whole

• Hypersensitivity when being groomed

• Signs of discomfort, such as tail swishing, head tossing or pinned ears

• Not standing still when the saddle is placed on his back, during girthing or when you mount.

Under saddle, your horse may show the following signs:

• An unwillingness to go forward

• Disunited canter

• Problems in transitions

• Resisting the bit

• Refusing of jumps

• Bucking, kicking or rearing

• A lack of swing through the back

If you notice any of the above symptoms, your vet will likely want to do X-Rays to get a better picture of what's happening. Radiographic changes on their own don't necessarily mean your horse has pathological kissing spines – there need to be clear signs of back pain in addition to these changes. For this reason, vets have to be careful in deciding what needs treating – kissing spines often occur secondary to an underlying problem and sometimes tackling these underlying problems can reduce the issues with kissing spines. Underlying problems might include:

• Poor hoof balance (negative plantar angles with long toes and/or low heels)

• Weak core muscles

• Facet joint arthritis or even fractures

• Dental problems

• Sore hocks or stifles

• Poor saddle fit

DID YOU KNOW?

About 80% of horses will have radiographic changes to their backs, but most don't show any signs of pain.