Lame horse - ideas much appreciated

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Pebble101

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My horse is lame on his near hind tonight. I am fairly sure it is in the fetlock area which seems a bit painful when I touch it. There is fractionally more heat there than in the other leg. He is noticably lame when he turns and he is sometimes trying to take the weight off his heel although there isn't any sign of anything in his foot. However he does have some large quite hard windgalls on both his hinds, but he has had these for years and had them when I bought him 9 years ago (although they weren't so big). Also there seems to be a bony lump on the top of the joint towards the back of the leg, but once again I think he has always had these and they are in both legs.

I did do a ODE yesterday but for once had help and actually walked back from the XC behind him thinking how relaxed he was and how well he was walking. And he certainly didn't seem lame at all. He was turned out last night and I didn't notice anything untoward when I bought him into the stable this morning for a couple of hours (but he did spend most of his time in flat out snoring).

I have some ideas in my mind (mainly bad as that's the way my luck is going) but would appreciate any thoughts.
 
Hi
Don't know where you are but the ground is rock hard with us. My horse was noticeably lame off fore on Wed, slighter warm but nothing much. Almost sound Fri, today I had him trotted up on the lane and he looks great so will pick up work again gradually tomorrow. I'm hoping it was just a tweak on the hard ground but all the worst scenarios, tendons etc spring to mind don't they? Perhaps yours has just jarred or twisted himself at the ode and just needs a few days off. Cold hosing is great too. Fingers crossed for you (and for me!)
 
I would cold hose for a couple of days and see what he's like. I've had to take the shoes off mine last week and due to the hard ground is now pretending she's stood on a nail every now and then!
 
He probably was sound when you followed him back from XC the adrenaline would still be kicking in. These things often show up a day or so later when they have rested and stiffened up. I hope it is just a tweak.
 
I suppose it could be anything from the minor to the major. So you can just leave it and suck and see - or call the vet to find out what's wrong.
 
Sounds like tendon injury to me, but if you thought your horse was lame you shouldn't really be exercising the horse at all. the bony lumps could be splints maybe? suggesting the horse has had significant overwork at some point which would weaken tendons- probably before you bought the horse if he has always had them (not accusing you of over working your horse!)

Unfortunatly i also bought a horse that was overworked in her early years before i bought her, she also has a splint. With tendon injuries it is a gradual thing that seems intermittent- as tendon fibres fray as the tendon tears so they can irritate at times, and then move into a comfortable position again (what my vet told me! ) like elastic and then can go rapidly downhill- as i found out :(. really hope this isnt the problem but it sounds very very similiar problem, sooner you get it diagnosed the better.

fingers crossed its something simple! :)
 
charleysummer said:
Sounds like tendon injury to me, but if you thought your horse was lame you shouldn't really be exercising the horse at all. the bony lumps could be splints maybe? suggesting the horse has had significant overwork at some point which would weaken tendons- probably before you bought the horse if he has always had them (not accusing you of over working your horse!)

Unfortunatly i also bought a horse that was overworked in her early years before i bought her, she also has a splint. With tendon injuries it is a gradual thing that seems intermittent- as tendon fibres fray as the tendon tears so they can irritate at times, and then move into a comfortable position again (what my vet told me! ) like elastic and then can go rapidly downhill- as i found out :(. really hope this isnt the problem but it sounds very very similiar problem, sooner you get it diagnosed the better.

fingers crossed its something simple! :)
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I didn't exercise him when he was lame. Not splints, they aren't in the right place.

My mind is working along possible annular ligament problems

The heat has gone out of it today but I can feel a raised pulse above the fetlock on that leg, but not on the other and he is probably more lame than yesterday.

I am awaiting a call from the vet.
 
Pebble101 said:
I didn't exercise him when he was lame. Not splints, they aren't in the right place.

My mind is working along possible annular ligament problems

The heat has gone out of it today but I can feel a raised pulse above the fetlock on that leg, but not on the other and he is probably more lame than yesterday.

I am awaiting a call from the vet.
Click to expand...


I really hope for a good outcome. hopefully not tendon- i think it is quite unusual to have a tendon injury on a hind leg, as if a horse is going to be put in circumstances to get a tendon injury it is usually on the front legs which carry the most wear.

let us know what the diagnosis is!
 
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