head problem

Question
QUESTION: I wrote to you a few weeks ago about a 2 year old filly that was tilting her head to the side and her eyes crossing, and looking kinda drunck.  I wanted to add to it a little further when she had these symptoms it was back in january, I haven't noticed it anymore.  Every once in a while she will tilt her head to one side but thats it. Could it still be what you wrote to me before. Or could it have just been an ear infection or something like that.

ANSWER: an ear infection could be associated with the very condition I described, temporohyoid osteopathy (THO). I am wholly convinced that this is what your horse has. As time goes on, horses with this condition (THO)often improve, and as I indicated before, when they are stressed or running they may show the "residual" effects of this disease with a temporary head tilt. This tendency may persist for a long time or permanently.

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QUESTION: So if my horse has tho would she ever be sound to ride.  If she is going to cost alot of money to have her tested for this then I was going to give her back to my father in law because i can't afford a high vet bill. We barrel race and i was planning on getting her broke and starting her on the barrels. Would she ever be sound to ride? If she does have THO can the vet do anything for her.

Answer
I have had horses with this and related conditions with the same clinical signs go back to racing successfully. However, they exhibited a head tilt when they raced.
I cant predict what you will find or what it will cost. Generally, these horses do recover in time, the question is whether they will recover enough to compete. Only the time will tell that, if you dont do the diagnostics to ascertain what caused the condition and how severe it might be. If I had to guess, Id guess that your horse stands a decent chance of recovering enough to ride. I dont know how well she will do in competition. As I described the first time we spoke, there is a surgery that is done for THO in order to minimize complications and persistence of severe signs, but it wouldnt be cheap. I dont know whether its even indicated in your horse without the diagnostics I suggested. I suggest giving her the time.