Crooked tail carriage in horses: Increased prevalence in lame horses and those with thoracolumbar epaxial muscle tension or sacroiliac joint region pain

Abstract

Summary The relationship between lameness and crooked tail carriage (CTC) in horses is unclear. The objectives of this study were (i) to determine the association between CTC and lameness; (ii) among lame horses, to determine associations between CTC and lameness diagnosis, saddle slip, thoracolumbar range of motion (ROM), epaxial muscle tension and pain, and sacroiliac joint region (SIJR) pain, and (iii) to determine whether abolition of lameness and SIJR pain by diagnostic anaesthesia modified CTC. In this study, 520 lame and 170 nonlame sports horses were examined for CTC and other characteristics by one clinician (S.J.D.). All horses were evaluated when ridden. Lame horses were also assessed in hand and on the lunge. Crooked tail carriage, its direction, lameness, musculoskeletal and tack‐related parameters were recorded as binary variables and analysed using 2 × 2 contingency tables. Sacroiliac joint region pain was diagnosed using local anaesthesia. Standard errors are shown in square brackets. 32.5% of lame horses had CTC, compared with 5.3% of nonlame horses (odds ratio = 8.6 [confidence intervals 4.4, 16.7]; P = 2×10−12). Of 169 lame horses with CTC, 103 (60.9% [3.8%]) held their tail to the left. There was no association between the side of the predominant lame limb and CTC direction. However, CTC was more common (P = 0.005) in horses with hindlimb lameness (35.7% [2.4%], N = 401) compared with forelimb lameness (21.0% [4.1%], N = 100). Crooked tail carriage was associated with SIJR pain (P = 0.0007) and thoracolumbar epaxial muscle tension (P = 0.0007), but not with saddle slip, reduced thoracolumbar ROM or thoracolumbar epaxial muscle pain. Limitations of the study included the facts that nonlame horses were a convenience sample and lameness assessment, other clinical observations and determination of the presence of CTC were subjective, with potential for bias. Video recordings and photographs are available for verification of tail position. It was concluded that CTC is more prevalent in lame horses than nonlame horses. There is a positive association between CTC and hindlimb lameness, SIJR pain and thoracolumbar epaxial muscle tension.

Application of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram to Horses Competing at the Hickstead-Rotterdam Grand Prix Challenge and the British Dressage Grand Prix National Championship 2020 and Comparison with World Cup Grand Prix Competitions

“…In particular, there was a higher frequency of occurrence of an intense stare for ≥5 s, repeated tail swishing, ears behind vertical for ≥5 s, repeated hindlimb toe drag, repeated exposure of the tongue, reluctance to go forwards and a crooked tail in the competitors in the current study compared with those competing in the WC competitions [ 10 ]. An association between crooked tail carriage and hindlimb lameness, epaxial muscle tension and sacroiliac joint region pain has previously been documented [ 16 ]. Repeated tail swishing was observed in the majority of competitors and is specifically mentioned in the FEI Dressage Rules as a ‘sign of nervousness, tension or resistance on the part of the Horse and must be taken into account by the Judges in their marks for every movement concerned, as well as in the collective mark’ [ 11 ].…”

The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram

“…A bilateral hindlimb toe drag may persist or develop after diagnostic anaesthesia of the hindlimbs. A crooked tail may persist despite improvement in gait (Dyson and Van Dijk 2020;Hibbs et al 2021). Crooked tail carriage was abolished in only 12% (20/164) horses in which hindlimb gait abnormalities were improved by diagnostic anaesthesia (Hibbs et al 2021).…”

“…Crooked tail carriage was abolished in only 12% (20/164) horses in which hindlimb gait abnormalities were improved by diagnostic anaesthesia (Hibbs et al . 2021).…”

An investigation into the relationship between equine behaviour when tacked‐up and mounted and epaxial muscle hypertonicity or pain, girth region hypersensitivity, saddle‐fit, rider position and balance, and lameness

“…Epaxial muscle hypertonicity was seen with greater frequency than epaxial muscle pain, as in a previous study (Hibbs et al . 2020), but was not significantly associated with tacking‐up or mounting behaviour.…”

“…Epaxial muscle pain, which was also a significant factor associated with tacking-up behaviour, predominated in the lumbar region, but was only seen in a small number of horses. It may be secondary to lameness or altered range of motion (Hibbs et al 2020), but was not significantly associated with tacking-up or mounting behaviour. Riding School horses were more likely to demonstrate a larger number of behaviours compared with General Purpose horses during both tacking-up and mounting.…”