Lame is so relative--I didn't take the time to explain my POV better.? Your kind of creaky-lame vs one-leg-head-bobbing-something awful.? You took the time to figure it out, and he "works out of it", so then he no longer "feels lame" to you as the rider.? My old guy did that for a while, but then had the trick knee thing.? No working out of that.
You think a horse in this condition ought to be ridden?? Bearing? weight?? Doesn't sound like it to me.? Yours doesn't sound lame, just? creaky, can you ride a lame horse?? I can't.
Cheers, at age 20, has arthritic hocks and is starting arthritis in his rf pastern.? If I don't ride him for awhile, he starts out really stiff and head-bobbing, but eventually works out of it.? When I ride him 3 or 4 times a week, he's MUCH better.? His personality is such that I can't go for gentle walks on him, so we trot a lot...it's just not the 15mph trot he used to have when I competed him.? We usually go around 5 or 6 miles and do it in about an hour.? I think he is healthier and happier,?plus I'm able to keep weight off, which improves his prognosis.