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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
  
Location: USA | I really think my big girl is sore somewhere on the front end. She doesn't bob her head when trotting, has flex tested negative a few weeks ago, but something just isn't right with her. When I lope circles in the right lead, it feels forced with her. She doesn't feel like she's cross-firing or anything, but it's off. She doesn't want to turn that right barrel either. I originally thought it may have been an issue with the first barrel, but I really think she's hurting somewhere. I know it's something with her right side, but what? Maybe it's withers or foreleg? She's not swollen anywhere, no heat, nothing. I have an appt next week with a lameness vet and if we have to we'll X-ray everything. It occurs more when there is torque on that front leg, like when turning the first barrel. Any suggestions or theories? I know her hocks and stifles are good. I have a chiro coming out end of next week too bc I know she's out in a few places. I just hope it's nothing serious. I love this little horse!
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| I've x-rayed for navicular issues, hoof angle, bone chips, pixie toe, etc. All these can cause issue and be seen with about three shots of front feet. X-ray fetlock and knee. Ultrasound front suspensories. Then check hocks and stifles, they can get sore in the front feet from hind limb soreness.
I tend to get a little X-Ray and ultrasound happy, but I like knowing about the issue. |
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Veteran
Posts: 289
Location: Northeast SD | I would xray the lower part of the hoof and ask if the mare needs to have wedge shos. I had this exact issue last year and had a vet watch her and he x-rayed her feet and recommended that I put Kirkhart (a brand of wedge) shoes on her and it has fixed it! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
Location: USA | Thank y'all!! I definitely want to have her feet x-rayed. There's just something off with that right side. She's sore on her rear withers, more so on the right side. Right side of her neck muscles is just a hair tight, most likely from the withers. I don't know if all that stems from one thing, or it's separate. Gah! Sometimes I feel like Sherlock Holmes. Where's Watson when I need him? |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | All of mine that have come up sore in the front feet showed some soreness when trotted on hard ground (concrete) in a small circle (end of standard lead rope). Just another something you can try at home before the vet. |
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Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Have you had her to a good chiropractor? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
Location: USA | classicpotatochip - 2014-07-31 8:50 AM Have you had her to a good chiropractor?
I have one coming out later on in the week after the vet appt. I do think she's out in places, but I also think it's something more than just that. |
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 Regular
Posts: 98
Location: Arkansas | Check her shoulders. dig your hang (so to say) down in front of her shoulder blades. You'll be able to tell. Ive had a lot of shoulder issues lately. |
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 Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | Kathryn Hawkins - 2014-07-31 1:06 PM Check her shoulders. dig your hang (so to say) down in front of her shoulder blades. You'll be able to tell. Ive had a lot of shoulder issues lately.
How did you fix the sore shoulders? Was it a foot issue? |
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 Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | I'm going to say this keeping in mind that you should do exactly what you're doing and rule out pain first. If you do not find the answer there...test her for EPM. My mare started out with the occasional toe stubbing, and me taking her to several vets saying she just wasn't right, and NONE of them could find anything physically wrong with her. But NONE of them suggested EPM either. She was just "off" and more to one lead/side than the other. She would sometimes act tender footed, but not lame. She progressively but subtly got worse for over 2 years before she began having behavioral type issues, then neurological issues and was diagnosed and treated. She has come back phenomenally, but I often wonder what she could do now had I caught and treated it sooner, before it did so much damage.
Edited by RockinGR 2014-07-31 2:35 PM
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 Ms Bling Bling Sleeze Kitty
Posts: 20917
Location: LouLouVille, OK | Angles and break overs are so important, do you have a picture of her (including her feet) from the side?
Thin soles, navicular, there could be lots of things but starting at the hoof, you can work your way up.
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  Veteran
Posts: 241
| Something to keep in mind, if you rule all the other obvious possibilities out is the collateral ligament in her foot. My mare was only lame on a circle to the left and it was slight she was really more stiff than lame, it ended up being the medial (inside) collateral ligament on her right front foot (outside foot in the direction she was lame), was never lame to the right in a circle. She had a tear in the collateral ligament, with shockwave and about a year off she is back running faster times than she ever has. But this is an underdiagnosed condition per my vet and a lot of times it gets lumped into navicular. It can be hard to diagnose depending on where in the foot the tear is, I got lucky and my horses tear was high enough that we saw it on ultrasound but you may have to get an MRI to fully diagnosed the problem if that is what it is. Anyways, there are tons of other more common things that could be going wrong, just wanted to let you know about my experience because it took 6 months for my vet to finally diagnose the condition as it is not super common. The injury can happen to any horse even one with perfect feet and it can happen turning a barrel or playing in the pasture with a misstep. Good luck finding out what is wrong with your horse, hopefully nothing to serious! |
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 Firecracker Dog Lover
Posts: 3175
| I would get x-rays on her hooves to check for navicular and an ultrasound to check her suspensory tendons. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
Location: USA | Ermuhgerd I am dreading this vet bill . . . 
But I want her sound again, so, hopefully this fixes our issues. Thanks everyone for the ideas and everything.
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