Is my horse a hypochondriac!? Rather long...

[darksecret99]

Had the farrier out (AGAIN) on saturday, as my boy was seriously hobbling on one front leg and I was sure it was the foot - no obvious heat or swelling etc, so he took the shoe off to have a look, trimmed some of the hoof back, but didnt find anything, so put the shoe back on... figuring if it was bruising it would gradually get better, or if it was an abscess it would show itself in a few days.... so I put him out as he was already much happier and by the end of the day, he was fine again!!??

The farrier checked there were no tight nails or anything (the shoes had been on a week and a half), so unless there was something sharp stuck under the shoe that came unstuck when he took the shoe off... theres no real explanation!

His last hopping episode was because he had a tiny flake of hoof on one hind (which are unshod) that needed trimming off... you would seriously have thought his leg was going to fall off from the performance he gave!!

Does anyone else have problems like this? He is only nearly 5, so I'm hoping he will grow out of it!

And there was me worrying on friday that it was his sacroilliac problems coming back again... I should have known it would be something new!!! Makes me wonder if the SI thing is real or not now though!!?? Perhaps best to err on the side of caution with that one though... will speak to the physio on her next visit....

 

[bensababy]

i have the exact same problem with my pony - a friend was riding him for me once he went round a corner and pulled up with his leg just dangling there - looked like it had been snapped in half (very sickening), tried to get him to walk to stable - he hopped on 3 legs - phoned vet in panic - they came out and he was sound, he now does this regulary when been ridden to get out of work!

 

[Skhosu]

We had a pony visiting once that suddenly went on three legs, would not put the leg down. I pulled some nails out of the shoe and he was suddenly much better. My guess is the nails were too high/tight?

 

[darksecret99]

I dont think he's faking... he's not in work due to the SI problem anyway, so isnt being lazy... he genuinely seemed to think there was something seriously wrong!

The farrier didnt seem to think the nails were tight or anything (and it was a different farrier to my usual one, cos he was away, so he wasnt covering his back!).... but I guess there must have been something.... perhaps he is just ultra sensitive and a nail was marginally tight/high.....

I really hope he grows out of his whimpishness though, its so frustrating, luckily the farrier doesnt charge call out!!