Possible causes of lameness?

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Parkranger

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I've noticed that Moo hasn't been 'quite right' on her off fore over the last week or so....went in the school and she was defo lame around corners on her off fore. Got off and lunged her and it was intermittent and not always on the same rein (but the same leg).

She's not got a bruised foot (YO tested her feet), there's no swelling/heat and she's not overly moody.

I'm trying not to think suspensory (I don't have much luck with horses and legs) but I've stuck her in the field over night and will look at her tomorrow.

she's by no means hoping lame just sometimes short on it and then sometimes noticable lame which is what worries me!
 
Also meant to add that she's a very careful pony with her feet and has, over the last week, been a bit trippy and clumsy.....
 
It could be anything but is there no way you could pop her in the stable for a while to monitor it more closely over the next few days? Have you checked for digital pulses and actually tapped the underside of her feet with a hoof pick to rule out any foot problems?
 
pottamus said:
It could be anything but is there no way you could pop her in the stable for a while to monitor it more closely over the next few days? Have you checked for digital pulses and actually tapped the underside of her feet with a hoof pick to rule out any foot problems?
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Everyone else is out and I've never been an advocat of putting them in a stable incase they stiffen up! YO checked for everything and used the foot clamp thingy effort! No pain in her sole at all.....
 
Had same symptoms with my horse last yr- vet came and buted initially, then after 7 days when off bute and back to being "not quite right" had x rays for navicular (the tripping thing is a symptom).
In the end for me it was not navicular it was re-modelling of the pedal bone from my farrier letting the break-over point move. He had recommended a change to NB shoes 6mths earlier. It took another 4mths to resolve fully but horse back to normal with traditional shoeing with a new farrier.
Just shows that although Natural Balance and other new types of shoeing are great for many horses they can be detrimental to some. My new farrier has much more experience and said he would never have taken her off a traditional shoe as it does not suit her conformation. (Sorry, I have got off the subject!)

I would recommend getting the vet in to your pony if this has not subsided and also maybe having a chat with your farrier (it could be something really simply like a corn starting), especially if he is not the same farrier you have used for years. If it is something like navicular (fingers crosed it's not), the sooner remedial shoeing happens the better.


But it could be a anything from a range of problems so for my tuppenth worth I would always just say get the expert in!
 
Tripping and lame on corners is a definite concern for navicular syndrome. Have you done front flexion tests on her? If she fails them, you'll need some scans or xrays probably.

As Brucea says, don't rule out laminitis, a horse can often have a "signature" foot which shows the symptoms first.
 
there are lots of reasons why a horse could be lame!

Get the vet out, there could be an underlying reason or it could simply be a stone in foot/bruised sole etc. :)
 
cptrayes said:
Tripping and lame on corners is a definite concern for navicular syndrome. Have you done front flexion tests on her? If she fails them, you'll need some scans or xrays probably.

As Brucea says, don't rule out laminitis, a horse can often have a "signature" foot which shows the symptoms first.
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The lameness isn't bilaterial (sp) though. It's not a bruised foot as we've tested her foot.

I'm not going to rush to get the vet out as it may just be a pull.....always worrying though. I'll give her a couple of days and then lunge/ ride her again and see if it's changed at all!
 
I had vet out who did test with clamps for bruising and this was dismissed.After giving her two weeks off farrier found large bruise on her frog think it was caused by a flint.Cheapest option is farrier first.
Vet scared me to bits wanted to scan and bring her in for big lameness workout.I did restricted turnout and stabling at night and shes fine now.
 
Cellie this is what I'm trying to avoid!!!

I'll get farrier to look tomorrow.....we nearly went bum over t@t on an easter egg hunt on Monday where she stumbled.....the farrier has also gone away from natural balance to toe clamp shoes (last week) to correct her slightly pointing out toe.....so slightly worried that it's a conformation thing
 
Going through a similar thing to you just now. Farrier was away on hols and the guy we used instead left her unbalanced. Farrier (back from hols) came up said she's unbalanced but there's no hoof there to re shoe immediately vet happened to be up next day and checked her out and agreed. So basically waiting for the hoof to grow now!!! She's a good doing cob who usually needs ridden to keep weight off so now I'm worried that while the hoof is growing the waistline is too!! And farrier wants her out eating grass 'cos that will help the hoof to grow faster.
 
Thanks guys.

I've spoken to YO and I'm going to lunge again tomorrow but I think it's the fact that we've changed front shoes (last week) to try and correct a slight odd conformation on that foot. She was ragged around a bit as a youngster (kids jumping pony) so may well have slightly collapsed heels and needs the natural balance to support that. Went through this all with Ty last year and it was the change of shoe so I don't really want to rush into xrays etc......

Will give the other shoes a go and if no improvement ina week will get the vet out.
 
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