He's Forrest! New horse thread

[Bluey]

A zebra guess.

I knew a horse that did that, leaned back and forward and swayed with his hindered.
As time progressed, he had trouble backing up.
We didn’t realized that is what it was, vet could not find anything.
Later we saw some videos of horses with shivers and that is what the way he acted looked to be, he may have been starting only, why it was not that obvious yet?
Maybe ask the vet what he thinks.

A horse sore behind can also have trouble with his hindered when you lift a front feet, like one foundering.
Since he was just trimmed, sore feet seems to be the obvious guess.

[fivestrideline]

@skydy

You said his hinds were very bruised. Perhaps lifting his near fore exacerbates whichever hind soreness feels the worst to him and he’s trying to relieve it by repositioning himself?

This is what I’m thinking. His poor hind toes are still pink in spots though the farrier left as much as he could!

I think he did it before - I chocked it up to him not being sure what I wanted. It took me seeing someone else handle his feet to realize that he wasn’t trying to put his foot down.

I’ll demo for the vet. I’m guessing it’s his right hind that is bothering him somehow.

[fivestrideline]

@Bluey

knew a horse that did that, leaned back and forward and swayed with his hindered.
As time progressed, he had trouble backing up.
We didn’t realized that is what it was, vet could not find anything.
Later we saw some videos of horses with shivers and that is what the way he acted looked to be, he may have been starting only, why it was not that obvious yet?

Please don’t be shivers

But hind end soreness wouldn’t shock me. That and his feet.

[skydy]

Can you show vet the photos of his feet before he was trimmed/shod for comparison? That might be good for vet to know. Vet could also do basic neuro exam if you’re concerned about that.

[findeight]

Could the bruised hind feet and capped hocks be related? Bad trailer ride from track to wherever he was when you got him? Hopefully, hes not a stall kicker.

Ask the vet on the swaying thing but since it only happens on the one leg, guessing its compensating for a sore something, maybe diagonal hind or hip. They can get all banged up on the gate.

[Giddyin]

I bought a young OTTB gelding that would do the acting drunk for farrier thing when the front legs were held up for a bit. I had never seen it before and thought it was quite strange but brushed it off. A couple months later due to a nagging gut feeling with some suspicious tripping he got a neurological exam and failed mildly, then with neck X Rays showing fusion of the C5 - C6 vertebrae his career was ended, he’s mostly retired and barefoot. On his not so good neuro days I see him still doing it, most of the time when he lacks other “symptoms” he also has no problem with his front legs being held up.

I just wanted to share my experience. Especially with spinal issues being more common with thoroughbreds (kissing spine, ECVM, neck arthritis, wobblers, etc) I would highly recommend insisting on neck X Rays. I wish I did it sooner but I had everyone (vets, farriers, trainers, etc) telling me he was fine and I didn’t listen to my gut when I should of.

[luvmyhackney]

Check his knee/fetlock on opposite foot.

If it was hinds or neuro he would do it on both front feet.

[fivestrideline]

Good call. It’s funny, the left knee was the one that looked a little puffy in some of the first pics I posted, but that would be the leg I’m holding up. He does it pretty much immediately.

I already planned to X-ray the puffy knee and hock, might as well hit the other side too lol

[Angela_Freda]

@skydy

I’d definitely demonstrate for the vet so they can see.

Or get vid of it in case you can’t get him to do it when vet is there for whatever reason.

[barnesthenoble]

My vote re: the swaying is pain in the rf. That foot was really sad before and is still pretty sad in the after. My guess is he’s got some caudal foot pain on that foot especially looking at the shape of his heels. IIWM I would also be insisting on composites to try and restore better function to his feet.

IME if it were some of the other options mentioned (shivers, neck, hinds bruised) it would be bilateral or even all the way around. The fact that he only does it when the left front is up and the the right front is fully weight-bearing would make me think he is trying to find a comfortable way to hold himself on that foot and he can’t. An easy and fairly cheap test would be to see if it resolves with a nerve block.

He’s absolutely darling, good luck with him!

[Jenerationx]

He’s adorable! I love his face.

[fivestrideline]

@barnesthenoble

My vote re: the swaying is pain in the rf. That foot was really sad before and is still pretty sad in the after. My guess is he’s got some caudal foot pain on that foot especially looking at the shape of his heels. IIWM I would also be insisting on composites to try and restore better function to his feet.

IME if it were some of the other options mentioned (shivers, neck, hinds bruised) it would be bilateral or even all the way around. The fact that he only does it when the left front is up and the the right front is fully weight-bearing would make me think he is trying to find a comfortable way to hold himself on that foot and he can’t. An easy and fairly cheap test would be to see if it resolves with a nerve block.

I’m thinking along these lines. Farrier didn’t think pads were necessary, didn’t have any composites on the truck, and I thought barefoot would be cruel since he was shod before and we just chopped half his foot off. I’ll have the vet check it out and can easily have the farrier back out with a new setup if necessary.

I do have boots and pads that might fit over his shod foot, actually. Though the mud is so bad it won’t do any good outside, he could at least wear them in the stall if it helped. Or I could pack his fronts… . I also wouldn’t be surprised if there’s gnarly thrush in there, but it’s a losing battle in this weather.

Thanks for the encouragement - it’s DEFINITELY only with the one foot up.

He’s cute as a button, we will get him feeling better and see how it goes!

[barnesthenoble]

Magic cushion is cheap, although messy, and might help! It’ll help with the thrush, too. otherwise for really mucky weather, I really like Red Horse Product’s Field Paste. Clean the foot as well as you can and slather all over. I usually reapply every 3 or 4 days although I’ve had it work really well even only being applied every 10 days or so! It works better in really mucky conditions than their Artimud does because it’s sticker.

[SillyHorse]

@barnesthenoble

Magic cushion is cheap, although messy, and might help!

I figured out how to keep Magic Cushion from being so messy. Now, this works only if the affected hoof is shod and the horse is stalled on fine shavings while you’re applying the Magic Cushion. Wearing latex gloves, I pack the Magic Cushion into the hoof. Then I pick up a good handful of clean shavings, press it firmly over the Magic Cushion, and let the hoof down onto the bedding. After the horse walks around a bit on the bedding, the Magic Cushion is in there to stay until it’s time to remove it.

To remove it, I use a hoof pick at the back of the hoof, just like I would if I were ordinarily picking the hoof. The Magic Cushion peels right out.

[JBCool]

I know I’m a little late on this, but that face! “What the heck is wrong with that one!!?? I didn’t do anything!”

[fivestrideline]

Someone DEFINITELY put a good foundation on this horse. He stood in the cross ties while I cleaned his stall with almost no fuss. This includes when the big dogs came barreling out of the house behind him, plus kids running and yelling. He stood like a rock, just a little wide eyed . It does help that the cross ties are long enough they can crane their heads around to look behind, but I’ve had much worse!

He’s really quite sweet, and didn’t even mind the kids riding bikes up and down the aisle right in front of his stall. I’ve taken him on some handwalks and he’s just as good - he would love to GO SOMEWHERE but has kept a lid on it so far (knock on wood).

Vet tomorrow for teeth and to check on that foot. Fingers crossed for good news and some dry ground to ride on

[findeight]

@fivestrideline

Vet tomorrow for teeth and to check on that foot

Today is tomorrow from yesterday, awaiting vet update.

[kaya842]

Was also thinking to check in and see how the visit went!

[fivestrideline]

Awww well here’s the update!

Vet isn’t a dentist specialist but says he got his teeth done recently so we skipped that. Vet also didn’t want to X-ray the foot as they didn’t see any reason - I showed them the swaying and they thought it was fine. He trotted a bit each way for them and they cleared him for group turnout and work. They said to call if he pops up lame.

Not my favorite, and I could’ve forced the issue and just xrayed everything, but I guess if I get on him and he’s lame then I win a prize or something . It was a productive day for the other horses, so I guess I’m just spreading out my vet bills.

One of the mares is IN LOVE. Forrest is on the right He did get nailed by my boss gelding and has a little edema but all things considered I think being out with friends will be great for him! He MIGHT have been limping on that right front a bit?? Maybe?? But it’s muddy and so freaking hard to tell unless they’re LAME.

[fivestrideline]

In other news… he doesn’t know how to lunge or be led from the right side . Skills to teach so that the vet can get a good look at him. But he is so brave and extra good and really did well considering I took him places he’s never been and tried to lunge him for the vet!