TLDR – unsolved lameness in 4yo WB gelding. One vet thinks sticky stifles, one vet thought suspensory strain last year, now thinks neurologic. Horse does not seem neurologic to me. Not sure what to do next.
Horse in question (Hermes) is a 4yo WB gelding, coarse type, South Pacific lines, almost looks like a draft cross. I bought him as an unhandled 2yo colt – I was hunting for a ‘deal.’ Only evaluation was watching him move in a 150’ x 150’ drylot with 10 other horses. Also saw short video, mostly canter and free jumping. I noticed in the free jumping video when the horse is traveling away from the camera that he swings his hind legs wide when bringing them forward; my coach chalked it up to ‘tension’ since the handlers were chasing the horse. In real life the horse looked sound, loose/comfortable in his body, lofty movement, I took a gamble, brought him home in March 2018.
Horses live at home and are out 24/7 – so I have ample opportunity to watch. During 2yo year we got him gelded and worked on halter/groundwork, proper hoof care, etc. Noticed that he normally tracks wide behind, but didn’t seem lame. Does drag both hind toes a little at the walk but not enough that the toes are rounded (barefoot). During 3yo year started him undersaddle in June 2019, he got hurt in September 2019. Injury was definitely LH, looked almost like cellulitis at first (although no sign of broken skin) so I treated with SMZs and sweat wrap, no resolution so I had my Normal Vet out. No response to flexions, seemed sensitive over head of suspensory but ultrasound machine not available, thought maybe fractured splint, but nothing on xray. Vet also thought horse could be slightly neurologic, but didn’t do any of the typical tests (tail pull, etc.). Vet thought maybe horse had slight suspensory strain we agreed to restrict the horse to the dry lot for 6mo, but didn’t go for stall rest. I don’t have stalls, it would have been difficult to manage on our farm. Dry lot is big enough for horses to WTC so not really like stall rest but better than full run of hilly pasture. Over the winter I noticed that the LH fetlock seemed dropped relative to other horses and relative to Hermes’ RH.
Re-evaluated Hermes myself in May 2020 (horse is now 4yo) and he still wasn’t quite right. Took him to ‘best’ lameness vet in our area who is also regular vet’s professional mentor. Hermes did not have a response to flexions, but did have some puffiness/swelling around stifles. Fancy Vet performed a few neurologic tests walking/tail pulling, reflexive response by running pen down rump. I asked if he thought the horse was neurologic, he said no. I asked if he thought the slightly dropped fetlock could be indicative of suspensory and he said horse would be much more lame if suspensory was at play. Fancy Vet thought stifle OCD, but stifle xrays were clean. Fancy Vet was very confident about ‘sticky stifle’ diagnosis and instructed me to give 2g of bute/day for 2 weeks, march up and down hills at the walk to strengthen hind legs. I didn’t do the bute – seemed too severe, but I did put him on daily equioxx and MSM. We spent the summer marching up and down hills – lucky that we have good hills on the property. Also walked over raised cavaletti. Seemed to improve a little, but still toe dragging, still lame on LH even with daily equioxx. When cantering to the right swaps out behind as he’s coming down to the trot.
I wanted to understand what I should ‘expect’ from Hermes. Should I resign him to walking trail horse only? Is walking trail horse too strenuous and I should retire him to pasture? I had Normal Vet out this week (September 2020). Vet watches horse walk and jog in hand. Palpated around SI, no response. Picks up hind hoof and brings hoof forward under body and holds for 30 sec (like farrier hoof stand position). Says he thinks horse is Grade 2 neurologic b/c horse feels unstable (like he could push him over) when holding up hind hoof in this position; worse on LH side. Pulls blood to test for EPM. Says next steps would be $750 for neck xrays and potentially inject. Says nothing about suspensory (and I forgot to ask).
I love Hermes – he is a total clown, extremely curious, and the smartest and most human engaging horse I have ever met; he has a permanent role on this farm and will be with us as long as he’s comfortable. I watch him play with the other horses and he’s extremely athletic and seems very coordinated – canter pirouettes, rollbacks, flying changes every day. He can step over raised cavaletti without touching them and can have a lot of suspension in his gaits where hinds don’t drag…but still drags hind toes if he’s just walking around the paddock. His athletic antics make it hard for me to believe he’s neurologic or uncoordinated – but I have no experience with neurologic horses. I want to understand his diagnosis/limitations, but I also don’t want to spend $$$ (another $750 isn’t bad, but what if neck xrays are clean, then what?). I still suspect suspensory but I’m not sure that explains toe dragging as 2yo before lameness. Suggestions?
