Arthritis in back legs? pic included!

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StroppyMare*

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I have a 7yr old mare who was used as a broodmare from 3 yrs... I have owned her for just over a year now and she did not start her riding career until this point.

Now winter has set in she appears to be showing some signs of arthritis in her back leg, she is stiff on it but not lame, the deeper the ground the more stiff she feels, i actually got offher last week and trotted her up and she was sound, she just seems to 'drag' it about from the hock joint, sometimes, not all the time.

There is no swelling or heat and it doesnt seem to be paining her as there is no relcutance to move forwards. I have noticed some slight clicking from the fetlock joint when picking out her feet in the same leg.

She also appears to toe out with her bag leg when shes stood, she is slightly pigeon toed on her fronts anyway so im unsure if this is relevent or not!

She is fully insured so im thinking about having it probed to see if its arthritis or something more although i suspect it is? Any thoughts on this?

It is her back left i am concerned about (white stocking)

hollysleg1.jpg
 
She is out for the other mares mud fever so said she will take a look but if shes not lame and there is no heat or swelling she suspects arthritis to be the cause with the colder weather and her being stabled, i hope it is manageable whatever it turns out to be whats bothering her
 
This seems almost indentical to my mare with her back leg. It's quite stiff and she's slower on it. The vet said it was just her banging an arthiritic change, she fell over in her behind on our quite deep gallop track. We are just carrying on as normal to relieve stiffness, well only riding her in walk and Trot as of now. Turnout is the key we were told however our fields are bogged now so no turnout. See what vet says but to me it does just sound like stiffness.
 
ATrueClassAct said:
See what vet says but to me it does just sound like stiffness.
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IMHO I'm afraid I don;t like the last comment- I may be wrong but I feel that stiffness is caused by something- it may follow unusually hard exertion and lactic acid building in muscles, a few days of light exercise loosens the muscles. Or, it may show when there are other problems, such as arthritis. Either way, to me, there is always a cause of stiffness and if persistent and without known cause then it needs veterinary investigation (particularly in a young animal).
 
I would be surprised a horse of 7 would be showing signs of arthritis unless there was something that could have triggered it so early, seeing as you say she was a broodmare it's doubtful that she's got much wear and tear due to hard work. I personally would get the vet to come out and have a look. I don't really get what a bute trial is likely to show you anyway.
 
Mancha said:
I would be surprised a horse of 7 would be showing signs of arthritis unless there was something that could have triggered it so early, seeing as you say she was a broodmare it's doubtful that she's got much wear and tear due to hard work. I personally would get the vet to come out and have a look. I don't really get what a bute trial is likely to show you anyway.
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unforturnately having had a horse who had arthirtis - they can get it at any age. Mine had hock spavins and she stood with hocks closer together like yours. We worked her thru it and it eventually fused (having had xrays and bute for a few weeks) it was the tarsal, metatarsal joint.
She then got arthiritis in coffin joint on front fore, I had her on natural supplements - white willow, boswellia, tumeric to help her as she was stiff, we did small jumps and low level dressage and hacking. We then coped fine til was diagnosed with navicular so she is now with a friend in a hacking home and is fine.
I also used magnetic boots and rugs to help her circulation and found it helped

I would ask vet to come out and do flexions - when flexed mine was lame. She didnt have tildren or any of the other treatments they do now as vet said it will fuse with work and it did.
 
arthritis can happen at any age i no alot of young horses that havent had a hard bringing up at all, that have ended up with arthritis. best to do the bute trail and see what the vet says xrays are a good idea.
 
Thank you everyone this thread has helped alot given me many things to consider!
i do find when she has been out she rides alot lighter and again cant say i noticed anything in the summer although her stance was still the same

Will update when vets give us an explanation :)
 
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