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LoneRanger

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Ok, vets stumped if anyone has any ideas then let me know...

5 months ago, horse not jumping quite as well as normal although still winning show jumping. Taking the odd lame step behind on changing the rein (approx 5 times in 40 min schooling session). Vet diagnosed sacroiliac strain. 4 months box rest + walker, 3 shock wave treatments. All soreness gone from sacroiliac region.

Brought back into work. Suspicious on day 2 as occasional kicking out behind but put it down to freshness. After 5 days (walking + some trotting in school), significant bilateral lameness behind in trot after 20 mins but walk still superb.

X rayed for kissing spine, clear.
Blood tested for azoturia, clear,.
Nerve blocked hocks, clear.
Nerve blocked suspensories behind, clear.
Bone scan, very slight hot spot on one stifle but not significant. Insurance money now run out but may nerve block stifle next week.

So, if anyone knows:

What gets worse with 4 months box rest
Can cause severe bilateral lameness behind after 20 mins work (sound in trot initially) but means walk is unaffected.

Then please let me know. It's all very odd and emotionally draining. Thanks.
 
Yes the 20 mins was on a surface as only way for controlled exercise (too fresh for hacking or roadwork). However had already built up to over an hour a day on the walker.

Forgot to say also had stifles x rayed, clear.

I agree, I've heard that scanning hind suspensories produces inconclusive results. Ho hum.
 
back to basics !! 6 weeks pavement pownding, ad lib turnout, work long and low, etc. walkers put a lot of strain on feet and joints (and yes i do have one and use it every day) feed on the floor and hay on the floor, magnet boots behind for 12 hours plus per day, and joint supplements and oil. but turn out as much as poss 24/7 if poss! yes it probably is an expensive comp horse but it was made to mosey about in a field!! hope you find the answer
 
whereabouts are you - i had a lady come do thermal imaging on my horse - there are apparantly 3 people in the country that do it - it shows areas of immflation - my horse was less than 1/10th lame - i had her look and it showed red behind pastern - i was gutted i knew what was in that area- she went to vets they x rayed that area and found navicular.
She was very good value only cost £50 - and took 45 mins.
If you look at her site www.theinnerpicture.co.uk - will show you some examples - if she not local to you she will tell you who is.
may be worth a go ?
 
If the bone scan indicated radiopharmaceutical uptake in the stifle I would hesitate to write it off as "not significant". I would consider the possibility of a meniscal tear and or cruciate ligament injury. Joint effusion is not always present in theses cases. With either of these lameness typically improves with rest and reoccurs upon commencement of exercise. The gold standard for diagnosis of these injuries is intraarticular analgesia for localisation followed by arthroscopy. Ultrasound is often unreliable.
 
i have been led to believe thermal imaging is very limited in diagnostic reasoning. have you debated the benefits of an MRI? expensive but best diagnistic tool available??
 
I'd be suspicious that the work on the walker and surface have not helped. Roadwork, roadwork and then some more. The advice I have always been given is never to work on a surface until 100% sure the horse is sound on the road.

It's terribly difficult when you're riding a 'fresh'horse, though. Although a companion can help.

Good luck - hope the horse comes right for you.
 
Cheers everyone.

MainRing, I'm thinking along the same lines as you. Very suspicious of cruciate ligament injury as lameness appears mechanical as if joint unstable.

Would love him to mooch in field but he's more of a hurtler than a moocher. Am going to try sedating and turning out to see if he'll settle. Roads lethal round us (Surrey) but will aim for some hacking. It's always a toss up between whether bucking and leaping out hacking is better than calm work in school.

Ah well, time will tell..
 
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