snatching hind legs fgor farrier

C

Cgd

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 October 2014
Messages
57
Visit site
Has anyone else had a problem with a horse snatching their back legs so badly when asked to pick up, that basically you can no longer pick them up to pick out or have shod ?

It has been something that started about 9 weeks ago and has got worse more I try to do it. Had back checked etc and all fine. Passed a 5 stage vetting 12 weeks ago. Vet came on Monday and agrees with me it could be hocks or sacroiliac pain. Vet coming again Monday for another look.

She is not lame but is quite stiff behind and has been since I got her.

She was shod about 4 weeks ago and bless my farrier for persevering as she even knocked him over snatching and hopping about. He asked me to get some sedaline for next time but I am reluctant to give her that is if it does actually hurt as its not fair , but I will however least need shoes removed until this is diagnosed. She is on bute to alleviate any pain so hope that will help.

Any thoughts or similar experiences I would be interested to hear until I hopefully get some further answers from vet / scans etc.
 
See what your vet says, and maybe ask the people who you bought her off. If they don't report an underlying problem then it is a training one.
Pick her foot up and hook your fingers over the toe, so you are holding it but she can't put any weight on you. Then hold it as relaxed as you can for a few seconds, reward her and put it down (reward BEFORE you put it down so you are reinforcing holding it up). Gradually build the time - if she snatches, start over. Don't hold the foot too high, that can be uncomfortable, especially for cobs etc who have shortish cannon bones.
 
Previous owners never had any problems at all with this. I unfort think it is more than training issue ( although some could be part learned habit now!) Something somewhere hurts as we suddenly have issues with loading and impulsion when jumping. Definitely worse since hunting. Vet agrees a problem but also not sure where so suggested a bone scan. Would like to see what else I can establish before we go down this route. She is insured but I don't really want to put her through that unless I have to - isolation for a few days as would be radioactive ...ekk ! Currently I am resting her until vet visit again Monday. Only had her 3 months after a break in horses for 18 years! Kept my last horse for 22 years and when he retired and I started working in London I gave it up. Feeling like this could be a short comeback and back to walking on foot out with my daughter and her pony :-(
 
My mare started doing this very suddenly about 12 months before I had her PTS. Her front legs had been causing her problems for a couple of years (carpitis), and then she started slamming down her hind feet without warning. This was a horse who was so good to shoe my farrier used to joke he could give her the tools and she'd shoe herself. She didn't even have to be tied up. It was undoubtedly due to arthritis and it was one of the reasons I had her PTS - I used to trim her feet myself and apart from the fact I knew it must be hurting her, despite long terms NSAIDS, she wasn't always too stable on her legs and longer hooves would have been more likely to cause her to fall.
 
Is she shod straight out of the stable or field? My mare has arthiritic hocks (including a bone spur) and she is much better for farrier if she has been loosened up first so I try to ride her beforehand (even if it's only 20 minutes around the block) and farrier has commented that she feels much better as a result and is happier and more comfortable for him to shoe her. She can be very snatchy with her hinds so this definitely helps.
 
She has usually been out for few hours before being shod. ( 3-4 hrs) Will her previous owners she was mostly stabled due to poor turnout.
 
cannot guess your problems but one area of pain that causes this problem is gut pain. Hind gut ulcers/acidosis, poor gut digestion, gas etc. Presumably you bought her 12 wks ago, would have picked up her hind feet when you looked at her with no problems as would the vet for the vetting. Since then presumably she has come home to you and is on different grazing, different feed/ regime etc Any of these, along with the stress of moving home could have affected the digestion.
 
That is something I haven't thought of. Yes had legs held for flexion and I had picked all her feet up too prior to buying. Not sure if its worth a mention but I not seen her in season since I have had her ? She not mareish but thought I would notice ? She grazes with a gelding. I not had a mare since I was a child so excuse my ignorance re the seasons. Infact I have only just thought about fact I haven't noticed one ! She is definitely on more grass and turnout with me but I have kept the same feed. She settled in like a piece of cake so I dnt think stress could have effected anything. Going to have a read up on ulcers now . Thanks
 
Cgd said:
She has usually been out for few hours before being shod. ( 3-4 hrs) Will her previous owners she was mostly stabled due to poor turnout.
Click to expand...

cannot comment about mares as I have little experience but possibly she has gone from being in on hay for most of her time to out on grass for a lot of it. Grass, especially in early Autumn seems to cause problems, wet grass also seems to.
I have one very badly affected by digestive problems he was a nightmare to pick out his hinds. As I started resolving the problem he became a lot safer. He was very "stiff" when I asked for a hind. It has the same stiffness symptoms as "back" type problems.
Good luck
 
This is one of the things that let me know that my horse has EPSM. Check the bum muscles, especially the hamstrings. Are they hard compared to other horses? Is your horse walking with hind legs quite far apart? Is she seeming to get tired easily? Does she ever stamp her feet as if she has mild colic?

If so, it could be EPSM, and it could have been triggered by your forage having lower selenium levels or higher carbohydrate levels (or just by her having more grass).
 
My back lady thinks back fine , hamstrings little tight but wasnt concerned. Not seen her stamping and doesn't seem to tire easily and walking fine. All good things to discuss with vet tho - i have a long list. I prob going to be v annoying and bombard with questions !
 
Well its appears that my mare has a problem with her suspensory ligament on her near hind - Very Mild PSD. Currently on box rest with controlled exercise for the next 12 weeks. Also has shockwave treatment for the next 4 week ( once a week). I would have hoped a 5 stage vetting would have picked up PSD ?! My vet is hopeful she will make a full recovery to normal work as he has classed it as acute rather then chronic. Fingers crossed x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top