Weird hind limb placement

[pistolpete]

My horse has issues! He is hopefully going to Rockley in a month or so for navicular problems. He also had steroids for a hind limb weakness issue last year we think after he fell in the field. :-( He has been fairly sound on and off in egg bar shoes but I walked him in hand for a 'hack' today as he needs new shoes and I was worried about him slipping. Watching him closely as I was able to do while leading him I noticed him placing one hind foot in front of another like on a tightrope. It became less noticeable when we speeded up a bit. Any ideas?

 

[SusieT]

sounds neurological. i'd be getting a neuro work up

 

[Surreydeb]

He could have done some damage to his hips maybe arthritis has set in following his earlier fall? One of mine had an odd stance with hind legs kind of tucked in towards each other and we had him nerve blocked right up his legs, and it was concluded his hips were the problem - either a small fracture or bad arthritis. When we trotted him in hand his hind legs were all over the place - he didn't know where to put them - swinging out to side then tucked right under the most peculiar action I've ever seen. Didn't feel lame to ride initially just a bit off, but progressively got worse and I had to let him go as he was mid twenties by then and wasn't comfortable.

Good luck with sorting your Ned out, hope he does well at Rockley x

 

[Birker2020]

sounds neurological. i'd be getting a neuro work up

Yes sounds like this is highly likely. My wobblers horse had very unusual foot placement and would stand with one foot on top of another if you placed it there and wouldn't realise anything was amiss. Very sad. Sounds like some decent xrays of the neck might reveal the problem and at least you will be able to reach a decision. My wobblers fell on his neck and this caused calcification deposits, which narrowed the spinal column pressing on nerves and causing hind limb weakness and loss of co-ordination (ataxia). He was meant to have 54mm gap for the spinal cord to pass through, but he actually had 17mm in the end.

Wasn't until he went to Liverpool for diagnostic xrays (portable xray machine of my vet was not strong enough) that they diagnosed wobblers. He was ten. Sadly there was nothing that could be done for him and he was pts straight away. That said, lots can be done for some horses depending on what vetebrae are involved so to be too upset or worried (hard not to I know) x

 

[amandap]

PP I can't help but do you know how long he has been doing this? I wouldn't panic unless you are sure it is new but wait until he gets to Rockley and see how he progresses. Obviously if things change for the worse a vet will be needed. Its very difficult when his hooves are a problem for him. Hoof discomfort can lead to all sorts of compensatory uses of muscles, stance and gait.