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Stiffness and slight slight lameness

1K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  loosie 
#1 ·
I picked up an issue today. I'm not too concerned but I'd like some advice on how to go forward.

Trouble has been to pasture for a few months with the occasional ride here and there at a lazy walk down the road bareback.

I took him out today and lunged at a brisk walk and jog. Trouble has always been supple and flexible, bending nicely when we lunge. Today at the jog I noticed he's very stiff even at a slow jog in both directions. I picked this up very quickly as I have a very firm understanding of how he moves regularly and all of his gaits. I did some work on the lunge getting him to over bend and doing some spirals to see just how far his stiffness went and to see if he was just being a butt. He wasn't being a butt from not being worked for awhile, and his stiffness was, on a scale of one to ten, around a six.

I changed to the left direction and I picked up another alarming thing. He had a VERY slight limp jogging toward the left. It looked like it originated in his shoulder but I'm not 100%. He had a slight head bob and seemed to be counter bending to take the weight off the inside right while he jogged. It was nonexistant at a walk.

He might have just twisted something the pasture and I'll see what happens but while we're here talking, what can I do on the ground to make him more supple. He will touch his armpit when I lift a rein on both sides, but while working he's iffy.
 
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#2 ·
If he wasn't used to being on pasture before you turned him out, I'd probably explore the possibility of laminitis as the first step. Their reluctance to move when their feet are hurting can seem like stiffness.

My second step would be to bring him back slowly. Walks and short bursts of trotting on the straight, wide turns at first getting tighter as he loosens up. Listen to what his body is telling you, he'll let you know when you can amp up the stretching and bending. Actually, I'd think just being out to pasture would keep him moving enough to ward off lack of exercise stiffness so I would be thinking an injury of some sort.
 
#3 ·
If he wasn't used to being on pasture before you turnted him out, I'd probably explore the possibility of laminitis as the first step. Their reluctance to move when their feet are hurting can seem like stiffness.

My second step would be to bring him back slowly. Walks and short bursts of trotting on the straight, wide turns at first getting tighter as he loosens up. Listen to what his body is telling you, he'll let you know when you can amp up the stretching and bending. Actually, I'd think just being out to pasture would keep him moving enough to ward off lack of exercise stiffness so I would be thinking an injury of some sort.
He was always on pasture, plus good hay. I was thinking laminitis but I'm not too sure. He has regular trims and the farrier hasn't seen anything off about him, he was fine last week and the grass hasn't changed much since then. He was on hard packed dirt so he may be bruised. He's been super active in the pasture, and him and the pony have been playing an excessive amount.
 
#5 ·
I think a bit of both. I'll get a video tomorrow. I guess when you get down to it I'm wondering why he could be stiff, some ground work exercises I can do to aleviate that stiffness, and I'll keep you updated on his lameness. If it turns into something worse I'll haul in the big guns and create a plan of action.
 
#6 ·
How old is Trouble? Two , or is he older now?
You might be getting a sign to back off on his training
Far as possible laminitis, have you taken a digital pulse?
If you turn him in hand, sharply, does he step around in front, or rock back and swing his front end around?
Both of those tests are useful for low grade laminitis, and full blown laminitis , you will not miss|
 
#9 ·
Went today and lunged a bit to see, it's still very slight, only to the left. He's still stiff so I made the circle VERY large, tying two long lines together and making it roughly 90-100 feet. He's better on a larger circle, still listens to my voice cues, picks up a jog first time asked.

Smilie, he will be three in three months and he has never been worked hard, his jogging sessions have never been over ten minutes.
Took his digital pulse today, and it's normal. He pivots fine, not off there. There's a little bit of heat in his lower shoulder where his leg attaches.

I found out this morning that there's been a bear hanging around the lower part of the pasture, making an appearance every morning from a few hours before dawn to around 9 am laying in the grass eating..whatever he found there. He may have surprised the horses as they wander that way at night and he could have hurt himself fleeing to the barn.
 
#10 ·
I just recently got a sesamoiditis diagnosis from my vet and a bone chip in the sesamoid on the LF. It all stemmed from my trainer and I thinking my mare was off in her right shoulder. My mare did have 2 big factors contributing to the sesamoiditis- she was overweight and her feet were problematic when symptoms first started (January). At that time the symptoms were just stiffness and the right shoulder feeling off at times, no real major signs of lameness. It wasn't until last week where she was obviously lame (head bobbing) in the LF that we took X-rays and found the chip.

We did learn that real shoulder lameness is very rare. Typically an "off" shoulder is a symptom of lameness elsewhere.

Not saying at all that's what the problem is for you, just that I learned a whole lot about equine shoulders last week! Good luck with this!
 
#11 ·
As he is sore, for some unknown reason, dont work him any more, except as may be needed for vet/bodyworker evaluation. Could be anything. Unfortunately just because a farrier hasnt commented/picked up on anything doesnt mean its not the feet, or that hes used to the pasture, no bounding pulse mean he cant be laminitic.
 
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