Are they in pain?

A CAUTIONARY & PERSONAL TRUE STORY

I wanted to talk about this subject because after 40+ years of working closely with horses, the last 20+ studying their psychology, biomechanics, and who they are as a species, I know I still do not know it all. I also do not pretend to.

However, it is my belief that 1 in 5 horses are living with some form of undetected pain.

This number isn't backed by scientific studies; it's purely my personal observation and is based on thousands of hours spent watching horses, listening to them, and helping students navigate training problems. Once you learn to read the signs, subtle changes in posture, behavior, or energy, you start seeing what ‘could be pain’, everywhere.

And honestly, sometimes I wish I didn’t know what I know - because it can be overwhelming. But knowing is power and means we can act earlier and help our horses feel better, sooner.

Let me share a story close to my heart. It’s about my horse Lenny (also known as Kheelen) – he joined our family when he was 1.5 years old. He was wild, straight from the markets in Ireland. I wasn’t even looking for a horse at the time, long story short, I knew we were meant to be together.

Up until aged 8 years old, he was mostly healthy, aside from a mild neurological condition (ataxia) predominantly in his right hind leg. A little side note: this led me into the world of classical dressage and body development, which brought about big improvements in his way of moving.

In 2018, we had a Strangles outbreak at our stable where nearly 200 horses, living in a beautiful nature setting, became a logistical nightmare. Lenny didn’t catch the Strangles naturally, but sometime later after being vaccinated, he developed post-vaccine strangles, a rare but serious complication. He was severely ill for weeks, isolated, and eventually suffered a bout of laminitis from a combination of rich grass (isolated on a field), medication (Quadrasol), and I don't doubt the extra stress.

I spent the next few years trying to get his strength back. Liberty work, groundwork, in-hand work, osteopathic treatments, but something was always "off." He was still my loyal partner, but his enthusiasm gradually dimmed, his energy wasn't what it used to be, and that haunted me.

Then came a scare: I got a call from the stable about Lenny hyperventilating in the paddock. We thought maybe he had overdone it or gotten into a scuffle. But weeks later, it happened again with me, in the dunes on a trail ride. No exertion, just sudden, terrifying gasping.

I knew then something deeper was wrong. I booked him into the top veterinary hospital in Utrecht and asked them to check everything. They performed an endoscopy and diagnosed him with stage 4 Laryngeal Hemiplegia (also known as "roaring").

One side of his airway was paralyzed, and he was operating on 40-60% airflow. It explained everything. He also did not show the typical signs of this issue. 

I will never know for sure if this was related to the Strangles infection, but something tells me it was.

We opted for tie-back surgery, which they can now do while a horse is standing - far safer than full anesthesia. I didn’t visit him for 10 full days knowing the stress could upset him but mostly to allow his vocal cords to heal.

After the long agonizing wait, I could finally see him where his entire face had changed. His eyes were brighter, he was lighter in his way of being and when it came time to move to the rehab location, he practically trotted by my side and jumped into the trailer. That’s when I realized he had been walking slowly next to me, for quite some time and not because he was obedient, but because he had been struggling. I also believe that living with geldings only, he learned to hide it well.

Alas and after the surgery, something was still slightly "off." So, I went for a third opinion. We discovered he had the very early onset of osteoarthritis in his left stifle. Another puzzle piece was resolved. We injected the joint, and I gave him rest at the rehab centre again before starting him on a carefully tailored training program.

For the next 18 months I saw him improved but I also saw the toll it took on his body. The following summer I feared he had PPID because his summer coat was not quite as short as it was. I had him checked that autumn and following spring where to all of our surprise he did not.

Thankfully the summer after that he shed into his fine golden coat of which was short like it always was before. He just needed time.
 

THE LESSONS

If I am honest, I know for sure at certain times I ignored some signs because I didn’t want them to be true. I wanted to believe he was just getting older, a little slower, more "chill."

But knew deep down, that was not who he was.

He was in pain.

Please, if your horse is giving you even the smallest signals that something isn’t quite right, don’t dismiss them and get professional help.

Work with professionals who care deeply and know what to look for. Sometimes the issue is small and easily resolved. Sometimes it’s the difference between a horse continuing pain-free or becoming another "mystery lameness" story.

At the time, I kept this off social media because unsolicited advice can be exhausting. But I wanted to share it here, in this way, because it might help someone. Maybe it helps you.

• Listen.
• Learn.
• Trust your gut.
• And never stop advocating for your horse.
• They’re always speaking.

If you are are ever uncertain what to do OR need support - I am always available to help you when you become a member of my Online Training Academy. I cannot offer you veterinary advice but I can support you in your search and in other ways including for example the 
re-habilitation:

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 Thanks for reading and as always, keep getting good with horses. 🐴