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23rd December 2004

Purchasing and the Equine Pelvis

Recent correspondence points to the fact this is a contentious matter.  Time is likely to make it even moreso, because the incidence of pelvic injuries would appear to have increased substantially.  Whatever the cause, and there are numerous factors that may explain it, the veterinary judgement at the time of purchase is critical to future usefulness.  It is as vital a horse be free of lameness as it is that its heart is sound, or there is good eyesight.

The influence of past pelvic injuries are therefore a major decision area, the pelvis being the powerpoint of forward movement.  Its bones and  soft tissue attachments are subject to a variety of injuries when horses fall, slip-up or correct violently after an error.  The consequences are what matter.

Injury Type

The most critical injury is, obviously, pelvic fracture, of which we generally recognise two types.  First, and most serious, is where there is fracture with displacement - many such cases may not be able to be saved.  The pelvic alignment is changed and there is acute lameness, though repair is common, even where the recovered animal has a distinctly uneven profile behind; and moves like a car with a bent chassis.  Many perform well afterwards, and may even compete at the highest level, jumping or racing.  But repair is a slow and delicate process, whose success is likely to depend on temperament.  Horses that don’t mind having their movement restricted have the best chance; those that do very often decide their own fate.
Pelvic fracture without bone displacement is a more common occurrence.  Lameness is not as acute, though usually accompanied by crepitation (or clicking) when the fracture ends move.  The most common site is the ileal shaft in the general region of the hip joint.  Such fractures normally repair fully in about three months if the horse is confined and discouraged from stressing the break by lying down.  An affected horse may be tied short, or even kept in slings.

How it Happens

A horse can fracture its pelvis when stopping short at a gate.  Inevitably, the worst injuries occur with bad falls, but a simple slip can cause uneven forces to be applied to the pelvis and lead to a fracture.

A common cause in horses in training is over-steep gallops, perhaps with undulations, especially on any surface that provides inadequate grip.  There have been reports of a high incidence on specific gallops, even of gallops having to be closed as a consequence.

The Aftermath

When any such injury repairs, the boney structures usually heal without complication, even where there has been marked displacement.   However, it has to be appreciated that pelvic fractures are generally accompanied by soft tissue injuries - to muscular attachments and ligaments whose repair is not nearly as uncomplicated as with bone.  There is effusion of blood and serum

Any horse that is tracking short, which is almost inevitable after untreated muscular injury, has to compensate through other limbs.  So there is a tendency for the off-fore to become injured after the near-hind, although the off-hind also has to take up some of the slack, which can cause muscular hypertrophy, and, very often, more painful complications.  There will also be an uneven pull on the spine, which may add to the problem.

Decision Making

You therefore find yourself faced with buying a horse that isn’t tracking-up perfectly, especially as seen from behind, and with an evident asymmetry of the pelvic profile.  There can be wasting or swelling, often the injured leg wasted and the other hypertrophied from excessive use.  Of course, this doesn’t have to have been associated with fracture; soft tissue injuries can occur independently.  The movement is not rolling and equal from both sides.  Instead, there is a perception of discomfort.

This may be most marked at the walk; the horse may trot more evenly.  The vet carrying out a pre-purchase examination has a difficult decision to make.  Is this horse going to do what is required for its natural lifespan?  Will it be able to jump or compete at the appropriate level without going lame.

Unfortunately, there are exceptions to every rule, but horses that have suffered pelvic injuries in the past are likely to have locomotory problems in the future. Many are sold because their owners have found such problems to be insoluble.  Pain is a critical factor.  Just because a horse doesn’t nod when trotted doesn’t mean it isn’t lame, or isn’t feeling pain.  And pain, especially when ongoing and accentuated by the weight of a rider, often leads to temperament changes, even, finally, to a refusal to be ridden.

The Solution

Horses with evident pelvic problems should not be bought unless treated first, at the expense of the vendor.  There needs to be a full understanding of the implications, even where an agreement is reached over cost of treatment.  Not all cases can be fully restored to normal pain-free movement.

The best advice, therefore, is not to buy unless the horse is moving as it should, tracking evenly, able to cross its legs over when turning, able to back up.  Should you decide to gamble, the deal should take this into account and an appropriate reduction in price be made.  An unsound horse doesn’t have the same value as a sound one, and its price can only be calculated on the basis of what it can do.  If it’s in pain, it may not even be a safe hack

Peter Gray

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