Lameness please help!!!

[Caritas]

I think.........my horse horse has been intermitantly lame for the last few months. The reason i say, i think is because im not sure if its linked. He threw a big splint back last nov time and was sound for a while, he then went very slightly lame 0.5/10ths on a circle in the school. On vets advice put him on 10 days box rest on bute with light walking excercise if well controlled. Once off bute he seemed to be sound, started to work again. A week or so later he seemed a little off again, gave him a few more days off and started light excercise on a surface once again. He has been sound for around 6 weeks and working well. The splint had lost its soreness and heat to the touch. A few days ago I noticed he seemed 0.5/10ths lame again on the same foreleg but only on a circle in trot in the school with that leg on the inside. i had been watching the splint for a while and was sure it had a slight bit of heat in it again but definately not sore if you squeezed it. Was hopeing that it may just be that flared up again. I would like to add that the longer he worked the more sound he looked. Booked him in to go to the vets tomorrow as had a bit of concern that it may not be that but unfortunatelymy vet has had to cancel. Now going to be waiting even longer. My main worry is that he may have navicular, does it really sound like it or would you be more confident to say it sounded like the splint. I know i shouldnt worry yet but just cant help it. He is a 16.3 hands, 7 year old warmblood with very small, upright boxy feet!!

 

[madhector]

ok, very similar thing happened to hector the first year i had him, when i got him he hadnt done any schooling for 6 yrs and was completly out of practice, i had him at livery and took full advantage of the facilities, lovely indoor school etc.., anyway, two months later he went lame, threw a splint, sorted that out and then a couple of months later he just wasnt right, had the vet look at him and eventually came to the conclussion that he was 1/10 lame on both front feet, and he threw another splint, i had done no road work and only worked him on a surface, had x rays as suspected navicular and all sorts, vet suggested natural balance shoes and no trot work and no circles, and he went sound within a week or two, we now know that with the shape of his feet he cant do alot of trotting in circles as it will cause him to throw a splint and go lame, dont know if this is any help at all but you mentioned splints and feet so thought it might, he had no signs of navicular at all, and after that we never had a problem with his front legs (the back ones are a different story

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[Jemayni]

Dont say the N word until you have proper reason too! It sounds like my horses lameness. He was just slightly lame for ages, the eventually went v.lame; he had bilateral lameness in coffin joint, fetlock and knees. Was a nightmare, because it was insanely difficult to diagnose. But he is fine and sound now; the cause was incredibly boxy pedal pones and hooves, hard groound and foot imbalance!