Like radiographs, a bone scan of your horse’s neck must be interpreted with care.For example, portions of the upper and lower neck will normally show increased uptake so should not be over-interpreted. Then a series of neck radiographs are taken with the neck in a variety of positions. Radiographs can show a wide variety of abnormalities, including obvious narrowing of the spinal column (which could cause pressure on the spinal cord) and bone proliferation in articular facets (which may indicate arthritis). You’ll likely notice a loss of suppleness or reluctance to bend during work. Your vet will pick up your horse’s feet one at a time and put them down in an abnormal position. Depending on the horse’s clinical signs (forelimb lameness, neck pain, neurologicl signs, etc.) After graduating from Duke University, she joined Blood-Horse Publications as Assistant Editor of its book division, Eclipse Press, before joining The Horse.Stay up-to-date on the latest news about your horse's health with FREE newsletters from TheHorse.com. Some will even stand with their hindquarters leaning against a wall. These injections were rarely performed in years past, but are now becoming fairly routine. Only one thing is for sure: A “pain in the neck” may be a common underlying cause of a wide variety of performance problems.Problems in your horse’s neck can cause a wide range of confusing signs. This test, known as the panniculus response, involves using a small pair of hemostats or a ballpoint pen lightly on the skin. Eight cervical nerves extend from the spinal cord, through foramen or openings at the side of each vertebral junction. Horses retain the memory of being asked to do something that hurts. If arthritis of the articular facets is identified, your vet may suggest injecting those joints with a corticosteroid to help quiet inflammation. Veterinarians diagnose horses with EPM based on historyStay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with Breeding stock 100 % FPD - He has that name because hs is one of the happiest foals we have…Horse-health-problem risk factors, prevention, diagnosis, and treatmentPrevention and treatment for problems of the equine footPrevention, diagnosis, and treatment of leg lamenessProper feeding practices for foals, adult horses, and older horsesDiscussions about the welfare of our equine friendsLearn how your horse’s internal thermostat works in extreme heat and ways to keep him cool.2013 First-Time FEI Horse Registration: Microchips RequiredI don’t use a spray to protect my horse from insects.This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The many clinical signs of neck conditions are not black and white and can include neurologic signs, neck pain, and forelimb lameness. On these radiographs, actual “impingement” or pressure on the spinal cord can be accurately detected. He may throw his head, refuse to move, or even violently object to training demands by bucking, rearing, or spinning. Adding to the diagnostic challenge, Munroe explained that neck conditions can be complicated by other concurrent orthopedic problems (e.g., low-grade hind limb lameness, back or pelvic problems) or neuromuscular disease, confused with rider issues (e.g., lack of riding ability, excessive expectations), or due to a horse’s young age (e.g., poor muscling, behavioral problems). Join us as we interview leading equine researchers from the University of KentuckyNeurologic signs, weakness, gait changes, and forelimb lameness can all point to an equine neck condition. Neck pain is recognised in juvenile and adult horses and can have a variable aetiology, ranging from a single traumatic incident to chronic degenerative arthritis, or a combination of both. Munroe narrows down the list of possible neck problems into the most likely causes for each case. It can be hard to determine whether these are just training problems, or if they might be a reflection of discomfort, such as neck pain. It consists of several different simple tests, listed below.Credit: Illustration by Hein Nouwens As you try to imagine the various processes that could be causing pain in your horse’s neck, picture the skeletal structure that supports him. “I found my 6-year-old gelding in his paddock, walking anxiously around with his nose dragging on the ground.