Lame youngster

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angelat

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Apologies for the lenght but am hoping someone might be able to advise. Have recently bought a 4 yr old German warmblood (5 at end March) who passed a 2 stage vetting. He had front shoes on when bought 2nd Jan (has a more upright near fore but that wasn't thought to be a problem) and had back shoes put on for first time 16th Jan. Only backed at end of 2007 and not worked regularly while at dealers yard. Rode from 3rd Jan but on 19th Jan he appeared intermittantly unlevel - no heat, swelling, cuts on legs - was lunged day before and apparently had been a bit lively but no other clues. Put on box rest and vet saw on 29th Jan - suspected sore back/tender spots due to saddle. Hence stopped riding and lunged gently until new saddle fitted on 8th Feb. Saddler also suspects sore points around near shoulder and off hindquarters and thinks saddle we had borrowed may be implicated. As of today (11th Feb) still intermittantly unlevel in trot. Much worse on harder tracks and even noticeable in walk on downhill (seems to be near fore but hard to tell). Seems to improve as works. Current opinion is to keep riding and try and get a consistent lameness to appear (or for him to improve) before calling vets and/or physio again. Is it possible that this could be muscle soreness due to original saddle, due to him coming into work for first time or is there anything more sinister I should be worrying about? I have him under warrantly until end March so am keen to get a diagnosis and treatment options so we can decide what to do. He's a lovely horse so would be more than willing to try and work through any problems.
 
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I have him under warrantly until end March

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In that case, I'd be inclined to get a full medical work up on him. No point faffing around if there's any chance the horse may be returned.
 
I'd agree, if he's under warranty either get a full work up with nerve blocks/x-rays etc or send him back! Sounds a bit navicular type symptoms to me.
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Although obviously navicular is just a catch all for a whole host of problems from the minor to the major, so definitely worth investigating from the foot up I would say if you plan to keep him.
 
down hill issues can also be a problem with the hocks causing the horse to fall forwards onto the forehand heavily, thereby seeming lame infront.

As you have a return option I really wouldn't be hanging about - get a diagnosis and make an informed decision about his future.
 
Hi everyone, thanks so much for you comments, really useful and fits with what I am planning to do on the advice of the yard. But from what I have read and I may well be wrong, a full lameness work up involving nerve blocks and x rays is only useful when the vet has something to work with namely an obvious and consistent lameness and Iggy isn't obviously or consistently lame and never has been. Hence we are currently trying to make him lame - am I correct??? Mind you he hasn't helped the overall picture by trying to jump out of the field yesterday with his partner in crime and crashing through the fence...
 
Yes usually the vets want them lame, but with my friend's boy who just wasn't right, he went in for a work up in the end and we were horrified by how lame he was on a) a concrete lunge circle and b) once he had a nerve block in one front foot, he was horribly lame on the other and vice versa - he was so billaterally lame, that it made him look sound, just not quite right!

Its a difficult one though.
 
The idea is generally to try and make them more obviously lame to have something to work with, it is also true that bilateral limb lameness can make them appear to be "sound". In my general experience youngsters that go lame for no obvious reason or have a low grade issues, the long term outlook is not usually that good. It is def a difficult one and my advise would be to work him for the next couple of weeks and see what happens and then if still not right either investigate with nerve blocks etc or send him back.
 
i had this with my 4 year old warmblood.
is he footsore at all from having no shoes on? my horse broke off what hoof he did have so was basically walking on his soles.

But he has recently had intermitant lameness only in trot.
He went to vet hospital and got x-ray/nerve blocked and it turns out he had an oddly shaped bone chip sitting at the coffin joint.

But the vet who initially checked him (prior to referring ) had said the navicular could be an issue giving the situation.,

Id say get the work up done so you know whats going on before your warranty runs out.
How trust worthy is the dealer?
They all get x-rayed on the continent and if you didnt get the x-rays with him, then it may be there was something on them.
 
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am sorry but not sure if you said u had already x-rayed???If your happy to i would have him x-rayed paying particular attention to the navicular bone, is going to be a process of 'elemination' and that wud be my first place to 'eleminate!' is quite unusual for young horses to have navicular, tho obv not unheard of!
 
Hi thanks again everyone, I have never used this forum before and am delighted it is so helpful. I am pleased to report that Iggy was sound part from a couple of initial steps in trot - Monday night and again this morning - maybe the new saddle is helping after all or crashing through the fence has taken his mind off his previous issue! I may stilll get a full work up inc x rays since the dealer didn't pass any over and and, in light of the comments about all warmbloods being x rayed on the Continent, I might ask about that. The dealer has been established about 20 yrs and is well known locally inc by the owner of the yard I'm at and the top equine vet so as far as you can ever be sure I think he's decent. Thanks again, fingers crossed for a positive outcome.
 
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