What could be wrong with him?

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Holding

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Before anyone asks, I have the vet coming out tomorrow, but I am going crazy with worry, so I thought I'd ask for a few opinions while I wait. So. How would you diagnose the following: 4 year old WB gelding, 17.2hh and still growing. Always been clumsy but lately getting worse. Stumbles and weaves around a bit when being led, falls over in his stable (doesn't seem to be related to sleep), struggles to walk backwards, often stands resting with his hind legs crossed over, and finds it difficult to pick up feet, especially hinds. Doesn't seem to be in any pain - he isn't in work atm but when he was backed a few months ago didn't have any reaction to saddle or rider. Very backward thinking on the lunge, but he's stubborn and German, so to be expected. I have a few ideas, but I also could be worrying for nothing when he's just big and unbalanced. Any ideas or similar experiences? Feel free to tell me I'm just being silly!
 
What a worry. I'd wonder about wobblers too, but would probably also opt for a full blood test (to include muscle and liver enzymes) just in case that showed up anything different.

Sarah
 
Thanks everyone. Vet came out today and did some tests. She seemed to think that it wasn't a neurological problem, and put it down to him being young, big and still weak. She didn't think it was a good idea to start riding him, and she was concerned with his front feet more than the hinds - thinks he needs corrective shoeing. So not bad news, but not conclusively good either. She's going to come back out in a couple of months and take another look. In the meantime, if anyone knows a seriously good remedial farrier in the Essex/Suffolk area, let me know. Thanks again for all your concern. :)
 
Lets hope the vet is right and he just needs to grow into himself. Fingers crossed. Personally, I would be reluctant to go down the route of corrective shoeing in a horse so young. In fact, if he wasn't being ridden I would not shoe at all. Let him grow the hoof that he needs to balance himself.
 
What did vet say about his front feet because I agree it seems drastic to start corrective shoeing at 4 years old when he's not even in work.
 
If your vet has seriously told you that it is normal for a horse to fall over in the stable, then I would either change vets or at the very least ask them to confirm exactly what caused them to make that statement.

I have never ever seen a normal horse fall over in the stable.

I certainly wouldn't be hanging around waiting for that particular vet to come back in another couple of months. I would definitely be asking for comprehensive blood tests not least because "weakness", reluctance to go forward on the lunge and reluctance to pick up feet can be signs of serious muscle problems.

At the very least, I'd be making sure I had a video (mobile phone?) handy at all times so that I could capture on short video clips the abnormal behaviour/posture etc to show an interested vet.

I really do hope you get to the bottom of things.

Sarah
 
How stressful for you - yuk.

I agree that I wouldn't settle for that explanation from the vet I'm afraid, and (though we haven't seen them) I'd be reluctant to start remedial shoeing in a horse that hasn't really been in work long, especially without potentially questioning why the front feet have whatever the identified issue is. If the horse is finding balanced movement difficult, that in itself can cause foot growth issues (rather than the balance issues being caused by the feet)... Do they look the same as before they were shod?

Would echo above about having a phone handy to video when he's bad as they never show what you need them to show in front of the vet! But I think your gut feeling is that there's something going on, and you should trust your judgement on that. Would also agree about bloods - liver issues for example can throw up all kinds of odd symptoms...
 
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To be entirely fair to the vet, she said that she could only judge what was in front of her on the day. I told her about the falling, but she didn't see it, and he performed normally in all of the tests. She did say that he was obviously not very balanced, and still bum high and growing, which could be a factor. I personally think that it doesn't help that he's stuck in so much, which is why I'm moving him on Wednesday to a yard where he can go out every day. He's on full livery at the current place, and he is barely turned out at all. If he doesn't improve, I will get another vet out for a second opinion.

As for the shoeing, I didn't want him to be shod until he was working, but I can also see the vet's point - his feet aren't even and it means that there is more strain on his legs. I will try to take a photograph later, I don't have one on me. Basically, his right fore is normal and his left fore is uneven - straighter on one side. It means that his stride is slightly uneven, which for a dressage horse is fairly disastrous. The current farrier has been trying to correct it with trimming, but there's only so much he can do at this point. I will get a photograph to see what people think.

Thanks again for all your opinions - I really do appreciate it.
 
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