# horse lame, possible thrush???



## Nahvar4ever (Jun 9, 2011)

Hi everyone, I signed up to get some advice on my 8 year old quarter horse gelding. He suddenly went lame on me about 3 weeks ago. I was riding him up to two days before I went out to catch him and noticed he was lame. It was pretty severe and my first thought was that he pulled something had a stone bruise. It has gotten better in time and he is hardly as lame as he was in the begining but he is still tender when I pick out his hooves and is a little stiff.

his hoof does not have any discharge and has a MILD smell but not strong enough to make me gag like it says it is. It is only in is front feet, his left one mostly. His back feet are completely normal and have no smell to them at all. The frog is peeling a little but Im pretty sure that that is normal. This week out farrier is coming out to trim his hooves so I will get his opinion on it I was just hoping that someone might have some advice for me before then.

Thank you!:-o


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

At this point, the horse, according to you, has been lame for 3 weeks...now is some better, farrier is coming this week and NOW you want advice? I think perhaps you should have had the farrier (at the very least) out earlier to rule out a hoof issue. Or, perhaps asked prior to now? Maybe even a vet or your BO who may know more? Sorry, but after 3 weeks, I feel sorry for the horse, not you.


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## Nahvar4ever (Jun 9, 2011)

First of all I came here for advice not to be discriminated. He is not lame at this point just tender when I press on his frog. He HAS gotten better which is why I didn't call the vet or farrier earlier and I have been soaking and monitoring his foot and food intake. It was just today that I noticed it was getting a little soft and immediately booked an appointment for the farrier. I was hoping someone might be able to give me an idea of what he could be developing so I can research it. You think I like seeing my horse in pain? No.
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## Nahvar4ever (Jun 9, 2011)

You see, I did call the vet and they said it sounded like a stone bruise and I am tight on money at the moment so a vet examination at 150 dollars for them to tell me it's just a stone bruise is a little costly. Please dont think I'm not monitoring it, be has been my best bud for all his 8 years and I have never had this problem before..
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## EveningShadows (May 18, 2009)

That was a little harsh franknbeans...

Granted you should've mention in the original post that you'd called the vet when you noticed his lameness. 

I've dealt with thrush MANY times...we live in a province of Canada that has disgusting mud at least 3-4 months of the year. It varies in degrees but it has to be REALLY bad, to the point where there's very little frog left, for it to cause such lameness as what you're describing. If you've got a light smell and tender frog, I doubt thrush is the cause of your horse's lameness...

That being said, I wouldn't take what the vet said over the phone as gospel either - they didn't see or feel your horse. They gave you an educated guess. If he's getting better with time off and consistantly less lame, great...but if he plateaus in healing, I'd scrape together the $150 for a vet exam. Alot of lamenesses require immediate care in order to heal properly...wouldn't be worth saving the $150 if it meant you now had to retire your best bud.

Last thing - are you CERTAIN it's in the hoof? No heat/sweeling in the legs or possibly shoulder/hip? Can you narrow it down to which leg he's off on? If you can't do this, I don't think it's appropriate to self diagnose, even with a vet's educated guess. Good luck with the farrier and keep us posted!


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## Nahvar4ever (Jun 9, 2011)

ok, thank you EveningShadows! Yes, I was just out about half and hour ago and checked on it. Im pretty darn sure it is the begining of thrush and I feel really bad for not noticing the slight symptoms before... it is my very first case of thrush (I live in Canada too so I know what you mean by the mud! lol) I am absolutely positive it is in his hoof because there is not heat or swelling anywhere in his legs and he seems to be symtomatic in his left from because when he stands ocasionally he doesnt like to put weight on that foot and it is the one he reacts to when I pick/put pressure on his hoof.

I also talked with my reining trainer that I ride with and the barn manager and they said that it sounds like thrush and from what I can see it might be that so I will start treating it and the farrier is coming out on friday to see my boy  he isn't in much pain cause I just turned him loose and he took off at a gallop.. I can't wait to get this all healed up and start riding again!


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## wetrain17 (May 25, 2011)

You had mentioned that his frog was peeling. Horses do shed their frogs and they can be sensititve on that foot for some time. Good news is that your farrier will be out tomorrow and will be able to tell you if it is in the foot. If it is not thrush or sheding of his frog, he'll probably put hoof testers on it. If he does not find anything, I would call you vet after he leaves.


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