Newmarket yesterday - not much wiser really

[SillyMare]

I'm not going to repeat the history of this - it is about 6 posts down from here.

We took Lexi to Newmarket yesterday.

Having been lame for the last 5 months, blooming pony skips down the ramp sound as a pound. Trotted up and down. Circles on a hard surface. Circles on an ash surface. Circles on a soft surface. Perfect. Was starting to feel like a prat (vet asking 'was she definitely lame?') so we put her away for 20 mins. Got her back out and trotted up lame. Not sure if that is a good thing or not.

Vet felt around her coronary band and said he could feel some inflamation around the coffin joint (I couldn't feel it - even when he pointed). Nerve blocked the coffin joint and she came sound.

He x-rayed her (clear) and scanned the tendons in her pasterns and down into her heels (clear). Could be a problem with her deep digital flexor tendon at the bottom where it attaches to the foot. Could be one of the ligaments supporting the navicular bone (can't remember what they are called). Could be nothing more than a minor joint strain.

Gave her injection of steroids into the joint and sent her home.

She has 2 weeks of rest with very restricted exercise (in the laminitis paddock!) and then 2 weeks of walking (still living in the lami paddock).

4 weeks from now I have to trot her up and then call him. If she is still lame then she needs to go back for an MRI. If she is sound then we will slowly increase her work and see what happens.

 

[Jemayni]

That happened with my horse once, Id box-rested him for 5 days before he went, trotted him up at the vet & he was sound; the vet put on his report "treated for possible lameness!" Not good....

Anyhow, at least you have a better idea of where she is lame, and at last you are starting to get answers! Good luck with the next few weeks....

 

[ljm]

Which vet did you see? PM if you prefer.Lx

 

[tillyd]

oh, how frustrating, horses are like that aren't they - things are rarely black and white. At least you've eliminated some things - I'd still be keen to get the MRI for peace of mind. One thing I've learnt is that no one knows your horse better than you, so don't be afraid to push for more investigation if you're not happy. I've had vets telling me not to bother about things for the last 9 months - wish I'd followed my gut instinct and not listened to them, and done the full investigation 9 months ago!

 

[SillyMare]

Vet was Marcus Head - he seemed very good (as far as I could tell).

I have to phone him in 4 weeks - if I am still not happy I will push for the MRI then.

Lexi is like a caged tiger pacing around her little paddock. Better than box rest though isn't it! Looks sound as far as I can tell (but not going to trot her up properly for a few weeks).