Please help lame youngster :(

B

bex25

Member
Joined
8 March 2009
Messages
23
Visit site
Got to the field this evening to find my poor 2yr old walking strangly. When he walks every few steps his hind right leg will get left behind. It goes completely rigid for a few minutes then pops back, when he walks normally its like an over exaggerated movement. The only way I can think to describe it is it looks like his leg is dislocating then poping back into the hip joint.
He is currently in a smaller paddock by himself so he cant have been kicked. There is no external damage to the leg & nothing in his paddock he could hurt himself on. He doesnt seem to be in pain & is still walking round his paddock. Is happy in himself if not a bit quieter than usual.

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing it?

I have left him out so he can keep moving desparatly hoping it will come right & will check first thing tommorrow if still bad will get the vet out.
I hope this all makes sense I am really not one with words & doesnt help I am panicing.
 
Eek. Personally I'd have had the vet out tonight but he'll still be fine tomorrow. Would definitely get the vet out. xxxx
 
Could be locking stifle (upward fixation of the patella) which is not unusual in youngsters and I think with correct exercise a lot 'grow' out of it.

Best get the vet..
 
Sticky stifle?? One of the horses on my yard gets the same problem and sounds the same as your youngster. Sadly it's sometimes one of these things that some horses get, no matter what their age. When it pops out, try walking the horse in a backwards circle with the problem leg on the inside.
 
proctor said:
When it pops out, try walking the horse in a backwards circle with the problem leg on the inside.
Click to expand...

Sorry but I would strongly suggest not doing anything like this until a vet has been out.

Even with no external sign of injury and nothing dangerous in a paddock, horses will be able to find numerous ways of injuring themselves! They are extremely talented at finding trouble.

Hope it's nothing serious, let us know how he gets on.

x
 
Thanks so much for the replys.

I would have got the vet out tonight but it was getting dark & he doesnt like most people especially men & I could see us mucking about in the dark & not getting anywhere. I will definately get the vet out tomorrow.

What are the causes & treatment of a locking stifle? As he is only a baby he has never done any work. He lives out 24/7 in 4 acres loves running about & playing so gets lots of exersise in that sense.
 
Well yes a vets advice is paramount, but if this is what it turns out to be, then this is one of the best temp solutions to get the joint back in!
 
Sounds like a locking stifle, happens in youngsters from time to time and normally they grow through it though sometimes can cause issues

Have a search for locking stifle on You Tube, there are quite a few vids so you can see if it looks anything like yours.

We had a pony have it when he was about 2 it was the first time I had seen it and thougtht he'd broken a leg or something and got the vet straight out - his was just dragging! 2 weeks later he was fine and not had a problem since!
 
4 bones make up the stifle joint in the horse - the patella, femur, tibia and fibula.
The patella (knee cap) has 3 ligaments extending from its base to the to the tibia (or shin bone).On the end of the femur (thigh bone) there is a notch and it is the interaction between the ligaments and this notch that causes the upwards fixation or stuck stifle.

There is a groove between the inside and centre ligaments of the patella, and this groove hooks over the notch of bone on the femur

The problem in some young horses is that the notch has too much of a lip on the front and the patella ligaments get stuck.

With age and growth the notch is re-modelled by the horse's body and it is reshaped into the most effective form.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top