buddy's mummy
Well-Known Member
hi there, I am a newbie...
mystery!
- Thread starter buddy's mummy
- Start date
buddy's mummy
Well-Known Member
sorry! saved before editing!!
recently 4 mths ago bought a coloured cob gelding, age 14, around 15.1hh - he is mysteriously lame, always been barefoot - he is lame mostly downhill - like shuffly, reluctant to go forward and slow downhill, and did once a bunny hop type of trot down the field when turned out. he is insured and under a bute trial at mo, bone scan (scintigraphy) next we think if insurance pay out for this as could be classed as preexisting..but bought him in good faith etc., I am stumped - am thinking maybe feet or shoulder?
any ideas??
recently 4 mths ago bought a coloured cob gelding, age 14, around 15.1hh - he is mysteriously lame, always been barefoot - he is lame mostly downhill - like shuffly, reluctant to go forward and slow downhill, and did once a bunny hop type of trot down the field when turned out. he is insured and under a bute trial at mo, bone scan (scintigraphy) next we think if insurance pay out for this as could be classed as preexisting..but bought him in good faith etc., I am stumped - am thinking maybe feet or shoulder?
any ideas??
LucyPriory
Well-Known Member
Has your vet not nerve blocked? Could be heel pain or could be back. I'd rule out heel pain before doing a bone scan.
Have you got any hoof photos you could post? Side and sole views.
Have you got any hoof photos you could post? Side and sole views.
xgemmax
Well-Known Member
more than likely to be in the feet. shuffly and reluctant to go forward could be lami, is there any heat in his feet? whats he like if you try and turn him in a tight circle? does he struggle to turn? does he stand leaning on his heels? Struggling downhill could be him being careful or could be pain, whats he like on flat ground or schooling, is he still shuffly?
buddy's mummy
Well-Known Member
had nerve blocks, no change. not lami as he is not standing on his heels...no heat in feet, increased pulse in one tendon area. can post pics tomorrow.
flintfootfilly
Well-Known Member
Does he ever go freely forward in all paces, or would some people call him lazy, stubborn, opinionated etc?
If he is always behind the leg despite being ridden forwards, you might consider a comprehensive blood test to include muscle and liver enzymes. Specify AST, CK and LDH to be included whatever.
It may be that he has muscle damage, and that is most pronounced in the big powerful hindquarters. If so, it'll show up as raised muscle enzymes.
My gang have had this, and I believe it's due to a proven long term dietary selenium deficiency, so well worth checking that the diet is providing at least 1mg of selenium as organic selenium (aka selenium yeast). Organic selenium is known to be more bioavailable than inorganic (sodium selenite). If in doubt, I'd recommend Blue Chip balancers or Dengie Alfa A balancer. I saw improvements after about 4 months on the balancer, which is the right timescale for improvements if it's due to selenium deficiency (according to varies studies I've come across).
May not be that, of course. A lot of lamenesses will show up more going downhill. but if the vet's already drawn a blank on easy stuff to test, then a blood test is quick and relatively easy on the pony and the pocket. And if it's muscle stuff then you can start exploring that route.
Sarah
If he is always behind the leg despite being ridden forwards, you might consider a comprehensive blood test to include muscle and liver enzymes. Specify AST, CK and LDH to be included whatever.
It may be that he has muscle damage, and that is most pronounced in the big powerful hindquarters. If so, it'll show up as raised muscle enzymes.
My gang have had this, and I believe it's due to a proven long term dietary selenium deficiency, so well worth checking that the diet is providing at least 1mg of selenium as organic selenium (aka selenium yeast). Organic selenium is known to be more bioavailable than inorganic (sodium selenite). If in doubt, I'd recommend Blue Chip balancers or Dengie Alfa A balancer. I saw improvements after about 4 months on the balancer, which is the right timescale for improvements if it's due to selenium deficiency (according to varies studies I've come across).
May not be that, of course. A lot of lamenesses will show up more going downhill. but if the vet's already drawn a blank on easy stuff to test, then a blood test is quick and relatively easy on the pony and the pocket. And if it's muscle stuff then you can start exploring that route.
Sarah
BethH
Well-Known Member
Hi, Just a thought, as I put a post on here a couple of weeks ago as my horse has been short striding at the front with a similar action to yours. My Physio has just given him a huge going over and we believe that because the foot balance was so bad and his heels were non existent (he came out of shoes because of this) that he was compensating by putting alot of the weight on to the strongest legs, this has resulted in him becoming thoroughly locked up through his shoulders and has transferred along his back to his pelvis and hamstrings and also up into his neck and therefore he is so blocked he cant stride properly and is being quite tentative as he knows he cant rely on all of his body to use itself correctly so he is compensating for all the soreness elsewhere. I might be inclined to get your foot trimmer to absolutely check the foot balance is corrrect as even barefoot it can go wrong and I woud also get a decent body worker to go over him before you scan.
Mine has just finished a 2wk bute trial that had absolutely no effect, but everything the physio found made complete sense with what I was feeling and seeing ridden and in his temperament as he was increasingly shutting down. May not be anything in it, but if you pay for a bone scan, any hotspots may well have been caused by incorrect way of going so it can be a bit kind of chicken and egg!
Mine has just finished a 2wk bute trial that had absolutely no effect, but everything the physio found made complete sense with what I was feeling and seeing ridden and in his temperament as he was increasingly shutting down. May not be anything in it, but if you pay for a bone scan, any hotspots may well have been caused by incorrect way of going so it can be a bit kind of chicken and egg!
buddy's mummy
Well-Known Member
he is lazy, and not forward in any pace really..but I mhave put that down to his breed, and temprament of being a plod!! BethH sounds like you could be right. will get my farrier back out make sure the balance is correct- he isnt a happy boy really bless him!