Intermittent lameness, grass related, thoughts?

[Trules]

Hi, i have a TB mare age 11, owned for 4 years, has always lived out in the same field scince i have had her. competition fit. about 3 weeks ago started with a lameness in off fore, which disappeared next morning after a night in. ridden as normal. week later lame again, this time for 3 days after stabling. i assumed an abcess was brewing, farrier took shoe off had a good poke around, found nothing although foot was warm, put shoe back on. A week later, lame again, foot really warm, got vet up. he suspected bruising, advised box rest. She was in for 4 days, it was the really cold week, turned her out on the thursday, sound as a pound, foot cold again. so out in the field for 4 days, until hopping lame again yesterday, foot red hot, stabled her overnight. sound as a pound again today, just lunged her, she looks a picture of health!
i'm beginning to think this is grass related now, rather than a brewing abcess, as she comes right when stabled. what do you guys think? she has never had any symptoms like this before.
Thanks for reading!

 

[CobsGalore]

Is it always the same foot/leg which is hot and lame?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Could be an abscess. My chestnut came sound after being stabled overnight, then went lame having been out for a few hours. It turned out to be a nasty abscess that was eating it's way sideways around the hoof wall, so never went up and popped at the top.

The reason it was going sideways rather than up, was because she had long toes and therefore a stretched white line. I would look at your horse's hooves with a cold eye. Are the toes long? Are the heels under-run?

 

[Trules]

thanks for replies, yes it is always same foot, it is likely to be an abcess, foot is still warm, but she does appear sound on a soft surface. i'm worried that it is deep routed and going to cause further damage to her foot.
she has very good feet, never had any issues before.

i'll give the vet another call. although they charged me £64 last week just to suggest bruising and box rest, took all of 5 minutes!

thanks again
xx

 

[Meowy Catkin]

It might be worth x-raying the hoof.