Flexion Test - are they a good thing to do?

[Tarragon]

Twice now I have had a vet out to check out a pony who is very mildly lame, for the vet to perform a flexion test as part of the routine examination, and for the pony to be 8 or 9 tenths lame within 12 hours.
In the first case, the pony went to almost non-weight bearing after 12 hours of the vet visit, called the vet back who suspected and treated for an abscess, only for the pony to recover back to the original 2 or 3 tenths lame within the next 24 hours with no evidence of an abscess. Vet couldn't explain the extreme lameness, or the recovery, and we never got to the bottom of the original lameness. Pony is now a happy field-sound companion.
The second case, and different pony, the vet was called out to investigate a general grumpiness, found slight inflammation of the annular ligament, which didn't go away after blocking, so suspect more than one issue. Annular ligament treated with a course of equioxx. Vet comes back 3 weeks in to check on progress, repeats the flexion test and reports seeing an improvement and suggests changing the dose to once every 2 days from daily, then pony is 7 to 8 tenths lame within 24 hours of this visit. This pony is 24 years old, being treated for Cushings and was already a non-ridden companion.
I think that I will be very wary of allowing the vet to do a flexion test in the future - or am I being foolish?
I do realise that my case study only consists of two cases, but they represent 100% of the cases that I have experienced where flexion test was involved.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

No you are not being foolish. Flexion tests were originally done as part of a pre purchase vetting. If the horse became lame, it wasn't buted up.

 

[rabatsa]

My RDA group got given a very expensive pony that was lamed with a flexion test pre sale. The sale dropped through, the pony came to us and did not have another lame step for the next 10 years.

 

[Orangehorse]

Now, that's a can of worms. The trouble is that flexion tests vary with the vets, I have seen all sorts of differences even though it is supposed to be a standard test.

Any horse, particularly older, would take a couple of lame steps after a flexion test, but if they are lame for longer than that there would be a wondering why. But if your animal is old then it doesn't take a lot of imagination to be able to answer that one anyway!

 

[marmalade76]

Why do a flexion test on an oldie? I'd go as far as to say it's cruel.

I loaned an arab to his previous owner then asked her to sell him for me. He failed a flexion test on a vetting. Loaner got her own vet out to look at him, did another flexion test which he passed. I was told her vet said he wanted to "see him lame" so did a long, hard flexion which I was sent a video of which the horse did hobble away from in the first few strides. I was so cross, I sent a transporter to pick him up within a week. Horse has never been lame. The buyer backed out and bought another arab which did pass but was diagnosed with wobblers not quite 12 months later.

 

[Tarragon]

It is just strange to show a few lame steps straight after the test, which was to be expected, only to become severely lame several hours later. I am not talking about the initial reaction to the test, but a delayed one.
I do think that it is cruel to almost deliberately try and make a lame horse lamer!

 

[marmalade76]

It is just strange to show a few lame steps straight after the test, which was to be expected, only to become severely lame several hours later. I am not talking about the initial reaction to the test, but a delayed one.
I do think that it is cruel to almost deliberately try and make a lame horse lamer!

?‍ I don't know about you, but it's usually the day after that over-doing something or straining something affects me.

 

[Tarragon]

Yes, you are right. You feel fine initially, then wake up the next morning feeling stiff as a board!

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I am generally a bit ambivalent about flexion tests and as a general rule would only want a vet I know and trust to do one correctly, even if I was vetting someone else's horse to buy. For one of my oldies I would NEVER allow a flexion test for whatever reason, there are other less painful and more reliable ways to access an older horse for lameness. I am old, with hip issues etc, hold my leg doubled up scrunched and tight for however long and I will stumble off lame and will still be cursing you the next day!

 

[SEL]

My poor Appy was flexion tested by so many vets with her on / off lameness it got dangerous to go near her back legs.

I do stretches with her and if you take her left hind into the flexion test position she rotates awkwardly in her haunches. I expect there's an old ligament injury up there. If I was mad enough to hold that position for long then I can see how she'd be sore after for something not leg related. If there's any sort of arthritis up there or even on the opposite side you could easily irritate it - or pull a muscle yanking them around.

 

[ycbm]

I wouldn't allow anyone to flex an already lame horse, what's the point?

 

[Tarragon]

I wouldn't allow anyone to flex an already lame horse, what's the point?

I understood they were trying to gauge if the reaction to the test had improved. As you say though, a trot up could establish the same point.

 

[sbloom]

A bit like scoping for ulcers in that it can cause harm in itself, but not as reliable either.