I need advise please following my horse kicking a car & he's now lame

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myrtle1982

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Hello,

Last Sunday I noticed my horse was lame on his left hind in trot. I however continued to finish my ride in walk, I only went about 15 minutes. He rested Monday and Tuesday, long reined in walk on Wed, rested Thurs and was ridden in walk for 30 minutes on Friday (I didn't notice lameness but I did only walk). Today (sat) I went into the school and he was still very lame in trot so i put him back in the field.
He has no lumps, no bumps, scratches and I have rubbed my hands all over his leg and there is no tenderness or sensitive areas. His feet are not hot.

Anyway ideas?

Also - please give me your first thoughts but now take into consideration that last Saturday he kicked a car. I'm thinking that perhaps this must be related, although I can't 100% remember which foot he kicked car with.

I'm not sure what the vet can do to help at this stage.
How much rest is required do you think before I see an improvement. Does the length of time he's been lame make it seem serious?

Advise please.

From concerned horse owner!

thanks x
 
He could well have soft tissue damage as a result of kicking the car. Soft tissue injuries can take a long time to heal.

I would try box rest for a few days and see what happens for a few days. Try cold hosing too.

If it still is not right, call the vet.
 
Sounds like it could be related. Could be he's strained something from the impact - did he kick it very hard and dd he catch it with his foot or his leg?? How was he when being long-reined?

It could be that he's bruised his foot and got an abscess as a result hence why he's stared to go lame a bit later on. My pony stood on some glass and, although I checked his foot after, couldn't find anything, a week later he was on 3 legs. i though he'd some something serious as he was non-weight bearing. He had an abscess as a result of the glass. Funny thing was he's been ridden out that week and the day before he was lame and shown no signs of a problem whatsoever.

Can you try feel his pulse in his hind? Feel if any heat in the foot? My advice would be to always start at the foot. If it continues I would get the vet or even the farrier to come out and get the show off to have a look.
 
Hmmmm, I must admit I'm more of the "if horse been lame for a week and you don't know what's wrong call the vet camp". Especially as you say he's very lame in trot. But I'm a bit of a wet lettuce and tend to call the vet earlier than others!

In terms of what the vet could do at this stage - well I would hope s/he could at least confirm whether any soft tissue damage or not, or abcess, and advise accordingly. I know someone who has been poulticing on and off for 3 months, everyone convinced it was an abcess - nope, suspensory ligament problem and some DJD.

The car may (or may not) be a red herring and IMOA its best to find out early what's going on.

Good luck - let us know how he goes
xxx
 
Sorry but it is no good asking on here, it could be anything.
From what you say he is not getting better at all and maybe getting worse.
What could it be? A bruise, a fracture, a sprain, a strain, an abscess, a tendon, a ligament - etc etc - for goodness sake rest him, hose the leg and call the vet.
 
Your horse went lame, and you continued to ride him, as apposed to get off and relieve him of the extra weight on his leg?
You havent checked all week for lameness and continued to work him until its become apparent he is still lame?
If you are not a troll, I pity your poor horse and suggest you get a vet out to see to him pronto
 
Vet.

If not a troll, then for future reference, if your horse goes lame when you're riding, get off and walk him home. Cold hose the affected leg, especially anything that is swollen (cold hose twice a day). Stable him. Trot up to check for lameness the next day. If lame, ring vet. Note: some vets will say turn out, dependent on the conditiions and facilities.
 
Get the vet...your poor horse! WOuld also immediately bring him in from the field and get him on box rest. Cannot believe that it has take you this long to do something about it.
 
Clearly something I wrote didn't make sense to you all. My point is that he hasn't been consistently lame, he wasn't lame straight away!!! I have two riding instructors who BOTH looked over him and saw no problem. He wasn't lame when we rode him in between.
 
I would never continue to ride a lame horse, my point is that he is intermittently lame. Don't worry about replying, I was hoping for support/constructive help not abuse or to be called names.
 
Oh pull the other one!
You clearly state yourself and i'll quote....

"I only went about 15 minutes. He rested Monday and Tuesday, long reined in walk on Wed, rested Thurs and was ridden in walk for 30 minutes on Friday (I didn't notice lameness but I did only walk). Today (sat) I went into the school and he was still very lame in trot so i put him back in the field."

You clearly say yourself he was STILL lame. Unless you had trotted him up you would have no idea if he was lame (unless of course its so bad he is hopping about on three legs!).
The fact you said he was lame but you continued to ride him says it all for me.
Get the poor horse a bl**dy vet!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I would never continue to ride a lame horse, my point is that he is intermittently lame. Don't worry about replying, I was hoping for support/constructive help not abuse or to be called names.

[/ QUOTE ]

People responded to your original post as it was - they were not to know that the horse had not been lame inbetween time, nor that instructors had seen the horse.

Think about what you write and make sure it is clear enough and gives enough detail to get the answers you need.

It is rather rude of you to make such a comment - take a step out and read your original post and consider how and why you got the responses you did.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hello,

Last Sunday I noticed my horse was lame on his left hind in trot. I however continued to finish my ride in walk, I only went about 15 minutes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Says quite clearly therethat you DID indeed ride your lame horse.
Now call me pedantic if you will, but there is something rather uneasy in knowing that the rider is aware there is a lameness issue, however continues to stay wedged into that saddle, because god forbid he/she should have a 15 minute walk back to base!
 
Yes, clearly I haven't given near enough detail. My fault for being new to forums and yes I can see that its left things open for interpretation.

I have left info out so that I didn't end up writing pages but clearly that info was critical in some instances eg: him being seen by an instructor

My concious is clear and I saught the advise of others, I checked for lameness and I rang my farrier as he only had new shoes put on a week ago.

I will deal with it with the support and advise of those who have been and seen the situation with me because its not as clear cut as you seem to think.
 
A lame horse is a lame horse even if he does not show it in walk. Now that your horse has had a week and is still lame, it really is as clear cut as Call The Vet. It doesn't matter if your instructor/yard owner/ farrier/ friend/ knowledgeable man/ physio / chiro/ horse behaviourist etc etc has seen your horse. None of the above are qualified in veterinary medicine and cannot, legally, diagnose what is wrong with your horse. Neither can we. Only a qualified vet can.

You have a duty of care (and its a legal one) to call your vet.

People on here are getting frustrated at your post because we've seen posts like this many times before, and many creators of posts like yours are looking for a way to aviod calling the vet out, and will not take the advice given (to call said vet).

Hope that clears things up.

Good luck and hope its nothing too serious.
smile.gif
 
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