Which leg is this horse lame on ...

[opinionuk]

Having attending an event my horse was pulled up after dressage suspected lameness on a certain leg, so I was told to take her to the on site vet which I did who diagnosed a completely different leg, the farrier then diagnosed another leg.

Luckily I videoed the test, please comment on the lameness and not critic the riding. Thanks

The opinions given were ...

Near fore
Off hind
Near hind

I will tell you which one the vet diagnosed after you've watched the clip
http://youtu.be/T9o7AojXvCU

 

[Lolo]

Um, left hind (sorry, I always get confused with near and off!) which then shows in the front as well? That's what mum, me and my sister reckon having just watched.

Hope you get her sorted soon, poor girl.

 

[ihatework]

I honestly couldn't say for certain. She looked fractionally unlevel all over at some points! My guess would be mild bilateral in front with one of the hinds being the main issue, she took a few very dodgy steps and am on my phone so can't double check which leg whilst I type!!

Presumably she felt a bit croc underneath you?

 

[Benjis_girl2]

I would say she is lame on her near hind from looking at your vid..

 

[Purple18]

looks like the Near fore to me. looking again the off hind doesn't look right either. certainly not comfortable on all at points

 

[SpottedCat]

I honestly couldn't say for certain. She looked fractionally unlevel all over at some points! My guess would be mild bilateral in front with one of the hinds being the main issue, she took a few very dodgy steps and am on my phone so can't double check which leg whilst I type!!

Presumably she felt a bit croc underneath you?

This was exactly what I thought, with off hind being the major area of concern, though each time I watched it I saw something different. TBH a dressage test on grass isn't the best place to spot these things - I'd be wanting a decent workup with lunging on a hard surface and the vet seeing her under saddle too to really get to the bottom of it. I was going to say the same re feeling it - had she done something minor prior to the event and you were hoping she'd work through it?

 

[YasandCrystal]

I would say near hind.

 

[Loulou2002]

Another vote for near hind

 

[opinionuk]

This was exactly what I thought, with off hind being the major area of concern, though each time I watched it I saw something different. TBH a dressage test on grass isn't the best place to spot these things - I'd be wanting a decent workup with lunging on a hard surface and the vet seeing her under saddle too to really get to the bottom of it. I was going to say the same re feeling it - had she done something minor prior to the event and you were hoping she'd work through it?

No she hadn't done anything prior to the event I wouldn't have taken her if she had, I do keep a strict eye on her soundness and tend to put her on the lunge to ensure she is sound, unfortunately I didn't do it that day.
Rosie striding felt choppy but she often gets tense as she finds dressage hard whereas SJ and XC is a breeze for her!

 

[Surreydeb]

First thought was near hind but after first canter looked short on off hind, so a general hind leg unsoundness, maybe pointing to a back issue?

 

[_GG_]

I kept wanting to say near hind, but my gut says that the unevenness is just an asymmetric issue stemming from problems with the off hind, showing also in the lateral effect on the near fore.

Lameness is so hard to detect. Only thing I can say is that something in the movement through the stifle of the off hind looks off to me.

So difficult detecting the cause , not some of the symptoms.

 

[maxine1985]

I kept wanting to say near hind, but my gut says that the unevenness is just an asymmetric issue stemming from problems with the off hind, showing also in the lateral effect on the near fore

This was my thinking too!

 

[anna22]

TBH a dressage test on grass isn't the best place to spot these things - I'd be wanting a decent workup with lunging on a hard surface and the vet seeing her under saddle too to really get to the bottom of it.

As said here... and a good straight line hard surface trot up with a view straight on at her. Have you taken her to your vets?

 

[opinionuk]

First thought was near hind but after first canter looked short on off hind, so a general hind leg unsoundness, maybe pointing to a back issue?

Hi yes i later found out it was a combination of things regarding the back, her pelvis had dropped, she is really tight around her Lumar region as she suffered with hormone problems and was in season, i wasnt aware of this at the time obviously!

she also has mild kissing spine so I have to work hard on working her long and low, she has 2 vertebrae which have fused and is not on any treatment as vet didn't think it was necessary she was diagnosed 2 years ago but has always found flatwork difficult.

 

[PolarSkye]

I would also have said near hind, but I know that fore lameness is more difficult to spot and I'm rubbish at spotting it.

P

 

[_GG_]

Hi yes i later found out it was a combination of things regarding the back, her pelvis had dropped, she is really tight around her Lumar region as she suffered with hormone problems and was in season, i wasnt aware of this at the time obviously!

she also has mild kissing spine so I have to work hard on working her long and low, she has 2 vertebrae which have fused and is not on any treatment as vet didn't think it was necessary she was diagnosed 2 years ago but has always found flatwork difficult.

That'll explain the action through the stifle then. Bless her, obviously a very honest and sweet horse!

 

[opinionuk]

That'll explain the action through the stifle then. Bless her, obviously a very honest and sweet horse!

Yes she tries her little heart out for me, such a shame she has so many probs for a 7 year old, I've got the vet on speed dial! The vets coming out tomorrow to have another look at her she is sound on the lunge from the ground but slightly stiff with a rider on her back,
back, saddle and usual checks have been made so running out of ideas really.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Could be sacro illiac dysfunction - my WB was sound on the lunge, but 'stuffy' ridden and sometimes appeared lame/short behind - r'h hind. Very hard to diagnose SI problems.

 

[meardsall_millie]

I was going to ask if she was in or due in season as I've known mares to present like this when ovulating or in season.

 

[TarrSteps]

I'm interested in the idea that pain has to equal lameness, or at least there should be an identifiable gait change for a single disorder. I hurt lots of days and don't actually limp but you wouldn't say I'm sound!

 

[opinionuk]

I was going to ask if she was in or due in season as I've known mares to present like this when ovulating or in season.

She has been on regumate for ages but was taken off it 3 weeks ago and she is so tender in the lumbar area it's awful, so I'm putting her back on it and see what happens, master saddler came today to ensure her saddle still fitted and said the same as you.

 

[DabDab]

off hind, but muscular round the haunches on that side

 

[WellyBaggins]

She looks unlevel in front and behind at times, left fore and left hind as others have said but the ground was really hard at Sapey so that will not have helped! I hope you get to the bottom of it

 

[Cheiro1]

I'd say off hind which is why she sometimes appears unsound on her near-fore.

Which leg did vet say?

 

[opinionuk]

I'd say off hind which is why she sometimes appears unsound on her near-fore.

Which leg did vet say?

I said the Off Hind
The vet said the Near Hind - I don't agree
she said it was Lumar pain and lameness on Near Hind

She is now sound but my vet is coming out tomorrow so I'll get him to have a look at her.

 

[cundlegreen]

My mare presents rather like yours. Twice last year, when competing 6 days after season, she went very badly SJ and XC, kicking out at the leg. I am certain that she had a big follicle that was aggravating her. I had some tests done on a urine sample, and they came back saying that she was deficient in magnesium and potassium. I've evented her this year on cal mag, and not had a problem. She also presents with irregular steps in walk and trot, and is tense in her back. She has now had a full workup, and has bone spurs in both hocks. Its amazing that she's going as well as she is eventing, but she's learn't to save herself in the flatwork. She still jumps well, but if I hadn't wanted to improve her scores dressage, I wouldn't have got to the bottom of this. I would suggest hind flexion tests if you haven't already had them done. Also, I don't wish to be rude, but your mare is carrying a lot of condition and that won't be helping. My mare was very overweight two years ago when competing, and it is almost certain that this started the problems, as it was very hard that year as well. I expect that yours, like mine, is a very good doer, which is a real headache to manage!

 

[opinionuk]

My mare presents rather like yours. Twice last year, when competing 6 days after season, she went very badly SJ and XC, kicking out at the leg. I am certain that she had a big follicle that was aggravating her. I had some tests done on a urine sample, and they came back saying that she was deficient in magnesium and potassium. I've evented her this year on cal mag, and not had a problem. She also presents with irregular steps in walk and trot, and is tense in her back. She has now had a full workup, and has bone spurs in both hocks. Its amazing that she's going as well as she is eventing, but she's learn't to save herself in the flatwork. She still jumps well, but if I hadn't wanted to improve her scores dressage, I wouldn't have got to the bottom of this. I would suggest hind flexion tests if you haven't already had them done. Also, I don't wish to be rude, but your mare is carrying a lot of condition and that won't be helping. My mare was very overweight two years ago when competing, and it is almost certain that this started the problems, as it was very hard that year as well. I expect that yours, like mine, is a very good doer, which is a real headache to manage!

Is that the polite way to say she's fat! I really struggled to keep weight on her over the winter so its gone from one extreme to the other, she is such a greedy mare.
I will try cal mag on her, Isn't magnesium a calmer though? She is a nightmare when she is in season, almost impossible to ride her properly unless she's on regumate, she is such a talented horse and I'd hate to think of her in pain :-(

 

[charlie76]

Def looks lame near hind to me. Sorry.

 

[Marydoll]

She looks to have a bi lateral hind limb lameness to me worse on the near hind which looks to be causing short choppy sometimes unlevel strides up front, dunno whats causing it as she looks to be stepping under quite well at some points and all over at other times

 

[KatB]

My mare was very similar. Turned out to be bilateral front foot lameness after full body scans, suspensories, etc etc. It was incredibly subtle, but caused her to be cautious infront which showed up as moving short behind as was guarding her front feet. She looked worse on her near hind, where it was actually her front off side which was the mainly unbalanced foot. She became a lot straighter and softer over her back as soon as her foot balance issues were addressed.