Horse lame since Nov and still dont know problem... advice?

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lacey111

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OK, this could be rather long to explain full story....

I have a 10yr old Standardbred gelding (pacer) who raced for about 5 years until he just wasnt "fast enough" anymore as the younger ones were tooo quick. I bought him June 08, broke him to ride myself, I fell pregnant so he had the winter off and started work with him again March 09. All has been going well, he trots instead of pacing and canter was getting better, even started polework!

We managed a 15.5mile competitive endurance ride In October 09 which he flew round like a star.

Mid November he was turned out in a new field with 2 different horses along with my other horse who I had always had him with. He started fighting with one over the mares in the field next door, field is on a hill with lots of stones lying around and he was charging up and down like a loon. anyway, he went lame so i decided to leave him un-ridden for a week (still turned out in day) to see if it got better, it didn't, bought him in and box rested until xmas week when vet could actually get out in between snow to see him.

Vet suspected possible splint (had cut on inside which wasnt there before so i disagreed) or possible start of Bone/Bog spavin or something else in his hock or stifle. Said box rest another 4 weeks to see if it healed itself, it didnt. Vet came out again...... turned round and said strongly suspected neurological problem (wobbler kind of thing) Been for xrays etc but I cannot seem to agree with vet in any way shape of form.

He is a funny little thing who can take up to 30mins to settle and pay attention, during this time he is all over the place, legs everywhere, to busy noseing around him, but when he settles and listens, he is fab, has a lovely gait and movement.

My issue is he is swinging his nearside hind out and is a tiny bit short in his action, THIS IS MY ONLY ISSUE! I have never worried about him being "wobbly" or "all over the place" as he is like this until he settles!

Vet being awkward about looking at his leg but after alot or persuasion agreed to, however is still adamant its neurological, even tho he agreed that a horse with neurological problem cannot be "wrong" for a short while then "right".

Do i get 2nd opinion from diffrent vet? or let current vet look at leg?
Anyone else experienced this problem? My main worry is that a friends horse was seen by same vet with same problem, was told "a wobbler, have it shot as cant do anything for it", but turned out to be a stifle problem that had a operation and is now fine back in full work!

Sorry this is long! needed to tell full story!!
Any suggestions/advice appreciated as my head going round in circles
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Get a second opinion from a different vet. Sounds like it could PSD or hind suspensory but similarly it could be any number of things and you need a good vet to take a proper look and investigate.
 
Yep second opinion. My mare went lame behind and a weeks rest did nothing (I made sure it wasn't in foot). No heat, no swelling anywhere. Vet had a look but couldn't diagnose, seemed to be flumoxed. I had a good look at movement in walk and trot, and also how all joints worked when I flexed them. Then I hit the books.

Turned out to be a slight rupture of the fibularis tertius muscle. She was a bit short and swinging her leg out, and just wouldn't come sound. Basically this muscle is part of the apparatus in the hind leg which prevents the horse from flexing the stifle without simultaneously flexing the hock. It is a spontaneous injury, and is often caused by the horse leaving a leg behind eg, in a ditch, or getting a leg stuck. My mare does kick out at anything, and we believe she may have stuck her foot in the fork of a tree trunk whilst kicking. She also got much worse when she slipped whilst being trotted up, so it doesn't necessarily have to be an injury as described above as far as I'm concerned.
The horse will be lame and have an odd hind leg gait because the stifle may be flexed without flexing the hock. Hence the swinging action.
If the hind leg is picked up and extended out behind the horse, it may extend further than usual and there is a characteristic dimple in the contour of the back of the leg aove the hock.
Rest is the only treatment.

Mine was on box rest for about 4 weeks, then field rest, off work from Jan till May, then started very slow work ie 5 mins a day. All done by working on knowledge of her personally and gut feeling as the vets had no idea.

I'm not saying this is what has happened to yours, and it could be any one of a thousand things, but it is very interesting, and during my proffesional career I've dealt with hundreds of tendon and foot lamnesses but NEVER heard of this.

You live and learn!!!

Good luck!!
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I would get a 2nd opinion. I had a horse who was on and off lame and it took a year for the vets to diagnose anything (if it wasn't for insurance complications I would have changed vets). With another horse who was mildly lame, I used a different vets and within a week he had full x-rays and scans etc. I personally would want a vet who wanted to get to the bottom of things asap.
 
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