a case study

November 2002 - In drought conditions, a yearling colt (14 months old) contracts stringhalt.
Initial noticeable signs were:

• Loss of condition while other colts in the paddock maintained condition.
• A slight slow hitching of both back legs (a spring of about six inches).
• Inability to move freely – forward, sideways and backwards.
• Noticeably worsening under any kind of anxiety or stress.

As the weeks progressed the hitching of both rear legs worsened to the point of springing to the colt’s under belly with every step – you could literally hear the back feet smack the underbelly. Obviously the colt became quite anxious and stressed, hence worsening the symptoms, but at that stage he was still able to move about and walk – although hitching to his belly.

On first noticing the signs the colt was removed immediately from the offending paddock – dandelion being the culprit, we believe – as there was an abundance of that weed, but very little cape weed or other flat weed on the property.

After advice from various people, including vets and other people who had experienced this dreadful and debilitating problem, and after reading all that could be found on stringhalt - many hopeful remedies were attempted with the idea to reinstate the vitamins and minerals back into the body – primarily magnesium / copper of which dandelion (or the fungus on the dandelion) strips from the body – affecting the long nerve, causing stringhalt.

As not much is known about stringhalt and the information received always differing in both cause and cure, much advice was forthcoming all of which was tried. Including high doses of magnesium orotate, including lime / dolomite (with apple cider vinegar – as continual use of dolomite causes stones in horses) in the daily feed – a vitamin b and magnesium supplement, mineral blocks, experimental drugs from the vet, a high protein diet including breeder / chaff / lupins etc., and daily exercise of the colt. All to no avail.

As the months progressed the colt grew worse with no longer being able to take one step. When attempting to move he would move his front legs to the left and then to the right with his back legs glued to the ground, finally pivoting on the front legs for a minute or so –– as if trying to gain the momentum to move forward, he would then lunge and launch forward into a gallop. Leading this colt would be at a run as he was unable to walk, he would gallop for about 20 steps and stop - only to start the process over. When he eventually moved, the back feet would be slammed down.

It was also almost impossible to put on any condition, even with the healthy amounts he was consuming. The colt had now had stringhalt for seven months and there was no improvement what-so-ever with the treatments and efforts that had been made. He was not improving but slowly declining.

On speaking with a Homoeopath that treated horses all over Australia for this and various other ailments, the suggestion was made to try homeopathy drops and that the cause should be treated rather than the symptom. The cause being that the horse’s system had been poisoned - and the need is to remove that poison from the body as opposed to treating the symptom, which is the extraction of magnesium from the body causing the hitching and in turn loss of condition.

The Homoeopathy treatment was commenced at the beginning of June 2003 – which was simply – one half of an eye dropper of the first bottle onto the colts gums every second day – and one half of an eye dropper of the second bottle on the gums once a week. No other difference to the colt’s diet or conditions was made to ensure we could see whether the treatment worked.

Initially no change could be seen. After three weeks it was noticed as the colt grazed (in a relaxed state) he was slowly moving his back feet forward, taking small steps, about a foot at a time – without the spring – and without slamming the back feet down.

That was the start. Each week saw more improvement – his steps lengthened - he was now taking a couple of steps back – although he was doing this slowly as if testing to see if he was able. These improvements continued over the next few weeks.

About two / three weeks ago he started walking, taking a normal length of stride although still hitching, but not to the point of hitting the underbelly, and still slamming the back legs down. He had also gained in condition considerably.

I am sitting here watching him – it has been just over ten weeks since the treatment commenced – he shares a paddock now with a gelding and they have become good friends – although it did take the gelding some time to become accustomed to the noise that was made from the colt slamming the back feet down.

He is presently walking down to the water trough – keeping stride with the gelding and a small hitch (about six inches) is just noticeable in the offside rear leg – there is nothing but a normal step on the nearside rear. The colt still has a bit of a way to go – he still at this stage cannot trot but has no difficulty walking off from a stand or galloping off – he no longer pivots on the back legs, so from what I have seen over the past two months the trotting will not be far away.

Whether he will be completely cured and whether we will always need to be careful as to where he grazes, is unknown at this stage, we will have to wait that bit longer. Many people had advised that this colt was so bad he would never recover and if he did it would take years. Although it took 3 weeks to see any improvement on this treatment, once the improvement began, each week had been dramatically better. If the results that had been seen had not happened so quickly – I also would have been sceptical, but the improvements have been so dramatic, so quickly!

My aim with this case study was to advise of our good fortune and the great results that we have encountered in such a simple treatment and hopefully this can help others who have the misfortune of dealing with stringhalt.
I have included contact details of the Homoeopath with whom I have been dealing.