Won't pick one foot up...

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Abacus

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My horse came back from a rather disastrous loan about 6 weeks ago. He was returned because he didn't settle, and started to behave badly. When he came back he was nervous (shied away when I went to stroke his nose) and rather tense, although not badly behaved. He has since settled well, is hacking nicely and just happy to be home. In most ways he is just the same as he always was. But he simply won't let me pick up one back foot. Sometimes he will pick it up for a moment (just long enough to pick out) but then slams it down. It's almost as if he would fall over if he held it up any longer. I can't figure out if there is pain involved, or something has happened that is making him scared of picking it up. All his other feet are fine to pick up, and he seems completely sound.

Has anyone seen this before?
 
Where would you say he might be sore? I can't find anything obviously wrong and he is sound when ridden in all ways. This is interesting because it seems to me there is something wrong, if it's just the one foot.

Thanks
 
We had a hell of a time getting shoes on 2 weeks ago. My farrier thought he was messing around and not footsore (I even took him in the school to shoe in case the other foot was sore). But I'm not sure it is just messing around. I have tried telling him off, which he is usually sensitive to, and it makes no difference.
 
How long was he out on loan for? Would you have known if anything had happened regarding that one leg whilst he was away? The reason I say this is that it could be something remembered making him awkward with that one leg. Firstly rule out anything pain related regarding that back leg and areas of body that could be affecting it like has been said, otherwise it is possible there has been an incident/issues with it when he was away. Is he a worrier?
 
Either it hurts the leg he doesn't want to pick up when he's holding it up or it's actually the other leg (the one that he will pick up) that hurts and he doesn't want to put all his weight on it and therefore snatches the other leg away.

Is he lame?
 
What about getting back lady out to check if his pelvis isn't twisted???? this might cause him discomfort when you pick up that one foot, or even hurt, or he might lose balance because of it? Worth a try :)
 
Has he fallen or slipped (when behaving badly) to your knowledge if such a sudden development.

My first thought would have been abscess in other foot but if being gone over so this length of time the abscess would have shown up by now.

I would be asking vet to have a look at him if this continues without getting better.

I have had one of my horses who as he aged and became arthritic found it increasingly difficult to hold back feet up for picking out and made life hard for my farrier. For awhile, picking out his feet/getting shod worked when he could lean against something helped his balance.

Things I would be checking myself would include - will your horse back up? What is he like trotting on a small circle on hard and soft surface? Any sign of changes over hind quarters and back. Does his pelvis seem level when standing from behind.

Then have a conversation with your vet over the phone and see what they say....
 
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Faracat said:
Either it hurts the leg he doesn't want to pick up when he's holding it up or it's actually the other leg (the one that he will pick up) that hurts and he doesn't want to put all his weight on it and therefore snatches the other leg away.

Is he lame?
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^^^^^^^This.

You need the vet to investigate this imo.
 
He was out for about a month, and I have no way of knowing what happened but apparently he started to be difficult to handle - putting saddle on was the example given. He has been fine with this since he came back.

Yes, I would say he is a worrier in some ways which makes me think that maybe something did happen that scared him and put him off picking that leg up. It seems a strange thing to continue to be worried about though. He will pick it up but it goes straight back down.

He isn't lame as far as I can tell. I haven't had full workups done but he trots, canters and jumps happily on either rein.

I haven't tried lunging in small circles on hard or soft but it's a good idea.

Thank you jnhuk for mentioning arthritis. You have reminded me that the vet suggested that he could see the start of arthritis in this hock - probably about 4 years ago. I had forgotten it and it never caused any problems but perhaps it is beginning to show. Time to investigate, I think... I had assumed it was all about something that happened while on loan, but maybe it's more than that.
 
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OK, maybe it's the holding the leg up and keeping it still that is painful as he's moving freely. It really does sound like pain though.

It might be worth getting someone to trot him up for you again (sorry) on hard and then on soft ground. Some problems show up more on certain surfaces. Really concentrate on his tracking up, are the strides that he takes with his hind legs the same length? Then look from behind - does he move his pelvis evenly and does he pick his hooves up the same height?

Any doubts, get the Vet.
 
Faracat said:
OK, maybe it's the holding the leg up and keeping it still that is painful as he's moving freely. It really does sound like pain though.

It might be worth getting someone to trot him up for you again (sorry) on hard and then on soft ground. Some problems show up more on certain surfaces. Really concentrate on his tracking up, are the strides that he takes with his hind legs the same length? Then look from behind - does he move his pelvis evenly and does he pick his hooves up the same height?

Any doubts, get the Vet.
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I watched him today while someone else rode him on a hack (although I will trot up properly). He tracks up evenly, his hips and pelvis move evenly and he appears to be symmetrical. Couldn't see whether his hooves reach the same height but I will look for this. Thank you.
 
Possibly brewing an abscess in the other hind foot therefore doesnt want to put all his weight on is so refusing so pick up the one thats ok. Watch out for hot spots, holes in the sole/coronet band etc
 
My boy has a longstanding history of hock arthritis and spent a few yrs out on loan whilst I was studying for a degree and at some point during that period he starting having problems picking one of his back legs up (no bother with other 3 legs). Had several different vets, farrier and a physio out to him all with a different opinion from it being related to a bout of mudfever he was suffering at the time to it being his pelvis to it being behavioural. When he came back to me had my own vets out who concluded it was likely due to progression of his arthritis (I think there might also be secondary things going on higher up from him compensating as he does have a lot of muscle wastage). After trialing high doses of bute and eventually opting for a steroid injection he's better now but still not anywhere nr 100%.
 
If he where mine I would be thinking either sore foot on the other side or brewing a bone Spavin or something similar on the one he's reluctant to lift , either way it's a job for the vet.
 
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