Toe dragging and stumbling on near hind... any ideas?

[Christmas Crumpet]

Have had new horse for about 6 weeks now.

She passed a 5 stage and vet said he couldn't find anything wrong except her toes were a bit long in front and a tiny bit of mud fever. However, she drags her feet behind trotting on the road, more so on the near hind. She has totally squared off her toes.

She also every now and then will stumble very slightly on her near hind. I counted her doing it 5 times this morning on an hour hack on the road in walk and trot. She only does it in walk. It feels as though she is wobbly in her lumbar region if that makes sense rather like she puts her foot down, something hurts in her back and she wobbles ever so slightly.

I have had one saddler out who condemmed the saddle she came with but had nothing suitable so have got Sbloom coming out in a week to see her instead. I am riding bareback at the moment - have also had McTimoney lady out last week who said that was fine.

When checked over by McTimoney lady, it was noted that she was sore in various places... neck, withers, behind saddle. We trotted her up and she very definately dragged her near hind.

The list of things I have noticed are:

Dragging hind feet
This funny wobbling thing on near hind
Reluctance to load
Wobbling on near hind when off fore held up being shod

McTimoney lady coming back in a week for second appointment. She didn't say much when I told her all the symptoms - just nodded and said it made sense. That made me quite hopeful that it could be put right!!

I am just rather worried about these symptoms. She was stumbling in front but that stopped once her toes were taken back in front and her illfitting saddle removed.

Any thoughts on what it could be? She isn't remotely bothered about picking up her hind legs and doesn't look remotely stiff. She doesn't feel lame trotting along and works nicely in the school and is very workmanlike about being ridden. Quite happy to be got on, behaves beautifully when ridden, ridden in a snaffle with a lozenge and doesn't pull at all. SHe was ridden in a universal with running martingale when I got her but took that off and she seems far happier in her snaffle now with no head restriction.

If it were spavin, would it not have shown up when flexions were done at vetting. She is 14.

Teeth have been done as well. I am trying to avoid googling too much in case I diagnose her with all sorts!!!

Sorry this is so long - any thoughts?

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Have you spoken to the vet who did the vetting, is there a possibility the horse was drugged or he missed something major?
I mean if toes were squared off when horse arrived, does that not say something about an existing problem, and if not, indicates a new problem.
We used to check over incoming/new horses and take photos for the record, it is so easy to miss something.

 

[Kelpie]

To be honest there's lots of things it could be. And don't rule out lameness - it could be bilateral.

I would be tempted to go to another vet for a work up sooner rather than later in case there is s chance the vet will back you in saying it was an existing problem the vetting should have noticed.

 

[Floofball]

Not pressuming anything but my lad passed vetting on purchase and subsequent flexions a couple of years later. Only xrays showed up the advanced arthritis in both hocks. He didn't toe drag at the time of diagnosis but he does now!?! On a positive note, a friends horse toe dragged badly on one hind, no firm diagnosis was ever made but xrays showed very slight evidence of arthritis. She was injected just to see if it made a difference - and the toe dragging stopped!
I would be concerned and would definately investigate further, if it is something (and it may not be) you have been very unlucky and would follow up on the possibility of it being a pre-excisting condition.
Good luck with your situation, the horse sounds lovely btw.

 

[Goldenstar]

You need a vet .

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

Vet is next port of call. Just waiting for physio to ring me back so I have all the info from her before I speak to vet.

I have been racking my brains and it does seem that all this has started since having our first lesson. Might be a coincidence… might not.