Slight Lameness that improves with work??

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Becki1802

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My horse is completely sound in a straight line in walk and trot however, when I first mount him from the mounting block and turn him to set off on a ride I get a couple of shortened lame strides in the turn. The first trot uphill he can throw in the odd nod but as he works he becomes completely sound. I often hack 20 minutes to my lessons and by the time I am there he is completely sound and my trainer can't find anything. She has seen the short strides at the yard so it isn't just in my head.
We had this problem about 12 months ago but it completely stopped. It has come back about 3 weeks ago when he was last shod.
He is 11 yo, KWPN, trained in dressage and has been SJ'd for the last 18 months. He has a history of sheared heels and is surgically shod on the hind which has worked wonders. But the farrier hasn't picked it up on the front or anything.
Whenever I've taken him near the vet I can't reproduce the lameness and he is assessed as completely sound! But I am feeling guilty about working him as normal as my trainer said inc galloping on the moor and showjumping.

Any ideas what would be causing this? :confused: Should I get the farrier or the vet out? The farrier is quite young so not sure how much experience he has with problems!
I'm getting paranoid about navicular inflammation! But would this present as more acute lameness??
 
I am afraid to say this is how my horse was to begin with he was later diagnosed with navicular and coffin joint lameness,I was devastated, now learning to live and cope with it!
But it could be something completely different with your horse, good luck.
 
my horse was the same and over a couple of years gradually got worse and it turned out was his DDFT.
hope it's nothing like that for you and it could just be a bit of stiffness or arthritis?
 
Hi guys,
Navicular is what I have been thinking and I seem to remember that 11 is a common age.
If I think the worst...
Is there benefit from early diagnosis? What process would be needed to diagnose? Xrays? MRI?
What is the future for a horse with this? I think Showjumping would be out but could he continue with dressage? I expect a diagnosis would make him near impossible to sell and I am just not interested in dressage :(
 
Sounds like navicular to me too :(

The only way to know for sure is to x-ray his feet.

It is not the death sentence it used to be, especially if you catch it early.
 
As you are very concerned, I would ask your vet if he could go the local VET school for X rays on the day the referral farrier is there, and have him shod by same.
eg Glasgow Vet school has farrier up every week, and he consults with vets, it would cost a bit, but you would be assured that you have done all that is needed at this stage.
 
Don't know where you are in Devon but there is a vet hospital in Cullompton with farrier, Western Counties.
 
The symptoms you describe do indeed sound like navicular, however, it is important that you attempt to get as good as diagnosis as possible from your vets.

If it does turn out to be navicular there are certainly ways to cope with this progressive, painfull and dibilitating syndrome.

Basically, navicular invariably show up in horses which have been shod for a number of years and have been given what is supposedly the 'best hoof care' possible, in other words shoeing.

Most horses susceptable to this will start to show signs around 11yrs of age.

Shoeing causes the coffin bones and sensitive inner hoof structures to be surrounded, constricted and over-pressurized by the progressively-deforming hoof capsules, starving them of vital movement and circulation.

Eggbar shoes, pads, natural balance shoes, wedge pads, impression material, shoes with rails and/or frog inserts, or any other artificial appliance nailed to the hoof of the horse, is not therapeutic for the horse with navicular.

I do not believe there is a single case of a horse with "navicular disease" that has been cured by the application of an appliance to the hoof.

Therapeutic shoeing or corrective shoeing is in fact an oxymoron.

Obviously, I would suggest that you take your horse down the barefoot route as this is the only real way to reverse the effects of navicular and will lead to a long productive life in any sphere you choose.
 
I think I will try to get a professional opinion as soon as I can - I don't want to do more damage!! There is the fear of opening this box of worms but I don't want to hurt the poor boy!
The 'good news' is he doesnt have all the symptoms... He isn't sore on his heels & it isn't bilateral. I hope it is my paranoia! X
 
Becki1802 said:
I think I will try to get a professional opinion as soon as I can - I don't want to do more damage!! There is the fear of opening this box of worms but I don't want to hurt the poor boy!
The 'good news' is he doesnt have all the symptoms... He isn't sore on his heels & it isn't bilateral. I hope it is my paranoia! X
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Best of luck with this.:)
 
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