Need advice on lameness

[IntegritysDream]

My pony has been lame in his front end for 4 days now. There is no heat, swelling lumps bumps nothing on his legs and farrier came out to check his hoofs theres no heat in them, no pulse, no absess brewing and no sensitive spots, nothing!

When he goes one way it looks like hes lame in right front, goes the other way looks like hes lame in left front. Bute helps him, been cold hosing him and hes been in standing wraps and on limited turn out. Possibly has gotten slightly better but has not gotten worse thats for sure. Took him on a walk today and once he got forward it didnt seem as noticeable, but i dont know if it would be the same for the trot.

Felt like it was in his soulder when i first got on him because he would barley move his shoulders, until he found out we were going on a sort-of trail ride and got very interested, and it was like he forgot he was lame, cause he started marching (like most horses walk, indy has a horrible walk other wise, very slow no matter what you do) and thats when i couldnt tell he was lame anymore, for the most part. Every once in a while hed take a wrong step.

The 2nd day he was lame, my trainer had me walk and trot him both under saddle and try to get him forward to see if it would change but he could not move forward.

another thing too is that, our old farrier was correcting his toeing in (its just in the hoofs, not from the knee down) and it was almost corrected. When i moved him to where we are a few months ago, i switched to their farrier, who is a great farrier dont get me wrong, but his toeing in is a little noticeable again, and hes started paddling slightly again, and i dont know if that could be causing him a issue.

The funny part about our walk was he felt sound until we got back up to the barn, then he slowed down and felt lame again.. little faker.. Just kidding!

Any one know what this sounds like?
Maybe arthritis?
Something in his shoulder??
any clues??

 

[flarenuphope]

we have a horse that does the same thing. A way to check if its the shoulder is to stretch the leg forward, and if they dont like it, then it probably is the shoulder. Then again, it could be just bad manners, but you should be able to tell the difference.

 

[poster]

Give a FULL weeks rest then call the vet if there's still a problem.
Why are you still riding?

 

[IntegritysDream]

Give a FULL weeks rest then call the vet if there's still a problem.
Why are you still riding?

He isnt really even lame, hes just off. We know from his past it could possibly be like pre-arthritis cause he gets stiff without work. So my trainer told me to take him for a walk to keep him from getting stiff. At the end of the walk he was better. Its not like hes in pain either, cause trust me, my pony lets me know if theres something hurting. hes willing,forward and everything, hes just bobbing some.. We think hes got something thats been going on in his pelvis, or stiffles, for a long time, it seems like hes just pulled or strained something cause there is still no heat, lumps, bumps nothing and just by the way he loosens up and seems to stop bobbing as much after we go on walks, tells us its gotta be something other then a injury. I wrap him in polos or put splint boots on before i go for a walk and then ice boot him when we are done anyways just to be safe.

 

[covekat]

Sometimes a suspensory injury wont show heat or swelling... I would keep him on very limited turnout, and keep icing/cold hosing him untill you can get a vet out to go over him! (And no riding of course).