# Help! Horse Mildly Lame but Cant Figure Out Why!



## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

Its been three weeks since I have ridden my horse because he is mildly off (1/10 on scale) off. Background is, he is 19 years old, an OTTB, we only do dressage (Training/First level). He is ridden probably 4 days a week solid, sometimes more, sometimes less. 

3 Sunday's ago I had my normal dressage lesson, and the following Monday I gave him off, as I usually give him the day after lessons off. When I went to the barn on Tuesday, he pulled off his right front shoe. I did not ride him, farrier came to put the shoe back on Wednesday morning. 

Thursday I went out and lunged and noticed he was head bobbing at the trot only going to the left. No short striding, just a slight head bob. 100% sound going to the right at all 3 gaits, sound going to the left at walk and canter. I thought maybe his feet still hurt from the shoe thing and put him away. 

Then Friday I was scheduled for another lesson. I hopped on and again, sound at walk both ways, sound at trot to the right, off at trot to the left, noticeable only in turns/on a circle. Still only the head bob and 1/10 lameness. No short striding etc. We didnt want to push it, so I did not have a lesson, and put him away. We all can agree whatever it is; it is in the left front.

Saturday and Sunday I lunged him in a halter to see if he was still off, he was. His feet are typical TB feet and he stomps because of the flies (I hadnt purchased my fly boots yet) it has also been raining a TON here. So I thought perhaps an abscess? Soaked his LF foot Saturday and Sunday, nothing happened.

Monday: I go out, he has taken off his back right shoe. Call farrier to see when he can come put that back on...

Tuesday go out, he pulled off his left front shoe. He is now wearing 2 EZ boots and 2 shoes. 

Farrier comes out Wednesday and reshoes him completely, adding clips to his shoes because his feet have gotten bad. Farrier doesnt see any signs of abscess or bruising. I have a message therapist out in the evening, but she doesnt see anything abnormal. 

He remains lame Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday - Just barely as you can see the head bob slightly in this video taken Sunday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afHsZRTnbDQ&feature=youtu.be 

Monday he is still lame, Tuesday I finally do not go out there. Wednesday I go out there and lunge him. (mind you its been dry for 4 days finally) and he was sound! W/T/C on lunge line both directions. I opt to put him away after that and see if I could ride on Thursday. 

Go out yesterday and he was back to being lame. Arena was sloppy messy, paddocks muddy due to it pouring rain on Wednesday night. 

I am at a loss, it has been 3 weeks and I do not think it is a foot issue. It seems more like a soft tissue injury now. My barn owner isnt too keen on allowing me to use a stall... I really hope it isnt something serious because at 19..there is a very high possibility that he would have to retire.

Oh, to note, he never seems bothered by it and is still the same as normal. He is on arthritis meds and injections, and this sort of came on suddenly after all of the shoe issues. He is also a horse that likes to lay down to sleep and rolls a lot.

Any ideas?


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## disastercupcake (Nov 24, 2012)

Well, its obviously quite impossible to say without seeing the horse. 

That said, with so many different shoe problems, i'd bet it was a nail that wenr in hot and created an abcess. Have you tried soaking the foot in epsom salt? A couple days the abcess will be drawn out and it can drain
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

Tried soaking 4 times in epsom salt and warm water and he wore a poultice boot, but nither drew out anything.


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## EponaLynn (Jul 16, 2013)

My gut tells me it's higher up on his left side, like maybe shoulder and is like strained tissue of some sort...might explain why the dry footing was ok and after rain (and presumably mud) it was worse. I'd love to hear the final diagnosis.


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## disastercupcake (Nov 24, 2012)

It could also be the back right. Lots of time a hind foot lameness show up in the opposite front..
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

i'd wait a bit more and if no change, consider an ultrasound on the front left. 
I considered that possibilty, of being off in the hind, but it does appear to be front left, and I agree that it could be higher.

is there any difference to the gait when trotted on soft ground vs hard? sometimes a ligament issue is WORSE in soft ground, since there is more sinking in and sucking out from sand. can put a pull on a soft tissue injury.


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## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

Thanks everyone, I just got back from the barn and funny you should mention the hard vs soft ground...because lessons were going on in the outdoor, I took him in the back (hard ground/grass and no footing round pen) to see him move. He is very much *less* lame on the hard ground than he is in the soft ground arena. 

He was stretching his back a lot both directions today. Nose to the ground, and is probably a .5/10 on the lameness scale on the hard ground. I trotted him in hand on the pavement and he trots sound.

I came to wonder if it might be his back? He has those Mt. Everest withers and lovvves to roll, and I wonder if he tweaked himself when doing so? My friend is having her Vet/Chrio out to look at her horse -- and we will have him look at my boy too. 

It sounds more and more like soft tissue though.


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## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

Also that back right comment is curious because the massage therapist said his back right glutes were where his problem was last week.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

another barn friend has a really nice Thbd. he is trail sound. hunts, too. but she cannot ride him in the sand arena due to the soft ground. still, he's a lovely horse and a joy to ride, and just a bit differnt now.

hope it's not a soft tissue injury, since they are hard to diagnose, and hard to heal.


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## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

At 19 y/o for him and my fresh out of college salary, it would be a real shame for him to have such an injury. 

He used to hunt himself actually, I got given him last year because he was too much horse for his previous owner and I had no intentions of jumping him. (He has been a jumper 90% of his life and on the track till 5). He was going great in dressage, with qualifying scores for championships and training level horse of the year. 

He has calmed down a lot, from a year ago. He is really dopey now and very happy. Very athletic and healthy, and a dream to take to shows and stuff since he has the best attitude. Im not ready to move on! Hahaha!


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

OK, haven't read replies yet, thought I'd just comment on what I feel from your words...



Starcailer said:


> Background is, he is 19 years old, an OTTB, we only do dressage (Training/First level). He is ridden probably 4 days a week solid, sometimes more, sometimes less.


Perhaps you're only doing 'easy', low level stuff with him, but dressage can be incredibly hard on a horse, esp if they're not very fit & sound to begin with. A 19yo OT horse, I'd be inclined to think it might be too much for. Not sure what you mean by '4 days solid' - do you ride for many hours a day or some such? How does he live the rest of the time? 

'Head bobbing' does tend to indicate significant discomfort, even if they're not obviously 'very' lame to us. Horses are incredibly stoic creatures generally. I'd think of head bobbing as more than 1/10 lame. It is often also an indication of a hind foot/leg/hip problem too - eg. bobbing on the left fore is often because of right hind probs.

You say he's got 'typical TB feet'. Without pictures, can only guess, but I'm imagining he's got 'splatted' flat, thin soles, flared walls & underrun heels. This is something that will be very unhelpful(whether it's actually a cause or not of this thing), and getting his feet healthy & able to function better, including providing support as necessary, is something I'd be treating as a priority. 

I also wonder, if he's lame & out of action, why are you keeping him shod? I suspect you were thinking it would be a short term prob & you'd be riding again? I wonder, why does he need shoes at all, if you only ride him in an arena? Esp why you need to put easyboots on his 2 unshod feet, when he's not being worked? Are his feet that terrible? That it sounds like he's lost 3 shoes in as many weeks - is losing shoes common for him? - sounds like there is a real problem there, be it just with the farriery or otherwise. I'd be inclined to keep shoes off him for a while, until he can develop some strength to his weak feet. Why have 'his feet gotten bad'? Is this recent, that they've got a lot worse? Pics??(see link below)

So... he's got terrible feet, has ripped shoes off repeatedly, is 19yo & had a lifetime of jumping & racing, now dressage. Is lame on left hand turns... Of course it could be a number of different things, but I'd start with rads &/or MRI of his feet, and get him well checked out by a vet chiro or such, and get a good farrier. As mentioned, I'd be inclined to keep him bare & boot him when necessary for protection/support, but if he's going to remain shod, he needs to be well shod with attention to balance, and adequate support under his feet - not just a rim shoe.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Not a great vid, but he looks thin. I also suspect RH though the video doesn't show it well.

Better pics better video and some feet pictures.

It does sound like he may just be sore.


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## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

By four days solid I mean I usually am out there riding 4 days a week, 30-45 min a day. That is the average, sometimes I only make it out 3 days a week and sometimes I can ride 5. Either way, he always gets 2 days off anyway.

He is really healthy, very sound, has schooled through 2nd and 3rd levels, but I have no intention of doing anything past 1st. He has never shown any problems with the degree of riding we do. He is extremely fit and sound for a horse of his age, and this is the first problem with lameness I have had with him ever.

He lives in a paddock/run that has a loafing shed. He has a lot of room to run around, eats alone etc. It is dirt though. He gets some time to graze when I come and turn him out in the back as well as grain/supplements 1x a day and fed hay 3x a day. 

He doesnt go very well without shoes, even in the arena. Even previous owners have told me this and I tried without shoes for a bit when I first got him and he just was ouchy due to bruising.

And he has only been out of work for the 3 weeks he has been "lame" -- I was hoping to be riding again as I worked hard on getting him conditioned this summer and want to keep it through fall and winter. 

As for weight, because he doesnt distribute it to his ribs; he might look skinny, but he is not. He looks really great now, compared to the spring where we were struggling with some weight issues. 

RH has seemed to give out a few times during warmup. He seems to lose it when going to the left, then regains it. After warmup he is fine which coincides with the fact he does have arthritis. (He also gets adequan + an oral supplement) 

Yesterday I went out and let him run around in the outdoor, he rolled and got up and ran and bucked and was sound, as not to risk it, I put him away anyway.

Today I turned him out again, and again he was sound. I tacked him up and rode walk/trot for 20 min, then took a 10 min trail walk on the track at the back of the property. He was rather stiff going to the left at first, but certainly sound. He got less stiff as time went on. No headbobbing. 

Friends vet/chiro is coming out this week still.


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## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

Also a photo of him waiting for me to get his bridle... He poops before and after riding without fail and he hopes everything is a cookie.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Starcailer said:


> By four days solid I mean I usually am out there riding 4 days a week, 30-45 min a day. That is the average, sometimes I only make it out 3 days a week and sometimes I can ride 5. Either way, he always gets 2 days off anyway.
> 
> He is really healthy, very sound, has schooled through 2nd and 3rd levels, but I have no intention of doing anything past 1st. He has never shown any problems with the degree of riding we do. He is extremely fit and sound for a horse of his age, and this is the first problem with lameness I have had with him ever.
> 
> ...


My weight comment was based on the horses overall condition not his rib covering. Again lousy video for looking at weight but he stood out to me as pretty thin.

Even if he was good condition I would recommend graining 2+x/day.

Glad you have people coming out. Let us know how it goes!


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## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

He was sound yesterday after work too (however we are due for rain all day and such) I just managed to lunge him for 15-20 min yesterday before the storm. He was even better then he was sunday, less stiff. 

Chiro coming out Thursday anyway.


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## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

Chiro had to cancel, and reschedule for next week, but he is still going sound. Rode Wednesday and let him run around Thursday, have a lesson today (just doing a half lesson)


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

The shoe coming off tells the whole story. He probably stood on a nail.

What you are describing is a classical abscess.

Ask your farrier to call in, remove the shoe and hunt for the abscess. Then poultice for several days until your horse is again sound.

Lameness on the inside of a circle tells us the horse is lame in the foot as there is more weight placed on the inside of a circle. So if sore the horse will go more lame.

If lameness increases on the outside then the injury is higher up as it hurts the horse to stretch the shoulder forwards.


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## holly77 (May 23, 2013)

I may be the only barefoot advocate on this forum, but I recommend pulling the shoes and then x-raying. Numbing the hooves by driving nails into them and inhibiting bloodflow will never help. I have seen countless horses returned to soundness after going barefoot, even with the same issues your horse is having. Pulling the shoes and finding an experienced barefoot trimmer is the first start. There are many farriers who trim for barefoot but also you use shoes. This is not true barefoot. AAHNCP has a national list of trimmers so does ECIR.org. Then trimming every 4 weeks. Changing the diet is the next step, and then using support boots while transitioning. Also giving your horse freedom of movement while not working is crucial, i.e. don't stall with limited turnout. Horses were not meant to live in cages. 24 hour turnout, if your barn has a pasture set up will work the best. Barefoot works for all disciplines - dressage, eventing, jumping, reining - anything. This is not a quick fix and takes time but well worth it. Alexander the Great's army's horses wore no shoes, and the animals traveled for great distances over rugged terrain. He was able to conquer and build an empire on the backs of horses who had the advantage of using their natural hooves.

All the best for your horse!


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## Tnavas (Nov 29, 2011)

holly77 said:


> I may be the only barefoot advocate on this forum, but I recommend pulling the shoes and then x-raying. Numbing the hooves by driving nails into them and inhibiting bloodflow will never help. I have seen countless horses returned to soundness after going barefoot, even with the same issues your horse is having. Pulling the shoes and finding an experienced barefoot trimmer is the first start. There are many farriers who trim for barefoot but also you use shoes. This is not true barefoot. AAHNCP has a national list of trimmers so does ECIR.org. Then trimming every 4 weeks. Changing the diet is the next step, and then using support boots while transitioning. Also giving your horse freedom of movement while not working is crucial, i.e. don't stall with limited turnout. Horses were not meant to live in cages. 24 hour turnout, if your barn has a pasture set up will work the best. Barefoot works for all disciplines - dressage, eventing, jumping, reining - anything. This is not a quick fix and takes time but well worth it. Alexander the Great's army's horses wore no shoes, and the animals traveled for great distances over rugged terrain. He was able to conquer and build an empire on the backs of horses who had the advantage of using their natural hooves.
> 
> All the best for your horse!


Holly77 - Farriers can be perfectly good barefoot trimmers - whether they use shoes for some or not does not mean they are not true barefoot. My mare is barefoot and has been for 10 years - my farrier is a qualified UK Master Farrier. The first thing they learn is how to trim!

The horse pulled a shoe! The horse most likely stood on the shoe, with a nail puncturing the sole. There the drama of barefoot is not necessary.


OP
"Monday he is still lame, Tuesday I finally do not go out there. Wednesday I go out there and lunge him. (mind you its been dry for 4 days finally) and he was sound! W/T/C on lunge line both directions. I opt to put him away after that and see if I could ride on Thursday. 

Go out yesterday and he was back to being lame. Arena was sloppy messy, paddocks muddy due to it pouring rain on Wednesday night. " - This is classic abscess behaviour - eases when the weather is drier and the hoof capsule becomes hard and then lame when the rain starts and the hoof capsule becomes soft. 

Farrier, open abscess - wet poultice until sound, dry poultice for a few more days while you organise the farrier to put on the shoe along with a leather pad. Stuff hole with cotton wool and Stockholm Tar and then fill the gap between the pad and sole with a layer of cotton wool and stockholm tar


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## Phura (Dec 4, 2012)

I had a mildly lame mustang that vet struggled to diagnose. Same issue with hard vs soft ground. Only lame on circle, fine on the straight. It was a suspensory ligament. Rest is key and shock wave therapy has been effective in aiding and speeding recovery.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

Even doing a lesson yesterday he was sound, and sound today when I rode him. He was off for almost a month with massage and cold laser therapy done 2 weeks in. I bet it helped whatever it was. Still, am having vet/chiro look at him this week.


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## Starcailer (Aug 22, 2014)

Forgot to update, but the Vet/Chrio couldnt find anything wrong with him. He didnt need an adjustment either and he thought he was doing great. He hasnt been lame the past 2 weeks now? 

I can only think it was possibly a foot thing. Stone bruise etc. or mild soft tissue that healed in the 3 weeks he was off.


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