Why is my horse lame?

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Patterdale

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Apart from the obvious 'because i want to ride him' reason!

Brought him in today, ok in walk, quite lame in trot. Near fore.

No heat, swelling or tender spots as far as I can find. Nothing in the hoof. No visible wounds.

Sooo.......answers on a postcard please! :rolleyes: :D
 
Could be anything! My horse was lame in near fore - turned out she had injured her shoulder and that was 5 weeks ago, she is still on semi box rest!! :-(

Could be abcess / strain. Best call your vet!
 
One of 2 things come to mind. firstly abcess brewing or secondly hoeses are horses and will be found with a mysterious lameness if they want to and within a few days will be totally sound again :D
 
Common things are common! Abcess would be my first guess. If he's significantly more lame tomorrow you can heave a sigh of relief and dig out the piutice stuff and the farriers number. If he's NOT more lame then check his insurance;)
 
Yep - I'm hoping he's hopping tomorrow! Poor old boy!
More I think about it, he lost the shoe on that foot and it was off 2 days before he got it back on. V soft soles and he has most probably pricked it then. Ill get the duck tape out in readiness!

Time will tell!
 
Sounds similar to mine - the start of an abscess. Farrier dug it out and he was poulticed for one night. Fine for a week or so but starting to happen again.
Now we think it's because he has low heels.
Call your vet out :)
 
Abcess comes to mind, but I thought that 10 days ago when penny went suddenly lame, turns out to be a strained hind fetlock, no heat first day, standing on toe, difficult walking uphill, vet gave ne bute and box rest and she is near sound in walk now, have stopped bute now to see how she is tomorrow. 2 nd day there was heat and swelling, so I cold hosed twice a day. Prob another week rest then see ow she is in the school.
It is a worry when sudden lameness comes on. I do hope it's sorted for you soon.
 
Hmmm well this morning it seems inconclusive.....
He's pretty much the same. Gut feeling is that it's NOT an abcess. Hoof is totally cold and I'd have expected him lamer by now.

Slight heat on the FRONT of the cannon bone, nowhere near tendons or splints, so that's a new one to me :(

I've put him into a smaller level paddock as he tends to weave if he's in by himself during the day which won't do it any favours.

Really really hope it's nothing too serious. He's 17 this year, has Cushings and has only just come back into work after a year off while I was pregnant. Much more time off at his age isn't really ideal :(
 
My horse went lame the day after hunting (last Thursday) so much that he didnt want to walk, vet thinks its a stone bruise. He's walking ok on it now but is quite lame in trot, if i prod at his sole, he flinches but not sure if thats because the vet has scrapped it away and made it sore or it was already sore and she helped it!

I poulticed it until Sunday but nothing came out. Fingers crossed he'll be ok by this Thursday.

A few seem to be mysteriously lame at the moment! x
 
Rubbish.

The treatment is pretty the same regardless of cause: restricted movement. If it is an abcess then a couple more days will make it it much easier to dig out.
 
I disagree, I think at 17 unless its something that specifically needs to be restricted, movement is best. Otherwise you run the risk of him stiffening up just because he isn't moving, & possibly filled legs, making it even harder to diagnose. Plus I think healing is always better when the circulation isn't compromised, unless there really is no choice.
 
What's rubbish? Turning him out??
I think he's far better ambling about on a dry flat field than stood in weaving and stressing. If it IS an abcess (please please please!) then he'll be poulticed and chucked back out again. They drain faster when they walk on them.

I did think of lami but don't think it is. No heat, no pulse, and wrong type of lameness. He's on a bare paddock anyway. If it does turn out to be lami then I don't know what the future will be for him. A thin, old tb pottering about on restricted grazing forever doesn't sound much fun :(

Hope he's better soon, poor old boy
 
I know its hard not to but don't worry too much, I'm sure its nothing. I know exactly what you mean, I worry about the slightest thing with my 23yr old just cos of her age, despite being healthy. A few weeks ago she went suddenly lame while trotting down a very stoney path. Any other horse my first reaction would be stone in the hoof. But till I actually hopped off & removed a decent size stone, with her my reaction was to imagine the worst.
 
No, rubbish that he's not hopping lame today (how terrible does that sound!?)

I can't think of anything where treatment is not rest :broken bones, pulled tendons, bruised muscles, open wounds. All require restricted movement (i.e not running about like a lunatic)
 
Patterdale how is he getting on? Sounds very similar to my situation - 21 year old cushings mare went lame at start of December - vet/farrier initially thought abcess but after a week of poulticing and digging around(!) she was re-diagnosed with shoulder injury. Now on Danilon and restricted 'quiet' turnout and seems to be getting better (touches wood!), albeit very slowly! I was/am extra worried with the extra complication of Cushings :(
Hope your boy makes a full recovery!
 
A quick way to confirm if the injury is low down (lower limb, hoof) or higher up (shoulder) is to pop him on the lunge.

Spin him around in trot - you may have to be a bit bossy if he is really sore.

If he becomes lamer with the sore leg on the inside the lameness is in the lower limb.

If he is lamer with the sore leg on the outside the lameness is higher up.

You can't do any harm poulticing his foot for a few days - some abscess can be very stubborn - this is a quick and easy poultice boot and will cope with being outside.

AS you say he pulled a shoe a week or so back I'd be pretty sure that it's his foot that's the problem.
Poulticeboot.jpg
 
Thanks for that Tnavas :)

Well, brought him in tonight and he is much the same. Still absolutely no
- heat
- swelling
- obvious wounds
- tender spots

Still just the same lameness wise, just unlevel in walk and lame in trot.

Will keep u updated!
If it carries on much longer I might have to *gulp* call the vet.
 
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