Odd! Lame behind when stepping sideways

[poacher82]

My horse is doing something odd, and I wondered if anyone has come across similar or has any ideas.

He is to all intents and purposes sound, BUT when asked to turn on the forehand from the ground, i.e. to spin and shut a gate or move over in stable, moving his hindquarters to his right, he is hopping when putting his weight on his left hind. He's perfectly happy and sound on it in straight lines and circles, it is literally when he has to put weight on that near hind when it is crossed underneath him.

To compound matters, he is perfectly happy to have his near hind lifted, flexed, stretched forward and backward, and even to have it pulled across underneath him to the same place as if stepping across under - it is only when he asked to put weight on it in that position that he hops round looking crippled lame for that instant.

I'm slightly at a loss, whether it's a hoof or shoe problem (he was shod a couple of days before this occured), stifle, back... and don't really know where to start. It just seems such an odd, specific lame 'moment' that I thought I'd ask if anyone else has come across it before!

 

[philamena]

Hmm, someone with much more knowledge will be along soon I'm sure... but I was told by a well known horse biomechanics person at a demo, that issues when crossing the leg on a small circle tend to be stifle, SI or pelvis / hip related. She may have been referring only to lack of flexibility, but I guess it makes a kind of logical sense?

 

[thundersprite]

does her cross over behind when turned on a tiny circle could be sacroiliac pain

 

[poacher82]

Thanks both. Had another poke about between posting and reading your replies, and I think pelvis/SI seems most likely from what I can see too. Vet tomorrow!

 

[Beans1]

Can he walk backwards - taking even steps with both hind legs?

Also how old is he?