Intermittent Hopping Type Front Limb Lameness in Horses?!?

[amez712]

I have a horse who has had an “intermittent hopping type” front limb lameness for the past couple of months. He is classified as a 0-1 Lame and then will take a couple of “hopping” steps randomly, preventing me from continuing with his rehab. He was originally diagnosed with a left front medial superficial digital flexor tendon/ ab-axial ligament strain. My vet had him do 30 days stall rest, then return to confined turnout and finally started tack walking under saddle 30 mins for 30 days. He had the shockwave series of treatment as well. After the 30 days of tack walking the “hopping” lameness is still evident, even though the ultrasounds are showing that the tissue of the injured ligament is healed.

My vet is returning in 2 weeks to do more diagnostic work down lower in the foot.

Any thoughts or experiences with this type of lameness?

[Arabiandressage]

Do you have video by chance? Hard to say without seeing it but I am have a pretty good eye for lameness, my horses are generally diagnosed before they get to the vet ha ha

[Peggy]

Is it kind of a stabbing sort of movement? When my horse did that it turned out to be neck related (cervical arthritis). Previously this horse had injured a front high suspensory and then the collateral ligament (foot) on the other front leg. Vets felt the neck caused the collateral ligament which then may have caused the high suspensory.

But YMMV!

[findeight]

Might be wise to do a complete work up, not just look at that ligament strain. Possible that something else is wrong that might even have caused the strain as he moved differently trying to protect where the pain is really coming from.

One I had that did that intermittent hop/limp had a shoulder injury.

[pinkpony321]

I had one that did that, if I am reading your description. It was more of a slight head bob than a limp. He’d do it under tack, but never on the lunge.
He was a weirdo. After many, many thorough vet workups, with several “shot in the dark” treatments (including coffin joint injections, etc) when we couldn’t diagnose anything, We figured out if we made him trot FORWARD at the beginning of the ride, it went away. Did I mention that he was an odd duck?

[Mia_Sorella]

Second looking at his neck. My mare has had the odd bout of this in the past and she has an old neck injury that acts up occasionally. Stall rest/confinement makes her worse. I keep her on 24/7 turnout, work her lightly and frequently, and make sure to give her down time between hard rides.

[APirateLooksAtForty]

Neck. Treatment is injecting it and it works wonders

[TPF_Hunter]

I experienced the EXACT same with a rehabber

Short version of the story-

Gelding was on 30 day stall rest after splint bone removal, which healed beautifully. While increasing workload, we experienced the exact same intermittent front end lameness that we chalked up to being related to the splint removal surgery. Three vets all agreed to continue to increase workload as long as it never got worse, that it was likely some scar tissue and to rub surpass on the surgical area and ice after exercise.

About 6 months go by and horse got worse and worse (we were still keeping him confined). Come to find out, an old surgical site on the OTHER front limb was causing the intermittent hopping (we called it the stiff leg). This horse had his check ligament cut in the left front as a baby due to a slightly clubby foot. Turns out the 30 day stall rest for the splint bone surgery caused the old scar tissue to tighten up. We were icing and surpassing the wrong leg the entire time :no:. After diagnosing the actual problem it only took about 3 months to be back into full work. This involved rounds of shockwave to the old surgical site, surpass and icing. Three months flew by after everything we went through with this.

Is it possible that your guy has an old injury or old surgery site that could have some scar tissue that is now tightened/more dense after being confined?

[costco_muffins]

[QUOTE=pinkpony321;8579214]
I had one that did that, if I am reading your description. It was more of a slight head bob than a limp. He’d do it under tack, but never on the lunge.
He was a weirdo. After many, many thorough vet workups, with several “shot in the dark” treatments (including coffin joint injections, etc) when we couldn’t diagnose anything, We figured out if we made him trot FORWARD at the beginning of the ride, it went away. Did I mention that he was an odd duck?[/QUOTE]

My horse is exactly the same way. Every few rides he will start off bridle lame by hopping the front end and flinging his head. If he is kicked forward, he will immediately stretch into the bridle and move fluidly. Seems to only happen when he is short in the back and feeling obstinate.

[50ShadesOfHay]

If you have insurance, I would have an MRI done. Some tendon issues cannot be seen even with ultrasound. I would have the MRI done and see what it shows, but it sounds to me that its something that needs more then 30 days off to heal.

[wanderlust]

[QUOTE=APirateLooksAtForty;8579389]
Neck. Treatment is injecting it and it works wonders[/QUOTE]
I fourth looking at the neck. Had the same issue as Peggy and others. Originally diagnosed as a check ligament/suspensory insertion strain, then thought to be a shoulder issue. Finally got him nuke scanned and x-rayed and found an OCD chip and cervical arthritis.

[ColoredHares]

I agree with the neck. Had similiar issue with my guy. He’d be fine one moment, and then broken leg lame the next. Finally got a video for vet. Spent $$$$ on all kind of tests, blocks, ect. Chiropractor fixed him in one session. He was ‘out’ at the top of his poll, and it was creating a sciatica type reaction. As long as I do chiro on him and laser the poll area, he stays fine.