Strange Lameness - videos - help please!?

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LennynLevi5

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Hi everyone

I started working my three year 5 month old and we noticed his trot was just not right behind. We got vets out and they initially thought he was possibly just unbalanced and unfit so recommended we do some gentle work (non-ridden) with him for a bit to build up his bum (he has a weak bum). Before this he had a short course of bute to check it wasnt pain causing the problem - the but had no effect so we went ahead and started the light work.

Although he improved quite alot we still thought he wasnt right. So vets came back out last week and did nerve block in fetlock, this had no effect. They then x-rayed both of his stifles as we were kind of expecting OCD, however x-rays came back and showed nothing unusual. Vets are coming back nerve block stifles tomorrow to see if this has any effect.

I am linking videos of him on the lunge both reins to see if anyone has seen anything like this before! Its driving me mad not knowing what it is or even what it could be so any clues if anyone has seen anything like this before would be helful.

Links to Video:

http://tinyurl.com/37btkbl
(Right rein)

http://tinyurl.com/36f7an6
(Left rein)

It seems whichever hind leg is on the outside of the circle always looks worse.

Sorry the videos are a bit grainy!


Thanks x
 
Hi

From the vids the right hind looks much worse than the left hind.

It's interesting that the vets jumped from the fetlock to the stifle, any idea why they would not xray and nerve block the hock?

Looks spavin type action to me, as if he avoids flexing his hocks. Probably bi lateral but IMO worse in the right hind.

How long was the bute trial and how much bute did he have?

Just to add, when right hind is on the inside of the circle he looks as if he sweeps his leg wide to the inside rather than flex the hock to step under.
 
Last edited:
Hi there

We had a mystery hind lameness which was put down to sacroiliac inflammation for 7 or so months but following a scintigraphy, it turns out that the problem stemmed from the right hock so it's definitely worth keeping an open mind as from where the lameness stems.

My chap's canter would be more of a rocking action and he would also trip on the right hind in trot but the soreness showed through his back and sacroiliac area. Needless to say, he was much worse under saddle than on the lunge.

If you're able to claim on your insurance, I would definitely recommend a full lameness investigation as if I could have had one sooner, it would have saved me months of heartache and frustration.

I hope all goes well and you get to the bottom of it soon. He's a lovely chap!

:)
 
I'm with foxy1 on this, both hinds are lame but the right looks the worst. He isn't tracking up, he is holding himself through his back and hips and not swinging through. He will be holding against the pain, which may make it look like its higher up to the vets. Be interesting to watch him trot away and come back in a straight line to see where he is placing his hinds.

If your insured you may be better off getting him referred to a vet hospital so he can have a full lameness workup to find where the problem is.

Good luck and hope you get him sorted soon. Keep us all posted. x
 
Poor chap looks very uncomfortable. Personally Id be looking much more at his back, neck and spine areas. He isnt so much lame as blocked all the way through the body.
 
Don't forget hind limb lameness is THE major cause of back pain, so he is bound to look sore across his back/neck as a secondary symptom to the lameness
 
Also the horse is positively roach backed - it's whole demenour to me says back.

Will be really interesting to see what the tests reveal.
 
Thanks for replys everyone, I am going to mention the Sacroilias joint and pelvis/back etc to vet tomorrow. I think we may end up being referred to an equine hospital for a full investigation. Will let you know how we get on tomorrow.

Thanks for all your input x
 
It could cause a horse to have shuffley action behind but not out and out lameness like in the video

Could be SI (the latest lameness 'trend!'), but my money is on hocks
 
Hindlimb lameness can cause a horse to change its gait in a compensatory fashion which can result in pain in the scaroiliac region.
 
would agree many many hindlimb lamness's create a seconday back soreness/stiffness. this type of lamness is usually a good candidate for bone scaning esp as initial nerve bocks negative. would also say suprised at going from fetlock to stifle when a high proportion of lamness's come from hock. guess they blocked foot? my vet says you have to start at the bottom and work your way up.
 
If it was my horse,as well as vet,
I would be tempted to have a good back person out to check, it eliminates that as a possible contribution factor or Could be a combination of several factors.
 
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