Help - things were going just right!

[Bethcyrilandchina]

Things were going fab - me and cyril had started going out more together - for more lessons and clear round jumping. He was jumping great and now he's lame!!

I am so upset. Last time he was lame he was out of riding for a month. On friday evening when i went down to the field he had a slightly swollen front leg but he was walking fine and this morning i went to check on him and see if he would trot in hand and he didnt even want to walk! He was very reluctant to put weight on it and when he let me pick his other foot up he front of hi leg looked really long and and fetlock low down to the gound ? I am going to give him a couple of days off and see how he goes and hope for the best. Any advice on what else to do?
thanks

 

[AandK]

if he is reluctant to put weight on it and even walk i would be getting the vet out today if he was my horse.. esp as you say his fetlock looks low to the ground, is it not usually like this.?
i hope he is on the mend soon.

 

[Cliqmo]

Fetlock low to the ground sounds really quite serious. I would genuinely call the vet out sooner rather than later- and I am famous for delaying the vet to let nature take its course!!

 

[emmac70]

i would get horse into a stable to limit use of the leg and get the vet. fetlock dropping could be due to tendon or ligament problem

 

[1928sky]

Some people! Non weight bearing= vet. The description you have given sounds quite serious, but with effective and quick treatment the outcome is more likely to be favourable. It needs box rest and cold hosing in the interim to minimise further damage and help with swelling. Hope its not as bad as feared but please get a vet to look at him, even if it does cost you some money.

 

[Bethcyrilandchina]

Earlier i posted about my horse being lame. I was really worried about him and when i checked on him again he was lying down flat out and i seriously thought he was dead - He does often lie flat but he didnt move when i called his name!! Thankfully he did sit up eventually - i was sooo relieved. Before we went down to the field we dropped by our local tack shack to get some of the 'global herbs' form of bute - pain killer. we told the lady at the tack shack his symptoms and she thought he could have laminitis!! She thought this because when i went to check on him before i noticed both of his legs were swollen and he didnt want to move and was hobiling. So we gave him the bute in his dinner and hope he'd eat it which he sort of did. He looks so upset and bored his feet arent actually that hot but his front legs are very swollen and i can feel the fluid and cant the feel hi cannon bone. Another thing why i think it might be laminitis is that if it was a tendon it would just be in one leg and he keeps changing with pain in his leg - one minitute he wont bear weight on his left leg and then he cant bear weight on right leg. He does actually seem uneasy on all of his legs.

Does laminitis just effect the front legs? And even though his hooves arent that hot could it still be laminitis? Also he has never had it before and he is not a pony he is a 16.1 hh thoroughbred and 18 years old. Although he is a pig and eats loads!! Does anyone have any idea what it could be and also could it be laminitis? How long should i rest him and what else should i give him or do? Sorry essay =]
Thanks
Beth

 

[AandK]

why have you not called the vet?? please, your horse is obviously in a lot of discomfort. i would ignore the advice of the tack shop lady and get the vet to diagnose and advise you on how to treat.
sorry to be so blunt, but you have ignored the advice of all who answered your OP and all said call the vet...