When it’s all going so well…

[pixie27]

Little horse trotted up lame yesterday afternoon. Sound in a straight line and on a circle on hard and soft, but lame steps on the uneven hard ground on the yard. No lumps/bumps/swelling/pulses but his front feet are slightly warm, so lami is at the back of my mind.

Feel absolutely gutted, we’ve had two years of stop/start work due to sarcoids and my job, and this month’s felt like we’ve turned a corner. Of course we had our first show booked in for Saturday too.

Plan is to trot him up again on thurs or Fri, then get farrier out to hoof test. Then vet if nothing else is showing.

I am no doubt catastrophising but I can’t help think the worst. He’s only 7 with very low mileage so hopefully it’s just a bruise or abscess. But my last horse went lame in front (also aged 7) and that ended up with retirement. Bit of a pointless/pity party post, but I don’t really have anyone in real life to talk to.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Dont lose hope yet. Fingers crossed for you, what a shame!

 

[Maxidoodle]

Didn’t want to read and run, I know just what it’s like to have no one to talk to about stuff. Sorry to hear your boy is lame. For me, if Laminitis even crosses my mind, I’d be wanting to get him off any grass and onto a deep bed asap. It’s most likely a bruise or something brewing but, even then a deep bed will help him be more comfy. You can then assess Thursday as you say. Try not to worry too much, it’s such a worry when they are not right.

 

[Birker2020]

Yes keep your fingers crossed its a stone bruise, raised pulses can mean inflammation anywhere in the foot, due to any reason and it doesn't always have to be laminitis.

Mine had horrendous raised pulses which led to a telephone vet consultation on a Sunday afternoon. Vet convinced from my description it wasn't laninitis, vet the next day said coffin joints needed medicating again.

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

Ah, that's such a bummer! Only 7 aswell. About 5 years ago I had a mare who never came sound, she was only 7, and I turned her away for a bit and still didn't come sound ever again, I sold her as a possible broodmare, and as far as I know she's been a pretty successful mummy . But it's of course a far different story with a gelding (assuming he's a gelding).

 

[Birker2020]

Ah, that's such a bummer! Only 7 aswell. About 5 years ago I had a mare who never came sound, she was only 7, and I turned her away for a bit and still didn't come sound ever again, I sold her as a possible broodmare, and as far as I know she's been a pretty successful mummy . But it's of course a far different story with a gelding (assuming he's a gelding).

Whoa there! I think we're running before we can walk here....don't panic Captain Mannering!

There's probably a 70/30 in favour of it being a bruise/coffin joint arthritis especially if lame on hard uneven ground. OP would do well to take the horse off grass and sugar like others have suggested 'just in case' and give soaked hay until it can be seen preferably by a vet asap.

Although anything causing inflammation in a foot will also result in more heat in that foot temperature of feet is not really a reliable guage, as foot temperature fluctuates throughout the day depending in activity of horse and time of day.

 

[pixie27]

Thanks all - yard manager wasn’t concerned about lami (yet) but I’ll go up and bring him in just in case. He’s on a deep bed anyway. Stupid question as I’ve never really dealt with laminitis, but would sugary feed affect it? He recently moved from dengie pure grass onto mollichaff - would the extra molasses be a concern?

Whoa there! I think we're running before we can walk here....don't panic Captain Mannering!

There's probably a 70/30 in favour of it being a bruise/coffin joint arthritis especially if lame on hard uneven ground. OP would do well to take the horse off grass and sugar like others have suggested 'just in case' and give soaked hay until it can be seen preferably by a vet asap.

Although anything causing inflammation in a foot will also result in more heat in that foot temperature of feet is not really a reliable guage, as foot temperature fluctuates throughout the day depending in activity of horse and time of day.

Haha thanks Birker - I need no excuses to panic and think the worst!

 

[Birker2020]

Thanks all - yard manager wasn’t concerned about lami (yet) but I’ll go up and bring him in just in case. He’s on a deep bed anyway. Stupid question as I’ve never really dealt with laminitis, but would sugary feed affect it? He recently moved from dengie pure grass onto mollichaff - would the extra molasses be a concern?



Haha thanks Birker - I need no excuses to panic and think the worst!

You need a diet high in fibre but low in sugar, fructans and starch. Soaked hay is the best, no more than 12 hours soaked is ideal and rinse under a tap before feeding in a double net to last longer. If you have to feed chaff you want something suitable for laminitics and certainly not molassed chaff, so much sugar in that.

If your horse is out at grass you need to strip graze with electric fencing.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Thanks all - yard manager wasn’t concerned about lami (yet) but I’ll go up and bring him in just in case. He’s on a deep bed anyway. Stupid question as I’ve never really dealt with laminitis, but would sugary feed affect it? He recently moved from dengie pure grass onto mollichaff - would the extra molasses be a concern?



Haha thanks Birker - I need no excuses to panic and think the worst!

It definitely could affect the feet I wouldn't feed it and just keep him in for now, one of mine can go a bit footy I just keep him in for a few days and then his fine then I just gradually introduce grass again.

Any reason why you changed to mollichaff its awful stuff ?

 

[hobo]

If you have just the slightest worry about laminitis yes stop the molli chaff. I safely feed dengie hifi no added sugar or any chaff that has the laminitis safe label on it. Good luck hopefully it is just a bruise.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

If you have just the slightest worry about laminitis yes stop the molli chaff. I safely feed dengie hifi no added sugar or any chaff that has the laminitis safe label on it. Good luck hopefully it is just a bruise.

Some laminitis stamped chaff still has added molasses so don't just rely on that.

 

[pixie27]

Ok that’s good to know - I had doubts about the chaff so will ask to buy my own. We moved yards and it was a choice of the mollichaff or Alfa-a (which he can’t have). I’ll put him back on the pure grass, I’ll double check but 99% sure that’s no added sugar.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Definitely sack the mollichaff, its pure sugar, that is definitely enough to heat the feet if its a complete change did she change because it is cheap?

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

Whoa there! I think we're running before we can walk here....don't panic Captain Mannering!

There's probably a 70/30 in favour of it being a bruise/coffin joint arthritis especially if lame on hard uneven ground. OP would do well to take the horse off grass and sugar like others have suggested 'just in case' and give soaked hay until it can be seen preferably by a vet asap.


Although anything causing inflammation in a foot will also result in more heat in that foot temperature of feet is not really a reliable guage, as foot temperature fluctuates throughout the day depending in activity of horse and time of day.

Haha I didn't realise how negative I was in that message

 

[pixie27]

Definitely sack the mollichaff, its pure sugar, that is definitely enough to heat the feet if its a complete change did she change because it is cheap?

Oh god definitely should’ve gone with my gut on this one!! No idea, it was already being fed before we moved in.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

No advice OP, but everything crossed it’s nothing serious! Mollichaff is horrible stuff, cheap and cheerful. Hopefully not lami, but we’ve noticed the grass is coming through too.

On a side note, if you ever want to just have a chat feel free to PM me

 

[Maxidoodle]

Ok that’s good to know - I had doubts about the chaff so will ask to buy my own. We moved yards and it was a choice of the mollichaff or Alfa-a (which he can’t have). I’ll put him back on the pure grass, I’ll double check but 99% sure that’s no added sugar.

Just check other chaff before you buy, if he can’t have Alpha A, then you need to be aware that Dengie Hifi is Alfalfa based. What about something like Honeychop lite and healthy.

 

[Maxidoodle]

No advice OP, but everything crossed it’s nothing serious! Mollichaff is horrible stuff, cheap and cheerful. Hopefully not lami, but we’ve noticed the grass is coming through too.

On a side note, if you ever want to just have a chat feel free to PM me

OP, me too, feel free to PM me also. I’m stuck in a foreign country where most of my interactions with people end up with them grunting at me, as I just cannot grasp the language.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Oh god definitely should’ve gone with my gut on this one!! No idea, it was already being fed before we moved in.

It would be worth a bag every 6 weeks just paying for it yourself even

 

[eahotson]

Little horse trotted up lame yesterday afternoon. Sound in a straight line and on a circle on hard and soft, but lame steps on the uneven hard ground on the yard. No lumps/bumps/swelling/pulses but his front feet are slightly warm, so lami is at the back of my mind.

Feel absolutely gutted, we’ve had two years of stop/start work due to sarcoids and my job, and this month’s felt like we’ve turned a corner. Of course we had our first show booked in for Saturday too.

Plan is to trot him up again on thurs or Fri, then get farrier out to hoof test. Then vet if nothing else is showing.

I am no doubt catastrophising but I can’t help think the worst. He’s only 7 with very low mileage so hopefully it’s just a bruise or abscess. But my last horse went lame in front (also aged 7) and that ended up with retirement. Bit of a pointless/pity party post, but I don’t really have anyone in real life to talk to.

Hope it is just a small accessory and everything settles down soon.

 

[pixie27]

It would be worth a bag every 6 weeks just paying for it yourself even

Yeh I used to buy his feed at our last yard (he was on full livery there), so happy to do it again. Was just conscious of arriving and instantly being branded the difficult/fussy livery!

OP, me too, feel free to PM me also. I’m stuck in a foreign country where most of my interactions with people end up with them grunting at me, as I just cannot grasp the language.

Thank you maxidoodle and @Hormonal Filly, kind of you to offer! And maxidoodle that’s really tough, language barriers are so isolating.