Calling all lameness experts- should I be worried?

Kokopelli

Kokopelli

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After having about 2 weeks off due to a bad cough and me going away when I had a lesson on Louie the other day doing lateral moving away from my right leg he went unlevel until we straightened out and he was sound again. My RI said it really just looked like a bit of stiffness and once he was worked in more he was fine and didn't do it again.

The next day we went out for a 30min hack in walk only no issues. The day after I gave him the day off and yesterday I lunged him. The slower trot on both reins showed no issues, but on the left rein after coming back from canter where he rushed he went really unlevel again as shown on video.

There is no heat or tenderness down any of his legs or around his shoulders. His feet are okay as well but we have farrier coming soon so I'll get him to have a look. I really have a feeling it's something muscular as he's unevenly muscled (much more on the right side then the left) and the last few months he's been unwilling to bend around my right leg although this gets better with work.

He lays down a lot (not in a way to get off painful legs) but he completely conks out as he's out at night and in during the day he gets quite tired in the field. When he gets up from laying down he isn't the most graceful and literally jumps up which makes me think he could easily twinge something especially with cold muscles.

Is this a vet straight away issue? I could really do without the vet bill atm but obviously if he needs it I'll get him out. I was hoping to continue very light work out hacking and then see if it's just stiffness from not being ridden and if he's not better in a week or two get the vet and then the physio out.

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I'd be getting the vet over the next few days to try to see what you're dealing with. I wouldn't be happy working him with him that lame even if its only at certain times/speeds/directions.
 
I agree with Rara I'm afraid - that's quite noticeable, especially considering you have the draw reins on slightly limiting his head movement (not a criticism by the way I lunge like that too but think it does slightly reduce any nodding you might see if he was lunging with nothing on).
If you don't want the vet yet, perhaps a farrier and some trot ups on the hard ground see if perhaps there is an abscess brewing? Hard to see on video but tbh to me it looks like he is feeling some pain when that leg hits the floor/is weight bearing.
 
Thanks all, I kind of knew that response was coming. He is sound trotted on a hard surface absolutely fine its just on turns which makes me worry more that its something more sinister.

I don't have a huge amount of experience in this area, in the past if a horse has gone lame its because of something quite obvious, I've never had a lame a horse for no reason.
 
Kokopelli said:
Thanks all, I kind of knew that response was coming. He is sound trotted on a hard surface absolutely fine its just on turns which makes me worry more that its something more sinister.

I don't have a huge amount of experience in this area, in the past if a horse has gone lame its because of something quite obvious, I've never had a lame a horse for no reason.
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Hopefully you'll get some bute and a few days/couple of weeks rest will sort it. If not I'd seriously consider X-rays or scans or both. I've dealt with 'random' lameness in my little lad and its not easy, at least with swelling or heat you can point to it, see it, cold hose it etc, feel useful, when its random you're in the dark :(
 
Any chance of nail bind? Only saying this because I had similar symptoms of lameness only on a circle on soft ground in my boy a few months ago although the lameness was less marked and more intermittent than yours looks to be, we too had no sign of heat or swelling until a few days in when I found very slight heat coming through on the inside of one hoof. The symptoms all started a couple of days after being shod.
 
If you turn him in a tight circle on hard ground how is he? This is often a very good indicator of lameness, but I'd be getting the vet out if he was mine.
 
Vet coming Monday, it is very intermittent so I'm hoping he is lame a bit just so the vet can see it. The past week he probably hasn't done anymore then 2mins of lameness.

Wish us luck, not sure how much more rubbish I can take from horses still paying off Andys vet bills.
 
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