Muscle Pain of the Back in Performance Horses

Muscle pain in the hindquarters of the horse is very common. Picture the horse's back as a receiver. Whenever the horse is feeling pain somewhere in the hind leg, it will alter its gait. When the gait is changed, the heavy musculature on the back is asked to operate in an abnormal position. This will very quickly result in muscular strain. The location on the back of this muscular pain may reflect the type of hind lameness present. Hip pain will suggest that a stifle problem exists, while pain in the area of the whirlbones will suggest a hock problem.

Always treat the hind end muscle pain at the same time as the problem further down the leg. Use the entire array of electrotherapeutic equipment, massage techniques, back poultices, liniments (Tuttles), and acupuncture in healing the back. Presently, the most common method of treating back pain is by injecting the sore muscles with a counterirritant. Usually, iodine in peanut oil is used. The injection will cause the blood supply to the area to be increased, and therefore healing will occur more quickly.

Some veterinarians will also inject P-Block/B12 combo into the acupuncture points of the horses' back to treat the pain.

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