Lame Horse

sillyfilly555 · Yearling

Lame Horse

Marlene · Advanced

Long distance diagnosis is pretty much a guessing game, but just thinking aloud here: If she doesn't have a history of lameness it's something that happened recently. If she's recently started lunging, and just recently started not liking going in one direction, the lunging is aggravating it even if it isn't the cause. I am not a fan of lunging at any rate, the continuous circular stress doesn't seem great for feet, ankles, or even shoulders. Take a circle proportional to your body size compared to your horses, and run in one direction for three minutes, then switch, for a total of 10 minutes, and then tell me you don't feel the stress in feet or leg muscles. If you want to gently exercise her, unless you are heavy, a gentle stroll in mostly straight directions, not circles, would be good as long as she doesn't seem to be lame in the process. Gentle movement such as loafing in the paddock or walking in hand is better than total stall rest or trotting to the point of lameness. You could try comparing a slow turn(walking in hand) in each direction on soft ground compared to hard, and if she is reluctant to do that in one direction it might indicate a mild laminitis, bruised sole or abcess in the hoof, which is not rare, but hard to see with the naked eye. None of this is very definitive. Presumably you have examined the hoof for any possible nail, sign of heat etc. I'd have her farrier/hoof trimmer take a good look if possible, hopefully she's up to date in that department? Not much more you can do till a vet arrives.

Geoffrey Pannell · Well Schooled

The most common cause of lameness in horses is an absessed hoof. It can take a long time to come out sometimes, but a good farrier will find it and be able to release the pressure. If the horse will stand with the foot in a bucket of warm water with epsom salts in it that will help draw the absess.

jc · Foal

Have you checked your horse's foot to see if there is an abscess? If you can't get your vet out a really great farrier might be able to help your girl out.

Lori · Yearling

I agree it sounds like it's in her foot. She could have a stone bruise too if it's not an abscess. It's good that she's out in a field though. She should be a lot tougher than she would be if she was kept in a stall. I'm wondering about the lunging regime though. What's the point? It's not enough to get her fit but might be enough to cause some damage if she's not that strong. It's like going to the gym twice a week for ten minutes. Your not going to get much stronger but you might just pull a muscle or sprain something and make yourself sore.

Brandon · Yearling

A lame horse is a horse that is hurt and showing that physically through its movements.

Fat_Pony · Foal

Dealing with a lot of lame horses over the years - used to rehab them for people - first thought when I read your post was abscess. Soaking in a mild dilution of apple cider vinegar or Epsom salts and movement is the best thing for getting an abscess moved through. When they are lame moving them is not pretty but stalling them and limiting movement with an abscess will only delay the natural process of it breaking out and relieving their pain.

Nina A · Yearling

Did you ever find out what was causing your horses lameness?

Just because your horse was never made to work hard doesn't mean she can't develop arthritis.