Lunging for the vet?

[Circe2]

Hi all, posting this as i’m trying to resolve a friend’s conundrum re lunging her horse for the vet, who is investigating the horse for lameness.

The horse in question is clearly lame when ridden at a trot, but this does not show up when trotted in hand or on the lunge. The vet is coming by to do nerve blocks this week. Problem is, the horse goes loopy on the lunge (despite being very nice, and clearly lame, when ridden). My friend is now too scared to lunge the horse for the vet (it exploded at the previous vet visit, possibly broke her finger, and almost escaped the arena with the line trailing after it - really scary stuff), and nobody else wants to do the honours either.

My question is, given the lameness doesn’t show up on the lunge anyway, is it worth suggesting she rides the horse for the vet instead? Or does it absolutely have to be lunged in this type of investigation (given I don’t think it would add any value, as the lameness only shows up when the horse is ridden)?

It seems such a silly thing to be causing her so much distress - and now with a dodgy hand, the poor girl is even less inclined to take any risks with lunging the horse.

Does anyone have any experience with getting the vet in for lameness, for a horse that can genuinely be dangerous to lunge? Could the horse be trotted in-hand and ridden instead?

 

[Equi]

They will firstly ask for it to be trotted up in hand on a hard surface, and likely flexion. The circle they use to lunge for lameness is usually very small and severe, barely enough room for the horse to Pratt about much. Just make sure your friend communicates to the vet that he is a twat to lunge and that she only sees the lameness when ridden as it can help with the diagnosis. They may have a helper with them who will take over as a lot of the time owners tend to just get in the way.

please update with anything you can cause these types of threads are quite interesting.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Mmmmm........ I would be looking at the reasons being the "being loopy to lunge TBH". My old boy was a total fruitloop to lunge, but he was always very stiff on one particular side, it was very noticeable.

Sometimes, just sometimes, vets don't always see what is actually in front of them, and if this horse threw a hissy when asked to go on a tight circle (which is what happens when lunging) then I personally would suspect there is a pain issue happening somewhere, and that this scenario could and should form part of the veterinary exploration into what is going on with this horse.

Rather than being set apart and being seen merely as a "lunging issue" I think this should be looked at as possibly forming part of the bigger picture and being included in any vet investigations, as my hunch is there could well be pain issues indicated here.

 

[Red-1]

I think you need to remember that the vet is working for you, to help identify the lameness. If you don't have a suitably secure arena to safely lunge, then don't lunge there.

Lungeing is usually preferred as an experienced rider can 'ride sound' slightly lame horses (sometimes without even meaning to) or, indeed, an inexpert one can knock their rhythm or balance right off if they are at the other end of the spectrum. You have also introduced influences from saddle fit, bit evasions etc. when ridden. It can muddy the waters.

I would be more inclined to take the horse to a proper vet hospital for the investigations though. They will have a specially designed lameness investigations pen. Mine has a soft lunge pen with sides of about 8ft tall, you have to go to a viewing platform to see inside. No danger of pulling away there.

They also have a hard lunge circle, normal fencing, an uphill and downhill trotting area, with rubber, long straight running areas, an arena to ride in. This, plus all the X ray machines, scanners etc that you could hope for.

Why mess around at home, where you can't lunge as the vet would prefer, when a one stop shop exists at the hospital?

The vet will be able to see why the horse is sound on the lunge yet lame when ridden. It could be tack, training, rider or a proper lameness. A vet hospital will have everything you need to increase the chances of success.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Why mess around at home, where you can't lunge as the vet would prefer, when a one stop shop exists at the hospital?

The vet will be able to see why the horse is sound on the lunge yet lame when ridden. It could be tack, training, rider or a proper lameness. A vet hospital will have everything you need to increase the chances of success.

Absolutely this. It saves time and hassle to take the horse to the vets where they have all the right facilities.

It works out cheaper in the end, too.

 

[twiggy2]

Maybe your friend should speak to the vet and they can sort something out before the lameness worked?

 

[milliepops]

i would also take the horse into the clinic for the workup.

but to answer the question about riding, IME it's not unheard of for a bit of ridden work to form part of the assessment. I have ridden one for the vet (it was also lunged and trotted up). Echo twiggy, i'd pick up the phone to the vet and see what they think the best course of action is.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I agree with Red -1. And tbh, I would expect the vet to bring an assistant to do the lunging, even at home (not that I have ever had such investigations done). I have however been present, having provided the transport, at a vet clinic where a horse was under lameness investigation. The owner was not expected to handle the horse at all, once it had been delivered to the staff.

 

[Red-1]

I agree with Red -1. And tbh, I would expect the vet to bring an assistant to do the lunging, even at home (not that I have ever had such investigations done). I have however been present, having provided the transport, at a vet clinic where a horse was under lameness investigation. The owner was not expected to handle the horse at all, once it had been delivered to the staff.

I agree with this at the vet hospital, but at home I have always been expected to ride or lunge myself. At the hospital they preferred their own handlers for lungeing, but I have always been the one to ride.

 

[Baccara]

When Ive taken my horses to the vets for a lameness work up, Ive always asked for one of the nurses to lunge, so I can stand with the vet to hear their comments and to ask questions when things are happening.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would never allow any one but me or my groom to lunge my horse for the vet at home .
As for thinking that it’s ok to expect someone else to lunge your Dangerous bad mannered horse that’s not on . I just find it hard to understand why some owners don’t think ahead.
Having a horse who is trained to cope with the things life may throw at it is imo one of the owners duties and if the horse was mine I would have fixed the issue through training .
The best option is for this horse to go in to a suitable vets for the work up most will have a round pen or similar where they can deal with bad mannered dangerous horses without risking their staff .

 

[Tiddlypom]

Currently, horses at my vets are handed over in the car park at the vets for the staff to do lameness work ups. Owners then have to wait in the car park, which is out of sight. The staff are all very good and experienced horse people, though.

 

[SEL]

If it's only showing up under saddle then they are usually happy for you to ride it IME. I actually emailed a video to my vet to show what I meant because it was inconsistent.

 

[Wheels]

Currently, horses at my vets are handed over in the car park at the vets for the staff to do lameness work ups. Owners then have to wait in the car park, which is out of sight. The staff are all very good and experienced horse people, though.

Same here

 

[Green Bean]

Lame when ridden could be kissing spine or sacroiliac. The weight of the rider would exacerbate the pain. Loopy on the lunge is most likely due to anticipation of pain induced by circles. If the are KS or SI problems, one of their markers is pain on a circle, as the horse is 'okay' on straight lines. I discovered all this with my horse going through partially similar issues.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would never allow any one but me or my groom to lunge my horse for the vet at home .
As for thinking that it’s ok to expect someone else to lunge your Dangerous bad mannered horse that’s not on . I just find it hard to understand why some owners don’t think ahead.
Having a horse who is trained to cope with the things life may throw at it is imo one of the owners duties and if the horse was mine I would have fixed the issue through training .
The best option is for this horse to go in to a suitable vets for the work up most will have a round pen or similar where they can deal with bad mannered dangerous horses without risking their staff .

Unfortunately if the 'loopiness' is a symptom of the illness no amount of training a well horse will stop the horse being dangerous when in pain and tbh if it did, that would not be particularly helpful.

 

[Circe2]

Thank you all for your comments - very much appreciated.

I thought I’d follow up to tell you how it went (in the name of science!).

Vet came out with all the equipment, horse was good to trot up, friend forced herself to overcome her fear and lunged the horse in a slightly more narrow arena (there are three, all secured with proper fencing and gates - but the one where he bolted before is much wider). Horse surprisingly showed up lame on the lunge as well this time, and when ridden. Vet suspected hock arthritis (both hocks) as he’s been in very light work for the last month-ish + over some of the Covid period; she thinks being out of work has brought it to light, through lack of movement.

Scan proved her right, and it’s now a matter of figuring out if it can be managed solely by work, or if he will need his hocks injected. He’s on two weeks’ worth of Danilon until he can be reassessed, and already a much happier boy - including on the lunge!