Just like the title says… the past few rides my horse has started completely sound, feeling absolutely lovely… as soon as we jump a jump, she comes head bobbing lame on the same front foot. Having vet out but they cannot come until next week and would appreciate any ideas or experience? Have horse’s xrays from previous years and farrier cannot find anything upon hoof testing, including heel. Leg feels cool and tight, we are at a loss.
Higher up maybe— neck possibly? DDFT inside the foot, which will only be diagnosed by a vet using blocking, ultrasound, or MRI. I would not jump the horse until a vet exam.
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I would think feet or back. I wouldn’t ride the horse until the vet comes unless you want to continue to make it more obvious for the exam.
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Keep lightly riding the horse on the flat - what you don’t want to do is rest it and then have the problem go away for the vet. Do you have any video of the issue? It might be helpful to do a single jump and get it on camera for the vet to see. Horses just love to be sound as a bell of exam day. I would come prepared to ride or at least lunge the horse over a jump for the vet, in case nothing shows up on an in-hand exam.
Best guess is deep soft tissue in the hoof or farther up the leg. I’ve seen suspensory and DDFT injuries that never got hot or swelled AT ALL. Following that would be shoulder or higher up - the weight of the rider landing in the saddle and it potentially digging in could irritate something.
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Just because the farrier doesn’t find anything with hoof testers doesn’t mean it’s not in the foot. Could be a deep abscess. Could be anything on the column from coffin bone to poll. If you want to investigate it more you could longe at walk and trot on soft footing and hard footing and over ground poles. Good luck!
For my horse, chips on p1 bone. X-rays and blocking showed it when the vet came out.
This is exactly how a friends lovely young hunter presented. Gorgeous pinto warmblood. Brought home amazing ribbons from Devon as a 4 year old. Then out of nowhere would become head bobbing lame on one front leg if jumped. DDFT injury inside the hoof capsule. Diagnosed via MRI. Career ending sadly.
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there are collateral ligaments in the foot, and injuries to them won’t show on hoof testing, or flexions, or any of the normal lameness evaluation things.
Thin soles are possible.
Poor hoof balance is possible.
A chip or fracture of P3 is possible
More subtle DDFT injuries are possible.
You definitely need a good lameness eval, likely to include blocking to try to at least pinpoint whether it’s in the foot, pastern, or higher up the leg
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My fabulous hunter had this exact injury years ago- only diagnosed with an MRI (though suspected strongly using blocks). Thought it was an abscess for a couple of weeks… Career ending, unfortunately.
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Thanks all. It ended up being a navicular avulsion fracture and a DDFT strain - one month stall rest, two months small turnout, and three months tack walking working up to trotting after 8 weeks with a fair-good prognosis to return to previous work.
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Good luck! Thank you for the update. Best wishes for a complete recovery. 
Thank you very much!
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