I would put in a vote for stall pawing. I remember one who would in the process of pawing bang their fetlock on the stall wall. This was impatience about turn out . It finally stopped when it sank in that their out was going to happen but just not immediately.
It’s a small barn and the BOs live on the property and most boarders don’t work so they’re there during the day; trainer is there usually from 9am to 4PM, sometimes later. I’m one of the few people who rides after work. I asked and everyone says, no, he doesn’t paw, he’s one of the quietest horses in the barn. Trainer feeds lunch and dinner to all the horses, and she says he just stands at his door and waits, occasionally favoring her with a whicker. At this point, I’m thinking he may have galloped in/out of his stall and banged it on the raised doorjamb or tripped on one of the mats (which are being fixed.)
Raised doorjamb between run and stall plus a rehabbing horse getting a little bored with stall rest so going in and out more often then usual could very well be the culprit here. You didn’t mention that before. Don’t think you need to look further if there’s a step over he is stepping over more times then normal, sooner or later they step on it or trip over it. I hate those things, seen horses clobber them. That makes sense. As do the raised mats. They trip over stuff like we do.
I’ve considered asking them to let me put him in one of the “regular” stalls alongside the arena where there is a much lower, almost level jamb between stall and paddock. However, where he is, the paddock is straight out and longish, so even if he decides he has to move fast, it’s generally in a straight line. I’m concerned that if he’s put into the smaller paddock, he’ll go out and spin around since the paddock there is, maybe 12 x 15. I have to think that would be more of a stresser, since the vet emphasized walking him quietly, and when we start to trot, to only do straight long sides of the arena and walk around the short end/corners.
I’m still just puzzled that in these two lameness episodes he’s been so severely lame, not “just a little off.” (and also, of course, that it’s resolved so quickly). My ancient trailer hasn’t move in two years (really, I ought to just put it on Craig’s List “as is” - anyone in NoCal, want a '93 Logan slant load with no divider? LOL) but I am seriously considering borrowing a trailer, or hiring barn trainer, and taking him to the clinic for a complete workup (2 hour drive). Sigh.
Ever see a Show Jumper " sting" themselves as they bring rails down or in a fall? They come up or pull up on three legs like a peg leg pirate. Its awful to see. Anything from a just a few minutes to an hour later they are weight bearing and most are perfectly normal in a day. Like you stubbing a toe, hurts like heck for awhile, might swell, next day it’s often good as new.
He could very well be stinging himself or stubbing a toe on that doorjamb, seen that and horses trip over logs or roots or whatever in a field over many years coming dead lame but fully sound in a day or so. It could be something else, sure. But wouldn’t panic right now with that smoking gun doorjamb and mats that aren’t flat combined with the fact he recovers quickly.
Please tell me that doorjamb is wood and not metal…
Yes, it’s wood. 
This is an ooold barn. If that’s what he’s doing, he’s doing it going out, because there’s a ramp of dirt built up almost level with the jamb when he’s going from paddock to stall.
Agree with what everyone else has said, but I still wouldn’t rule out an abscess.
I have a mare who came in 3-legged from turnout one morning. No heat in the foot, no pulse, but we treated like an abscess (no bute, soaked/poulticed foot, left out to keep her moving). Within a day or two she was totally sound again. Then over the next 6 weeks she was all over the map. Always the RF, and on her lame days more lame when that leg was on the outside of a circle. Never a touch of heat or a pulse in that RF, and occasionally a little swelling present higher up in the leg (though never any sensitivity and vet didn’t think it was tendon/ligament). We finally x-rayed and were able to see a massive abscess in her toe. That sucker didn’t appear to have any plans of tracking out of the foot, and it took my farrier drilling a hole to release the pressure. Mare lived in a hospital plate for a month, but never took another lame step on the foot.
My assumption any time I have a severe + transient lameness is to assume abscess (but, of course, involve my vet because it sends me into a panic regardless).
LOL. Me too, obviously. On Sunday, I was talking with the on-call vet, whom I had ended up speaking with the 1st time this happened, and when I re-checked my guy and he was walking sound, I had to call him back and cancel the emergency visit by their local vet, my regular vet, and I felt compelled to say, “Really, I am not one of those women who goes ‘Eeek!!! my baby has a scratch, call the vet!!!’”
Rode him last night and he was sound at the walk, and even managed to cope with the wandering wild turkey(ies). He couldn’t stop looking at them, but he didn’t blow up, even when the hen flapped her wings. I was very happy with him, since he obviously hadn’t been ridden in 2.5 days.
If it’s an abscess, it’s abcesses since it’s migrated from one front foot to the other.
Can you ramp that board from the inside of the stall too? Just 6-8" of dirt so it’s not an exposed, square corner and make it easier to see going from dark to light? It won’t cost anything and won’t take more then 10min. I’ve tripped over these things myself, worth a little dirt on the stall side even if it’s not the cause. Can’t hurt, might solve the issue or prevent it from becoming one. Or a human from tripping over it, hate those things.
findeight - good idea. I will do that as soon as the mats are fixed. They said they’d do it tomorrow. (fingers crossed). If not, I guess I will have to become the nagging boarder. They should cut me some slack - I’ve been there 25 years, three different horses. (Hee hee, or not that different - all Appaloosas)
any update, OP?
I’ve ridden him the last two evenings - 30-40 minutes each time - and he remains sound at the walk. I’m still waiting for call from regular vet to discuss, see whether she thinks a clinic visit/x-rays in front, etc. would be recommended. Also still coping well with turkeys. LOL.
