New Horse Issues

[IrishMilo]

I am leaning towards stifles/back seeing as she passed the flexions & lunging on a hard circle.

I understand your logic but my horse was negative to flexion and has hock arthritis. He also started toe dragging which has something he never did historically.

 

[ForeverBroke_]

Have nothing constructive to add but just wanted to say I really feel for you. I really hope for all parties its something simple. Will keep my fingers crossed for your vet visit. xx

 

[Sossigpoker]

You need a diagnosis - we can speculate all day long on what might be wrong but without a definitive diagnosis you can't make progress on any front. I, too, would be concerned about a vet who told me a horse was lazy - how long did he see her work for in a vetting to be able to diagnose "lazy" - or was he just taking the owner's word for it?
My last horse was "a bit stumbly" in his vetting - owner told vet he was overdue the farrier and vet accepted it. 15 months later and after every examination known to man I had to PTS. Hopefully, you just have a weak horse who needs the right work and management to come good - but you need the vet first.

Mine was also PTS age 5. I take toe dragging and stumbling very seriously now.

 

[vhf]

No guarantee of anything with your horse, but in case it makes you feel better, I had a TB who squared his hinds off so much my farrier put reinforcements on his shoes! I evented him successfully at Intermediate, he then went hunting, then RDA, then hacking, and eventually died age 29 with them never having been an issue. Unless life was interesting, he simply conserved his energy and his toes paid the price. There will be other people with the exact opposite experience.
Another I sold failed on "dragging his hind feet". I paid for a second opinion, he passed; new owner did the strengthening work I'd said he needed all along (weak young TB) and she never had a problem with him thereafter. That's horses (and vettings) for you unfortunately. A complete lottery!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Sounds like a weakness issue fingers crossed it is

 

[MissTyc]

I have a pony who has square blocks for hind feet. She's 19 now, was born on my yard and never taken a lame step. Drags her hinds especially in walk and he rider does a lot of road work, so it really squares them off. In trot, she'll drag if she's not working through from behind but overwise steps through nicely.

 

[Annagain]

My old share horse dragged his toes, particularly out hacking in walk and trot. If you had him working properly in the school he didn't and if he was even the slightest bit motivated he didn't do it. With him it really is just laziness. He's 24 and other than accidental injury never had lameness issues behind and only one in a front leg. He had a full bone scan to diagnose that one and there were no issues behind at all. He was 20 at this point.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I don’t believe horses toe drag because they are lazy. Every time I’ve seen it there is an underlying cause. Your vet should do neurological tests too. Imo although I’ve had most of my horses vetted for insurance purposes and to avoid some potential issues the vets in each case have passed horses with underlying issues because there is no overt lameness. Therefore I’ve little real faith in them.

I hope you get some good news though and any issues can be sorted.

 

[ycbm]

I don’t believe horses toe drag because they are lazy. Every time I’ve seen it there is an underlying cause. Your vet should do neurological tests too. Imo although I’ve had most of my horses vetted for insurance purposes and to avoid some potential issues the vets in each case have passed horses with underlying issues because there is no overt lameness. Therefore I’ve little real faith in them.

I hope you get some good news though and any issues can be sorted.

I agree with you for the most part, and including the lack of faith in vettings. I think a young horse can go through a spell of it though. My 5 year old did, scuffing surface but not actually wearing his toes, but he's grown out of it now with increased strength.

I would certainly want any horse that did it consistently investigated.
.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

Vet has been and couldn’t find anything wrong at all. 100% sound on flexions. We lunged her on a small circle. Gave her back a good going over etc. She’s a bit tighter in the neck turning to the left but that’s it.
Physio coming next week and we will go from there!

 

[misst]

Well that sounds fairly hopeful, keeping my fingers crossed for you. Did she not drag her toes for the vet?

 

[Tiddlypom]

I had a horse, a Connie x tb, that did that. He would square off his toes in the summer when he was a idle booger but never in the winter when he was hunting. I sold him after two years, and the vet noted the toe dragging, but passed him sound.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Do check the saddle as well. I knew a horse who squared off his toes, his saddle was technically a good fit but it was changed for a wider one. The horse's back began to fill out and slowly the toe drag reduced and went.

 

[oldie48]

Pleased to hear your vet isn't concerned. I've just watched a video of a horse with a really bad toe drag doing a GP test. Now that would concern me! I hope you enjoy your horse and have years of fun.

 

[AmyMay]

Great news

 

[cumbriamax]

Fantastic news.

 

[Teaboy]

We have a horse that has, when not fit and built up, toe dragged since I’ve known him (7 years old). He’s 19 now and is still happy and going strong. He’s competed to a decent level dressage and done a bit of everything else, eventing, hunting etc.

 

[Goldenstar]

Is the thrush worse on the foot on the worst hind Leg ?

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

Thrush isn’t that bad at all and actually I’ve just ridden her on her own and she barely dragged her toes at all so clearly can pick them up when required!

 

[Goldenstar]

Give her time .

 

[Lady Jane]

My horse drags his back toes and every test known to man can't find out why - he is not bilaterally lame. He is worse walking than in trot and improving with age. I have had loads of other lameness problems so has had very little continuous work but as nothing can be found to explain the toe dragging I have been told to gradually increase workload - he is 7 now and definitely improving

 

[Orangehorse]

I had a horse that kept draggings hind toes, I found it very irritating, so much so that I sold him back to the dealer I bought him from and got another one. Big mistake, I wish I had kept him. Last I heard he was still hunting at 22 and had never been lame. Was a good show jumper too, but the odd thing was that I never had any feeling of power when he jumped - we just seemed to get to the other side of the fence.