Lame pony

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showjump2003

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My 14.2hh pony is lame. She has been out of work for a few weeks recently just because I haven't had time/motivation to ride her, not because of any lameness issues or anything. Last week the farrier came out to re-shoe her and at the time we both noticed that she was a bit funny about standing to be shod on one of her front legs. My farrier checked her foot and there was no soreness or anything. He thought it might have been her knee but of course he isn't a vet. So a week later (yesterday) I decide to bring her back in to work and put her on the lunge. As soon as I asked for trot it was obvious she was lame on her front. I had my camera with me so quickly videoed a couple of circuits on the lunge in trot before pulling her up so I could have a good look at it later. She isn't hopping lame but she is definatly lame with a bit of a head nod
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. Unfortunatly my local vets are farm vets and as much as I appreciate them they are quite hopeless with horses and if I called them out now all they would do is give her bute so that isn't really an option as she looks more than happy in the field.

I'm not sure where the lameness is coming from, the knee or the shoulder, I'm thinking maybe the shoulder from the video.

She was seen by the farrier over a week ago and was off work for a few weeks before that so she may have been lame for 2 weeks +.

My mare is 16/17 now going by the age the dealer gave me when I got her *has been confirmed as roughly right by a dentist*. Could this be the start of arthritis do you think?
 
Don't think you can really guess at anything to be honest? Is there any heat/swelling anywhere? It could be arthritis but there are a lot of other things it could be....is there an equine vet anywhere around you that you could call out? BTW our farrier (ex farrier, to be precise) swore blind that our mare was lame from the shoulder down....nerve blocks have shown its in the foot, so really hard to tell).
Maybe try a couple of days box rest and bute, and if she doesn't improve think you need to get a vet out I'm afraid, may need nerve blocks and xrays to confirm what it is.
Hope she gets better soon!
 
Seeing as she isn't hopping lame and is quite happy I'm gpoing to leave her where she is (turned out in a small paddock with her best mate) and give her up to a week until I try her again. Of course I will get it fully investigated if it continues.
 
Sorry, hope you didn't think I was trying to criticise!! I really wasn't, hate it when people try to boss me into doing things their way with my horse, I'm no expert but do know my horses well and would always do my best for them. Your post just rung a bell with me with our girl who is (still lame) and not really being able to see anything obvius wring at all (neit can vet tbf!)
Wish you best of luck with her.
 
It's ok lol. Jutst worried about my pony, had her since was was 4, some 12 years now.

Our nearest equine vets is over 2 hours away at least. God damn living in the middle of nowhere in Wales! lol
 
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