Lame Horse..Opinions?

[Bri]

Right...I'm not sure if I just have 'paranoid owner' syndrome. To me Sid looks obviously and badly lame....
Everyone at the stables thinks he's not too bad...what do you all think?
Apologies for my semi-naked YO, it was very warm!!!
http://www.clipshack.com/Clip.aspx?key=7AE7DF953E2A6519

 

[Bossanova]

certainly looks pretty stiff behind- has the vet seen him?

 

[kateknights]

I think he looks ok, but am not really an expert I'm afraid.
Kate x.

 

[_jetset_]

I agree, there is definitely some lameness there, you are not being paranoid at all! Have you had the vet out? Could be that he has had a knock in the field or when out riding... can you think of anything it could have been?

 

[vic07]

No you are not paranoid. He isn't right - have you checked his foot? Is there anything obvious up the leg?

 

[Vey]

That is not stiff it is definitely lame. Quite markedly lame.

 

[mandy4727]

Yep. Definitely lame. Left hind. I would get the vet. Not usually that easy to spot lameness in walk and not an active walk at that. Seems to be carrying it out to the side a bit as he steps on it too. Unless that is his normal action. Obviously don't know the horse. Have you felt for heat, puffiness. Does he flinch when you press anywhere. No kick marks around the stifle or anything. Does he need shoeing or been recently shod? Any stones in his feet? Just check for the obvious first and then at least you can rule them out.

 

[siennamiller]

I think he looks pretty bad too
sorry

 

[Bri]

Vet has been 3 times in a week! Has been nerve blocked and x-rays have shown nothing. He want's to try remedial shoeing, but from the way he moves his leg, it doesn't seem like it's the foot that is the problem

Isn't it funny how people can have such different views on it though!

 

[guisbrogal]

I ma in no way any expert but I would say that looks like he is 'very' lame on his white hind (I think it was the left). It looks to me like it is coming from his hock or his pelvis

 

[tashyisaudrey]

yeah I think he looks very stiff and lame

hope he gets better soon

 

[_jetset_]

Is he on anything?

 

[LEC]

Have you tried putting him on bute? Does he come sound on bute? I think it looks like stiffness/ maybe a bit higher towards stifle - does he come a bit better after being led out in hand for 5 mins? Have you tried magnets? As again they can often ease symptoms?

 

[Bri]

On 1 bute twice a day...video clip was from yesterday, and he'd been on bute since wednesday!
Vet was out again yesterday, and he's now also on circulon, and Joint spec...also had a joint supplement injected into him!

 

[_jetset_]

If it was something in his joint surely a nerve block would show something up in that area?? Was there no difference when he was nerve blocked? I have had a similar problem when Hannah was lame for a while a few weeks ago. The vet thought it could be her hock and she was on anti-inflamm for two weeks and is now sound. Luckily we didn't have to go down the nerve blocking route.

 

[Bri]

Nerve blocking was a nightmare!!!! Sid was rescued and has serious trust issues! Was rearing,plunging and spinning all over the place, but vet managed to get him blocked from the fetlock down....
Before it he was 'cripplingly' lame, but after blocks he was more comfortable, although still slightly lame.
Lots of X-rays done of foot and Vet did some of Hock just incase and they showed no obvious changes...

Even the Vet things from the way he moves it doesn't seem to be his foot that's the problem, but nerve blocks suggested it was, and Vet is very reluctant to do anymore as he thinks it could be very bad for Sid's mental health..bless him!! Next step is MRI scan if shoes do nothing..

 

[_jetset_]

When Hannah was lame I was on the Richard Maxwell forum and his wife said that when one of their horses was lame and it looked higher up, it was actually his foot. Apparently it can make the lameness look higher up even though it is their foot.

I hope that you find out soon what it is, I think the worse part is not knowing at all. Hopefully the shoeing will help, and then you will know it is a foot problem.

 

[Kelly1982]

Video keeps buffering

but in the 3 strides i saw him take i would definatly say that yes he is very lame

Could the problem be in his back or has the vet looked into that possibility?? Just a thought if all test are showing clear

 

[Bri]

He hasn't actually...

Definitley something I'll mention to him though, as last time I rode him before he went lame, he was bucking and kicking out like crazy when asked for an inside bend to the right!

 

[_jetset_]

Oooo... this sounds quite fishy then, as though it could be something to do with his back. Have you got a good horse chiro or physio you know about? When Han was lame I got someone up just to erradicate everything that I could.

Rebecca

 

[Kelly1982]

Its worth thinking about as you have mentioned he still wasn't right after the nerve blocks even though he was a bit more comfortable.

I know its expensive but have you thought about a bone scan as well?? Hopefully your insurance will pay for that.

I'm obvioulsy no vet but its worth mentioning to the vet to see what he thinks

 

[Bri]

Vet think's it must be feet because of the nerve block...
Shoes are on tomorrow, and he's coming back next week to see how he's doing.
If no improvement I will definitely ask him to look at his back...I know he looked at his hips when he first came out though.

What would the bone scan show? Vet wants to do MRI, but obviously if that show's nothing, migh have to consider other options!!

 

[_jetset_]

I would just get a back person up anyway if I were you, it can do no harm. They are usually really quiet around the horse and are used to horses in pain, or distressed.