# Lame(ish) horse - hot pastern?



## saddlesore (23 November 2011)

Ongoing semi lameness issue! 2 1/2 wks now - horse suddenly went lame, couldn't determine if it was in front or behind. Gave him some rest and it seems to have settled behind. Had osteo out last Sunday, she did some back/pelvis manipulations but also found some heat in the pastern. Rested him again and trotted him up today - at worst 1/10 lame (you'd need a keen eye) in a straight line, totally sound lunged on a circle but a bit 'clumsy' behind when turning on a very small circle. There is also heat in the pastern, on the inside mostly. Farrier has checked his feet and they were fine?

Any thoughts?  My current plan is to cold hose and lightly ride him to see if it gets better/worse over the next couple of weeks and then phone the vet if needed. Does this seem reasonable?


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## Mancha (23 November 2011)

How old is the horse?
Personally i feel working a horse whilst lame is something that should only be done with guidance from a vet once you know what the issue is, as you could well be making the problem much worse! If you are reluctant to get the vet out at this stage i think bute/box rest would be better alternatives, although personally i'd get the vet out this week.


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## saddlesore (23 November 2011)

He's 7. The problem is that its so hard to see that light riding might help to make the problem clearer was my thinking? It has definitely improved with the rest that he's had so far - would you rest for another week and then see how he is then?


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## Ali2 (23 November 2011)

I'd give the vet a call at least for a chat.


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## Mancha (23 November 2011)

The trouble is, for all you know he could have very slightly damaged a tendon/ligament/muscle, and that little bit of exercise could make the injury a whole lot worse. Worst case scenario really as i'm sure it's probably nothing serious but as you don't know it's not worth the risk IMO.


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## saddlesore (23 November 2011)

Do you know what, you're both right. Going to give the vet a call tom, and ask their advice. Really should've done that sooner but kinda forgot that was an option!  Haven't phoned them out yet as lameness is so mild and quite intermittant. I'm fairly sure its nothing major but better safe than sorry. Its amazing how thick I can be at times!


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## Ali2 (24 November 2011)

What did the vet say?


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## saddlesore (24 November 2011)

Basically I've to keep doing what I'm doing for the next week and see how he goes! Since he's near enough sound they don't seem worried about it, he can be turned out as normal and just to cold hose it and keep an eye on it. Fingers crossed it settles down. I've bought an arnica/witch hazel gel to put on it too incase he's bruised it


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## Ali2 (24 November 2011)

Fair enough.  Let us know how you get on 

My share pony came in very uncomfortable on his right fore couple of months ago.  Vet couldn't find anything obvious.  He had 3 weeks paddock rest and was back to himself after that


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## SusieT (24 November 2011)

VET should have been the step prior to osteopath (and any good osteo would have told you this..) and you should not be riding a lame horse without him seeing the vet first. If you could afford to pay for the osteo you could afford to pay for the vet visit! 
I really do wonder sometimes.


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## SusieT (24 November 2011)

Is this the same horse as last week? Just noticed your username and thought that it looked familiar..


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## saddlesore (24 November 2011)

Thanks  Just realised that i posted him as being lame(ish) for 2 1/2 weeks but its only been 1 1/2  He's much better already thankfully - didn't ride him today but lunged him briefly so see how he looked after I rode him for the first time yesterday. Sound as a pound but definitely still heat in that pastern so I'm going to field rest him for the week, just cold hosing etc. and hopefully that will settle it.


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## saddlesore (24 November 2011)

SusieT said:



			Is this the same horse as last week? Just noticed your username and thought that it looked familiar..
		
Click to expand...

Hi Susie T yes it is. Its been quite a saga! Was worse in some ways initially as there was no heat/swellings/lumps etc anywhere and lameness was moving? Anyway osteo treated everything across his back, but there is also heat in his off hind pastern. She said to trot him up yesterday and see how he is. As mentioned above he's sound on a circle on a surface, 99 % sound on the tarmac but looked a little stiff crossing behind on a small circle yesterday but did that fine today. Vet doesn't seem too concerned as it seems to be on the mend - hopefully anyway!


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## Mancha (24 November 2011)

Did the vet recommend riding/lunging without seeing the horse or knowing what was wrong?!


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## saddlesore (24 November 2011)

I didn't ride him. I only lunged him to assess whether or not he was lame. Only a couple of circles each direction. Obviously vet cannot tell me what is going on without checking him and xrays etc. I explained what I had done re farrier/osteo/rest and said it was on the mend but I wasn't sure about the heat in the pastern. I've to keep doing what I'm doing re rest, giving natural anti inflammatory (serra peptase) etc and they also advised cold hosing. If he's not 100% in a week then I've to get them out.


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## Mancha (24 November 2011)

You said above you rode him yesterday


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## muff747 (24 November 2011)

Suspensory ligaments came to my mind.  Only because I have researched quite a lot about DSLD because I have suspected my horse has this condition.
Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis.  The SL runs down the inside and outside of the leg from an attachment between the cannon and splint bones just at the bottom of the knee, and across the fetlock joint almost central between front and back but slightly towards the back. From there it fans out and down towards the front of the fetlock.  One of the signs (looking back) was my horse had two or three episodes like this when he came in from the field lame.  The vet couldn't find anything wrong and it took a long time to get better. I got the vet out again after about three weeks of box/paddock rest when he was still very slightly lame but it was so insignificant, she couldn't see it so she said bring him back into work and see if he goes lame again, then I'll come back. 
I hope it's not that - and they can get it from birth or any age onwards, it's not just an old horse condition. 
I got my information from here http://dsldequine.info/  and I joined the Yahoo group treatment study it mentions on there.
Hope he recovers fully...
And Mancha, can we stick to the problem without too much judgemental comments please?


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## Mancha (24 November 2011)

I am completely sticking to the problem and there was nothing judgemental about my comment. IME unless a vet has said to exercise the horse whilst lame it is the last thing you want to be doing, particularly lunging!


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## saddlesore (24 November 2011)

Mancha said:



			You said above you rode him yesterday 

Click to expand...

I assumed you were moaning about today. I wasn't lunging to exercise him. However I already explained this. Hope its a good view from up there ........ 

Thanks Muff747, I certainly hope its not anything serious -we'll see how this week goes and take it from there x


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## Mancha (24 November 2011)

Well you clearly know best then. I was actually trying to help which is what you asked for in your initial post. Nobody's 'moaning' at all, it's your horse if you want to potentially cause further damage to it then that's your choice. I hope your horse makes a quick recovery


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## saddlesore (24 November 2011)

And I think you'll find that I took the advice that was given and phoned the vet - and I'm now taking their advice! Constructive advice is greatly appreciated, what seemed like a witch hunt is not.


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## muff747 (24 November 2011)

O and the website has advice for the vet on tests to help diagnose if it is or not DSLD and also I forgot to mention, my gelding had and has heat in his hind pasterns and fetlock. Also the fetlock gets some swelling and puffiness around the back of the joint and when he has sprained the SL, it does tend to stand out on the side of the joint like a small soft bump about the thickness of a boot lace or a pencil.
Mancha comes across as very judgmental and agressive, despite what he/she says and is not being helpful at all with those sort of comments.


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## saddlesore (24 November 2011)

Thanks again, will take a look. No heat in fetlock at all, just the inside of the pastern? Vet didn't seem overly concerned - I guess a bit like yourself (although I know you had the vet out) there isn't much they can do with a horse thats barely lame. Mine actually trotted up sound today while i was cruelly ruining him for life


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## brucea (25 November 2011)

Bear in mind we are having unseasonal weather and the grass is still questionable - so keep LGL in mind as a potential cause fo these mystery lamenesses and "not quite right" days.


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## saddlesore (26 November 2011)

Thanks Brucea, that's something that has crossed my mind as he is pretty fat atm due to the weather and the grass still growing, although appearing very short! He is currently on a diet, but made all the more difficult atm with him having not been quite right. He's (imo anyway) slightly under rugged for the weather and in at night (usually out) on rations so fingers crossed some of the flab starts to come off!


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