Videos: Lameness? :(

[Cedars]

NB: You will need to click on the 'picture' to get the video.

I would really appreciate it if you could have a look at Puzzle and tell me what you think. Any thoughts really appreciated.

This is a video from last week (sorry its rubbish):



And then a few from today:







And the trot up (if you only have time to watch one, this might be most helpful):



Thanks

 

[Parker79]

Sorry to see Puzzle is lame, really difficult to watch the vids as they keep stop starting (probably my computer) so I didn't get a chance to see properly.

Have the vets had a look yet?

 

[Cedars]

Not had the vet out yet.

Basically: took her in to the school last Sunday (in boots, and fully tacked up) intending to ride, popped her on the lunge line briefly so that I could just check she wasn't going to go orbital with me! She had a tantrum almost instantly as soon as she touched the rubber, and when she came back down to earth she was very very lame on her off hind - on the right rein, she wouldn't strike into canter at all.

So I put her in her box, and then about 2 hours later trotted her up for my instructor - she was MUCH better by this point (this is when I took the 1st video), but still clearly lame - I think she's short on her off hind. No heat, no swelling, no leg resting, no nothing except a fairly significant bruise on her NEAR hind - i.e. the opposite leg.

She's been in the field since then, and I've brought her back in tonight - I think she is looking better but I now think she looks lame on her near hind - or if not lame, perhaps short on it?

I'm really panicking

 

[Parker79]

Try not to panic yet (easy for me to say), its early days. Wait an see what the vet has to say, they can assess and give you a plan as to whether box rest or turnout would be best. I panic regarding lameness but then I remember how many times my friends horse has had small lay offs...he is 26 and still going strong have injured himself numerous times including 6 months box rest.

Sorry I cannot be of any help, let us know how you get on.

 

[Cedars]

I think I'll see how she is over the next few days (I'm off games for a few days anyway) and then have another look. If she's no better at all then I'll have the vet out

 

[Sam22]

Looks lame on the right fore to me. I would get the vet out next week if no better.

 

[Cedars]

Ooh thats interesting, a fore leg?

 

[magichorse]

Looks lame on the right fore to me. I would get the vet out next week if no better.

I thought that too. Good luck with it

 

[Queenbee]

cedars, I have no words of wisdom, Im sorry shes lame and I hope she gets better soon. Interestingly a girl at my yard bought her horse in lame, she thought he was lame on his fore, he was actually lame on his off hind but it often affects the placement of the opposite diagonal. Ive no doubt that your horse has just tweaked herself behaving like a loon, and will be fine, but I understand the worry xx

 

[Cedars]

Guess I'm worried that this is just a sign that she is conformationally too poor for ridden work I hope not.

Will see how she is in the morning. x

 

[jools123]

she is lame right fore but would not rule out something going on behind as well
difficult to see as she is not consistent in her paces

 

[Cedars]

She's only just backed Jools, she is very very unbalanced but she is a baby.

Its interesting that a few are saying right fore, because both my OH, instructor and I were convinced it was her off hind.

I'll have a look at her again tomorrow poor baby.

 

[Parker79]

Hope she looks better tomo, if she is lame on diagonals then maybe check she hasn't tweaked her back.

 

[maggiehorse]

shes not tracking up behind , shorter on her near hind

 

[Circe]

I thought she looked stiff on the near hind,
If shes had a hooey, she could of pulled a muscle.
Kx

 

[AmyMay]

Have to say I'm struggling to see any lameness from the video's - but this may be because she's not being moved well by the handler - she's just being allowed to shuffle along.

Best get your vet out to check if your worried.

You should also do the 'trot' up on concrete.

 

[soulfull]

As Amy may said It is really difficult to see any lameness as the horse is not going forward. I would like to see her really pushed forward if only for one circuit, the vet will need this too.

IMHO Sometimes young horses have a slightly weaker side and look a bit lame when ambling along, when all they need is really pushing forward to work correctly

Obviously if she still looks lame then it needs looking into

 

[Cedars]

Thanks guys.

My excuses are that we don't have any flat concrete!!! Or hard surface of any sort except roads which are practically vertical where I live.... She also rears if you push her on in the trot up-we're working on it.

I'll try and get a better video today and I'll try to get her moving a bit more and see what she looks like at speed!!

X

 

[AmyMay]

I'll try and get a better video today and I'll try to get her moving a bit more and see what she looks like at speed!!

X

Tbh, Cedars, if you're worried - don't waste time with a video. Just call your vet.

 

[Briony&Anakin]

Im finding it hard to see from the videos, as i think the camera is bobbing slightly too?

What i would say though, is that when I first backed my boy he was very very unbalanced and often looked lame, often because he would twist his head from side to side and his weight would be shifting all over the place!! Some days I would be totally convinced he was lame, other days he looked fine.

Once when i had the vet up to do his jabs I got her to have a look at him trotted up on concrete too. She decided that it was his unbalanced way of going rather than lameness.

After 6 months turned away and brought back into work again this year he is much more balanced and subsequently I am not having kittens every day about him being lame!

 

[Cedars]

I am worried, but I've spoken to my vet who says that the first thing they'd do would be to suggest box rest for a period of time, then a bute trial. I might as well do the box rest on my own without paying for them to come out and tell me that in person!! I won't do a bute trial on a young horse so if she's not sound after some time in her box then I'll have the vet out at that point.

I guess I'm also not sure if shes actually lame, or massively unbalanced, or a bit of both. She was definitely lame last weekend after her tantrum-but she is markedly improved now.

Will look at her again today.

Thanks so much everyone, I know I sound so novicey, but I am!

 

[tallyho!]

The lunge circle is so small it makes Puzzle look as if she is lame on both leading reins. On the straight line it just looks as if she is pulling herself along, disengaged, like any other horse new to work and tossing the head about. Sorry Cedars, I'm not that good at these but always interested to look, however I cannot see a lame horse in the limbs at least - just one that isn't 'working' from behind and that will only improve over time She is lovely though x

p.s. have you checked for a rumbling abscess just in case?

 

[AmyMay]

but I've spoken to my vet who says that the first thing they'd do would be to suggest box rest for a period of time, then a bute trial

Tell him that's not what you want.

You want the horse examined, diagnosed, treated.

 

[Cedars]

That's a lot of money to throw away if she's pulled a muscle AmyMay! I know I sound stingy and if I feel she needs a vet she'll see one, but if I pay for a vet now I won't have any money for her hay for the winter. I will always make it work if I need to, but right now I'm not sure I need to.

Thanks tallyho. I have felt all four feet, no heat in walls or soles and she's perfectly happy on all four feet in her box-she's not resting one more than the other.

She had a nice bruise on her near hind last weekend that has gone now, but she's unshod and her feet are very soft so she's got a few chips around the floor. I'm checking every day but there is no change...

Likewise, there isn't any heat in any of her four legs, she's happy to pick all legs up and stretch them in all directions, and although I can't tell soundness when she's walking down the road she certainly isnt any more obviously footsore on a hard surface.

I did consider absesses because it is so blinking wet but I can't see the signs.

Farrier due out soon so will ask him to have a good look when he's out.

 

[AmyMay]

That's a lot of money to throw away if she's pulled a muscle AmyMay!

It is indeed, but that's horses for you - and it's also what insurance is for

 

[TwoStroke]

It's hard to see from the videos, but it looks like she may be landing toe first, rather than floating along heel first like she should be. Have a look at her walked up, and trotted up, and if necessary take a video of it and slow it down (can't seem to do it on the one you've uploaded).

 

[Cedars]

What would it mean if she was landing on her toes? Do you mean her front feet? I've noticed her doing that before when she walks up hills but maybe that's normal? Xx

 

[Hoofprints in the Snow]

She seems to not want to go on the right circle, so to me that may suggest discomfort in the shoulder or back. I am no expert tho!! I'd not try circles for a while, rest and monitor her, I'm not sure I'd box rest her tho as if it is muscular you don't want her to seize up. If no improvement in a couple of days then defo the Vet out.

 

[galaxy]

Difficult to see from the videos.

I also would prefer a shot of her trotting away from me. That is the best way to look for hind leg lamess. Preferably on a hard surface.

 

[TwoStroke]

What would it mean if she was landing on her toes? Do you mean her front feet? I've noticed her doing that before when she walks up hills but maybe that's normal? Xx

Up hills that's fine, but landing toe first consistently on the flat or down hill is a problem. I mentioned it as it doesn't look like she's moving as freely as she should be, and this is often a cause. With all the wet weather we've been having, thrush is rampant, and could be causing sensitivity in the back of the feet. Just something to rule out.