Hind End Lameness

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dexnem

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So, I'm stumped. My pony was ridden a few times a week, lightly, over winter and I started bringing him back into full work in May. By the end of June he wasn't using his back legs in canter (felt like they weren't even there), and felt to be dropping his left shoulder. Had physio out - no back problems. Vet couldn't see anything at all (wasn't impressed with vet - my non horsey dad identified more problems than she did!) and farrier said he had bruising on back feet so put full set of shoes on. The shoes did seem to help - he still wasn't sure about walking on the roads but was pretty much sound in trot and felt better in canter, but not perfect. I started popping him over tiny jumps (normally jumping around 1m so started back at 50cm) and had a couple of gallops on the stubble. Was riding last week and as I was trotting him in the school to cool off, he started to drop his shoulder again. I've since given him a week off and due to ride again today to see if there's any difference.

I have noticed in the stable that he's slipping on the concrete (probably due to shoes) and whilst he is now stepping his back legs over properly now, he does sometimes keep a back leg still and pivots on it when he turns. I do stretches with him everyday and he struggles to reach his head round to his back legs, compensating by lifting a leg. He also rests the affected back right hind where the problems seem to be stemming from, pointing his toe.

I can't feel any heat in his hocks or feet. He does have a ridge in the front feet but not sure where this has come from. He looks to have thrown a splint albeit small on the left front which he is dropping, however i don't think it is due to that.

Vet advice was the bute everyday for a month, no riding but there was no explanation of why. I'm tempted to try it however it seems my farrier identified more problems than she did straight away so not sure if i should trust her advice!

If anyone has any similar experience or can offer help, please speak up! I've never had any problems with this horse for the past 5 years of loaning him, and the minute I buy him it's issue after issue. No more ponies allowed!
 
I
have noticed in the stable that he's slipping on the concrete (probably due to shoes) and whilst he is now stepping his back legs over properly now, he does sometimes keep a back leg still and pivots on it when he turns.
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Firstly, sorry for your situation. I agree, you need a second opinion.

On this small point quoted above, don't use concrete as a meter. That's not to say you don't have an issue, just that it's not really a good surface to assess movement on.

I had a panic about my mare as she did this, and yet was perfectly happy to step under in the school, or indeed, in the field and out on a hack. I suspected hocks or stifle and it was part of what prompted me to take her shoes off.

When I did first see this I was in a bit of a flap and it took a while to calm down. Then I did a surreptitious little experiment over the course of a couple of weeks, and found that out of 14 horses on the yard, 13 of them did this. The only one that didn't had a different sort of concrete (more like shale set in tar) outside his stable. I think it's to do with smooth concrete and a reluctance to slip. She has been barefoot since March, and now she has more or less grown some new feet, she is far less reluctant to step under and I've only seen her pivot once.
 
I'm moving to a different county soon so think I'll get someone out for him then. Please note I'm not jumping or galloping him now - not ridden for a week!
 
Update: got on him today (bareback) and although seems much better, he's still not right. Not noticeable when he's actually moving forward but when he's just bobbing round it's noticeable. I feel like it's in his foot and pastern though, definitely on the right hand side. Going to see if someone else can ride him and feel a difference as it could just be me?!
 
Whilst a short bute trial can be useful I personally wouldn't be happy using bute on an undiagnosed lameness.

I would either completely field rest until you move or get another Vet out now for a lameness work up.

Tbh until you really start nerve blocking you won't know what you are deling with or where the pain is - hope it all resolves itself quickly.
 
Can you video him in slow motion from behind? Mine had seen countless vets, physio etc but the trimmer filmed him walking on his first visit and notice how wonky he was walking behind. I've since not ridden him for 2 months as it was decided that neither saddle fit and that he needed to do some in hand straightness work.

I'd say it's worked as a flare he's had on the offending leg for 2 years (he's bf) broke off within weeks of the straightness work!

Always worth looking back at the basics of they have a lameness you can't pin down, and straightness work is good for any horse whether that's the problem or not.
 
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