*UPDATE (scroll down) -post #7*
OK, so I'm not sure if "lame" is the correct word to use, but something isn't right at all with my mare.
A while ago I was showing her up at our University's Equestrian Center...she didn't seem to like the arena footing so much. It was fairly deep and would pack really hard in her hooves. Sometimes when I would ask her to canter, she would kind of "kick out"/flick her ankles a bit (I assumed to get the clumps of dirt out) and would be fine. In between classes I would pick her hooves out; nothing was ouchie or tender, she moved well...etc.
Well she's back home now. She came home about a week before I did, so she pretty much had a week off. When I got home, I went to visit her and lunged her. She seemed a bit reluctant to move out, but did so when I got after her, just seemed really stiff...not really hurt, but more stocked up... The other day I was riding her she started to do the same thing as she did at the show - when I would ask her to canter/lope she took off in this scrambled gait and then flicked her ankles...but instead of continuing off in a smooth gait she seemed really off. Our footing at our home barn is very soft and powdery, so dirt doesn't stick in their feet so I guess that's not the case. When we circled at the canter/lope her hind leg also seemed to give out a bit, almost like a slipping trip.... I thought that was odd and to not risk her getting hurt I got off. I gave her yesterday off and tried to lightly ride her today. I trotted her round on a long loose rein to allow her to stretch and she was fine...I collected up the reins a bit and asked her to move out a tad more and out of nowhere her hind leg just slipped out from under her and gave out again. I walked her for a bit and tried again...the same thing happen just a few strides after but this time it gave out so bad her rump actually ending sitting in the dirt...she got her legs under her pretty quickly and gave a few lame steps. I just walked her round a bit and she seemed to walk out of it fine; I slowly jogged her and she seemed ok, but instead of risking more I cooled her out and put her away.
She just turned 14 in April... she does get stiff and stocked up, but works out of it, never really had any lameness issues; she has always been very sturdy and nimble on her feet. I tested her hooves - nothing, I pinched her legs - nothing, I flexed all legs in all directions - nothing, there's no heat or swelling...
The farrier is coming out to re-shoe her...she's a bit overdue, but nothing terrible... I mean she has really grown out of her shoe, the toes doesn't appear to be too long, the heel still seems decent, etc. She lso developed some thrush but that's been treated and is pretty much gone...I really don't think that would have posed thi sort of issue though... She also is turned out individually, and really isn't "stupid" outside, so I can't picture her getting too hurt out there.
I'm just really worried, I don't know what is wrong with her... if there was some heat/indication of what the problem might be then I would have a better idea of what to do... she's also not the kind of horse that fakes being lame...I don't really think it's a stifle or hock issue - if it was, seeing how bad the give outs are, I would uspect that there would be more consistency with her hurting. I really hope she isn't developing laminitis, navicular, or has EPM.
As I have said, the farrier will be out next week to get her shod...he said he will take a look at her, luckily his wife is also our equine vet, so if it's a problem he can't fix, she'll be right on it.
I know that it's hard to help when you can't see what the problem is but anyone have suggestions or had similar issues?
OK, so I'm not sure if "lame" is the correct word to use, but something isn't right at all with my mare.
A while ago I was showing her up at our University's Equestrian Center...she didn't seem to like the arena footing so much. It was fairly deep and would pack really hard in her hooves. Sometimes when I would ask her to canter, she would kind of "kick out"/flick her ankles a bit (I assumed to get the clumps of dirt out) and would be fine. In between classes I would pick her hooves out; nothing was ouchie or tender, she moved well...etc.
Well she's back home now. She came home about a week before I did, so she pretty much had a week off. When I got home, I went to visit her and lunged her. She seemed a bit reluctant to move out, but did so when I got after her, just seemed really stiff...not really hurt, but more stocked up... The other day I was riding her she started to do the same thing as she did at the show - when I would ask her to canter/lope she took off in this scrambled gait and then flicked her ankles...but instead of continuing off in a smooth gait she seemed really off. Our footing at our home barn is very soft and powdery, so dirt doesn't stick in their feet so I guess that's not the case. When we circled at the canter/lope her hind leg also seemed to give out a bit, almost like a slipping trip.... I thought that was odd and to not risk her getting hurt I got off. I gave her yesterday off and tried to lightly ride her today. I trotted her round on a long loose rein to allow her to stretch and she was fine...I collected up the reins a bit and asked her to move out a tad more and out of nowhere her hind leg just slipped out from under her and gave out again. I walked her for a bit and tried again...the same thing happen just a few strides after but this time it gave out so bad her rump actually ending sitting in the dirt...she got her legs under her pretty quickly and gave a few lame steps. I just walked her round a bit and she seemed to walk out of it fine; I slowly jogged her and she seemed ok, but instead of risking more I cooled her out and put her away.
She just turned 14 in April... she does get stiff and stocked up, but works out of it, never really had any lameness issues; she has always been very sturdy and nimble on her feet. I tested her hooves - nothing, I pinched her legs - nothing, I flexed all legs in all directions - nothing, there's no heat or swelling...
The farrier is coming out to re-shoe her...she's a bit overdue, but nothing terrible... I mean she has really grown out of her shoe, the toes doesn't appear to be too long, the heel still seems decent, etc. She lso developed some thrush but that's been treated and is pretty much gone...I really don't think that would have posed thi sort of issue though... She also is turned out individually, and really isn't "stupid" outside, so I can't picture her getting too hurt out there.
I'm just really worried, I don't know what is wrong with her... if there was some heat/indication of what the problem might be then I would have a better idea of what to do... she's also not the kind of horse that fakes being lame...I don't really think it's a stifle or hock issue - if it was, seeing how bad the give outs are, I would uspect that there would be more consistency with her hurting. I really hope she isn't developing laminitis, navicular, or has EPM.
As I have said, the farrier will be out next week to get her shod...he said he will take a look at her, luckily his wife is also our equine vet, so if it's a problem he can't fix, she'll be right on it.
I know that it's hard to help when you can't see what the problem is but anyone have suggestions or had similar issues?
Last edited: