What's wrong with this horse?

[njyr]

Does anyone have any thoughts on what's wrong with this horse?

http://youtu.be/0qsTsuxm2CE (please excuse the delayed reaction, he is normally much better mannered on the lunge but given he is in pain I have forgiven his reluctance to move forward and come back down)

This video was taken after the physio found pain in the lumbar region of his back. The vets been and he reacts to flexion test of the fetlock. X-ray of the fetlock and ultrasound scan of suspensories didn't find anything significantly severe to account for the lameness observed and I am advised to taken him for a bone scan so that the suspensories can be ruled out completely. I'm not sure it is suspensories, my gut feel says its higher up - pelvis/back perhaps especially as lameness changes legs.

I've tried box rest (5 weeks with gradually increased hand walking on hard, flat surface) but that made it worse - he couldn't track up at all and his back end so so so stiff and together with his increasingly dangerously behaviour I've taken shoes off and turfed him out while I decide what to do next.

Which leads me to my final question - given he already has moderate damage to the soft tissues in the navicular region of both front feet, I have less than £1000 to spend on diagnostics and a year's turnout is out of the question…what would you do?

 

[LouiseG]

Personally I'd spend the £1000 you have left on more diagnostics and get a lameness specialist to have a look. You haven't really gone down many diagnostic avenues yet to figure out what is going on. You probably need to get him in for a work up/nerve blocks etc to pin point it and then take it from there.

 

[BethH]

He's very short in his stride and not tracking up on the back end, think left stiffer than right, my horse was very short and stiff and had kissing spines but it could also be something as simple as foot balance/soreness which also can also show itself in the same way, and it travels up into the pelvis and back. Are you having any behavioural issues or reluctance to move forwards straight especially downhill?

Check his heels are level from side to side and aren't under-running as having been through that myself it plays havoc with their ability to move correctly.

Dont know if thats helped or not but he is clearly stiff, keeping him gently working can help but don't do too muc. I agree I think it needs to be checked out, if it is something in his back then depends on the prognosis of the front feet they can do things to help and maybe able to medicate the area to allow you to work him to build some muscle to support himself

 

[maccachic]

First thing I would have done is turned out for a bit and monitored improvement (unsure why you would box rest when movement is best to keep thing moving).

 

[Mudfukkle]

Poor boy I would have his hocks looked at too.He was almost cantering with his back feet together, the last time I saw that, the horse was suffering from bone spavin in both hocks.

As someone has already said, best to get a full lameness work up.

Hope he gets better soon x