Shoulder Lameness?? LONG story!

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C&C

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Some of you will know that Chance hasnt been right for a while now with his on/off lamness/stiffness etc

I have been convinced from the start that the problem is in his shoulder. I had the back specialist out who, after an examination and flexion test, said she thought it was a foot problem, although she also mentioned a 20yr old horse would not be expected to come out of a flexion test 100% sound. Wouldn a flexion test not affect an injured shoulder as well???? After the examination she told me he was very stiff thru his hamstrings and tight thru the shoulder but still she said the problem was in the foot!! My farrier (a remedial) had a good look at his feet and said with his experience of Navicular and alike (he owns a horse with it) he doesnt think it is a problem with his feet!

Some days he seems to be fine and others he is worse. He is always a bit stiff coming out of the stable in the mornings but i put that down to his age, he is 20 although healthy and young looking in every other way. Does not look his age at all.

A friend came to ride him in the school today. When we bought him down from the field (a slight hill) she watched him and asked if he had anything wrong with his shoulder!! I had not mentioned anything about his shoulder although she knew about his on/off soundness problems! After riding him in the school for 5 mins she said he definatlely wasnt right.

These are the probs we have encountered:

Unbalanced downhill, stumbling/tripping up
Not extending through the shoulder
Not tracking up AT ALL on the near hind on a RH 20m circle
Cutting his hind bulbs (almost over-reaching on the back if thats possible! I use bell boots on the back to prevent it!)
Saddler said he was more muscled on one side of his withers than the other
Footy over rough ground

I plan to get the back specialist out again and explain all these problems to her. I will see what she says and if she still thinks it is his feet i will get a 2nd opinion. I also have the farrier coming tomorrow afternoon, he is going to have another good luck and prod around with his feet.

Anyone else experienced these kinda symptoms with their horse and if so what was the outcome??

Thanks for reading.
 
Sounds very like shoulder, my horse has pulled a muscle in his right shoulder twice in 2 years and had exactly the same symptoms. He was slightly short when going down hill, had my farrier out and he diagnosed pulled muscle, he sussed this out just by looking at the way he was standing, I never said what the lameness was, he ran his knuckle down at the back of the shoulder blade and my boy dipped big time.

For any lameness, I always go for my farriers opinion as he is the expert, he knew what the problem was without nerve blocks and spinning horse in tight circles etc which is what my vet wold have done. :mad:

Good Luck with it
 
Well i bought him in this morning to put him in his 'diet' paddock :rolleyes: He never came to me when i called him (he always comes), just stood with his bum huddled up to the hedge on the other side of the field. I went to get him, while swearing at him :p, and the poor sod could hardly walk :( I managed to slowly walk him in and have left him in stable with haynet to munch.

Have farrier coming in the next hour so will see what he has to say about it all. And have a friend with some Bute to ease any discomfort for the time being as im paranoid he is in pain! :(

Will keep you posted.
 
Get your vet out now, before you just give bute. That will mask the smptoms and your vets need to know how much pain he is in. if he can;t walk and your farrier says not in the feet then you need a vet to sort out, and nerve block his foot out. As he is an oldie yes it is normal to be still, but no it is not normal to be so stiff he can;t walk. also as an oldie it is important to get on top of problems quickly so the can be cured.
 
My old mare had a shoulder problem (muscular) - she was absolutely hopping one day, I actually thought she'd broken a leg. Vet came out and couldnt find anything wrong with her obviously, so box rest and bute for a few days (I cant remember how long as was a very long time ago!)

She came sound very quickly, came off the bute, and then got turned out - after 1 day of turn out she was crippled again - i had also noticed that when she was in the stable she wasnt eating any of the hay dropped on the floor (she had nets).

So vet came back out and we decided to get a physio out to her to have a look, as she would come sound after 24 hours box rest, and be broken after 6 hours turn out.

The physio found her shoulder was the problem, after 3 sessions with her, we never looked back until her DDFT gave up 2 years later :-(

Best of luck - Please do get your vet out though!
 
Can I ask why you don't appear to have called the vet if your horse "can hardly walk"? You need to call your vet now, not ask people on an internet forum who haven't even seen the horse to make a diagnosis. I really don't mean to be harsh but this isn't a job for the back lady, you need the vet. If the farrier is coming anyway it won't hurt for him to have a look in case it's an abcess, given he has gone badly lame, quickly, but I would call your vet after that if the farrier can't find anything.

FWIW my horse has arthritis in a front leg which looks like problems in his shoulder - I see it as stiffness in the shoulder, which the vet says is because he protects the sore leg by "holding" his shoulder.
 
chestnut cob said:
Can I ask why you don't appear to have called the vet if your horse "can hardly walk"? You need to call your vet now, not ask people on an internet forum who haven't even seen the horse to make a diagnosis. I really don't mean to be harsh but this isn't a job for the back lady, you need the vet. If the farrier is coming anyway it won't hurt for him to have a look in case it's an abcess, given he has gone badly lame, quickly, but I would call your vet after that if the farrier can't find anything.

FWIW my horse has arthritis in a front leg which looks like problems in his shoulder - I see it as stiffness in the shoulder, which the vet says is because he protects the sore leg by "holding" his shoulder.
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Oh believe me i DID phone the vet first thing this morning to get them out but was told by the RUDE and INCONSIDERATE receptionist that payment will have to be made UP FRONT!!!!!! :eek: I dont get paid until the 21st and they wont wait and due to my car failing its MOT this month have been left with nothing until payday!! :mad:

Please dont butcher me about it, I FEEL BAD ENOUGH AS IT IS!!!!!!!! :(
 
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