My horse has came in lame.

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121kelly121

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I went to get my horse in on Sunday and he was very lame on his front right leg.
I managed to get him in his stable, he will lift his bad leg up fine, but really didnt want to pick his other foot up as it meant putting weight on his bad foot.
I quickly manager to pick his feet out; but then he just refused to pick his good foot up again.
There is no heat or swelling in either of his legs, but there was a lot of compressed ice and snow in his hoofs. He is 20 years old and is not very active in his field.
I kept him on box rest Sunday, Monday and today. He seemed to be getting better yesterday, but is still quite lame.
I spoke to the vet, and they think that it could be that the snow and ice has bruised his hoof/frog.
Has anyone experienced this before, and is there anything that you can do to prevent it?
I have the vet coming out today to check and confirm.
 
Is it worth getting the farrier out to check for an abcess? A horse at our yard was thoroughly checked over by the vet, visit to vets hospital etc only to have the farrier find the problem which was an abcess.

(ps - only guessing - not an expert)
 
Does sound very like this could be an abcess developing or bruising.

I would also recommend getting the farrier to have a look.

If you do manage to pick his good leg up does the fetlock on his bad leg sink?
 
Yes I think in this weather likely to be bruising but wouldn't rule out abscess either now or later on...

Could even be that he's slipped and tweaked a tendon or ligament. Easy done...
 
Was the field frosty either before or when you brought your pony in?

The classic not wanting to lift his other fore leg up would shout possible minld Laminitis attack. Frosty/thawing grass is often the culprit.

How is he in his hind legs? Any swelling in the hocks/ filled legs? Is he walking ok behind?

What is he normally fed? How much exercise? Is he wearing shoes>

As a precaution I would give him adlib soaked hay and nothing sugary (no mollichaff or mollased mixes) until you get a firm diagnosis from the vet that it is something else.

Let us know how he is getting on.
 
Thanks for the replies;
He is fine on his back end, a little stiff, but he is a 20 year old ex police horse, so nothing different on his back end.
He did have an abcsess at the beginning of this year - when it snowed, but his lameness was a lot worse than it is now, and i could feel heat up his leg, there is neither no heat nor swelling at all now.
Like i say, he is only lame on one leg too, others are fine, and since he has been on box rest, he has been improving a lot more.
He has a small paddock to himself and has access to hay. I also feed him Hi Fi and sixteen plus every day.
He does not have shoes on, but i have bought a paid or Boa boots, so once the vet has been, and gave him the go ahead to go out, and he will lift his front feet up, i will put them on his, and hopefully that will avoid any further bruises and abcsesses.
When i picked his feet out, there were lots of snow and ice stuck in his hoofs, so thats why i am thinking it could be a bruise??????
Hhhhmmm..... im not sure, i guess i'll know more tonight :) xx
 
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