Lee Clark from New Mexico (I used to live in Taos) wrote a few days ago
about the slight come-and-going lameness on his horse. I just went through
this with my young horse, and have some important feedback- Get a vet to
look at him now. Never wonder about any sign of lameness.
My horse spooked during a ride in December last year, and came up gimpy. I
led him the 8 miles to the finish, and he was way off at the trot. Head
bobbing consistently. Ouch. We got instructions to get him checked out
asap. 2 days later during the trailer ride home, I trotted him a few steps
on pavement. He looked dead sound! No sign of lameness. There was a
little swelling in the area of the check ligament. Our vet checked him, (no
lameness) and said it looked like a slight check injury. His ultrasound
equipment showed nothing conclusive. He said if you really want to be sure,
get it checked at the hospital (UC Davis) where they have the best
equipment. I did, and they found a slight tear in his suspensory ligament.
Double ouch!
I learned what looked like a little 6 to 8 week recovery turned into a
little 8 month recovery, and no racing for a year. Especially weird since
he looked so sound two days later.
Get him to a vet to get checked out, and the better equipment they have the
better. It cost me $80 for the ultrasound at the hospital, and that's the
best eighty bucks I ever spent.
Nick Warhol
Hayward, Ca
Shatta the recovering Arab ( I am going on walking rides now- hooray!)
Rowan the 22 year old retired endurance Arab who I love dearly and still
ride as often as possible
which is not enough now that Shatta is back.