GinaGeo
Well-Known Member
We have a slightly weird lameness going on, and wondered if I could get some thoughts.
Horse is 9, 16.1hh. Fairly low mileage and has had breaks due to rider pregnancy. Just picked up properly this year, but still not in hard work.
The week before the lameness popped up he had an easy XC schooling session. Popped a few lines, but mostly played in the water etc. Didn’t jump anything huge.
The week of he had a jump lesson. Didn’t do loads. But he jumped nicely and happily. And later on in the week he did a bit of hill trotting - he’s done it previously with no ill effects.
Traveled him to a small competition and he was lame behind so he came straight home.
There is no swelling, no heat, no marks. He doesn’t really want me touching anywhere beyond his shoulder which is new for him. But he’s moving away, nothing more. No ears back, no teeth, no feet. Which I think he would do if really sore. E.g. when he has a sore tummy, teeth fly.
The lameness is behind, the RH is swinging under his body and he is trotting on the wonk (haunches to the left). He’s landing heavily on the outside of his foot. It looks high up and like a “swing” lameness, not a weight bearing one.
He isn’t resting the leg and still picks it up as he always has done to have the foot trimmed.
Obviously we’ve had the vet and have so far ruled out the limb.
We have found a small bone chip on his right stifle, but it blocks clear. And we have also found mild arthritis in both hocks but again they block clear.
Both possibly part of the puzzle but not the main issue at the moment.
His suspensories also block clear and so does the rest of the leg.
He’s currently on box rest for four weeks (in a small pen) and on Bute. Three weeks field rest made no difference to it.
There is also a slight RF lameness that appears to worsen as the work ups go on. We have blocked the foot, but no change. So something higher on there as well - but as the main issue is in the hind limb we’d like to get to the bottom of that first, before investigating the fore limb further.
I have been lead by my Vets so far and they have said that they can block his SI next. I think if that does work then the suggestion would be to inject steroids into the various areas causing issues and see how it goes - but that doesn’t feel like a fix to me. Just a masking of issues.
If that doesn’t work - then where do we go next, and how far do we go chasing it.
He isn’t insured, I’m already at least £1.5k into investigations, which isn’t an issue. And if there is a good chance that he can come back into proper work I don’t mind spending money, but there isn’t a bottomless pit - I do need to be sensible.
He’s a very sweet horse . And we’ve had him since a yearling - I am very fond of him.
But I do not need another happy hacker - so I don’t want to throw endless money at him if that’s the best case , which I have explained to the vets. I have two other older horses who have earned a light work / retirement slot and they are here until the end.
I don’t mind not jumping, but would like to be able to do Flatwork.
I’d be happy to turn him away for a year, to see if time helps.
Would a bone scan be of any use, to try and pinpoint areas?
And even if we do find the lameness, I am well aware that our treatment options are limited.
He’s due a review with my vet in a couple of weeks, to see if the rest and Bute has helped at all, so will have a chat with her then.
But other peoples experiences would be helpful - realistically will a horse who is very low mileage and only 9. With several things going on, some of which we haven’t even found yet, come sound and stay sound?
He doesn’t need to be a high level eventer. Just a good allrounder who can enjoy training (I can live without jumping.)
I don’t know if I’m being a pessimist.
Horse is 9, 16.1hh. Fairly low mileage and has had breaks due to rider pregnancy. Just picked up properly this year, but still not in hard work.
The week before the lameness popped up he had an easy XC schooling session. Popped a few lines, but mostly played in the water etc. Didn’t jump anything huge.
The week of he had a jump lesson. Didn’t do loads. But he jumped nicely and happily. And later on in the week he did a bit of hill trotting - he’s done it previously with no ill effects.
Traveled him to a small competition and he was lame behind so he came straight home.
There is no swelling, no heat, no marks. He doesn’t really want me touching anywhere beyond his shoulder which is new for him. But he’s moving away, nothing more. No ears back, no teeth, no feet. Which I think he would do if really sore. E.g. when he has a sore tummy, teeth fly.
The lameness is behind, the RH is swinging under his body and he is trotting on the wonk (haunches to the left). He’s landing heavily on the outside of his foot. It looks high up and like a “swing” lameness, not a weight bearing one.
He isn’t resting the leg and still picks it up as he always has done to have the foot trimmed.
Obviously we’ve had the vet and have so far ruled out the limb.
We have found a small bone chip on his right stifle, but it blocks clear. And we have also found mild arthritis in both hocks but again they block clear.
Both possibly part of the puzzle but not the main issue at the moment.
His suspensories also block clear and so does the rest of the leg.
He’s currently on box rest for four weeks (in a small pen) and on Bute. Three weeks field rest made no difference to it.
There is also a slight RF lameness that appears to worsen as the work ups go on. We have blocked the foot, but no change. So something higher on there as well - but as the main issue is in the hind limb we’d like to get to the bottom of that first, before investigating the fore limb further.
I have been lead by my Vets so far and they have said that they can block his SI next. I think if that does work then the suggestion would be to inject steroids into the various areas causing issues and see how it goes - but that doesn’t feel like a fix to me. Just a masking of issues.
If that doesn’t work - then where do we go next, and how far do we go chasing it.
He isn’t insured, I’m already at least £1.5k into investigations, which isn’t an issue. And if there is a good chance that he can come back into proper work I don’t mind spending money, but there isn’t a bottomless pit - I do need to be sensible.
He’s a very sweet horse . And we’ve had him since a yearling - I am very fond of him.
But I do not need another happy hacker - so I don’t want to throw endless money at him if that’s the best case , which I have explained to the vets. I have two other older horses who have earned a light work / retirement slot and they are here until the end.
I don’t mind not jumping, but would like to be able to do Flatwork.
I’d be happy to turn him away for a year, to see if time helps.
Would a bone scan be of any use, to try and pinpoint areas?
And even if we do find the lameness, I am well aware that our treatment options are limited.
He’s due a review with my vet in a couple of weeks, to see if the rest and Bute has helped at all, so will have a chat with her then.
But other peoples experiences would be helpful - realistically will a horse who is very low mileage and only 9. With several things going on, some of which we haven’t even found yet, come sound and stay sound?
He doesn’t need to be a high level eventer. Just a good allrounder who can enjoy training (I can live without jumping.)
I don’t know if I’m being a pessimist.
