Lameness in new horse - Aaarghh!!!!!!!

[RubyR]

I bought a new horse about 4 weeks ago now. He is 11 yrs and was described as a safe riding club allrounder. He has been great but one week ago (just before I was going to have my first lesson on him - TYPICAL), he went lame. Got the vet out and they couldn't feel any heat/swelling in his legs. Believe the lameness is in his near fore. He has been on box rest for a week and vet came out again today. Although she thought he had improved, he was still lame and they want him to go to them for a proper lameness work up (nerve blocks, x-rays etc). I can't believe my bad luck. I had a 5-stage vetting done when I bought him and haven't worked him hard since he arrived. I was just getting to know him on leisurely hacks etc. Today, the vet thought it might be a problem in his foot but wouldn't like to guess until they get him in to examine him further. Anyone any ideas? I'm trying not to get too depressed about it but its difficult.

 

[alicedove]

I bought a horse, first week in June, aged 10 TB type.

(she was too fizzy and over horsed my daughter so I had to sell, gone to nice home... bless her)

anyhoo.... she failed the vet on a flexion and I bought her anyway, not long after that she went lame in the other foreleg, low down. I was really worried.

She came right after about four weeks, including some box rest, light in hand walking, turn out, etc. I reckon she had twisted something in the field, it wasn't a bruised sole but it was low. No heat, no swelling. It was okay in the end.

 

[RubyR]

Thanks Armhole. Its re-assuring to know its not always something serious. Fingers crossed

 

[Maesfen]

Get your farrier to whip the shoe off and have a furkle around, they are by far the best experts if it could be a problem in the foot. If he can't find anything then is the time for x-rays etc imo.

 

[kanter]

Did you have blood sample taken at vetting? May be worth having it analysed?

 

[merlinsquest]

I bought a pony for my daughters and he was delivered on a wednesday..... I was at work all day on Thursday and received a call to say new pony couldnt put front leg to floor

Sped to the yard and sure enough it looked like he had broken it (out with others and thought he had been kicked).

Vet came out and discovered a huge abcess in his foot

she cut a hole and he was fine within two weeks.

Couldnt believe that he was sound when we tried him and crippled when we got him.

 

[Blizzard]

I currently have a lame horse, offside fore, so can sympthasize.
I had one (useless) vet out who wouldnt even touch him, and because I mentioned m yfarrier had said he was stiff in that shoulder, she just said oh its his soulder so he needs to come into hospital for nerve blocks/x rays/ lameness work up.

This horse is completey sound on the straight, only lame on a tight circle on right rein.

so anyway the farrier had said his shoe on that foot was pinching him, on the outside, so he sorted that out...surely any vet worth their salt would have said well it may be bruising from the shoe,but this vet was crap, she was too scared to do flexion tests on him, me and my friend had to do them.
and if it was his shoulder he woudnt be sound on the straight.

so anyway i got another vet out, a good one, and he she did tests on his foot an established he is very sore on the part of the foot he is lame on, so he is now on bute for a week to see how tat goes.
he is VERY lame on a circle but totally sound on the straight so she didnt see a point sending him away yet for a full work up etc, but if he isnt sound after the bute he has to go in.

how lame is he?

 

[dieseldog]

Are they sure it isn't an abcess before they start charging you loads of money? Is therer a farrier coming up to your yard who can have a look for you?

 

[AmyMay]

Are you sure he hasn't bruised his sole or anything similar?

My horse went lame a month after purchasing him - bruised sole.....

 

[RubyR]

AmyMay the vet tried hoof testers on him and nothing, but I'm hoping it is something like that.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
AmyMay the vet tried hoof testers on him and nothing, but I'm hoping it is something like that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ahh. Thumpers bruising was obvious on the foot - quite pink in places where he had been over some stones.