Hyperextension: The horse places the hind feet further back than normal when moving backwards with the stifle and hock joints hyperextended.The limb trembles or “shivers” in suspension, then the foot is brought rapidly to the ground when the spasms subside. Hyperflexion: One hindlimb is raised up and away from the body in a spastic state for several seconds to several minutes.There are two primary categories of Shivers signs observed while backing: The most characteristic signs of Shivers occur when an attempt is made to move the horse backwards. Mildly affected horses show tenseness or trembling of the hind limbs and sudden jerky extensor movements of the tail that cause it to elevate. The disease primarily affects one or both hind limbs with or without tail elevation and trembling. The diagnosis of a characteristic case of Shivers seldom presents a problem, however the signs of Shivers may be intermittent, occasional, or latent and very difficult to confirm. Shivers may be extremely difficult to detect in the early stages, and careful observation may be required before the diagnosis can be made. The clinical spectrum of shivers in horses is very variable in the degree or manifestation of signs. Other typical signs include trembling of the tail while held erect, trembling of the thigh muscles and a flexed and trembling hind limb. The classic disease called Shivers is a gradually progressive, chronic neuromuscular disease in horses that is characterized by gait abnormalities when backing up. However, a number of disorders can create irritation in the hind limbs of horses and cause this type of sign. Many horses that hold a hind limb flexed and tremble are said to have Shivers. In ponies, shivers is considered uncommon to rare. The syndrome affects several breeds, including draft horses, Warmbloods and Warmblood crosses, and occasionally lighter breeds of horses, including light harness horses, hunters, hunter-jumpers, hacks, Quarter Horses, and Thoroughbreds. Horses over 16.3 hands tall are also more susceptible than shorter horses. Usually horses with Shivers will show signs before age 10.īoth genders can be affected, but geldings are three times more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder. Most horses with Shivers begin to show signs before 5 years of age, and the majority of cases (74% of horses surveyed in a recent study) are progressive in severity. It has been stated that the condition is reasonably common, uncommon, and rare to very rare. Shivers or shivering are names that have been applied to a chronic neuromuscular syndrome in horses that has been recognized for centuries. She holds the Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine at the McPhail Equine Performance Center at Michigan State University in the U.S.A. Stephanie Valberg, a leading researcher on shivers. More importantly, Eurodressage spoke with Dr. So far none of the vet reports substantially sustain Von Depka’s claim and the dispute seems more a rift between two owners in which one party has taken the matter public. The news about World Young Horse Champion and licensed breeding stallion Don Martillo suspected to suffer from shivers raised major concern amongst breeders, whether the news is true and the disease hereditary.
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