George is still lame and I'm out of ideas why?

Nickles1973

Nickles1973

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A bit of background info. I posted on here a couple of weeks ago about my horse Being a little stiff on the right rein in canter and occasionaly going disunited. So after taking advice I called a Mctimmony lady to come and take a look at him. Last Tues I schooled George (my tb) and he was perfectly sound then Tues afternoon the Mctimmony lady (very highly recommended) came and treated him. He was due new shoes the next day and I followed her instructions not to allow him to be shod straight out of the stable. I walked him in hand and trotted him around the school for at least 20 mins then he saw the farrier as usual. Then he was turned out for the day and brought in that evening by my yard owner. I went down to see him first thing
Thursday am and on first inspection he looked fine. Unusually clean actually which to me means that he'd had a nice quiet day in the field. (Our fields are very, very muddy) and from the look of him he hadn't even rolled! However, I took him for a short hack and it was apparent quiet early on that he wasn't right so I brought him home and lunged him and he was definately lame. Most obviously on the right rein. I called my farrier as the new shoes seemed the most obvious cause combined with the fact that there was heat in both of his front hooves. Farrier had a good look and as by Friday there was only heat in one hoof he tried lowering the nails in that shoe in case they were a bit high.
Fast forward to today and after a weekend off he's still lame. I'm now stumped. There is no heat or swelling anywhere other than in his hoof. The lameness is deffinately no worse, but not really any better either. I have called my farrier again and he's going to come on Wed unless it suddenly gets much worse. I'm starting to get a bit worried now that maybe the new shoes are a red herring and I'm over looking something else. If you've got this far and have any suggestions I will be eternally grateful and will happily share my chocolate digestives that I'm worriedly eating my way through!
 
If your horse was stiff and disunited (and worried you enough to get a Mctimoney out) then he was lame (maybe just 1/10th) prior to shoeing. I dont see that the shoeing has much to do with it. Im going to state the obvious here but you need a vet work-up at this stage.
 
I'm a little surprised that for a lame/stiff horse you would call a back person out before a vet??!!??? If the horse is lame and has been for a number of days get a vet out.............
 
I probably didn't make myself very clear, but he deffinately wasn't lame before the Mctimmony lady came. Just a little stiff behind coming back into work after the winter. I had a lesson last Saturday with my instructor who not only teaches but is also a respected dressage judge and she was impressed with how well George went in the lesson. (Even telephoned a mutual friend to tell her how pleased with us she was.) He is lame in front and I will of course consult my vet should the farrier not find anything on Wednesday. I was also thinking it might be an abcess brewing but I would have expected him to be more lame than he is. I might try soaking his foot in epsom salts this evening when I go to see him.
 
Hey up..

It may be that the stiffness is a red herring because they sound like they could be separate issues. If your horse was stiff behind and had a lameness in the leg they could be related as the lameness maybe the horse compensating. If there is def heat in the foot I'd bite the bullet and call the vet. I'd also probably poultice the foot and have it kept in for a few days to see the change.
If they are unconnected then you won't be able to get to the bottom of the stiffness issue without curing the foot..

Good luck
 
Went down this evening and he seemed a little more sore in his foot. His hoof was still radiating heat although I can't feel any pulse to speak of. I've tubbed his foot in epsom salts for as long as he would tolerate (not long) and would've poulticed it but someone had pinched my duct tape from the tack room so that will have to wait till the morning. I'll try this till Weds and then take advice from my farrier when he comes. x
 
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