Re: Lameness(long)

[Connie DeJong <cdejong@cisco.com>]

Chiropractor or Acupuncturist could probably help you get the injury to heal faster, but that is treating the symptom.

I Suggest - work with a natural horse trainer to control the mare's behavior.  If she is very athletic she probably can do amazing things when she is excited.  I had a gelding like this, once I got him through his front leg bowed tendon from bolting up a hill not listening to me, he had rear leg lameness.    He had exceptional conformation, lineage was Crabbet. Beautiful gelding, extremely athletic and he could do amazing things in the air when he was excited, which ultimately led to a another lameness. It was such a shame, finally he ended up with alternating lameness on both rear legs, which I had first attributed to slipping (not falling)  on a metal drain grate in our arena.  But after several 6 month lay ups he never got better, no vet (x rays showed nothing) , chiropractor or acupuncturist could do anything for him.  He'd be grade 3 lame on one hind leg, I'd confine him for 2 weeks on Bute and wraps and another week without. He'd go sound, I'd start walking him on a lead working up to a lunge, and finally after a month of soundness start riding or  let him into pasture. About 2 weeks later he was dead lame on the other hind leg.  

I can attribute his injuries to not being well trained  It was my lack of experience to not recognize that a horse under saddle shouldn't be allowed to behave the way he did, fighting with me about being in front, or jumping sideways when spooked.  I only came off him once when a deer jumped in front of us, he was incredibly balanced through all his misbehavior he stayed right on top his feet.

So, do yourself a favor, don't stop by dealing with the symptom, really get someone to help you with the behavior so you can at least limit the potential injury when you are  under saddle.  

Good luck.
Connie



At 07:44 AM 1/20/99 +0200, you wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>Need some input on my new mares lameness. On Sat evening we went on a
>training ride with friends. This horse is very,very hot and when in
>company is a real idiot pulling and dancing. She is 11 years old and I
>have had her only 4 months. We have been working dressage and distance
>and mainly alone because of her stupidity out with others. Anyway 4 kms
>into the ride she was suddenly lame. No heat in legs, no swelling
>-thought maybe bruised foot. Rested Sunday- even more lame-looked like
>left fore but still no swelling or heat anywhere. Asked farrier to come
>in yesterday and pulled front shoes and used hoof testers- no bruise
>/pressure etc. Both of us very confused as on right circle she is lame
>on right leg- on left circle lame on left!!!  Farrier thought back or
>neck. Eventually found reaction when palpitate muscle- and this is where
>I need some input... This muscle runs from the inside of the point of
>the shoulder. When I lift her front leg out this muscle can clearly be
>seen running from inside chest up neck(next to the groove where the
>artery runs) Do you know which one i mean?? When I massage this muscle
>in the chest area it is obviously sore and she leans into it,dropping
>her head and mouthing. I am giving her bute, icing the muscle and
>massaging it as well. What could have caused this and how do I prevent
>it happening agian? Could she have done worse damage than just a sprain?
>It seems to be worse on the left side , but the whole neck seems to be
>sore when massaged as well... I suppose due to her favouring the sore
>muscle.Some ideas on how too handle this??
>Thanks again ..
>
>Regards,
>Cindy Budler
>  Natcon
>  Fabrication Division
>  Afrox
>  Germiston
>  Gauteng
>  South Africa
>  Tel: Direct Line :(011) 871-1006
>         Cellphone : 082 464 1809	
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>  E-Mail : natcon@afrox.boc.com
> 
Connie DeJong
Villa Montagne Equestrian B&B
28495 Big Basin Way
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
(831) 338-2174 (voice & fax)

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