Looking Lame...

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Bedlam

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Reposting this in here as I didn't get any replies in NL.....

Can a horse 'look lame' without actually being lame do you think? I know it isn't always black and white with a lot of things, but I just wondered whether it is ever possible to know when to ignore what appears to be lameness...?
 
Hi,
my horse used to go 'lame' when he didnt want to do something but then as soon as you got off and started to walk away or stop doing that he miraculously went sound. Your horse could just be messing around but its always safer to get the farrier to check them over for anything with the feet, and possibly vet, altho iv always found my farrier to pick up when they are lame or not!!
Hope that helps
 
I dont think we give gredit enough for how smart are horses are and how they can fool us but if you really really know your horse you should know if he pulling the chain or not my horse was four out of five lame took him to newmarket went sound could have killed him they told me to walk around the corner out of his sight no sooner had i yes he was four out of five lame but i have owned him 19 years and knew he was lame would have done a sit in if they tryed to send him home
 
amymay said:
If a horse looks lame - it's lame.

And I don't believe they have the intelligence to 'fake' it.
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Totally agree, horses do not look lame for no reason. However if you had asked can a lame horse look sound clearly the answer would be different :rolleyes:
 
amymay said:
If a horse looks lame - it's lame.

And I don't believe they have the intelligence to 'fake' it.
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Well thats what i thought, however after x-rays vet could find no reason for my mares lameness and said he believed she was bored doing little work and got me to start working her harder.
 
dizzydancer said:
Hi,
my horse used to go 'lame' when he didnt want to do something but then as soon as you got off and started to walk away or stop doing that he miraculously went sound. Your horse could just be messing around but its always safer to get the farrier to check them over for anything with the feet, and possibly vet, altho iv always found my farrier to pick up when they are lame or not!!
Hope that helps
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I'm not being funny but horses can't just 'go lame' when they feel like it, they do not have the same thought processes as a human. Its probably the fact that you got off your horse that made him sound, and your weight (not suggesting you are heavy as I don't know you) was obviously and contriubting factor. It drives me mad when I hear people say 'he only pretends to be lame'. For goodness sake, a horse is not capable of doing this.
 
Well thats what i thought, however after x-rays vet could find no reason for my mares lameness and said he believed she was bored doing little work and got me to start working her harder.
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Did they scan? Has your farrier looked closely at the foot. I can't believe that any educated person would diagnose boredom as a reason for lameness.....
 
There are lots of things that can cause lameness that don't show up on X rays even if you are pointing at the right bit.

Sounds like nerve blocks are the next step.
 
amymay said:
Did they scan? Has your farrier looked closely at the foot. I can't believe that any educated person would diagnose boredom as a reason for lameness.....
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Vet knew what he was looking for was nothing to do with foot at all and yes she did have a bone scan which showed no issues in the leg she was lame in.
 
Lame is lame, might not be the same as feeling lame when ridden or consistently lame. So no, looking lame is lame. If he was looking for something particular with the xrays, but didn't find it, then that is certainly not reason enough to say there is no lameness if your horse and eyes tell you there is a lameness. Vet needs to try harder I think!! Would be odd for him to be so sure it was nothing to do with the foot - most lameness is found here. Can of course be present with no heat or swelling! Are your horses feet well balanced?
 
abigail621 said:
Vet knew what he was looking for was nothing to do with foot at all and yes she did have a bone scan which showed no issues in the leg she was lame in.
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Ah, so the horse has been MRI'd? Well that's good, because it enables you and your vet to discount a number of things - and focus on others.

Good luck.
 
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