Lame horsey help - could it be more?

[WishfulThinker]

Neighbours pony is lame, but the girl who rides my horse told me that its like, really stiff in its back legs and tripping over its front legs. It sounds more than just a simple lameness. The vet is coming out tomorrow to see pony, but what could it be?

Their other pony died a month or so ago in my field from either colic or heart attack, they never fond out which, And this pony was in there on sat for a few hours - think maybe over night.
I do wonder if it is something in the field, but my boy is ok, and so is the wee companion pony.

Any ideas? This is same pony that is rather skinny. After seeing vet school I worry that its grass sickness!

 

[Tamba]

Hiya
I dont know what that could be..
Was thinking that if it is very stiff behind, then that may cause it to trip on its front legs..
I should think if it was anything like grass sickness, it would be showing other servere symtons..and if its only lameness then I should think its to do with its limbs..
Although, Im no vet... so I would just get the vets opinion if I was worried about something.

 

[Shay]

Grass sickness in it's acute form is far more drammatic; and in it's chronic form far less so - so that isn't terribly likely. It is also quite rare. It is more likely to affect young horses and, for all it is called grass sickness, the link to a grazed paddock has never actually been proved. (That said I'd be reluctant to put my lad on a pasture known to have been grazed recently by an animal with grass sickness.)

You don't say how old the horse is - degenerative joint problems associated with age could be responsible. Also possibly low grade chronic lami associated with Cushings?

Azoturia (tying up or monday morning disease) can cause acute stiffness and reluctance to move.

The symptoms do sound very reminiscent of tetanus though. Assuming the Pony is vaccinated then obviously this is a non runner. But I'm old enough - and I grew up is South Africa where the vaccine was later in coming - to have seen several horses with tetanus when I was younger and this is just what the early stages looked like. It isn't a sight you forget.

If it is tetanus then please make sure your horse's vaccinations are up to date! (Actually - probably do that anyway - tetanus is a horrible way for a horse to die. We see it so rarely now, thankfully!)

Post and let us know what it was!

 

[AmyMay]

The symptoms do sound very reminiscent of tetanus

My thoughts too.

 

[WishfulThinker]

My thoughts too.

The vet is coming out to give it jabs tomorrow. I had thought grass sickness due to them saying it had been sweating a lot and it was visably tucked up at the weekend when ridden.

But I hope its nothing too bad, as he didnt look 100% on sunday, but she was riding him so he cant have been that bad.