Lameness Help!

[If_you_see_kate]

Hello! Bit of a long one here:

I have a 10 year old tb gelding who in November last year started with some lameness (in what I thought was the hoof area). Farrier checked and decided it was bruising, it cleared up in a week or two and we were back to normal. It happened again about a month or so after the first one, so I got the vet out, who said bute and box rest for a week, and if it was to happen again to come in for a lameness work up. The bute didn't seem to help but after a week of box rest he was fine. In the mean time, I have swapped farriers as my first one was not doing a great job with his feet (which I assume has something to do with the issues)

Fast forward to January, and we went on a VERY long and wet hack, and he came back dog lame. I'd booked in for the full lameness work up, and an abscess came through literally the day before, so lameness work up cancelled. My new farrier also agreed that his soles were thin and soft, which is causing bruising and abscesses. He's been sound now from January through to October.

This past week he's come in lame again, after a wet day in the field and a stoney hack. He's slightly off on the soft, 100% fine in the field, but almost hopping lame on the hard ground in trot. I've obviously had the vet out who has flexion tested etc, decided it's in the hoof, and he's booked in for a lameness work up on Friday morning.

I suppose I'm just looking to see if anyone has been in a similar situation at all, and can offer me any hope at all because at the moment I'm fearing the worst!

 

[Equi]

Whats he fed?

Is it just the one leg?

 

[If_you_see_kate]

Whats he fed?

Top spec balancer, pink mash, alfalfa chop (only been introduced the past few months), calmer, micronised linseed, biotin, seaweed and apple cider vinegar ?

 

[Equi]

I edited my post to ask if it was only one hoof, you maybe missed it lol

 

[If_you_see_kate]

I edited my post to ask if it was only one hoof, you maybe missed it lol

Ooh sorry! Yes just the one leg ?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Sounds like it could be really sensitive soles especially if they are thin, what are his feet like?

 

[AmyMay]

Hopefully they’ll X-ray his feet.

 

[Equi]

Ooh sorry! Yes just the one leg ?

Try not to get too ahead of yourself until you know what you are dealing with, it may be simple or it may not but getting yourself worked up before hand won't help your stress levels. It may just be the abcess didn't drain fully the last time and is still there and the vet will need to take it right out and need a wet/dry poultice for a few days.

 

[If_you_see_kate]

Sounds like it could be really sensitive soles especially if they are thin, what are his feet like?

Pretty terrible 'typical' flat thoroughbred feet - although I'm working on it with my farrier

 

[Equi]

Have you any photos of them from the floor looking directly to the side of them, without the rings?

Also, im going to assume the lame one is the white one (my little mare has white feet and they are always so much softer than the ones with black feet, darn white hooves lol) What reason has the farrier put the side clips on at the front for?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

The toes look long as well I think it's worth getting x rays done as they don't look balanced at all, hopefully it might just be a case of getting the foot balance right fingers crossed it's nothing too awful.

 

[asmp]

Calcified side bones? I’d never heard of them until my horse’s front hooves were x-rayed and they showed up. It explained the odd bouts of lameness, which I had put down to bruised soles.

 

[If_you_see_kate]

Have you any photos of them from the floor looking directly to the side of them, without the rings?

Also, im going to assume the lame one is the white one! What reason has the farrier put the side clips on at the front for?

I have no photos of the side unfortunately!

Yes it is the white, my current farrier changed to side clips as my previous farrier had front clips on and he thought this may have been putting too much pressure on his toes (I think! But i don't remember fully what he said!)

 

[If_you_see_kate]

The toes look long as well I think it's worth getting x rays done as they don't look balanced at all, hopefully it might just be a case of getting the foot balance right fingers crossed it's nothing too awful.

Yes, I think this may be the issue - we've been trying to correct the issues from my previous farrier but it's hard work when he doesn't grow much hoof!

 

[Equi]

White hooves can be the devil, esp in thin soled sensitive types. I would maybe look at getting a proper equine nutritionist on board to help take any sugars out of his feed and use all hoof promoting feeds, keep working on getting them shorter and more balanced and if you are planning any stony work think about getting some sort of sole cover for that hoof? Others will know a lot more about all this than i do, but thats just my thoughts

I feel we need to have a photo of his head, now we have seen his feets

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Does he kick the door at feed time?

 

[If_you_see_kate]

White hooves can be the devil, esp in thin soled sensitive types. I would maybe look at getting a proper equine nutritionist on board to help take any sugars out of his feed and use all hoof promoting feeds, keep working on getting them shorter and more balanced and if you are planning any stony work think about getting some sort of sole cover for that hoof? Others will know a lot more about all this than i do, but thats just my thoughts

I feel we need to have a photo of his head, now we have seen his feets

Yes! And he has three ? that's a good idea - I will see if I can speak to someone about his feed! Thank you for your ideas - I appreciate them ?

Photo of him attached at his first ever show! He's such a dream to ride and has a lovely demeanour so I hope it all turns out well for him ?

 

[If_you_see_kate]

Does he kick the door at feed time?

He will have a kick yes - he also paws the ground a lot!

 

[Equi]

What a stunner!

 

[If_you_see_kate]

What a stunner!

He really is ? certainly doesn't suit his name 'Paul' haha

 

[Equi]

Haha Paul is a fab name! Do let us know how things go on Friday

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

He will have a kick yes - he also paws the ground a lot!

Mine has given himself concussion in the hoof from kicking the door which had left him very lame. Vet spent ages nerve blocking and hoof testing looking for abscesses etc but it was fixed by removing the stable door and replacing it with a bar, or by using a quit kick.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Paul is such a cool name!

 

[If_you_see_kate]

Just an update for anyone interested! He was initially diagnosed with an 'inflamed navicular bone', he was treated with osphos and steroids. 99% improvement so the vet sent him for an MRI. The MRI showed he had an old ddft tear, unbalanced feet and a teeny weeny bit of arthritis! We are now coming to the end of 8 weeks box rest, fully barefoot and sound! (vet is due out next week to give us the ok) ?

 

[ycbm]

Great update, will you keep him barefoot? We can offer a lot of support if you struggle.
.

 

[AmyMay]

Thanks for updating. So glad your boy is on the mend.

 

[If_you_see_kate]

Great update, will you keep him barefoot? We can offer a lot of support if you struggle.
.

Absolutely! There is no way I am putting shoes back on him! My only worry is that my farrier thinks his hoof 'sinks' in the mud and wet weather, so I think we will have to tackle that when he goes back out ?