dragging toe... wierd horse.

[SouthWestWhippet]

Background... 16.2hh unraced TB, very odd confirmation (over at the knee, very straight through the stifle, dishes in front, overly long cannon bones). Came to us very unfit with a grass belly and no hindquarters/back muscle at all - gradually improving in fitness although still looks like a giraffe with his odd confirmation. very lazy and backward thinking - the horse walker has been known to push him round!

Anyway... came out of the box yesterday and wasn't lame but was dragging his left hind a bit. Noticable in the school as he would flick the rubber chips up in trot. Worked him for about 10mins to see if the stiffness eased but it seemed to get worse so was returned to stable.

Lunged him this morning and no difference. Very slight heat in soft part of hock joint but no pain and appeared sound apart from dragging. did a basic hock flexion test and he promptly came up sounder - i.e. dragged the toe less. Looks as if it is something to do with the hock but can't really think of anything that would cause a hock to IMPROVE after a flexion test.

turned him out for the day to walk about but any thoughts? Would normally just say he'd pulled something but with the wierd flexion test results thought I would cast around for some other ideas.

thanks!

 

[YorkshireLass]

Sounds like your flexion test freed him up a bit!

The toe draggers I have known over the years have all had their difficulties traced to the same few things.

Foot balance
Asymetric/rotated pelvis
SI issues or trapped nerves.
lack of muscling and fitness.
Stifle problems, like intermittent locking stifle.
Neurologicl stuff like woblers.

Could it simply be that your lad is unfit and hasn't muscled up? He mighthave just tweaked something, or was feeling a bit stiff.

 

[GreedyGuts]

Would get the vet to look at him if this persists. Could be a neurological problem or something muscular. This might explain his lack of muscle.

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

thanks, I'm going to keep an eye on him. Probably give him another look on Thursday and see if he has improved for a couple of days being out during the day.

Hopefully it is something minor as he is very unmuscular and that would make sense. the other things sound a bit worrying. Fingers crossed.

 

[darksecret99]

My boy trotted up better after a flexion test when he had a strained tendon in his hock (he is weird though!!) - there was visable swelling where a thoroughpin would be... vet needed for that one!!

Or as mentioned above... it could be pelvic rotation? Same horse had this too (he is a walking accident!!) - with almost the same looking lameness!!! Dragging the leg in trot, but virtually sound in walk... this caused muscle spasms and wastage along entire topline in a zig zag, so could explain lack of back muscle?? This can be visable when horse is stood square on hard flat ground - if you stand behind (safely!) and point with each arm at the point of each of the horses hips, are they level?

Obviously - the chiro / vet knows best though, so probs woth a check if it doesnt sort itself out with a few days rest...

 

[rachelh101]

May be upward fixating patella (locking stifle) as poor muscling and straight hind limb conformation predispose to it and often they drag the toe.