horse dragging her toes

BigRed

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My 16 year old, fit TB Mare has started to stumble behind and is now dragging her hind toes. 4 days ago I had a lesson and she stumbled so badly that she nearly fell over, I thought she was being lazy, but the next day she started to drag one hind toe. I spoke to my vet but it was 4pm on the Friday evening and I did not think it was serious enough to call him out. Over the weekend, she got quite a bit worse and this morning when I turned her out, she tripped behind, and nearly sat down. I am waiting for the vet to come this afternoon. I am completely stumped as to what she might have done. Does anyone have any ideas ?
 
Dragging hind toes can sometimes be a sympton of bone spavin - an arthritis type condition of one or more of the hock joints, but best to let a vet diagnose.
Good luck!
 
I would definitely get your vet to have a look at her as it could be something like arthritis/spavin in hocks so letting the vet have a look would give you piece of mind.
 
yes, deffo a spavin way of moving, as the hocks don't move as much as they normally would so the toes end up clipping, but dont worry , your vet will help.
 
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