Strange hind limb lameness. Hock arthritis or suspensory?

[Wagtail]

The cob at our yard has had longstanding hind limb lameness that gets worse when he is in more work, but the owner has not agreed until now that he is lame. Anyway, a vet will be coming out this week to take a look. It's a strange lameness. In canter he looks great, really stepping under etc, but reluctant to actually go into canter. Once he's cantering he's fine. But in trot he looks to be struggling behind, more so right hind. As he flexes, there is a kind of shudder over the back of the hock when viewed from behind, almost as though something is flicking over the joint or spasming. It is only for a split second at the moment of most flexion. He also trips loads in front. Anyone seen anything similar?

 

[pines of rome]

My friend,s cob does the same thing, my Bowen lady had a look at him and said he does have some problems!
She is going to treat him, she also told my friend to do lots of half halts with him and to ride him forward and not let him be lazy and go on his forehand!

 

[Booboos]

Could he be mildly ataxic due to a back problem like KS?

To be honest that is just a guess, you are doing the right thing getting an experienced vet to see him.

 

[Wagtail]

My friend,s cob does the same thing, my Bowen lady had a look at him and said he does have some problems!
She is going to treat him, she also told my friend to do lots of half halts with him and to ride him forward and not let him be lazy and go on his forehand!

He does go very much on his forehand!

Could he be mildly ataxic due to a back problem like KS?

To be honest that is just a guess, you are doing the right thing getting an experienced vet to see him.

The pony has been diagnosed with very mild KS a few years ago which was treated with steroid injections. He appeared to make a full recovery from this. So you may be onto something there. When he had the symptoms before it was all shown by soreness in the back. This time he is not sore in the back but the hind limb lameness could well be a result of something higher up. My gelding had severe KS and he was not at all sore in the back.

 

[cellie]

If its suspensory I found they are reluctant to turn and avoid putting weight on hind when its underneath.My old horse who had spavin was first diagnosed with bad back he was compensating.

 

[Booboos]

R presented as ataxic caused by mild KS. He would place his hind on the ground and it would give way as if it could not support his weight (he wasn't slipping, the leg was collapsing). He did it once a month, then progressed to once a session, then he started doing the same with the front legs (obviously I had the vet out numerous times but it took us a while to find the cause). He had steroid injections for the KS and then long and low work for two months and one month on now he is fine (the ataxic symptoms disappeared gradually not immediately after the injections).

This is all very recent so it's what came to mind when you mentioned the cob at your yard.

 

[Wagtail]

If its suspensory I found they are reluctant to turn and avoid putting weight on hind when its underneath.My old horse who had spavin was first diagnosed with bad back he was compensating.

Thank you. I did some brief circles and backing up with him today. He turns fine in a tight circle to the right, crossing his inside hind wel over in front of the other, but was very poor turning to the left. Not crossing the inside hind. Backing up he was fine.

R presented as ataxic caused by mild KS. He would place his hind on the ground and it would give way as if it could not support his weight (he wasn't slipping, the leg was collapsing). He did it once a month, then progressed to once a session, then he started doing the same with the front legs (obviously I had the vet out numerous times but it took us a while to find the cause). He had steroid injections for the KS and then long and low work for two months and one month on now he is fine (the ataxic symptoms disappeared gradually not immediately after the injections).

This is all very recent so it's what came to mind when you mentioned the cob at your yard.

Interesting. Thank you. That is the same as the WB at my yard who has KS. This cob though does not lose his legs at all. But they look very weak, like he is sat right down on them when he trots, but no in a good way!