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RE: [RC] De Elevators - heidiKaren's point is well-taken, as is her comment about working up horses that "seem" to be faking lameness. I, too, have seen horses that will appear "off" at the prospect of work but who can buck and cavort and appear sound when it fits their own agenda to do so. But I don't for a minute believe that there isn't some minor underlying problem that they only think about when they anticipate that it will hurt.
The same thing happens to me--I can "cover" a certain amount of pain when there are other things I want to do, but the pain becomes more evident when I am faced with things I don't want to do. The pain is still real, even if I can "appear to be sound" and work through it.
In my experience, there are far more horses who can "appear to be sound" because they have the guts and will to mentally override a problem than there are those who appear to have a problem and don't. I'll never forget having my horse break a sesamoid bone at a ride, be "off" for about half a mile, and then decide he was completely sound again. He didn't admit that it hurt until we had been in the next vet check for awhile--when he thought maybe he was done for the day. I've learned to believe them when they say they hurt, even when I can't immediately find the problem--and to look for signs that they hurt even when they don't readily admit it.
Heidi
I'm sorry, but I just can't believe that there isn't something at the root of a horse "faking" it. It doesn't make sense to me. And, I'd rather see a full lameness workup by a really *good* lameness vet (not the run of the mill, farm vets) on a horse that "fakes" lameness to get out of work. My suspicion is that there IS some underlying problem somewhere. Anyway, 'nuff said. I don't want to get into an argument. I, personally, just can't fathom a horse faking a lameness.
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