Lame on a circle on right rein???? (sorry quite long)

ernikins

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I am getting the vet out, but I wondered whether anyone had any ideas of what this could be...

Horse has always been sound as a pound - never a lame step, just before Xmas farrier came out and horse went lame on off fore - but very obviously footy - so farrier back out and took off shoe, nail had been a bit tight, horse went sound almost straight away. It was around the same time that we had all that frost, I turned my horse out one morning for a leg stretch and although normally doesn't move faster than walk in field he had a bit of a hoon around, next thing I know slight fluidy lump on inside of leg just under the back of his knee - no heat, no swelling down tendon, feels like a fluidy vein - if that makes sense!! This is in the leg that he wasn't sore on from the farrier. No lameness and no sensitivity, but fluidy thing has still not gone. Have taken it fairl easy with him anyway over Xmas but a couple of times hacking out he has been on a bit of uneven road and taken a few lame steps then righted himself - so I just thought as he was fresh and looking at everything he was just being clumsy.
Now lunged him this morning on a newly harrowed school and started off on the left rein and he was absolutely perfect, walked, trotted, cantered absolutely 100% sound, changed reins and almost instantly he was obviously lame on the inside leg - stopped him and had a look, nothing in foot or anything - tried again and still lame. Brought him out and trotted him up in a straight line on the hard and he didn't look lame, but not quite right.

Anyone any ideas?? He is 6 year old TB, not had a hard life, and is supposed to be starting BE this year having done bits and bobs last year. As I said I am going to get the vet out anyway - but anyone got any thoughts???
 
Have you anywhere to jog lunge him on a hard surface. If its in the foot he should be obviously hopping lame in at least one direction, even if he's sound in a straight line. If he can jog without looking crippled on both reins on hard ground its probably higher up the leg. Either way its probably worth the vet having a look if its gone on a bit.
 
Yes, could be the check ligament.
See here:
img02-full.jpg
 
I can lunge him on the hard, but I thought as he was lame on the surface I would be best not doing this. It is definitely not footy lameness - so I should think it is further up the leg.
 
I have looked it up and don't think it is check ligament - because it is higher up, more in line with the back of the knee - there is absolutely no swelling down the tendon it is just at the top on the inside - feels like a fluidy vein!!
 
Whether it looks like a footy lameness or not-I would lunge him on the hard and see how he is- because that is the ultimate test for foot pain-just lunge for a few circles. Apart from the fluidy vein which *may* just be nothing the symptons sound so similar to a horse that I know, which was diagnosed with lameness in both front feet- it was noticeably lame lunging on a circle on the hard, but sound on the straight.
Has his back become sore anywhere? That can also be a sign of foot pain because they hold their backs to take the weight of their feet.
 
He had his back treated just before Christmas and was in really good form, however I used a saddle cloth at the weekend that has rubbed him slightly on his shoulder and at the back of his saddle so I guess he could be a bit tender there. The vet has advised box rest for a few days and they are coming out on thursday and will be bringing the scanner to check it all out! I am so worried - I try and look after his legs so much!! The farrier has had the hoof testers on his feet to check if he was sore and nothing!
 
My horse gets corns that the farrier sometimes doesn't find(but vets do???!!!) and goes a very tiny bit uneven on left turns in an arena but is absolutely hopping on a circle on hard ground. Just with you saying he went lame on the inside leg on the right rein, this was the leg with the sore foot before Christmas wasn't it, not the one with the swelling? I can't keep up. Its a bugger when the question isn't "is it lame" but "which of the multiple problems we know about is causing the lameness, or is it a completely new problem."
 
Sorry - it is confusing - he was lame on the near fore before Xmas, and then now he is lame on thr right rein on his off fore - which is the one with swelling!!!! I can't keep up myself either!! It may be that it is coincidence that he was lame after farrier??
 
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