Jango
Well-Known Member
My lad is currently on light work due to being slightly 'off' but I have a bad feeling whatever it is isn't just a minor strain 
I think he needs a loss of performance work up but I'm not really sure how these work. Sorry this is quite a long post! Also in Vet!
History - He has never been lame for no reason in the last 4 years I've known him, last year (2013) he was competing successfully in Novice BD and unaffiliated jumping up for 90cm. He was off work for 6 weeks before Christmas due to a secondary infection of a cracked heel, he was lame but it was obviously due to the cut and when they finally healed (stupid weather!) he was sound and going really well for around 4 weeks over christmas, including XC practice at Somerford where he was absolutely flying.
I had a weeks holiday in Jan and booked in an Arena Eventing for the day after I got back so I took him for a quick hack on the sat (he was lunged while I was away) and then to the comp on the sunday. He didn't warm up great, was jumping to one side slightly but straightened up. In the class he did the SJ section ok, then started jumping oddly, slowing down in the last stride and leaping the fences. But we did complete the course, I wish I'd stopped now but in the moment I just thought it was because I was out of practice.
Trotted him up when he got home with my instructor and he was sound normal walk/trot, then lame after 1 minute flexion on the RIGHT hind.
My physio (fully qualified and recommended by my vet practice) came to see him the next day and agreed he was not quite right but on his LEFT hind, advised 2 weeks of very light work (20mins straight lines 70% walk 30% trot). She checked him again after two weeks, was pleased with improvement, advised to increase work to w/t/c still straight lines. Physio came again on saturday and said he is technically sound but doesn't look as free as usual in his left canter. Advised bring him into full work very slowly and get the vet if he becomes lame. She said it's a nightmare when they are not quite right but not quite lame as the vets don't know where to block/scan.
The physio said to ignore the failed flexion, he's 11 has an active life and that is pretty common. As he's always been sound we have no previous flexion tests to compare it to, minus his vetting which was 4 years ago (which he did pass). I've heard people on here talk about Loss of Performance work ups, which I think is what he needs but I have no idea what it entails! Does your insurance cover these? To someone who doesn't know him he looks fine, but me/my physio/instructor all agree there is something very slight there. I chose to use the physio rather than the vet up til now as she sees him every 6 months so knows him much better than the vets who don't really know him from Adam as he's been perfectly healthy up until the last 6 months! But I'm happy to get the vet now if this still doesn't clear up. But i'm a bit worried as I don't have a relationship with a vet (I have a practice but different vets jab him) or trust a specific vet as I haven't needed them.
Any advice greatly appreciated! I'm at a bit of a loss what to do, I kind of wish he would just go really lame so we could find a problem!
I think he needs a loss of performance work up but I'm not really sure how these work. Sorry this is quite a long post! Also in Vet!History - He has never been lame for no reason in the last 4 years I've known him, last year (2013) he was competing successfully in Novice BD and unaffiliated jumping up for 90cm. He was off work for 6 weeks before Christmas due to a secondary infection of a cracked heel, he was lame but it was obviously due to the cut and when they finally healed (stupid weather!) he was sound and going really well for around 4 weeks over christmas, including XC practice at Somerford where he was absolutely flying.
I had a weeks holiday in Jan and booked in an Arena Eventing for the day after I got back so I took him for a quick hack on the sat (he was lunged while I was away) and then to the comp on the sunday. He didn't warm up great, was jumping to one side slightly but straightened up. In the class he did the SJ section ok, then started jumping oddly, slowing down in the last stride and leaping the fences. But we did complete the course, I wish I'd stopped now but in the moment I just thought it was because I was out of practice.
Trotted him up when he got home with my instructor and he was sound normal walk/trot, then lame after 1 minute flexion on the RIGHT hind.
My physio (fully qualified and recommended by my vet practice) came to see him the next day and agreed he was not quite right but on his LEFT hind, advised 2 weeks of very light work (20mins straight lines 70% walk 30% trot). She checked him again after two weeks, was pleased with improvement, advised to increase work to w/t/c still straight lines. Physio came again on saturday and said he is technically sound but doesn't look as free as usual in his left canter. Advised bring him into full work very slowly and get the vet if he becomes lame. She said it's a nightmare when they are not quite right but not quite lame as the vets don't know where to block/scan.
The physio said to ignore the failed flexion, he's 11 has an active life and that is pretty common. As he's always been sound we have no previous flexion tests to compare it to, minus his vetting which was 4 years ago (which he did pass). I've heard people on here talk about Loss of Performance work ups, which I think is what he needs but I have no idea what it entails! Does your insurance cover these? To someone who doesn't know him he looks fine, but me/my physio/instructor all agree there is something very slight there. I chose to use the physio rather than the vet up til now as she sees him every 6 months so knows him much better than the vets who don't really know him from Adam as he's been perfectly healthy up until the last 6 months! But I'm happy to get the vet now if this still doesn't clear up. But i'm a bit worried as I don't have a relationship with a vet (I have a practice but different vets jab him) or trust a specific vet as I haven't needed them.
Any advice greatly appreciated! I'm at a bit of a loss what to do, I kind of wish he would just go really lame so we could find a problem!
