horse wont hold one foreleg up- suddenly was ok before

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poiuytrewq

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On my yard there is a lady with a new horse and today she told me the past week she has had trouble picking out her horses near-side fore- would i take a look. I did and she picks up 3 feet perfectly then you get to the near-fore and although it can be picked up is very quickly snatched away- my first thought was pain either in that leg/foot or another but no heat or swelling in hooves,legs etc-nothing i trotted her up and she is sound. Any Ideas?
 
a friend of mine had a similar prob with her horse. Turned out to be back pain, he found it hard to balance himself on that paticular combination of three legs. He was fine picking out all the others.
 
One of my boys was doing that recently - he had a kick to his chest and had a haematoma. Bruising must have made him sore in the shoulder as well so picking up that leg hurt. There was no lameness. He's back to normal now and picking up foot again but he's due his annual MOT in the next couple of weeks & I'm getting a physio to look him over.
 
Quite possibly a back problem, I would be looking at the area behind the saddle on the right hand side (ie diagonally opposite his left fore which you say he is reluctant to pick up).
 
My horse is iffy picking up her left fore. That's the leg where she has her torn tendon, she wasn't lame when I bought her (passed 5* vetting) but had always snatched that leg away. I am as certain as I can be without actual proof, that the tendon was torn before I bought her and had (partially, at least) healed.
Not saying that the horse might have a torn tendon, I'm just saying that in my experience it does warrant an investigation. The back problem suggestions sound most likely IMO.
 
My mare has always been reluctant to pick up her near fore. She was like this when I bought her, but was completely sound. 8 months later she went lame on the other front leg. Xrays showed arthritis of the coffin joint, she had 2 lots of joint injections, a joint supplement, remedial shoeing and 7 months off. We are now hacking out again and she is much better about having her near fore picked up. I would guess there is something not quite right with your friend's new horse - either back or potential lameness problems.
 
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