Following on from can a horse fake lameness?

[dwi]

I know that many of you disagreed with me when I said that in my opinion it was _possible_ that horses _might_ fake lameness but my lesson tonight proved that horses do think in that way.

I had a new instructor who has never met Daisy before and was genuinely concerned that she should see the vet because she was pulling such terrible faces in her canter transitions and she thought it might be pain.

Putting up a cross pole proved she was faking it because she was like a different horse, happy, responsive and no pained expressions. She just didn't want to do flawtwork. I double checked with my instructor but she said she thought the earlier symptoms were just naughtiness. Yes her canter was bad but any problems she was having disappeared in an instant.

I know that many of you will still disagree but I would like you to consider the possibility that I am suggesting. Your horse might not fake problems to get out of work but I have now had a vet and two different instructors tell me this is what my horse does.

Your horse may be more intelligent than you give it credit for. It is not fair to criticise people that you probably haven't met and tell them they are ignoring their horses pain. Yes some people do that and it is terrible but forum based diagnosis is not fair.

 

[Super_Kat]

I remember a few occasions when I used to hack my old lad out and suddenly he'd be hopping lame, I'd jump off, turn around and start walking him home and he'd be fine!

 

[Tierra]

I also think horses are more intelligent than they're often given credit for (although it varies from horse to horse and breed to breed).

Its a tough one because I also got slightly shot down in that particular thread but equally, I can fully understand people reading and thinking that its an easier assumption to say the horse is faking in than to go through various diagnostics.

I think they all have to be treated on an individual case by case basis and of course, all other avenues should be exhausted before making assumptions about the issue being psychological. That being said, Ive still seen a fair few very suspicious looking "lamenesses" that vanish when (like Kat said), horses are turned for home or their "real mum" appears or whatever

 

[debbielinder]

yes i think horses can fake lameness a girl i know used to have a horse that suddelny went lame they did the usual things box rested no change got the vet out and he gave her painkillers etc this went on for months every time she got on it after 5 mins it would be hoping vet was out about 6 times did loads of tests and couldnt find anything wrong so she spoke to her instructor who said lets try working her hard youve got nothing to loose shes already lame. 5 mins in horse was hoping but they kept her going and by 20 mins was sound and never went lame again! she had learnt every time she hopped she went back in her stable.

 

[MagicMelon]

I think horses are very clever and some DO fake lameness. Obviously you need to do the checks first with the vet etc. to make sure there's nothing wrong.

I have a faker right now! Lame coming in from the field last Friday so in a panic stabled him til vet came on Monday. Vet did all usual tests, nothing. He was VAGUELLY lame for as few steps in trot when he got lazy. But if asked to trot properly he was fine! Let him out in the field, he took off up the field at a flat out gallop, bucking, trotting about sound as anything with tail in the air. But then calms down and in his lazy walk he limps once or twice again. Liar! He's done this in walk a few times since I backed him but only does it when he gets a bit lazy!

 

[tuscanyD]

"she had learnt every time she hopped she went back in her stable. "

I think this answers the question - 'faking' lameness seems to be attributing too much human thinking to it to me - but learning that a pattern of behaviour results in a favourable [to the horse] outcome seems highly possible and more than likely! food drives them so its easy to imagine they repeat a behaviour that has lead to a haynet/grass or feed bucket in the past.

Also consider the possibility that tension and stress can cause a horse to tighten muscle, become very stiff and exhibit 'bridle' lameness.

If the horse is anxious or uptight about flatwork [because it doesnt understand or finds it hard or whatever] - it may be that it tenses up - magnifying any slightly stiff muscles or similar problems which cause it to be uneven .

Think of yourself - I clench my jaw tense my shoulders etc when I'm anxious - plus I have lower back problems [who doesnt] I walk very stiffly and often hobble when I'm very tense - but loosen and become less of a lame duck when i'm relaxed.

Interestingly I just read The practical Eventer [I think...] by J Holderness roddam - she talks about making sure the horses neck/head is straight when trotting up as crookedness can cause it to appear lame.

 

[suzyseymour]

I have a 25yr old who has been faking lameness for the last 15 years or so. If you rider her out she is often lame, as soon as you turn her back she turns a corner and knows she is heading home she is sound. In the past I have trotted her up and down the same short stretch of road several times, every time she was heading out she was very lame, as soon as she turned round she was sound.

My friend has just started riding her and thought I was mad saying this about her. Until she has ridden her when she did it. She now totally belives it.

 

[josephinebutter2]

Just to rock the boat a little - my horse was diagnosed by both my (very good and well respected/qualified) riding instructors and everyone on the yard as just being a grumpy lazy git and not wanting to work as every time we did flat work, he would have his ears flat back and look decidedly grumpy about the whole thing, yet jumping and hacking, he was fine.

He started getting more lazy and grumpy and started getting grumpy jumping and I decided there was definately something wrong, despite everyone thinking the contrary.

Called the vets and they thought this may be just staleness due to working hard over the summer, but I persivered and he's now been for x-rays and a MRI scan and been diagnosed with navicular and has thickened and swollen medial collateral ligaments in both front legs - is on 4 months rest and may never work again!

So the moral of my story is - trust your instincts. Only you know your horse well enough to say whether he is really lame.

I recon it was the adrenaline of jumping/hacking and going to shows that meant mine was fine doing these things - aparently it's a very strong painkiller. People have been known to not notice very serious injuries when they are in adrenaline filled situations, only to feel the pain when they have carmed down.