~*Limping!*~ Need Help On Why, and What To Do!

Okay,

So I brought Cowboy in out of the field today, as I do every night. I noticed pretty quickly he was favoring his right front leg. Not really dramatically at all, just enough to notice. I also noticed that by the time we had gotten across the field, it had gotten better. I got him and the other ponies into the barn. I put him on cross-ties to check it out.

I picked out his feet. Nothing. No rocks, just mud. Shoes in tact, haven't moved. Felt his legs slowly and thouroughly, looking for heat and swelling. Also nothing. No flinching or anything.

I walked him around again. He was doing pretty fine then. Just a tiny limp, you could barely see it. If it was the first time I saw him move I might not have noticed.

I'm a little scared, but not really. Here's what I think -

Cowboy is 4, right? He doesn't have a whole lot of muscle, and we rode pretty hard this weekend. Sat. And Sun. Sat. We worked on jumps, Sun. Our canter. I think he is sore. Since after he kinda moved and chilled he was fine. Is this legitimate? What should I do? They stay in the barn at night and go out during the day. Should I leave him in tomorow morning? He doesn't have buddy problems, and won't paw or freak if I turn out the others. Just weave if he gets bored :p Not the hard weaving, just kinda side to side with his head.

What do I do??

I'd turn him out before I'd keep him stalled. As you saw, movement helped to alleviate the discomfort for him - stalling him will keep him from doing that and prolong/worsen the issue.

If he's just stiff from unaccustomed hard work, sticking him in a stall wont help, walking will help loosen up stiff muscles.

So you do think that it is soreness? Not something worse? That's a relief :) I will turn him out tomorow ;)

Jumper you stated he doesn't have a whole lot of muscle, and that he is only 4. Is he in regular conditioning training, or has he been? Think of how we feel when we over do it at a new exercise/activity. Add weight to that. I hope he is just sore.....

He has been doing conditioning for a while. We did kinda overdo it this last weekend. It won't happen anymore, I'll be much more careful :)

No worries!! He is completely sound again ;) Had a nice bath today, was walking all over the field just fine, lead just fine. He will be given off untill Friday, day before the show. We will do mild flatwork with maybe 2 trips over a single jump - not enough to make him sweat. Showday we will warm up slowly, and if there is any sign of pain, we scratch everything. We are only doing 3 classes though :p And I honestly don't think it's going to be a problem. I just want to make sure <3

This sounds like a developing abcess. What do you want to bet? In the beginning, a little walking eases the limp, the next day it will be dramatically worse. Often no heat at all. If there is no swelling , no heat , no other obvious reason for lameness, always consider an abcess. If so, get a vet or farrier to open and drain it and they'll tell you how to care for it. It is fairly simple and I think happens to almost all horse owners at least once in their horse life.


ETA I just read you last post. Sorry, I did not realize he was sound again. Well,. Something to consider for other times.

I agree with tinyliny. My horse had an abscess last summer a little lame, got better, lame ,better and then one morning before school " mommy it's broken!" he wouldn't put any weight on it and just let it hang.

Thanks for the input!! I have delt with an abcess before - Oats had one when we got him and my trainer has had several. Believe me, I clean hooves religiously (AT LEAST once a day - more when I ride,) and know what my hooves look like. If there was the slightest blemish, I know :p He has been sound ever since ;) in fact, today he galloped at a full run from one side of the field all across to the other :p It was really warm today, lol. Not even the slightest sign of pain.

Thanks!
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Absecesses won't necessarily show up as a blemish on the sole or wall of the hoof ;)