Could it be EPM...?

So I read a blog post about a horse with EPM the other night and it got me thinking...

Spartan has had some weird hind-end weakness that I've noticed the past couple of months...I've just been telling myself it's residual weakness from stall rest, but it's been like 3 months since we've been rehabbing under saddle, and some of these quirks seem a little out of place in that context. Ive even been meaning to talk to my farrier about it during Spartan's next shoeing.

Here are the symptoms of EPM affecting the body that I've plucked form the EPMhorse.org website. Some of these sound eerily familiar...

• A very common symptom reported for EPM is uncoordinated movement of the rear feet, worse on one side (asymmetrical ataxia). This symptom is often worse moving uphill or downhill, and while stopping or raising the head.

So this is what freaked me out. I'm not sure about it being worse on one side or what not, but Spartan H-A-T-E-S going up and down hills. Even when I'm just leading him up or down, he tries to evade by scooting sideways towards the edge to escape. I thought it might just be the gravel he hates, because I took him off front pads in Feb, but it's been a while and I Durasole him regularly, so his reaction is a little bit excessive. When I lead him up the hill to his stall, he literally stops dead every five steps and shoots me a look of loathing for what I'm doing to him. It takes forever to get up there! And when I ride him downhill, he paddles down all weirdly like a dumb, which I just don't get, period. There is also plenty of hind end stumbling and slipping every time we go up or down, whether leading or undersaddle.

• Lameness issues that come and go, often switching sides

Well, we certainly had an abundance of hind-end lameness, and it was difficult for my vets and trainers to locate which side sometimes. But we were more attributing that to his revealed fetlock fracture and joint spurs, so I don't know about this one.

• Changes to any gait, lethargy

Though he is just a lazy snail sometimes of his own accord, there has definitely been an above-normal amount of lethargy going on. I've been blaming it on ulcers, but maybe I'm off there?

• Hind end weakness - worse on ground that slopes left to right or front to back

I'm not sure about the sloping left/right and back/front, but Spartan totally trips all the time when I'm riding him at the walk. There have been a couple big trips, too, where he loses his whole hinney, that have me scratching my head. The hind-end is definitely a bit funky.

• Problems balancing when a hoof is lifted

Not really sure about this one. He seems okay?

• Circling, slipping, or falling while walking

YES. The slipping thing. Always with his hind-end. He's been doing this so frequently I was going to ask my farrier if his shoes may be slippery or worn down or something! It's slipping galore when he's walking down his gravel hill, which okay, maybe I understand, but he randomly slips too when I'm hand walking him on a completely flat surface! Wtf! Is this normal?? One of his hinds just seems to slip right out, I don't get it. :/

• Muscle atrophy, often over the rump or shoulders

Well, he definitely has muscle atrophy, but this is obviously from his 3 month stall rest. It's the dramatic weight loss that is more concerning to me right now.

• Leaning on a stall wall for balance

Nope, thank god. Otherwise, that would be it for my nerves.

• Standing with a hoof cocked out or in, not standing square

I don't think so? Okay, next.

• Dragging a hoof, especially while turning

Well, yes, whenever he trips I'm assuming it's due to dragging his foot to whatever degree.

• A sore back, changes in the fit of the usual saddle

He hasn't acted like it, no.

• Unusual sweating patterns or times

We haven't worked enough to sweat too much, so I have no idea.

• Carrying the tail to one side, or away from the body

I can't really tell when we're riding, but on the ground, no.

• Lack of sensation or heightened sensitivity in skin or hooves

Maybe heightened sensitivity in his hooves because of his weird surface texture aversion? Otherwise, I don't know. He has always been sensitive in his fronts (hence the past pads) so it could be just that, but all the slipping and stumbling though?

• Falling in the herd dominance order

He's not in a herd anymore.

So I don't know guys. I mean, I've been a little puzzled by his new clumsiness prior to reading that blog post or article about EPM, so it's not like his behavior was only noticeable afterwards. Maybe it's all just hoof sensitivity since losing the pads in Feb, mixed with some shoe issues and stall rest weakness. It's got to be something though--I swear I'm not imagining it!

I guess after it arrives, I'll have to wait a week to see if the Abguard makes any significant improvements to his ulcer (and tripping) symptoms. If not, we might have a whole another beast on our hands :(