Toe dragging in trot - anyone else had this experience?

[exracehorse]

A bit of history, bought an ex racehorse and had a full 5* vetting done which he passed with flying colours including very good flexion test results. When we got him home, noticed he was toe dragging (rear feet only) in trot on the roads. Immdiately rung up the vet with my concerns and he dismissed it and said all was fine when he done the checks. I had his back looked at but, was told it may be due to needing more muscle in the rear end. We then had to turn him way as he had a bad accident so, never really got to the route of the problem. He has been back into work now for some time but, is still toe dragging. I have had his back looked at again with another visit due next month. He is fine in walk and even canter, goes over trotting poles and small jumps. Doing lots of grid work etc and power walking on hacks to increase top line etc. When you watch him trotting in the sand school, the hoof goes up ok but when it comes back down drags through the sand, you can see the sand kicking up in the air. When on a hack, if I do any trotting, which I am reluctant to do, you can hear his hooves hitting the tarmac and there is definite squaring on my return, its not toe dragging in the case that there are scuff marks up the hoof but, the bottom of his hooves square where he is hitting the ground. He is barefoot all round. But, was doing it when we had him and he was shod on all 4. I have looked on the internet and of course, its a worry as wobblers, bone spavins etc all come up. Can a horse just be a 'toe dragger'? No lameness, no heat or swelling on the hocks. Is not reluctant to work and is very forward going. Sometimes I can feel him slip from behind when in walk, if not tracking up properly. It doesn't make any difference if trotted in an outline or on the end of a buckle. My instructor couldn't see any problems when I spoke to her about it. I am having his back re checked on 5th June but, I guess the next point would be to have a vet out.

 

[TheMule]

How big is he?
It can be an indication of an unwillingness to flex so I personally would have him checked over. It can though just be a sign that he's a bit slow behind and needs to be educated in how to use his hindleg quicker, which will imrpive with strength

 

[exracehorse]

How big is he?
It can be an indication of an unwillingness to flex so I personally would have him checked over. It can though just be a sign that he's a bit slow behind and needs to be educated in how to use his hindleg quicker, which will imrpive with strength

He is a 15.2 hands TB - when he is in the field and pratting around and getting excited, then he lifts those dam legs up. Its so frustrating. We are doing some really good flat work, working on transitions etc, his balance is much better now and is softer on the hand. The impulsions on the trot work are great, buts its like he is still dragging from the rear end. I have had his back looked at twice now and another visit due next month. I just worry in case its something I am missing.

 

[Queenbee]

He is a 15.2 hands TB - when he is in the field and pratting around and getting excited, then he lifts those dam legs up. Its so frustrating. We are doing some really good flat work, working on transitions etc, his balance is much better now and is softer on the hand. The impulsions on the trot work are great, buts its like he is still dragging from the rear end. I have had his back looked at twice now and another visit due next month. I just worry in case its something I am missing.

I've had a bit of a worry with this with Ben... He was the same, fine in the field, dragged both hinds in trot under saddle. Now he is strengthening and working properly its just one hind and only occasionally and this is getting less and less... I've just put it down to weakness and we are working.

 

[TandD]

my mares a little bigger - 17.3, but drags both back toes.
she is ok in the strenght department and when she wants to pick up her feet i.e. bit up for it or going over poles, she does it beautifully!

i just think she needs to become even stronger, learn to sit back more, and become a bit quicker behind.
if it keeps happening we will get the vet, but atm i have no worries...ive even seen a GP horse drag its toes!!!!

 

[Sare]

With mine it was spavins. They're better with work, hes managed correctly, he's had steroids injections occasionally and he's looking better than ever and still manages to jump some pretty decent fences! It's not a bleak outlook. I'd get his hock x-rayed though so you know what you're dealing with

 

[Brightbay]

Mine does it too - 17hh but a slow walker. If we trot when out, he squares his toes. He does have some sacro-iliac/stifle issues as well, but squares both toes equally. We do lots of hill work - he still does it.

If it's any consolation he has never damaged his back hooves (he's barefoot also) - he never drags them to the extent that it goes past the waterline, he basically just takes every bit of excess off the hoof and then they stay at that point. I can round the toes with a rasp if I want but it doesn't bother me any longer.

It has been suggested to me that lots of lateral work will help, so we leg yield and shoulder-in on hacks. Like yours, he is lovely over trotting poles and his movement is superb when he's a bit excited

So I don't worry about it too much any more.

 

[exracehorse]

Thank you all, if he is just a toe dragger then, although a pain, not the end of the world (although I still don't understand how he passed a 5* vetting!), I am having someone out to watch him being ridden and then shall go over him and check his back etc, but each time I have had his back looked at, it has not shown any real problems, just some tension and to do the old carrot tricks etc. I have had two well recommended back specialists out.

 

[mandwhy]

Don't think you said how old he is?

 

[exracehorse]

he is just 9 years old

 

[mandwhy]

Hmm probably not growing issues then, my horse trips but more on the front due to being babyish, not concentrating and ending up on the forehand!

 

[Booboos]

Freddy has always toe dragged and we've never been able to find a reason. He was 5 when I got him, he is 11 now and he does it less but he still does it.

 

[deoni]

When my horse was dragging his toe, his pelvis was out. though he was dragging it in walk too.

 

[Archiepoo]

my horse did this until i started doing belly lifts and carrot stretches everyday ,now hes much stronger and more flexible he doesnt do it.
the thing that got me thinking was if he doesnt do it when hes pratting about in the field -but does it under saddle ,then theres an issue with the horse being strong enough to carry the rider

 

[Amo]

My TB did this and after numerous vet visits, xrays etc I got a physio out (with vets agreement) It was all down to the way he was working his muscles, basically he was weak behind, after a few months of physio treatment he doesn't do it anymore, if he has more than a couple of weeks off work though he reverts back to toe dragging so I have to ensure I keep on top of it.

Would suggest getting a physio to check him over.

Good luck x

 

[Ginger Bear]

My mums tb did do it and vet told us to work her to build muscle in hind end etc etc, a rehab vet later found that it was due to a dipped sacrum probably from her racing days causing her stifle inflammation. She was so stiff that she couldnt actually work properlyShe was rehabbed with corrective riding etc & doesn't do it anymore.

 

[exracehorse]

He has been looked at twice now, with two very experienced back specialists and another visit is due on 5th June. In theory, he should be working properly now he is being schooled on a regular basis, is working well etc. I know we have a lot more to do. I just have a gut feeling that something is not right. If he was showing lameness, or there was heat/swelling in his hocks etc, then it would be different but, its as if he doesn't even know or worry about dragging those back toes. And why can he canter ok and yet struggles to pick them up in trot. He toe drags on the lunge line as well.

 

[SVMel]

I rode an anglo arab for about 15 years who did this in front. Never solved it, eventually found out he had develped arthritis in his withers but didn't have that from the start of me riding him so wasn't that. Best he ever was came after he had accupunture, but still dragged them.

 

[Ginger Bear]

He has been looked at twice now, with two very experienced back specialists and another visit is due on 5th June. In theory, he should be working properly now he is being schooled on a regular basis, is working well etc. I know we have a lot more to do. I just have a gut feeling that something is not right. If he was showing lameness, or there was heat/swelling in his hocks etc, then it would be different but, its as if he doesn't even know or worry about dragging those back toes. And why can he canter ok and yet struggles to pick them up in trot. He toe drags on the lunge line as well.

Ours toe dragged worse on the lunge than any other time. We use Donna Blinman equine rehab for our horses. Based in Newmarket, equine vet & osteopath, there's nothing she hasn't been able to fix or improve with ours yet. We previously used different vets, physios, back people etc.. Now unfortunately she's the only one I go to.

 

[exracehorse]

 

[exracehorse]

He is learning to flex no and soften, especially compared to before!, shall try and find photos of him with the sand kicking up

 

[exracehorse]

before

 

[exracehorse]

Look at the hind leg. The toe goes up ok but drags when it comes down. Yet, in canter, he bounces along. OK, could do with more work on the flatwork but, he isn't going along flat with his head in the air.

 

[exracehorse]

VIDEO

You can see the sand being kicked up in trot.

 

[exracehorse]

VIDEO

You can see the sand being kicked up in trot.

Its not working, how do I put a video link on? Its on photo bucket?

 

[exracehorse]

video link wont work

 

[Annagain]

My share horse is 17 and has dragged his toes hacking all his life. He'll do a lovely dressage test (usually 65+ and occasionally over 70. Only at unaffiliated prelim and the odd novice, but still ) and never does it in the school, just out hacking. He's had vet checks regularly although not specifically for this, and had his back checked regularly too and he's always fit as a fiddle with no problems. Nobody's ever mentioned a weakness anywhere (although we've never really asked as not too bothered about it. Am starting to wonder if I should now seeing some of these answers - but if he's got to 17 with no major problems, we must be doing ok!)

We've just put it down to him being a bit lazy on hacks. He goes forward ok, but doesn't use himself properly and to be honest I see it as chill out time so don't get too worried about it. It can be a bit disconcerting when you see sparks coming off his shoes though

 

[be positive]

He could just be slow behind, as a racehorse he would have done little trot work not much would have been expected of him as long as he could gallop so the muscles used for trotting would not have been built up as much as the canter/ gallop ones.
I am currently rehabbing a horse that injured a hind leg, he spent 4 months on box rest and when he came back to work he was really dragging the toe as if he had forgotten how to use it, I have spent loads of time walking him over random poles, some raised, some flat, varied distances etc, mine can only walk for now but the improvement has been really good, you can almost see his brain working to try and pick up the foot and suss out the odd distances, the toe dragging has just about gone in walk and now he is doing a little trot work I hope it will follow that he will pick up in trot.
I know yours has not had an injury but it could be worth trying to reeducate both his brain and muscles with the daily use of poles, the other exercises I have been doing on the ground also help, turning tightly so they pick up and step under as they do at vetting, I use a schooling whip to gently remind him and going backwards also coordinates the diagonal movement required for trotting.

 

[exracehorse]

if I could post the video link, you would see, it just shows the video as a photo, i.e. the first frame, Can you post videos on this site?

 

[exracehorse]

Just an update, 3rd back person coming out tomorrow at 5pm. I have spoken to my vet today and updated him. Next port of call is flexion tests, and nerve blocks. Agreed it could be bone spavins, weak stifles, the list really is endless or, could just be weak from behind. Athough, after so much schooling and power walking on hacks, he should really be improving and not staying the same. Sometimes, I can feel him slipping from behind, only in walk, I wonder if that could be due to locking stifles. Shall update tomorrow what back chap says.