lame mare- any advice gratefully received....

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pelena

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Hello all,
my mare came out of her stable yesterday morning hopping lame at a walk. She was only lightly ridden the night before with no obvious incidents, and came back from the ride absolutely sound, so something must have happened in her stable overnight.
Got vet out straight away. The problem seemed to come from the fetlock/pastern area so we had her x-rayed immediately. X-ray showed nothing (and thankfully no sign of a fracture in the pastern.) Because she is tricky to shoe we didn't xray the foot (would have had to remove the shoe) and the vet said to give it a few days first. Although she said she couldn't rule out a pedal bone fracture 100%, she doesn't think the lameness is coming from the foot.
The vet also said her gut feeling was that she just wrenched her leg- has anyone had any experience of a horse doing this and is it possible for her to be lame at a walk from just a wrench? She is on anti-inflammatories at mo and seems a lot happier this morning, and is no longer resting the leg.
Sorry about the lengthy post but am quite anxious about her. Would be very grateful for any opinions/advice. (also posted in veterinary forum)
 
Horses do the strangest things when no one is looking!! Yes I have had horses go lame for no apparent reason, sometimes just letting them rest and they come right by themselves. You did the right thing calling the Vet out tho and I would follow his advice. Have a look at the stable walls, she may have got cast in the night.
 
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lost said:
Horses do the strangest things when no one is looking!! Yes I have had horses go lame for no apparent reason, sometimes just letting them rest and they come right by themselves. You did the right thing calling the Vet out tho and I would follow his advice. Have a look at the stable walls, she may have got cast in the night.
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Thanks! She doesn't usually lie down but I can't imagine what else she could have done.... It's sod's law really, she has jumped out of her field over a five-barred gate onto concrete in the past without getting a scratch on her... and then this!
 
I guess your vet put hoof testers on her but my first thought would be abcess in the hoof. Usually makes them hopping lame in a very short time frame.

My horse did a similar thing overnight in the stable and was so lame he couldn't weight bear on his hind leg. Vet thought it was a fracture he was so bad, turned out he had bruised the tendon sheath around the hock. We think he may have managed to get the leg stuck in a cross surcingle to cause it.

Hope whatever it is heals as fast as it developed.
 
bounce said:
I guess your vet put hoof testers on her but my first thought would be abcess in the hoof. Usually makes them hopping lame in a very short time frame.
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Agree with this and also, if your horse is tricky to shoe, then it is possible that she has been inadvertently pricked which has resulted in an abscess. Happened to my gelding loads of times in the past (unfortunately!)
 
My horse was mysteriously lame (3legged at walk) a while back as well! Vet came out immediately, and did hoof tests etc. No reaction at all! vet said was prob a hoof abcess and gave antu inflammatories and that was it. Next day she was much better though stil abit lame. Got the farrier to come out and he said it was just a strain. Sure enough,give it 2 days and she was sound as a pound. But she cut her fetlock in a fight a week after soundness (cue box rest and anti biotics and money again)...


accidents accidents.

And agreed to previous comments. Most likely abcess or she might have kicked her stable door or something that caused a bruise (if x rays etc no result). But it can be a bit tricky as some horses have hoff abcesses but don't react to hoof testers (though rare). I'd get a farrier to look at it as well
 
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thanks for all your replies. She is a lot more comfortable and putting weight on the leg (right hind) so the anti-inflammatories seem to be doing the job. Getting the farrier's opinion is a really good idea
 
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