Horse won't lift leg!

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iCandy

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Hi all

My new boy (3 year old, welshie) has decided that he no longer wants to lift his front left leg! He's fine with the other feed. When I finally manage to pry it loose it seems fine - no obvious discomfort or anything. Please help :)
 
iCandy said:
Hi all

My new boy (3 year old, welshie) has decided that he no longer wants to lift his front left leg! He's fine with the other feed. When I finally manage to pry it loose it seems fine - no obvious discomfort or anything. Please help :)
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May be nothing but check his other one in case he's avoiding putting weight on it.
 
Could be he has pain in his other foot. Or, like as happened to my pony, he could have had a fall or somethind and done something to his shoulder. Mine did this and he is fantastic to pick his feet up - does it for you. This time though he just flat refused to pick up a front foot so I knew something was wrong and a physio proved me right, treated him and voila! picked his foot up again shortly after.
 
My 14-yo horse won't lift one back leg. It has been going on for about 2 months now, since the farrier was shoeing and they had a bit of argument (the apprentice was holding it VERY high at the time). Sometimes you can get it up for long enough to pick it out but we can't get a shoe on it. Vet and farrier are of the opinion that he is in pain but can't find anything wrong (he is sound as far as we can tell, apart from being footy).

If the horse isn't being naughty generally I would think it is hurting him. I'm not sure a horse would decide 'I'm not picking up my left hind for a laugh'.

Alternatively, given his age, it might be a balance thing, and not so strange that it's one foot - they are often one-sided. Do you give lots of treats and praise when he does get it right? And can he hold it up for a reasonable while?
 
Thanks Abacus. I think it's a balance issue. I can't see anything obvious with either foot but the Physio is coming just in case!
 
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