21 Year old Horse with hind limb probs - anyone seen anything similar

roxy007

roxy007

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 June 2008
Messages
87
Visit site
My 21 year old gelding has probs with instability at times in his hind legs, its almost as though he's walking on ice as he tries to get his balance. This is more profound if turning sharply or on rougher ground. He hasn't been ridden now for 3 months due to this and has been turned away. He has been assessed at specialist lameness centre but nothing obvious found apart from mild OS of his hocks and Knees, improved a lot after six point nerve blocks to hocks and pasterns. Their only other option would be a bone scan but at the moment I am not considering that Our chiro maintains that his biggest probs are his knees and says there is not a lot of synovial fluid left in there and in turn this is causing a problem with his neck. Our vet disagrees and told us to trial him on Bute for a month to see if this made any difference before joint injections were considered.

He had two bute tues pm, two wed am and two wed pm 1 thurs am and when I saw him get up from lying down which he does in one jump with no probs its the putting down on the ground of particularly his left hind, its like he's trying to put it on something hot as he keeps snatching it back up and tentatively putting it down until he obviously feels comfortable enough to do this then he takes his time turning and walks off. With that amount of bute in his system why would be still be feeling something if it was pain related - anyone seen or experienced anything similar. He's in great health and condition apart from this and I know he misses getting out and about - he's the type that will canter to the gate at the sight of his tack coming out of the car.........lol
 
The action you describe when he puts his hind leg down reminds me very much of Tiggy. She had chronic damage to both hind suspensory ligaments. She found tight turns pretty much impossible at the end. She was four and a half.

Out of interest, why won't you have the bone scan done? I've had it done to three horses (one was yesterday), so am interested in your reasoning.
 
Hi - thanks for your post - much appreciated

reasoning behind not going ahead with a bone scan at this stage is because the vet school will have to keep him in for 7 days after this before they will allow him home. Local transporter (only one in our area) is on hols for three so in total he would be away from home for a month plus our own vet suggested they try some other form of investigation first due to his age as he is bound to show up many hot spots due to the life he head prior to semi retiring with us last year.

He did have an injury over the area of his suspensory ligament where another horse ran into the back of him when it spooked but we were assured by vet from where he came that it was purely a laceration to the tissue and the actual ligament had no involvement. He had a few months box rest due to skin healing probs, was returned to work and the wound broke down again. However since coming to us there has been no recurrence. i wonder if the suspensory was damaged more than was said on vetting.
 
roxy, I think the best thing you can do as soon as possible is to send your horse away for a full workup.

Based on what you describe I wouldn't be entirely convinced that the origin of the problem is in the legs - I'm with your chiro but the other way around - it could be the neck influencing the legs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top