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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
  
| 12 year old roping gelding, he had some lameness issues spring of 2014, windpuffs, swelling in front tendon sheaths, he was lame and had the whole head bobbing, front left was the worst. Stall rest, hand walking, DMSO and wrapping. Swelling didn't go down, X-rays, Ultrasound, normal. Nerve block, wasn't sure, he was sore somewhere below his knee. Never had any answers, but the vet injected him with cortisone in the front left coffin and tendon area and swelling went completely down, lameness went away. Ever since then his lope has been off, but he's sound, Before all this, he had a smooth, extended stride, now he is so different! He has little forward motion, like very up and down. Chiro adjusted him, teeth checked, but still has the same problem. In his right lead especially, it feels like he is all on his front end, REALLY Pounding his front legs into the ground. It is choppy and unnatural, not lame or sore at the trot, feet are done and fine. I feel like I'm loping an elephant! What is wrong with my poor guy?
Video of him loping, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW-UCBuAxkU | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| I have more videos, and the x-rays if you want me to dig them out! | |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
 
Location: North Dakota | Has he always flicked his tail?? If not, check his hocks, hurts too bad to extend. Then check saddle fit.
edited to add, if you turn him in a smaller circle, does his back feet come together and bunny hop?? If so, hocks....
Edited by LMS 2015-03-11 10:48 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| LMS - 2015-03-11 10:47 AM
Has he always flicked his tail?? If not, check his hocks, hurts too bad to extend. Then check saddle fit.
edited to add, if you turn him in a smaller circle, does his back feet come together and bunny hop?? If so, hocks....
Yes!! When I lope in small circles, he really hops! When I attempt to lope through the barrels he even tries to crow hop around the barrel. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| That would also explain why he stops on his front end. | |
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Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | Our 15 year old heading horse and kids barrel horse crow hopped with my daughter last spring, I tried running him through did the same with me (he's crotchety about the barrels) anyway, radiographs showed arthritis. Injected and started on pentosan and he's finer than frogs hair now! Though we have mostly retired him from barrels since our son is going to start roping, he really does move better! | |
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 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | Definitely looks like hocks and possibly stifles. He probably has some lower back pain as well which should go away once you address the hock pain. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 502
Location: United States | maybe his front end pain was hind end compensation? | |
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Folks on-line