could she be lame?

Ive got some questions about my tb mare. About a week ago I rode her and she was mostly fine but the first time I asked her to canter she put in a half hearted buck. This was pretty out of character for her but as she has been getting fatter and more energetic, she's been itching to go a lot. Because of the horse flu we are stuck riding in the paddock and there is nowhere to let her go for a gallop. I put it down to too much energy as everything else seemed fine. However, I did check her legs and back when I got off and all seemed in order.

The day before yesterday I rode her again and she was really not herself. At all! She was spooking at everything which is also verrrry out of character. She is basically the most bombproof horse I have ever known. She was spooking so bad I nearly came a cropper 3 times (fortunately I have glue on my butt in the saddle lol my friends used to call me gluey cause once I was in the saddle, I very rarely came out :)) anyway, I digress :) I got off her after a while as I was frustrated and I don't keep riding if I get frustrated or cranky. Its no good for me or the horse as she would feel all my tension as it grows.

Today I took her into the lunge ring to see if I could identify any problems she may be having. I noticed a couple of things and im not sure if they mean anything or not.

In the walk, she was overstepping her front feet by about 6-7". She normally steps her back feet smack on the front foot spot (i hope you all know what im talking about. Im not the best at proper terms etc lol) I guess basically she is pulling up short in her front legs. Then in the trot her back feet were falling about 4" short of the front hoof. I know this generally indicates lameness that's why im a little concerned.

I've only noticed these issues since having her shoes taken off last weekend and a barefoot job done on her. Which I may add, was a very good job.

She stays in her yard all day which is all soft dirt about 2" deep and around an acre in size. Im not sure what that is in overseas language :) there is the odd rock here or there but I remove them as I find them so they are limited if not non existent at the moment. We have ridden out of the yard only the times I have already mentioned in this post and im very careful about where I ride when they have no shoes on.

I was going to get some video of her today so people could see but when I got it out the battery was dead. I will get some tomorrow though.

Does anyone have any ideas mainly about the overstepping. Also, what else should I look for if her hooves, legs etc seem fine.

Also, whats the deal with the spooking? I know its hard to answer frm an outsiders point of view but its a mystery to me so I was hoping there may be someone out there who has had a bombproof horse who for some reason has started shying at everything out of the ordinary. I can't say she does it all the time and the general things still don't bother her, it was just under the saddle that we had issues. Hence why I think it may have something to do with whatever else is going on. She just seems wired

Sorry for such a long post. I wanted to get it all in though :) any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated. I will get the vet out if needed

Could it be she is still adjusting to having the shoes pulled? I don't know that much about it as our girls have always been barefoot, but I know there is an adjustment period when the shoes are first pulled. Also are you in a season change, fall, spring? I know our girls always get a little goofy when the weather cools and there is more rustling in the leaves weird noises, smells etc. Just a thought

ah ok! I figured because she hadnt had shoes for a couple of years before I got her that she might be ok. I will take that on board :) thank you

Yeah, we are coming into hotter weather. More snakes and lizards and stuff around. I didnt see any while this was going on but I guess they see things we don't sometimes :) duly noted :)

Yeah, she might just be adjusting to being without the shoes. :)
Maybe give her a day off or two? & then see if she progresses? ;)
That just might be her reaction to change, because she no longer is wearing shoes; so maybe she's just not used to it! :P
Hope I helped!

Perhaps she is just enjoying feeling her new feet.. I can't imagine her being lame if you don't see or feel any gimping. You would feel it while riding if she is off. Question, are you riding her less due to the current bug issue? If so are you feeding her the same as before? In otherwords is her grain/hardfeed consumption too much for her workload? Make sense? Is she pretty frisky when you lunge/round pen her? To me it sounds like she's just feeling her oats.

bug issue? Are you talking bout the flu? Im don't have her in full work as I've only had her a few months and she was very malnourished and thin when I got her. Im working her up slowly. Her feed is based on the amount of work she does and she doesnt get oats. I have her in a cool fattening diet.

And no, she isnt frisky when lunging her. As with most times, she is a perfect lady :)

Just seems so odd to me that she could have gotten used to shoes in just 6 weeks when she didnt have them for 2 years before that

Oh well. I will see how she goes over the next few days. I will lunge her this afternoon though and get some video.

P.s. Poptartshop - is that you I see on fishforum.net?

Yep!
What's your name on there?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, so she is getting back into condition after being malnurished.. That alone can make them frisky.. ;) And feeling their oats is just a phrase meaning they are frisky on good feed. And yes the flu "bug" ;)

im fishlette but I havent been in there in ages. I was browsing through this morning and didnt recognise a lot of the names lol it has been about 2 months :) im usually in marine chit chat or the common livebearer sections but I usually browse them all and help out where I can. What fish do you have? I have a reef tank and a couple of freshwater. I work at an aquarium too which is cool :)

Might see ya round in there sometime

Haha, oh awesome!
I'm mostly in Bettas & Tropical Chat. :)
I have 5 Betta fish! :P
Aww reef tanks are soo cool, lucky! Haha! :P