Snatching up her back legs when walking

[Newbie_77]

Dear All

I have a 3yr old mare who intermitantly snatches up her hind legs when she walks.

She does seem a little tender around her fetlock area. She does walk this off if exercised. I rang the vet to get advice and was told it wasn't string halt as it's intermitant but could be a sticking patellar (excuse spelling!) I can not find anything about this on the net or in medical books. I was told this is common in young non-native breeds and they do grow out of it with exercise, if not an operation can cure. She is a section D which apparently is not so common.

Anyone had any experience of this before or any advice?

Cheers.

 

[Patches]

Look up, "upward fixation of the patella". I think this is what your vet means. Although, in my limited knowledge, I thought that meant the horse's stifle locked and the leg is left dragging behind.

My horse has mild stringhalt. She's not so bad walking (as in the leg action isn't so high), but she snatches her feet up awfully when you pick them up. She doesn't have exaggerated flexion at every stride though and walks better when warmed up, compared to how she'll walk out of the stable in a morning.

 

[buddly]

my boy had a locking patella when he was younger it used to literally lock sometimes it would be like it for a few strides the worst time was the first time and he was just draging his hind leg but every other time it just locks if you moved him forward he used to snatch it up and then would be fine grew out of it as he got fitter and stronger