Faking lameness

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Kezzabell2

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I've posted a copy of times about my horse having an abscess, which he was hoping lame on this time last week, was sound sat-mon and then yesterday looked a bit lame again (not every step) but wouldn't keep still for me to do his poultice!

well im wondering if he's faking!

he was sleeping the morning, got up and was fine! I put his head collar on to walk him about, he refused to move! then when he did, he had a couple of steps and looked sore again! then refused to move again.

so I put his head collar on my mare, led her across the field and he followed, looking totally sound! and tonight,, still sound, trotting around no signs of lameness!

so is this just his latest excuse to not be ridden?
 
Horses are highly unlikely to have the cognitive capability to "fake" a lameness to "get out of riding".

Abscesses commonly present as intermittent pain, depending on how the horse is standing, how the pressure is distributed, etc. Horse sounds like he is in pain. They can take quite a long time to resolve.
 
clutching at straws! just after 6 days out poulticing theres been no pus! and vet is certain its either an abscess or bruised soles. due to raised pulse and reaction to the pinchers! no heat, swelling or tenderness anywhere else!
would you carry on with a poultice? if so how long? I spoke to my farrier and he said he could put a shoe on onces he's been sound for 4/5 days!
 
Horses don't fake lameness. They are either sore or not. My boy is currently lame, but if you looked at him in the field you would say he was sound.

If your boy is refusing to move, he is sore. As a prey animal it isn't in his interests or his DNA to "fake" lameness and he simply doesn't have the brain power to make the association between limping/no work . . . if he is limping or lame, it's because something somewhere hurts.

P
 
I would still be concerned, if he was "hopping" lame.

However , sorry to say this but my pony Star used fake lameness. He was a bright clever chap, would open and shut bolts no problems. When you used toget him in he would be fine, once saddled he would limp. You'd get off an turn him out and he would trot off as sound as a pound , ears picked, tail flagged!!!! In the end we used to keep going and he eould just heave a big sign and walk normally.

If your horse is limping in the field I would be more inclined to think he had a brewing abscess or a stone bruise.
 
My horse was like that had a broken pedal bone. Sorry to say that, we poulticed for two weeks, vet visited every other day and he did not respond to hoof testers until a thermal image pinpointed the exact spot. You should be able to see a bruise. he had sound days and others when he was up on his toe broken foot lame. I would get vet to check again and x ray. It has mended successfully.
 
Sukistokes2 said:
I would still be concerned, if he was "hopping" lame.

However , sorry to say this but my pony Star used fake lameness. He was a bright clever chap, would open and shut bolts no problems. When you used toget him in he would be fine, once saddled he would limp. You'd get off an turn him out and he would trot off as sound as a pound , ears picked, tail flagged!!!! In the end we used to keep going and he eould just heave a big sign and walk normally.

If your horse is limping in the field I would be more inclined to think he had a brewing abscess or a stone bruise.
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he's defo not hopping lame! he was clearly sore last week, every few steps he was snatching his foot back up and would occasionally hold it up for a second! he has been cleaned and poultice for 6 days and nothing came out! 3 of those days he showed no signs of any more lameness! sunday he got into a massive paddy in the stable, he could hear someone driving around outside and it wound him right up! I managed to finish the poultice with a lot of drama! then Monday he wouldn't standing still for me to re do it! he was snatching his foot, kicking out, pawing with the front foot!

he's happy to let me pick his foot up in the field but since sunday when ive bought him in he has totally wound himself up!

hes been sound since! expect for when ive put his head collar on! I want to check that he was okay without his poultice on! and he limped a couple of times this morning! but followed my mare around with when I lead her and he didn't limp once, trotted around with me running with him tonight and no limping! (no head collar this time)

he is a very intelligent horse and does have little habits, like we are just getting over planting issues thanks to a new instructor! sunday he could have been panicking about going for another lesson! as the noise outside was consistant with the noise of my dad driving around to hitch up the trailer!
 
old hand said:
My horse was like that had a broken pedal bone. Sorry to say that, we poulticed for two weeks, vet visited every other day and he did not respond to hoof testers until a thermal image pinpointed the exact spot. You should be able to see a bruise. he had sound days and others when he was up on his toe broken foot lame. I would get vet to check again and x ray. It has mended successfully.
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oh goodness! so there was no other signs that he had hurt himself? no heat or anything? did his attitude change? my boy has become very kicky since sunday, when I try to pick his foot up! he's always snatched if after so long but he doesn't seem as willing at the moment!
 
Mine had on-off lameness for weeks, poulticing produced little, apart from a big hole in foot and in the end the vet x rayed in case it was a broken pedal bone. X ray showed no break, but the abscess was tracking round the foot. Vet took advantag of the sedated horse to have another good dig and ended up with an even larger hole!

Got better at last and then several weeks later I was picking out his hoof and big chunks of sole fell out! It was where the infection had been. It must have been a couple of months before it was resolved, I used masses of duck tape and bags of nappies.
 
My bet would be that he's bruised.
My boy had 2 abscesses in 2 weeks, they drained out but he was still slightly,
Intermittently lame. Vet out and she said he'd just be bruised from the abscess and it will take at least a week to ease.
 
Sukistokes2 said:
I would still be concerned, if he was "hopping" lame.

However , sorry to say this but my pony Star used fake lameness. He was a bright clever chap, would open and shut bolts no problems. When you used toget him in he would be fine, once saddled he would limp. You'd get off an turn him out and he would trot off as sound as a pound , ears picked, tail flagged!!!! In the end we used to keep going and he eould just heave a big sign and walk normally.

If your horse is limping in the field I would be more inclined to think he had a brewing abscess or a stone bruise.
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chances are that the saddle did nit fit and was pinching the shoulders-have seen this a few times
 
Keep poulticing, this is quite normal behaviour for an abscess.

It may have closed over again and be building up pus. If you can get your farrier out he will probably have more success finding the abscess and opening up so it drains well.
 
I don't think they fake, but I do think they 'ignore' any pain depending on the situation. Old mare would come in slightly lame for Dad, as he always rode her when he got her in, but I could get her in an hour later and she'd appear to be sound because at the time, I was only catching her to come in for a feed. Having been turned out after Dad realising she wasn't right, if the other horses started, she would trot round on hard ground, perfectly sound.
I would look to get a work-up done, take shoes off if not shod to check nothing under the shoe that is being missed. Treat the thrush that will almost certainly be there etc.
 
Mine did this turns out he has a fractured pedal bone, hopping lame, nothing coming out on poultice and nothing showing on xrays. Came sound thought great we'll ride him he went hopping lame again. Had an MRI and there it was large fracture into coffin joint. The vet actually said the day I took him to the hospital (given how bad he is for the vets) if he was this lame (not much) when he had come out to him he would have said leave him, I am so glad we didn't as it took 6 months to get to the bottom of his problem
 
Thanks guys. Got him in this morning and trotted him up on the hard ground. He looks sound. Will leave it another couple of days before putting a shoe on

He has never had back shoes so this will be.his first set. The farrier, vet and I all thought the lameness could be bruised.soles.as we have very stoney lanes that we have to hack down.

Anyway he looks sound now but my old girl has gone lame for the first time in about 10 yrs. She does have arthritis in both front knees though. So it's probably that:( bless her
 
I had a horse that would bomb it around the field like a looney- bring it in to trot it up and it would appear sore/lame. Partly due to being footy for a short time on certain surfaces, but also partly due to holding from the thought of pain I.E in a situation where it has hurt previously, and so is anticipating it to be the same again. The reason she so often appeared intermittent was firstly due to shoes coming off (After being a regular shoe puller with horrendous feet when I first got her) then small abccess, then bruising, then took a nice chunk out of her brittle feet. It took a while to break the cycle, get her sound and to then get her feeling comfortable and confident on her feet again. In this case though it was not a case of 'faking it' it was purely anticipation and self preservation kicking in. Sorting it was done under a lot of supervision and advice from vet, farrier and RI.

Personally, I would not push anything that a vet or farrier has not advised, and I would be inclined to get a vet back out just to take one last look (including x rays if needed). Keep a diary of when he appears lame, sore or absolutely fine. I know you have associated it with certain times i.e when a headcollar comes out/in the stable, but it is far better to be safe than sorry! If nothing can be found, and he starts to appear sound more often/consistently then I would be working on his manners!

ETA- Sorry to hear about your girly going lame :( fingers crossed for them both!
 
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Just wanted to add that I knew a horse who would fake being lame as well. He was sound as a pound except when his girth was done up - then he's go hopping lame. And he would change which front leg he was lame on, sometimes within a few minutes. He would continue this in the school for the first few minutes, then settle, or if going for a hack in company would stop as soon as he realised we were going up the drive.

He had THOUSANDS of pounds spent on trying to find a problem, X-rays, MRI, scintigraphy, thermal imaging, nerve blocking, stomach scoped, blood tested, but the sod would only ever go 'lame' when his girth was done up.

He was given to me by his owner as she absolutely despaired when the vets said there was nothing wrong with him, and within four months of us hacking him out all the time so that he strengthened up and enjoyed being ridden, he completely stopped the behaviour. He went on to do some showing and low level dressage with me, then my sister took him on and evented him, absolutely fine.

I have never met another horse like him, and no idea what may have taught him this, but it was very weird.
 
Thanks misskk
It never rains but poors. Had the old girl 13 yrs. She was my first horse. Never had to deal with lameness really. Until I had a loan mare who had arthritis so she was retired early.

I'm totally worry now as my friends 6yr old was pts last yr due to a hock injury. So I always worry that this will happen to my boy as I was so close to it all with my friend. He's only been backed since March too.

Re his manners we are currently working on these with a new riding instructior/equine behaviourist as he is a.very dominant young man. People keep asking if he was gelded late but I believe he was done at 7 months. Also he's much better with guys doesn't mess them about
so hoping we will get there
 
If his is intermittently lame, and coincides with stony ground, then I would suggest something not quite right diet wise and needs to be addressed whether you continue with shoes or not.
 
It is certainly possible for animals to show the symptoms of being lame without actually being physically lame, if you see what I mean, so I have to disagree with others!

For a while, they may actually be lame and in pain. They perform some action (for example, putting weight on one foot) and it hurts. So they avoid doing that which, as we all know, is a limp! The animal then avoids doing what causes the pain. The infection goes away, the wound heals, and so on, but the animal "remembers" what caused pain so avoids doing it. A simple learned behaviour.

I had a dog that got a small skin cut on it's leg. I lived right beside the sea and every day the dogs would go for a swim as other dogs go for a run in the park. As usual, the dog jumped into the sea. The salt water got into the would and must have stung. That dog limped for ages until he eventually forgot about it! It was a very small cut just through the skin and nowhere near tendons, etc. So, yes, animals can "fake" in my opinion, though I don't think that is really the appropriate word.

Even though this is a possibility, I'd still be watchful and regularly check for a more serious deep seated problem. It might be nerve damage, something intermittently pressing on a nerve, or something else.
 
Nugget La Poneh said:
If his is intermittently lame, and coincides with stony ground, then I would suggest something not quite right diet wise and needs to be addressed whether you continue with shoes or not.
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What do you mean re his diet isn't right? He's was lame last Monday and appears to be ok now. how can his diet make him lame? Genuine question
 
Dry rot. That's just like our old spaniel. She hurt her leg once and she'd.run around happily on it. Until she realised someone was watching or if it was horrible out. She was a total princess and ruled the house.

But yes maybe faking is the wrong word. Perhaps it's anticipation of it hurting again

I'm sure he will be fine and will heal.soon. The vet did dig until she got blood so guess that will take a.while to stop hurting.
 
My old mare 'faked' lameness.....

It was actually remembered pain from prior to when I got her. Sound as a pound when taken out of field.....tacked up & ridden she would be 'lame' intermittently.

She had ill fitting tack prior to me buying her, spent a small fortune and several months putting things right. When I finally got back on board (with perfect fitting tack) she would anticipate pain and 'fake' lameness. It took several weeks for her to stop anticipating pain.
 
Kezzabell2 said:
What do you mean re his diet isn't right? He's was lame last Monday and appears to be ok now. how can his diet make him lame? Genuine question
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High sugar, low fibre diets with low mineral and vitamin content can make a horse 'footy' on uneven or stony ground (much the same as high sugars and other bits of diet can cause laminitis). I don't know all the details, but have learnt that from this thread after asking about my own footy horse months ago!
 
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Nugget La Poneh said:
If his is intermittently lame, and coincides with stony ground, then I would suggest something not quite right diet wise and needs to be addressed whether you continue with shoes or not.
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Ah ok. They are on just grass and a salt lick at the moment. In the winter they have adlib hay. Fast fibre and molasses free hi Fi. So defo not high sugar. Unless it's the blackberries. They have a few bushes around the field he will pick at those hehe
 
Kezzabell2 said:
What do you mean re his diet isn't right? He's was lame last Monday and appears to be ok now. how can his diet make him lame? Genuine question
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She was suggesting that a horse withou shoes with an optimal diet should have sufficient hoof protection to prevent bruising whatever the terrain. So if it is bruising then his feet aren't as good as they could/should be and the main way to better feet is diet.

Also, because of their tougher soles remember that abscesses often come out of unshod horses at the coronary band - which can take longer/be more intermittent/not findable with a knife very easily.
 
ester said:
She was suggesting that a horse withou shoes with an optimal diet should have sufficient hoof protection to prevent bruising whatever the terrain. So if it is bruising then his feet aren't as good as they could/should be and the main way to better feet is diet.

Also, because of their tougher soles remember that abscesses often come out of unshod horses at the coronary band - which can take longer/be more intermittent/not findable with a knife very easily.
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Ok makes sense. Hence why barefoot horses have a special diet.

I'm just annoyed with myself as I was going to have back shoes put on last time but the farrier said if he wasn't showing signs of being sore I could hang on a bit longer. He came in lame the day.his shoes where redone. So it could have been avoided, I believe, if we had just put them shoes on.
 
khalswitz said:
Just wanted to add that I knew a horse who would fake being lame as well. He was sound as a pound except when his girth was done up - then he's go hopping lame. And he would change which front leg he was lame on, sometimes within a few minutes. He would continue this in the school for the first few minutes, then settle, or if going for a hack in company would stop as soon as he realised we were going up the drive.

He had THOUSANDS of pounds spent on trying to find a problem, X-rays, MRI, scintigraphy, thermal imaging, nerve blocking, stomach scoped, blood tested, but the sod would only ever go 'lame' when his girth was done up.

He was given to me by his owner as she absolutely despaired when the vets said there was nothing wrong with him, and within four months of us hacking him out all the time so that he strengthened up and enjoyed being ridden, he completely stopped the behaviour. He went on to do some showing and low level dressage with me, then my sister took him on and evented him, absolutely fine.

I have never met another horse like him, and no idea what may have taught him this, but it was very weird.
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That would tell me straight away that the neck vertebrae were out of alignment as the muscles from the neck and under the girth area are the ones prone to being tender. Hence the reaction to being girthed up and the reason many horses fuss and fret when being tacked up.
 
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