A few jingles for the trick horse (from silly horse tricks)

[Kyrabee]

My horse is lame. First time in 11 years and that was a hoof abcess so easily resolved. She has been remarkably sound until now but she is getting older (22) and apparently trying to match her mother’s lameness .

Starting about 3-4 weeks ago, I noticed she did not want to hold up her left hind. She would pick it up then immediately put a lot of weight on it inducing me to either put it down or muscle her to hold it up and my body definitely says no that. Trim before last, she was kind of a **tch about all 4 feet and we couldn’t figure out what was bugging her. Last trim 2 weeks ago she was much better. She has been better about holding that leg up but I have done some compromise and just let her rest her toe to clean the hoof. She has been working well when I have been able to work her. That has been few and far between lately due to the heat and air quality but she has felt fine. Forward, no problem with leads, no cross firing until Wednesday when she felt less elastic than usual but I could not detect any limping. That is why I was hesitating to set up a vet appointment because I could see nothing off in her movement. Well, now you can see something.

Today, at rest, she kept that hip cocked about 90% of the time. Of course no heat in hoof or anywhere in the leg that I could find. No swelling either. I took her out and walked her and she didn’t look too bad but it looked like she was a bit reluctant to bring that leg forward so there was a delay in the forward motion. I did not see any hitch with weight bearing. At trot, she tripped 3x because she didn’t want to bend that leg to pick her foot up. So I guess it could be anywhere from hoof to stifle. I don’t think it’s up higher because she was pretty straight in backing… a bit sticky but straight.

Anyway…the vet appointment is set but not until Tuesday. I am pretty sure it is not an abscess but not 100%. A barn mate offered me her bute and I think I will dose her today and tomorrow then no more until the vet appointment.

As if the heat and flies aren’t enough to deal with. I just feel bad her her.

Susan

[cayuse]

Jingles for your mare!

[Janet]

Yes, an abcess wouldn’t be expected to make her reluctant to pick it UP.

Hoping it is something simple.

[Kyrabee]

Yes. Her previous abscess was just smoldering for a bit. She was off with some fetlock swelling but nowhere near 3 legged lame but I still took her to the vet. He came up with a ‘sprained fetlock’ with a Rx for bute and some time off. Well I did the bute…it did help then one day off of it and when I went out the next time, she was on three legs and swollen (stove pipe swelling) clear up above the hock. I wondered what structure she blew out and put her leg in a big tub of cold water. When I took it out and was palpating her leg, her heel was still blazing hot. Whew…abscess. It broke out over night and she was much better the next day of course. I had abscess in the back of my mind…I should have saved my money .

I did go out and give her some acetaminophen so will see if that makes her any happier in the morning. If not, I will do bute Saturday and Sunday.

[Kyrabee]

Well trick pony got her hocks injected (with steroids). The day I made the vet appointment, apparently was her worst. She flexed positive on both hocks. She looked better in arena footing vs. on the pavement. We x-rayed the left one since that one carries all the jewelry from kicking the fence and she definitely is losing joint space. Vet said the joint fluid was pretty thin. So we will see. She has been better since Thursday . I think she was so sore on Thursday because it is late summer and our arena is getting hard and I had worked more canter than usual. The arena needs another inch or two of sand but I don’t know if that is going to get done…we’ll see. Rain would be nice too but this is desert.

So…darned, she is getting older and apparently to the point of needing some maintenance. I’m in the same boat (left hip injected last month). .