Locked Stifle??

Tinsel Town

Tinsel Town

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I wondered if this had happened to anyone else and what treatment was given....
I was riding my horse today in the school for approx an hour, not heavy work, mainly walk and trot and getting him onto a contact.
We did a turn on the forhand as on of the last things we were doing, and as we walked out of it my friend suddenly noticed he was limping really badly. (we had only taking 2 strides).
So I got off, and he was holding his right hind up, and wasnt putting any weight on it at all, my friend told me to back him up, which I did, and he seemed to put more weight on it and stepped back a few steps.
I then walked him round the school and kept him moving, and he seemed to be walking more or less ok again, he did look slightly lame though.
I gave him two danalol and turned him out (he lives out 24/7), we thought he had a locked stifle, but wondered if this sort of thing had happened to anyone else and what treatment was given? Im worrying.....
Thanks :D
 
not 100% convinced it was a locked stifle-was he dragging the leg? my TB gets this and he drags the leg completely rigid, unable to flex it at all until the stifle releases. it is backing up that releases it though so could be....

if it IS a lcoked stifle you need to do lots of slow hillwork and walking over raised poles to strengthen the ligament, and i have found that an armadillo magnetic rug used for 6-12 hours a day has worked wonders.

i wouldnt panic too much, my horse is 6yo, has suffered since i bought him as a 4yo, is schooling well at advanced medium, wont elem with 71% last year, jumps etc and is never sore or lame per se on the affected leg. vet is happy its down to a lax ligament and nothing wrong with the actual bony structure.
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
not 100% convinced it was a locked stifle-was he dragging the leg? my TB gets this and he drags the leg completely rigid, unable to flex it at all until the stifle releases. it is backing up that releases it though so could be....

if it IS a lcoked stifle you need to do lots of slow hillwork and walking over raised poles to strengthen the ligament, and i have found that an armadillo magnetic rug used for 6-12 hours a day has worked wonders.

i wouldnt panic too much, my horse is 6yo, has suffered since i bought him as a 4yo, is schooling well at advanced medium, wont elem with 71% last year, jumps etc and is never sore or lame per se on the affected leg. vet is happy its down to a lax ligament and nothing wrong with the actual bony structure.
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No he wasnt dragging it, more like hopping as he wouldnt put any weight on it. Hes 8, and we've had him for a year and as far as I'm aware this has never happened before. Thanks for the advice :)
 
i could be wrong but think they usually drag the leg, because the stifle locks at extension not contraction so if locked wouldnt be able to grab the leg up in order to hop? does that make sense?

as i say, im no expert, so if i were you id ring vet for a chat, he may well say im wrong and the leg CAN lock and have them hop.

was he sound immediately afterwards? even if locked badly my boy will trot away 100% sound once released and isnt sore even if you hold and flex the leg afterwards.
again im no expert but i dont think a locking stifle usually leaves them sore/lame.
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
i could be wrong but think they usually drag the leg, because the stifle locks at extension not contraction so if locked wouldnt be able to grab the leg up in order to hop? does that make sense?

as i say, im no expert, so if i were you id ring vet for a chat, he may well say im wrong and the leg CAN lock and have them hop.

was he sound immediately afterwards? even if locked badly my boy will trot away 100% sound once released and isnt sore even if you hold and flex the leg afterwards.
again im no expert but i dont think a locking stifle usually leaves them sore/lame.
Click to expand...

Yeah that makes sense :) He was pretty much sound after I backed him up, but he was still not completely right, I would still have said he was a touch lame, and when we touched his quaters and ran our hand down his leg towards his stifle he seemed to be in quite a bit of pain as he kicked out (which he never does normally), hummm maybe its not a locked stifle, I'll call the vet tomorrow see what they think. thanks :D
 
We have a 5 y/o who has a locking stifle and an 8 y/o who's will do it occasionally, it locks straight and takes some walking off, but they aren't lame from it and can't snatch it up. It's just loose ligaments if its a locking stifle which can be cured with strengthening exercises, I agree with PS, that doesn't sound like one.
 
I know a horse with a locking stifle- agree with the others doesn't sound like it really. Its a very obvious kind of 'lock' usually- the le gets sort of stuck, usually out backwards- and then kind of snaps back into place with no after effects.
 
my friends pony has locking stifles and i agree with everyone else is your horse the appaloosa in your pics? as my friends pony is an appaloosa and the vet said its very common in them
 
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