EternalVetBills
Well-Known Member
I will preface this by saying the vet is coming on Monday, but just wanted to hear what others might have to say.
14yo Thoroughbred mare, always been absolutely angelic for the farrier. Only issue has been she is sometimes slightly stiff with her back legs due to arthritic hocks, but I have a very patient farrier who is lovely with her.
She was fully retired with shoes off, but mentally didn't cope very well. So about 10 months ago we started to slowly bring her back into work, she only does inhand stuff, but I'd still say she's in light-medium work load as she schools on the long lines twice a week, and does 1hr+ hacks ride & lead 3 days a week. She's been back in shoes for about 8 months now.
For the last 2 or 3 shoeings (she gets done every 4 weeks, by my choice not out of necessarily needing to be done that often), I've noticed that she's chucking her head up and trying to pull back in the cross ties when the farrier starts nailing the shoes on her fronts. This last time was fairly bad, she was hopping back and making loud grunting noises, her face also looked really pinched and she was wrinkling her lips. Farrier was really patient with her, but we both finished off fairly concerned and he said I think we need a vet to look at her.
This was yesterday and I've obviously booked the vet to come ASAP, they could've come sooner but it wouldn't have been my vet that knows the mare.
I have workups done for this horse every 6 months and she is super sound, absolutely no lameness in front on the hard or soft, and believe me, we definitely try our hardest to make anything show up. She can trot a 10 metre circle on concrete and not show anything, even if we nerve block one foot, she's never even 1/10th on the other. She is due her hocks to be injected, which we're planning on doing when she has her teeth done in February, but I can't see why that might be an issue?
She has got splints in both front legs below the knee, but again I get them checked regularly and they've never been an issue.
Does anyone have any idea what might cause her to behave like this? She was absolutely vile for the physio last Friday too, which is very unlike her. Physio couldn't find anything wrong, but also suggested perhaps we should keep an eye on her. She has the physio every 8 weeks and we've been so happy with her up until this last visit.
She doesn't look like a horse in pain, fantastic flat belly, big round bum, and a beautiful back with absolutely no dips or bumps!
I'll obviously do whatever I need to keep her happy and comfortable, but just absolutely lost as to what could be causing her to behave like this when she's showing no other signs of pain!
ETA: she is in natural balance shoes which the farrier uses as standard, no clips and a rolled toe. She is just in basic steel shoes, no pads or anything extra.
14yo Thoroughbred mare, always been absolutely angelic for the farrier. Only issue has been she is sometimes slightly stiff with her back legs due to arthritic hocks, but I have a very patient farrier who is lovely with her.
She was fully retired with shoes off, but mentally didn't cope very well. So about 10 months ago we started to slowly bring her back into work, she only does inhand stuff, but I'd still say she's in light-medium work load as she schools on the long lines twice a week, and does 1hr+ hacks ride & lead 3 days a week. She's been back in shoes for about 8 months now.
For the last 2 or 3 shoeings (she gets done every 4 weeks, by my choice not out of necessarily needing to be done that often), I've noticed that she's chucking her head up and trying to pull back in the cross ties when the farrier starts nailing the shoes on her fronts. This last time was fairly bad, she was hopping back and making loud grunting noises, her face also looked really pinched and she was wrinkling her lips. Farrier was really patient with her, but we both finished off fairly concerned and he said I think we need a vet to look at her.
This was yesterday and I've obviously booked the vet to come ASAP, they could've come sooner but it wouldn't have been my vet that knows the mare.
I have workups done for this horse every 6 months and she is super sound, absolutely no lameness in front on the hard or soft, and believe me, we definitely try our hardest to make anything show up. She can trot a 10 metre circle on concrete and not show anything, even if we nerve block one foot, she's never even 1/10th on the other. She is due her hocks to be injected, which we're planning on doing when she has her teeth done in February, but I can't see why that might be an issue?
She has got splints in both front legs below the knee, but again I get them checked regularly and they've never been an issue.
Does anyone have any idea what might cause her to behave like this? She was absolutely vile for the physio last Friday too, which is very unlike her. Physio couldn't find anything wrong, but also suggested perhaps we should keep an eye on her. She has the physio every 8 weeks and we've been so happy with her up until this last visit.
She doesn't look like a horse in pain, fantastic flat belly, big round bum, and a beautiful back with absolutely no dips or bumps!
I'll obviously do whatever I need to keep her happy and comfortable, but just absolutely lost as to what could be causing her to behave like this when she's showing no other signs of pain!
ETA: she is in natural balance shoes which the farrier uses as standard, no clips and a rolled toe. She is just in basic steel shoes, no pads or anything extra.
It’s especially important to sort the diet.
