4 year old with back injury?

Question
Hi Ed, my new farrier pointed out to me today that my horse may have an old injury from her racing days that could still be affecting her, and I can't find anything about it online.  It hurts for her to hold her LH up longer than it takes for me to pick it out, and picking up the right lead is very difficult, and when we get it, it's very hard to keep.  My farrier said this could be due from a bad break from the starting gate where she injured a muscle in her topline, and that it likely won't fully heal.  He said it's a relatively common injury, but I can't find anything about it, does it have a name? Is this something I should worry about, or will it heal over time?

Thanks,
Devin.

Answer
hi -- well many horses do get injuries from racing. there are so many  things it could be ,and it might be hard to pin point the injury, but. i always check their foot prints when she walks or jogs. look to see if there is any diff in the pattern when she walks or jogs.stifle and hock problems will cause a horse to not stand up while you are picking her foot etc. i use to have a physic come to the barn and read the horse for me. they can pick up where the horse is sore at and let you know, if all else fails, you might want to have that done.you can also run your fingers down her back from the withers to the tail, applying some pressure to see if she will flinch when you get to a certain area in the back. also a vet exam might help you find the problem. hope this helps you  thanks ED HESS