Working unsound horse

[lucylocket]

Have had vet up to nag today. He has history of long term lameness in foreleg, thoroughly investigated, but no def diagnosis, put down to osteoarthritis Was 1 - 2 tenths lame
and vet said to keep him lightly exercised and on bute. This I have been doing but stopped bute a coupel of weeks ago to see what progress of lameness was. I thought he was sound, but back man came to see him and said he was lame on both forelegs! Must admit couldnt see it myself but no expert.
Anyway vet says yes he is going short and said probably because of other leg, compensating. One - 2 tenths lame. 3 tenths on flexion test. To go back on bute. One one hand I feel he is probably no worse than originally diagnosed, on the other I feel guilty about riding him, although he only does about 1 hours hack four times a week. WHat is your opinion folks.

 

[AmyMay]

Did the investigations include nerve blocking, x-rays and scans??

 

[lucylocket]

yup!

 

[the watcher]

I have one who has been very slightly lame for a little while now. There was nothing wrong with his legs, feet looked fine, didn't react to any pressure in his back, it was a bit of a mystery..although we hadn't bothered with the vet as he was still working.

All came to a head on Saturday though when an abcess burst through his sole..he seems more comfortable now and I am hoping that was the cause of his discomfort. Relieved now that we were only working him on a rubber surface in the school!

Just trying to say really that there are a lot of causes of lameness, and that light work isn't a bad thing as long as the ground condtions are soft and your horse is coping.

 

[AmyMay]

I wouldn't work the horse then personally. Turn it out as much as possible - but riding would be a no, no for me.

 

[ihatework]

Assuming the vet is pretty confident of his diagnosis of OA, then 1-2 10ths lame off bute isn't that bad. If the horse comes sound on a low dose of bute then I'd be inclinced to continue hacking the horse, obviously mindful of the ground conditions. Regular low impact exercise is actually of benefit in arthritis provided the horse isn't in significant pain.

 

[Tierra]

I have worked a lame horse very very lightly but her circumstances were slightly different.

My mare (now on loan as a broodmare), degloved her hind leg as an 8 year old. It was a horrific degloving all the way from just below her hock, down to her coronet band. Everything was exposed (tendons and bones) but there was no structural damage to either.

She had 10 months box rest with a lot of veterinary care and a great deal of effort went into keeping the leg infection free (which, we managed to do).

At the time, we were told it was touch and go and then, if she did pull through, it was doubtful that she'd ever return to work (she was competing BSJA prior to this).

The mare came back almost sound - almost. However, the lameness wasnt on the hind leg, it was the opposite fore diagonal. More diagnostical work was done and the conclusion the vets came to was that she wasn't in pain per se but she had been and due to the extent of the injury, she had severe over compensation issues with the opposite fore leg. It gave her a very slight shortness on her near fore which nerve blocking, nor bute helped. X rays and scans showed nothing.

I have worked this horse... lightly... because she enjoys having a job. She only ever did the odd bit of schooling and some tiny jumps (clear round at local shows) and it was clear from the way she worked that she loved it. I can say hand on heart though that it "niggled" me. Even with the vet reports (Liverpool were involved) and the opinions of the osteo's and chiros, I never felt completly comfortable working her.

I let her go two years ago, on loan, as a broodmare.

She'll come back to me undoubtedly and perhaps i'll end up working her again but it wont be much. I also never worked her on bute incidentally.

I think you need to consider the horse's working life long term, particularly if the vets cant get to the bottom of whats going on. That being said, light hacking shouldnt cause any major issues. I'd never have my mare PTS because i am confident that she isnt in pain and she still enjoys life, but Im also realistic about her future. She was 8 years old when she became more or less un-useable for me. She's 17 now.

p.s. Have you tried magnotherapy out of interest? Might just be worth considering at least

 

[lucylocket]

divided opinions then! Horse is 18 now and I rather hoped to keep him going to 20 at least. Some days he is so lively that I think there cant be much wrong with him, he will go into trot of his own accord on the roads so I have assumed he was not too uncomfortable. I do not ask for trot on the roads for more than about 1 min at a time . Going by my own arthritis, I had really bad knee problems but a course of tablets seem to have sorted it out and now only small niggle. but it is my choice to keep walking about on it, Im not being made to. I wonder if Im being too sensitive about him as a lot of ridng school horses are worked on bute. I adore ridiing him as he is totally safe and I am not too brave, so would be really devastasted to give up. having had two or three unsuitable horses but hate to hurt him.

 

[loopylucifer]

i know the feeling! simmilar to my mares we too are 18 this year. the only thing that could be found was foot balance issues and we were as much as 5/6 10th lame. to make matters worse we have spavin inone hock and have been upto 6/10th lame on that one. she is currenty one one danilon a day manily for her back legs and on last check up we were 1/10 lame in front and 2/3 10ths behind. hacking lightly 4/5 x a week we also have prada shoes on. she has gd days and bad days and we take it day by day if its a gd day we may do more if its a bad day we do less and on gd days we can be very very livley!!!! i think it comes down to knowing ur horse and playing it day by day!