Mechanical lameness?

Holly Hocks

Holly Hocks

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I bought a TB mare from racing last April - for the first seven weeks she was a dream - didn't put a foot wrong. Very green, but that was what I wanted, and not an ounce of malice in her. She got very ill with a tooth abscess which caused endless problems as the vets at the hospital didn't find it, despite me telling them what it was and she ended up with several different infections and was in hospital for nearly 3 months on and off and had to have a full operation under general anaesthetic. She was due to go back in November for a checkup and before I went, I noticed that her fetlock had swollen up and I e-mailed ahead and asked if they would check it out for me. They did so, and found a huge bone chip in there. So another general anaesthetic and operation to remove the bone chip - another six weeks on full box rest with a further six weeks of 10 mins twice a day on the walker before walking under saddle started ( so really it was about another 3 months box rest!) I did EVERYTHING per vets instructions. They did advise that she had arthritis in her fetlock due to the bone chip, but nothing to concern them at this time. So I did weeks and weeks of walking out on the road and then lo and behold, a few weeks ago, she goes lame again. Vet out again and does x-rays, thinking that the fetlock was the problem. Fetlock fine and vet surprised how mild the arthritis is but does find bone spavin in the hock. However she does not respond to nerve blocks, cortisone injections, high levels of bute, or local anaesthetic into the joint. She still stays the same 2/10 lame.
Anyway, last week, my new, extremely competent farrier came out to her. He had me running up and down with her, so he could see her move. He seems to think that it may be a learned behaviour. He thinks that it is possible that the bone spavin has set in - possibly during all her box rest and she has learned to walk and stand in a certain way to take the pain away, and that now, even though there is no pain, she is still holding herself like that. I am walking her out again and she never shows any other signs of lameness. Ears forward, always moving forwards, no napping, no silly behaviour or reaction to tack - just a lovely horse willing to work. Farrier is going to build her shoes up slowly to try and encourage her to move properly.

Vet out again next Tuesday and if he doesn't think she is better she will be going for a scan, as he also doesn't think the bone spavin is actually causing the unsoundness, but she has been x-rayed, nerve blocked etc and he is also at a loss as to what is causing it...

So thank you for reading and is it possible that this is a learned way of moving, rather than a genuine unsoundness?
 
Could physio help her? I mean in that she may have learned to carry herself 'awkwardly' in response to the original pain and is now 'stuck' in this mode. My share boy is arthritic and had awful back problems before I took him on - he is sorted and pain free now after physio and rehab but will, out of habit, revert to his 'man with a bad back' way of going if he's not 'made' to work correctly.
 
Thank you Charmeroo, I think you're right. I think I will let the vet refer her to the hospital for a scan - a scintigraphy scan I think, as I want to know that there is nothing wrong, before I do work her more than the light hacking I am doing with her - I don't want to work her if she is in any pain at all. However I have already told my vet that there is NO way that this horse will have any more operations. She has been through more than enough. My farrier has a said that he will speak to the vet when we have confirmed the diagnosis. I really am doing everything I possibly can for this horse. I also meant to add that she has gone from looking like a cruelty case to looking like a show horse with loads of condition - another reason that I think it could be more mechanical.....
 
Ali2 said:
Could physio help her? I mean in that she may have learned to carry herself 'awkwardly' in response to the original pain and is now 'stuck' in this mode. My share boy is arthritic and had awful back problems before I took him on - he is sorted and pain free now after physio and rehab but will, out of habit, revert to his 'man with a bad back' way of going if he's not 'made' to work correctly.
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Thanks Ali2. I have had the physio to her before I got the vet and she did have extremely tight hamstring muscles (the horse, not the physio!)....I think I would really like the all clear from the vet and scan, just to be 100% sure and then physio sounds like it will be the way forward along with the corrective shoeing...
 
Really interesting topic, I've been doing a bit of reading about bone spavin and in one article it talked about how the muscle/tissue either side of the spine can be affected by the horse walking differently due to the pain in the hocks, what I'm trying to say (badly!) is could your horse now be having trouble with its back after the hocks have recovered?
 
Bobby Boy said:
Really interesting topic, I've been doing a bit of reading about bone spavin and in one article it talked about how the muscle/tissue either side of the spine can be affected by the horse walking differently due to the pain in the hocks, what I'm trying to say (badly!) is could your horse now be having trouble with its back after the hocks have recovered?
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I wondered this too, however the physio who came out said that her back was absolutely fine - however I will be getting physio once the scans have shown - or not shown - whether there is anything we haven't discovered.. but it's worth thinking about because the lameness doesn't show in the hock - it shows in her near hind quarter - it seems to drop a bit.....thank you.
 
Thanks BB - I will update after the scan - I already know that the vet is going to say that she is still the same when he comes out on Tuesday and will refer her to the hospital, so it will probably be a couple of weeks til I know anything.....x
 
My old horse was mechanically lame. She tore her hamstring quite badly and as it healed it formed a tight knot halfway between hock and buttock. It meant she couldn't step forward quite right so she plonked her foot down flat with a bit of a jerk. It was only noticable in walk and didn't stop her being a very lively happy hacker.
 
This is an interesting post, we have a mare that has possible bone spavin as dropping near hind quarter! Of course needs x rays blocks etc to find out! However, flexion test didnt really show much so bit inconclusive. Will be interested to hear the outcome of your investigations
 
Thanks for everyones replies and suggestions, it's very helpful. I took her into the school this morning - first time in about a month as we've just been doing roadwork in walk. I did a few large circles in trot with her and was talking to a friend while I was riding. When I went to halt, a large muscle in her thigh went into spasm. i did the walk/halt transition a few times and it happened each time. I wouldn't have noticed, it was only having someone on the ground who pointed it out. So I'll be mentioning it to the vet on Tuesday. Sounds like there has been some muscle damage which is sort of what most of you have been saying.
For those who are interested I'll update this post again on Tuesday and let you know what the vet has said.
 
Yes, it can be learned. Once knew a horse who would go out lame but as soon as she was out of sight of the yard would be sound - right until she was near home and then she would be lame again!

Your physio should be able to give you some exercises to re-educate her muscles and improve her locomotion.
 
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