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That Sunday evening, as Bluey lay on the floor of the stable, exhausted, it wasn’t clear to any of us whether he would ever recover. Yet recover he has, thanks to the dedication of his carer, Dawn, and the team supporting this much-loved coloured cob. Here’s Bluey’s story of moving from Struggle to Strength.

I first met Bluey in June 2022, when he arrived to live with Dawn. Overweight and a little anxious, he came across as bolshy. A few weeks later, with Dawn’s consistent care and some significant dental work, he settled into the polite horse we now know him to be. Dawn doesn’t ask anything of Bluey other than to be her companion, for now at least, which seems to suit him. As part of the overall care package that Dawn offers Bluey, I treat him every three months or so. At 16 years old, he tends to get stiff behind, which can affect his willingness to pick up his hind feet. Even if he had no stiffness, Dawn would have him treated regularly. I can give her information on his physical well-being that’s different from the information she can gather for herself, enabling her to focus on prevention rather than cure. All was well in Bluey’s world…

Until the middle of May 2024, that is. I treated Bluey on Friday, 17th May, and there was nothing new to report. The following week, he slipped in the field, but seemed okay. We’ll never know whether what happened a few days later was related to that slip…

Bluey’s Struggle began on Monday, 20th May, when he came in from the field with his left fore shaking right up through his shoulder. He was weight-bearing and walking well, but something was obviously wrong, and Dawn called the veterinarian. There was swelling in his shoulder muscles (triceps) on the left, with some mild pitting in that area. The vet who visited that day didn’t find any soreness when they felt through his muscles. He was bright, alert, responsive, and eating well. There were no pulses or concerns with heart rate, respiratory rate, or temperature. There was no history of a kick or any other trauma, and he didn’t seem lame enough for it to be a muscle tear or a fracture causing the swelling in his shoulder. That first day, with no clear diagnosis, the swelling was treated with steroids and pain relief, as though it were a bite. 

That was the Monday. The vet visited three more times that week: Tuesday morning, Tuesday evening, and Wednesday morning. On the Tuesday morning, Bluey was fine when Dawn arrived at the stable. However, the tremors started again when he put his head down to eat his breakfast. Dawn called the vet, but the tremors had stopped by the time they arrived, so progressing with the diagnosis was difficult. Thankfully, Dawn lives on-site and can keep a close eye on Bluey. He was on box rest on the vet’s advice, and the tremors continued intermittently throughout the day. The vet visited again in the evening. Dawn felt that it was when Bluey put his head down and was putting his weight through the toe that the tremors started, so the vet took the left fore shoe off, but there was nothing in the foot that looked like it would cause the symptoms Bluey was showing. 

On Wednesday morning, Bluey was fine when Dawn first went to him, and she took him for a short walk in hand. When he was back in his stable, she went to get his water, and he reared and managed to get himself stuck between the sausage on the chain in the doorway whilst the door was closed. Thankfully, the chain was attached to twine so Dawn could cut it down quickly. However, that incident set the tremors off badly, and he was sweating profusely. Hence, the vet was called again. Bluey was now 1-2/5 lame on his left fore, still with no obvious sign of injury, and he resented the left limb being pulled backwards. The vet was able to bring the leg forward, although there was still some resentment. There were no apparent signs of ataxia or weakness. Because Bluey was getting worked up in the mornings when the others were going out, he was prescribed the sedative Relaquine. Dawn could take him for short walks in hand, and could use heat and gentle massage on the shoulder area. The vet advised that Bluey continue on Inflacam to help reduce the swelling, and recommended that Dawn elevate his feed and water off the floor to avoid him putting his head down and increasing the load through the left fore. Physiotherapy was suggested, and the vet and I chatted over the phone so they could fill me in on the situation. 

I arrived to see Bluey on the Sunday evening. He’s a special lad, and Dawn is a special lady, so I squeezed the visit in on my way home from a day out treating some horses on the beautiful North Wales island of Anglesey. When I got there, Bluey was not a happy boy. Dawn said he’d been lying down often during the day, resting. In the thirty minutes it took me to discuss the recent history with Dawn, Bluey lay down twice. He would begin by trembling through his left fore, with the tremors gradually increasing in range and intensity to both front legs and shoulders, then to his entire front end. Then he’d lean back onto his hindlegs, apparently distressed and in significant discomfort. Next, he would lie down, looking exhausted. After a minute or two, he’d stand up again. The tremors would be gone, and he would look relatively relaxed. Before the whole thing started all over again…

Needless to say, I didn’t treat Bluey that evening. I advised Dawn to call the vet, which she did. She had run out of the sedative the day before and wondered if Bluey needed more pain relief. When the vet arrived, Bluey was bright, alert and responsive, with no visible tremors. So that the vet could see what was going on, Dawn fed him from a bucket on the floor, which triggered the shivering, the weight shifting, and leaning onto his back legs. Bluey was clearly very distressed. He lay down, which seemed to settle him. The vet wondered whether this might be a neurological condition. She swapped Bluey to Phenylbutazone for pain relief rather than Inflacam, and prepared to discuss his case with her team the next day, and with Liverpool Veterinary Hospital.

By the next day, Monday, Bluey appeared noticeably more comfortable. The following day, Tuesday, the vets discussed with Dawn the option of referring Bluey for further investigations at Liverpool. This would have meant a long and difficult journey for Bluey, with no guarantees of any answers, and Dawn declined. By this point, Bluey seemed more comfortable in his stable, although he was still lying down a lot. The suspicion was that the problem was due either to neurological dysfunction, or to a vitamin E deficiency, and on discussion with Dawn, the decision was made to start him on a high dose of steroids and a vitamin E supplement, Nano-E. Dawn and the vets kept in contact daily to ensure Bluey had the right treatment.

By Thursday morning, Dawn responded to my regular check-in with her and Bluey: “He’s still getting tremors but mainly in his left leg, and he only lay down once in 30 minutes this morning instead of four times yesterday, so hoping for the best!” That evening, she messaged to say, “He’s now showing no sign of wanting to lie down, and almost no tremor!” Dawn organised a Reiki treatment for Bluey, which he appeared to appreciate, and respond by stopping trembling altogether initially, which was a glimmer of hope for recovery.

A few days later, it was time for a physio treatment, for which his whinny was incredibly vocal when he saw me coming towards him. Dawn says, “He always looks forward to his treatments and seems to know how much he gains from his sessions.” I treated Bluey on the Friday, nearly two weeks after this episode first appeared. By this point, he was on full turnout, taking the Vitamin E supplement, and taking half the original dose of steroids. The day after I treated him, I messaged Dawn to ask how he was doing, and she responded, “He’s amazing, thanks, galloped across his paddock!” Bluey had gone from Struggle to Strength, and he’d taken me, Dawn, and his vets along for the journey!

At the point of writing, Bluey still doesn’t have a clear diagnosis to explain what happened. About six weeks later, he had a mild relapse, which resolved with a short-term higher dose of steroids. We are now six months down the line, and (without wanting to tempt fate!), Bluey continues to be bright, alert, and responsive, on full turnout during the day and stabled overnight. No doubt he will continue to throw challenges our way, but since Dawn is devoted to him, I’m optimistic that between us, we’ll help him to overcome them.

I want to thank Sue, Gayle, Andrew, and Kiara of Connaught House Veterinary Practice for their support in sharing this article, Reiki practitioner Caroline Lewis, and, of course, Dawn and Bluey.

Sue Palmer MCSP, aka The Horse Physio, is an award-winning author, educator, and Chartered Physiotherapist. Sue specialises in understanding the links between equine pain and behaviour, focusing on prevention, partnership and performance. She promotes the kind and fair treatment of horses through empathetic education, and is registered with the RAMP, the ACPAT, the IHA, the CSP and the HCPC.

To arrange a phone call or online coaching session with Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, click here.

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Horse Health Check: The 10-Point Plan for Physical Wellness

Head to Hoof: An Introduction to Horse Massage

Horse Massage for Horse Owners

Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy and Healthy

Kissing Spines In Horses: Preventive Measures and Long-Term Management Solutions

Harmonious Horsemanship, co-authored with Dr Sue Dyson

Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training?

Horse Massage for Horse Owners

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