Horse on tip toes

[Hackback]

My 3 year old (unbroken, barefoot) gelding was fine yesterday morning and nothing of note when I fetched them in for tea. But when I took him for a walk after tea, hubby put him into trot and he went right up on his toes on both hinds and actually trotted on his toe edges a couple of strides like a ballet dancer en pointe. This morning he wasn't quite right. Called the vet and booked him/her for Wednesday - the earliest I could get without it being an emergency. But I've just been to do bedtime checks and he's clearly uncomfortable, standing with his hind legs wide and trying to stand on his toes again. I tried picking up a back foot - the worst looking one - and he nearly fell over because he couldn't bear weight on the other hind. Really worried now and wish I'd got the vet out as an emergency today.

Anyone experienced similar? Lami wouldn't present like that would it? He has had a funny skin thing going on around his head for about a week that the vet thinks is an allergy, but I wonder if he's eaten something toxic.

TIA

 

[TheMule]

Are his stifles locking? The movement sounds similar to how that might present

 

[nagblagger]

If something is 'locking' or patella slipping, try moving him backwards - an orthopaedic vet told me to try that when i had similar.

 

[Red-1]

If the above doesn't work, and the horse is in so much pain it is almost falling, I would call today first thing as an emergency rather than wait until Wednesday.

 

[Birker2020]

If the above doesn't work, and the horse is in so much pain it is almost falling, I would call today first thing as an emergency rather than wait until Wednesday.

I'd second this. Looks like a call out today, like now. iIt's probably an extra £60 on top but worth it.

Horses shouldn't nearly be falling over if you lift a hind leg. Sounds like something very strange going on.

Read these posts Thread 'Horse standing on his toes at the back...' https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/horse-standing-on-his-toes-at-the-back.162593/

Horse that walked on her "tiptoes"

A while back a friend and I went to see a horse for her to potentially share. It was a lovely little (friend is only 5ft1) piebald mare, full feathers and a lovely full mane. Owner admited that she had not done much with her for the past couple of years. Anyhow (getting to the point) the...

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[Lady Jane]

Its a bank hol weekend (of course, they always choose bhols), I would get the vet out today for sure

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Just a thought, have you checked his sheath. Doesn't sound as though it could be related but if there is something going on there it could make him act strangely.

 

[Hackback]

Thanks everyone. No to the sheath, I last did that a few weeks ago while he was sedated. This morning his pasterns look a bit sore and swollen - he has a bit of crusty skin on his 3 white feet which the vet has seen before and thought just dry skin - but today it looks sore. Now if course I'm thinking cellulitis so trying to ring the vet to see if I should start antibiotics immediately - I have some spare - but they're not open yet. He seems bright in himself, eating fine etc but I agree, I want vet opinion today. It's an extra £80 @Birker2020, at least it was yesterday, probably more for a weekend but it wasn't that that out me off yesterday, it was the fact that the receptionist said the vets would have to rearrange their diaries and I didn't think it was so urgent at that point.

That previous thread is interesting. I don't think he's doing quite the same thing. He went up on his toes when he went into trot but he's walking on flat feet and he trotted ok after he took a few strides. I say ok - he's obviously sore somewhere, but he put his feet down.

No point trying to second guess really, I need a vet don't I?

And yes, of course it's a bank holiday weekend @Lady Jane

 

[Hackback]

Update - vet coming this afternoon. I didn't mention that the older horse is booked at the farriers today which means leaving here at 10.30 and getting home about 2. I didn't want to have to cancel as he has navicular changes (horse, not farrier) which are managed with regular corrective shoeing, so I was getting very stressed about the whole situation. Lovely vet says she will come after 2 so both horses sorted. Stress levels still at a high,

 

[Birker2020]

Thanks everyone. No to the sheath, I last did that a few weeks ago while he was sedated. This morning his pasterns look a bit sore and swollen - he has a bit of crusty skin on his 3 white feet which the vet has seen before and thought just dry skin - but today it looks sore. Now if course I'm thinking cellulitis so trying to ring the vet to see if I should start antibiotics immediately - I have some spare - but they're not open yet. He seems bright in himself, eating fine etc but I agree, I want vet opinion today. It's an extra £80 @Birker2020, at least it was yesterday, probably more for a weekend but it wasn't that that out me off yesterday, it was the fact that the receptionist said the vets would have to rearrange their diaries and I didn't think it was so urgent at that point.

That previous thread is interesting. I don't think he's doing quite the same thing. He went up on his toes when he went into trot but he's walking on flat feet and he trotted ok after he took a few strides. I say ok - he's obviously sore somewhere, but he put his feet down.

No point trying to second guess really, I need a vet don't I?

And yes, of course it's a bank holiday weekend @Lady Jane

I'm sorry I wasn't being unkind when I said about the extra £80 and I defo wasn't suggesting it was because you didn't want to pay, we all know how these things can escalate so quickly, one day you have a horse a bit off that you could easily monitor, next day it's a full blown issue with its head on the floor, so I totally get it. I've had a couple of bank holiday emergency call outs, like LJ said, it always seems to happen on a BH.

One particularly horrendous one was a fun ride accident, emergency vets too busy to come out, had to travel horse home 50 miles on 3 legs holding up a dripping with blood torniqued hind leg 50 miles in torrential thunderstorms and local flooded lanes! Not something you ever forget.

I hope he's ok, try not to worry too much OP xx

 

[Surbie]

I hope you get some answers for your youngster today.

Mine got an oak leaf stuck in his eye 2 years ago. On Boxing Day.

 

[Fjord]

Why does it always happen at a weekend? Hope its something simple, try not to worry yourself too much.

 

[Hackback]

Thanks for your kind wishes and shared stories. @Birker2020 that sounds horrendous, what an awful day! Hope everything turned out ok. I didn't take offence at your comment about the call out, sorry if it sounded like I did, I was just trying to justify my actions to myself as much as anyone!

Anyway, horse one is now shod and the vet has just left after looking at horse 2. She thinks the hind limb issues are all down to the soreness caused by whatever is going on on his pasterns. Because only his three whites have the scabs she suspects photosensitivity, which may be due to liver issues, possibly caused by something he's eaten. She's started him on antibiotics straight away, in case of cellulitis, and taken bloods to check his liver function. The results will of course be delayed by the bank holiday weekend!

Meanwhile I should keep him in when it's sunny, or put sunscreen on or some other protection if I can find it - I need to research whether UV turnout boots/wraps exist. Phew!

Thanks again everyone

 

[Widgeon]

Oh thank goodness, sounds like it could've been much worse. I wonder what on earth he ate....probably something that you'll never find in the field!

 

[Carrottom]

I found Filtabac cream good for photosensitivity scabs.