Thickened pastern and intermittent shortness on hind leg

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red marksman

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Our 6yr old ISH has a slightly thickened pastern on Near hind which reduces when he has been out. It is only 1 centimetre different to the other (yes- I have measured it!) and there is no heat or 'puffiness'. He also goes slightly shorter on that hind leg after he has jumped but only for a short time- he is soon overtracking as usual.
After this happened for the second time I got the vet to have a look. Typical- he was sound even after flexion. The vet said to give him an easy couple of weeks and then jump him and see if it recurrs.
So - I was talking to someone who said their horse had similar symptoms and it turned out to be check ligament injury
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resulting in 12mths out of action.
Do I go straight back to the vets and ask for a scan- or should I follow his advice and take him jumping again? I really do not want to do this if there is any chance of a ligament problem.
Has anyone got any light they can shed on the situation? By the way he has had 1 of his weeks on light work already and the pastern was still slightly thickened again this morning though to the naked eye he looks sound.
 
Could the pastern be thickened as a result of fluid from another area?

I am just thinking that if it is happening after jumping and he is short, it could be something as high up as the stifle or the sacroiliac which is twinging and the fluid coming from him not using the leg as much as a result?
 
Interesting thought Jetset. The vet did suggest poss getting a physio to look at him- but i don't want to do that until completed ligament line of enquiry as it may confuse things!
 
I think if it was me, and knowing how easily ligaments are to cause further damage to once inflammation is present, I would be inclined to bring the scan forwards. At least then you will know whether it is a ligament inflammation or whether it could be something possibly higher up.

Does it happen each time he jumps? How about if he jumps a course, does it happen after each jump or does he not come right inbetween them?
 
Well, as you can imagine i have become fixated on this leg and am watching its every move!.He seems short on it when he comes out of his stable for about 20meters and then seems fine. Havn't jumped him since it last happened after jumping , but it had happened twice- both times after just one round.
When Grace had her problem was it quite subtle? The vet trotted him up and flexioned him and said there was nothing obvious- is that what happened with grace?
 
Yes, Grace passed a flexion and trot up with flying colours... which is why I am so sceptical about vettings
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She would have passed a 5 stage vetting that day at Hirds, and yet there was just something not quite right when I rode her on a 10m circle or asked for a bit of medium. On the lunge there was nothing! (you may remember she went for a lameness work up that week at the other vets)

You need to keep him doing something though in order for it to be evident when you go to the vets (which I think is the hard part as the extra adrenalin they seem to get when they are in that situation hides any unlevel steps in my experience).

It sounds to me as though it is something perhaps to do with his staying mechanism if it is as he comes out of the stable having been stood. Perhaps something with the stifle or the patella?
 
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