Wondering if anyone has encountered something similar or if you have ideas - I am perplexed.
I’ve had my gelding for 3 years, was vet checked and came out with nice X-rays, no prior injury. He did have a strange head bob off and on to the left - clearly in front - seller said it was how I was riding him, (I was weak and not in training) My Vet did a lameness evaluation and he passed it perfectly. Clean X-rays too.
After some work, that head bob went away after I got him. He’s now 12 years old and we’ve done a season of low level hunters, some trails, etc. regular lessons, no over-jumping, some dressage… all low level.
History before I bought him: Terrible feet when I got him, like wet cardboard, couldn’t hold a shoe and as a result they were trimmed too small. With a change in diet his feet evolved significantly in year one, more tweaks and he had lovely solid feet as of year two ownership - hasn’t lost a shoe in over a year. BUT, I’m sure they suffered before they were fixed. He has thin soles as well, so he is padded most of the year.
A year and a half ago, he ran around on ice, bruised both front feet and was visibly lame, also upon X-ray of front feet showed mild low ringbone, mainly in the right. Coffins were injected, a month of previcox and back to work and he was awesome. Pads and equipak added at that time. He went great until summer and our first show season, started that head bob to the left. A month of previcox suggested by vet - it went away and didn’t come back until… this Spring. I had been hardening up his feet and thought it would be ok without pads but I was wrong (yes I feel bad) I hadn’t put pads on yet, and he ran pretty hard at our first show - came up sore. Had him vet checked - trotted on hard and soft ground two days after the show - he looked amazing. As a preventive we injected his coffin joints as its at the 8 month mark and maybe it would help…
I also thought he had bruised both fronts again - so rested him for the last month with turnout. The heat in his front hooves went away, was hotter in the left. Both feel good now, and Ive had a couple of lovely light rides.
BUT I lunged him and there it is!! He has a slight bob going to the left on a circle - very slight. And I sent a video to my vet and she saw that it appeared to be his front right… but he goes smoothly and freely to the right? Isn’t that counter to what should be happening?
IF the ringbone has progressed from when the X-rays were last done two years ago and it was in his right, what is showing up when he goes left? There’s nothing showing up when he goes right. Nothing shows up in straight lines, leads, or anywhere else… just going left on a circle.
His massage therapist also finds him much stiffer and resistant on his left side - not his back, but his shoulder and glutes.
I also recently learned he has deep sulcus thrush - his left is much deeper than the right. This has likely been there a while and I admit I didn’t even know it wasn’t normal that he had a cleft in his heels… I didn’t know what was hiding in there. I am treating it daily and have been for the last week. I’m not sure how long this has been festering there. But apparently it can cause a horse to be sore. It’s only in his front feet.
I am going to have new xrays done on the fronts to check if there is some progression… but I am perplexed and so far the vets can’t figure it out really. The mysterious left bob?
