hind leg

[gallopingrandma]

hi, I wondered if anyone can give me any tips /ideas about my horses problem, he is not lame but he just seems to 'miss step' at trot on grass /surface/stubble, it is always the same side 'off side' there is no particular pattern he does not do it when animated - excited, I am worried that there is an underlying problem that could possiblley be sorted before he shows lameness, it has been a long term thing

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

If it feels as though he does the odd stumble behind the chances are he could have a mild slipping stifle. My horse does this ever so slightly going downhill on the road. It was a lot worse a month or two back and the vet looked at it and said she needs to build up muscle behind and it will improve which it has done. We have had to do a lot of slow trotting uphill getting her to really use herself behind and it has made quite a difference. I also have to make her walk properly downhill - just letting her amble on a loose rein with legs trailing mean it is more likely that her stifle will slip. It feels just like their back leg goes from underneath them or like they've trodden on a stone.

It could also be an SI issue - if you are worried, get the vet out. My vet said it would be useful to film it happening because it doesn't always happen when you are riding for the vet.

 

[LouiseG]

This happened to my horse, although was mostly noticeable in the school, and when excited if jumping, his trot was choppy going up into canter. It could be that the contact is unsteady and the hind leg is being blocked (happened to my horse initially, only on one rein, or so I thought), or there could be an underlying issue. Again, my horse was only off now and again, his trot occasionally a bit hitchy on the right rein, circles etc, then he went about 2/10ths lame. He went in for a work up and was bilaterally lame in his stifles and they found significant cartilage damage when they went in with a camera. I'd get a good vet to take a look if it were my horse.

 

[Brightbay]

If it feels as though he does the odd stumble behind the chances are he could have a mild slipping stifle. My horse does this ever so slightly going downhill on the road.

Mine is exactly the same (although he has also had sacroiliac problems, now pretty much resolved, but even before that he had the funny misstep behind thing). He lives out in a very hilly field, and this has been the best way for us to resolve it. It only happens very occasionally now. It gets slightly worse in winter when they tend to stand around the hay feeder and not move around as much - I think he'd be quite bad if stabled.

If it's going to happen, it will happen trotting downhill, or during trot to walk transitions.

 

[gallopingrandma]

Thank you to all of you who have been kind enough to share stories and chat about the problem, I have today worked the horse by being led by a friend on her horse, and me following behind on another, I watched my boy very closely every time we trotted and he didn't show the slightest sign of any unsoundness or stumble, so I can only figure that that tells me that it nothing 'mechanical' so must be an underlying prob that will show up once he starts to be put under pressure, I am giving him physio type exercises / stretches to try and strengthen the stifle, also lots of hill work.